What is UKCA Certification?
UKCA certification is a mandatory requirement in most of the European Union (EU) countries and England and Scotland. It is a legally binding indicator that your product has passed a stringent set of conformity assessment processes. The UKCA mark also allows you to sell your products across the European Union (EU) and the UK. Aside from ensuring product safety, UKCA marking will help your business increase its sales in the EU and UK by building trust between your business and customers.
The process to become UKCA certified is relatively easy for manufacturers who already comply with all of the relevant standards. However, if you are not familiar with UKCA marking, you might not know the steps you need to take to meet the guidelines. Furthermore, you must know your company’s market access requirements before you start the certification process.
In order to be able to use UKCA certification, you must have a product that meets the EU’s standards.
The UKCA marking will replace the CE mark on goods manufactured in the UK. It will be recognized in the EU from 1 January 2021, but if you wish to sell your goods in the EU, you should apply for a CE-mark.
The UKCA certification process is a complex process, involving several steps and certification bodies. Ultimately, it will depend on the type of product you are selling and the location of production – Bluedice Solutions has worked with a wide range of niches. To get started, BSI the Netherlands and BSI the UK are the best places to start.
These two certifications are the most common in the tech industry, for example. They are both recognised and accepted by the EU. If you’re looking for a UKCA certification service, look no further than BSI the Netherlands or BSI UK.
Certified bodies do not impose any legal requirements on you, but the UKCA certification authority does. It’s recommended that you choose a product that meets the UKCA mark. It’s worth the cost – it will give you peace of mind when the EU imposes restrictions on the use of certain products in the UK. If you’re thinking of getting a UKCA certification for your product, we can help. The application process is simple and hassle-free with a bit of help.
Once you have a UKCA certification, you will have to make sure your product meets quality standars. If you’re not sure whether you’re ready for the process, get a copy of the UKCA’s rules for your products and get certified!
In this case you must use an ‘Approved Body’ which is based in the UK to support you. You may be fortunate in that some European Notified Bodies have established sister companies based in the UK, or partner organisations to seamlessly support the conversion to UKCA. Of course there are also UK-based Approved bodies who have done something similar, so that they can continue to support your CE marks for the European market.
One other point to remember is that not only does the UKCA mark permit you to place your products legally on the British market, but it helps your customers to show that these Construction products are capable of meeting national Building Regulations.
Regulation 7, which relates to materials and workmanship, requires that building work is carried out using ‘adequate and proper materials.’ The supporting Approved Document goes on to explain that compliance with the CPR is an accepted way of ‘establishing the fitness of materials’.
So there you have it. If you want to keep your products on the British market and continue to support your customers in meeting Building Regulations then you must act soon. Remember the deadline is January 1st, 2022. As ever, if you need to discuss how to get through this journey, get in touch below.
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Get in touch with us on +44 (0)7877 092117 or email us at dpayne@bluedicesolutions.co.uk