Tuesday, 12 January 2021

Latest UKCA Marking and UKEX Certification Guidance

Changes to UKCA Marking and UKEX certification requirements will soon begin to affect companies who place products on the market in the UK.

Any products placed on the UK market from 01 January 2023 shall bear the UKCA mark in place of or in addition to the CE mark, however CMP Products is already well-prepared for the transition, with regards to both explosive atmosphere and industrial products.

The current CMP ATEX Ex certificates remain valid for use in the UK for 24 months from 01 January 2021. Meanwhile, UK Conformity Assessment Bodies have been unable to issue UKEX certificates prior to this date due to delays in clear government guidance.

Having discussed the situation with the Conformity Assessment Body CML (Certification Management Limited), we will begin to put new UKEX certificates in place, from January 2021. These certificates will be issued well in advance of the 2023 deadline.

CMP is strongly positioned to absorb and react to the latest guidance as it is discussed then published. Jonathan Hichens, CMP’s Lead Certification Engineer, is a current and active member of the committee ‘L/6/10 IECEx National Committee of the United Kingdom and ATEX UK Notified Body Group‘ with what were the UK ATEX Notified Bodies, and now are UK “Conformity Assessment Bodies” for UKCA Marking and UKEX certification – and meet with them regularly.

The subject of UKCA Marking and UKEX Certification has been discussed in detail with members of BEIS (UK Government Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy) who look to the Committee for guidance.

Key points to note are:

• CMP will continue to export product into Europe with CE marking exactly as it does at the moment, with no changes to any of its current certification.
• As CMP’s ATEX Ex certification is issued by an EU27 (ATEX) Notified Body and our product is CE marked, this current certification remains valid in Europe with no changes required.
• UK Conformity Assessment Bodies have been unable to issue UKEX certificates prior to 01 January 2021 and it was recently determined by the UK government that existing ATEX certification will also remain valid for products placed on the UK market, up to and including 31 December 2022.
• With offices in the UK and Europe, the Conformity Assessment Body, CML (Certification Management Limited) is well placed to provide continuity on CMP’s existing ATEX and new UKEX certificates.
• CMP Industrial (non-hazardous, or safe area) products, which are currently CE marked, will be additionally identified with the new UKCA mark during the transitional period. This has been a dynamic and constantly changing subject for everyone involved, with clear and confirmed guidance from the UK Government only recently being released. We wish to assure you that CMP is well-positioned to guide our customers through the transition.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch via our online contact form, or by calling 0191 265 7411.