After industry leaders warned ministers that it was entangling businesses in red tape, Britain backtracked on its intention to create a post-Brexit alternative to the EU’s “CE” product quality certification.
Industry applauded the “indefinite” delay of a replica “UKCA” safety certification for manufactured goods after over two years of pushing to drop the new regulations.
Businesses that sell electronic, industrial, and consumer goods entering the British market are now allowed to utilize whether the UKCA or the CE markings to show that their products adhere to industry standards, according to the government.
Businesses that sell electronic, industrial, and consumer goods into the British market are now allowed to make use of either the UKCA or the CE markings to show that their products adhere to industry standards, according to the government.
Business minister Kevin Hollinrake stated that the decision was made to cut “red tape” and “prevent a cliff-edge moment” before to the anticipated implementation of UKCA from the beginning of 2025.
“By expanding the use of CE marking throughout the UK, businesses can concentrate their time and resources on producing jobs and bolstering the economy,” he said.
Two industries, namely building materials and medical devices, were not included in the announcement and would continue to use the unique UK quality certification system, a warning that post-Brexit regulations are still in flux.
The British safety mark has long been promoted by ministers as a method for the UK to “take back charge of our product regulations” in the aftermath of Brexit, but the sector has dismissed it as a pricey diversion. A lot of businesses have invested a lot of money in getting ready for the introduction of the fresh system.
Business would “breathe a sigh of relief” at the decision, according to the British Chamber of Commerce, which also asked the government to take more steps to close the regulatory cracks with the EU.
The choice is also the most recent indication that Rishi Sunak’s administration is prepared to live with post-Brexit divergence’s constraints.
The UKCA mark was mainly abandoned by business secretary Kemi Badenoch as part of her effort to streamline the post-Brexit business environment.
One ally recalled that after listening to the situation, Kemi “basically said that this went on for a while and we needed to figure it out.” Contrarily, many Brexit supporters had long argued that deviating from EU norms and standards would increase the UK economy’s productivity.
The government’s divisive proposal to review or repeal every EU-era policy by the year’s end of 2023 was abandoned by Badenoch, a pro-Brexit Tory MP.
Former employee of the UK Department for International Trade who is now with the think tank European Centre for International Political Economy, David Henig, said the decision regarding the UKCA mark was indicative of the UK’s challenges in developing a competing regulatory framework.
These are the challenging choices that need to be made, he continued, “for smaller markets such as the UK is currently, contrasted to the administrative superpower of the EU.
Business organizations have repeatedly told the government that by establishing separate certification systems for the EU and the UK, replicating the UK assurance of quality mark was burdening industry unnecessarily.
The Building and Construction Products Association additionally stated that the UK construction industry and projects such as schools, hospitals, and houses would face additional uncertainty as a result of the decision to exclude their sector from this week’s postponement. We worry that legislators do not completely comprehend or value the seriousness of the aforementioned position as well the statement stated.
In addition, the British Health care Trades Association demanded “urgent clarification” over the sector’s prognosis, since the UKCA framework will not be implemented until 2028–2030.
Medical device suppliers are still waiting for clear and useful guidelines, the statement read. “While this extension provides much-needed relief to businesses throughout the UK,” it added.
Three times after a EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the adoption of the UKCA mark has been postponed.
Plans to establish the UKCA also made it clear that the UK certification sector lacked the resources to conduct tests on safety-relevant equipment like passenger elevators and automobile airbags.
The postponement was hailed as “a practical and common sense decision” that would “safeguard the competitiveness” of UK manufacturers and aid in luring investment, according to Stephen Phipson, chief executive of the manufacturers’ lobby group Make UK.
Former Brexit select committee chairman Hilary Benn stated, “Ministers should now pursue the same reasoning in other domains and ensure that the UK complies with the standards of our biggest competitor unless there is an undeniable advantage in divergence.”
The government also revealed plans to modernize post-Brexit product safety laws to account for internet-era gadgets like smart speakers and watches.
The plans, according to the business department, would help businesses save time and money by allowing for a wider range of electronic “e-labelling” than is presently permitted in the EU.
According to the department, the changes, which will be the subject of industry comment, will have “a hugely positive impact” on UK small firms who are affected by what it calls “outdated and cumbersome” EU-era legislation.