Two important post-Brexit changes in the standards environment in 2021

This year, there will be two important milestones in the standards environment that relate to Brexit. What do BSI members need to look out for?
1. Transition from CE marking to UKCA marking system. 2. An agreement on the UK’s terms of membership in the European Standardization Organisations, CEN and CENELEC.

 Transition from CE marking to UKCA marking in Great Britain

As you’ll know, the arrangements for trade flows between the EU and UK have changed, but as EU rules have been transposed into UK law, we are still largely following the same rulebook. This may change over time because Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) now operates in an autonomous regulatory jurisdiction.

From the end of the EU exit transition period, on 31 December 2020, a new UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) marking system was introduced for Great Britain. Certain products carry UKCA marking to indicate conformity with regulation for Great Britain. This replaces the EU’s CE marking regime.

Standards designated by UK government support businesses’ compliance with UKCA marking requirements. This has replaced the citation of harmonized standards in the EU’s Official Journal, which performs a similar function for CE marking. BSI has been working with the UK Government to help them to designate standards.

Northern Ireland, however, will continue to follow certain EU single market rules as set out in the Northern Ireland protocol. The new UKCA marking does not apply to Northern Ireland, which will continue to use the CE marking system.

Full transition to UKCA marking: 1 January 2022

Whilst the UKCA marking system is already active, a transition period allows businesses to continue to use CE marking until the end of 2021. (The transition period for certain products has a longer end date, e.g. medical devices).

From 2022, it will no longer be legal for businesses to follow the CE marking route to place goods on the markets in Great Britain (subject to certain exceptions for Northern Ireland). Organizations should ensure they allow plenty of time to manage this change and seek advice on how to achieve conformity should they require it.

CEN and CENELEC membership terms

The CEN and CENELEC General Assemblies have overwhelmingly agreed to revise the membership arrangements in their statutes, reflecting the UK’s departure from the EU. The agreement comes after careful consideration by the CEN and CENELEC members of the impacts of the UK’s exit from the EU on the European standardization system and on the organisations’ membership statutes.

This decision safeguards the principles of the European standardization system to provide seamless market access for our stakeholders and to reinforce the robustness of CEN and CENELEC and the achievement of the goals of the Strategy 2030.

BSI’s status in CEN and CENELEC is expected to be confirmed in November, following a membership assessment over the summer. This will enable BSI to transfer to a new category of full membership within CEN and CENELEC from 1 January 2022.

UK stakeholders place critical importance on continued involvement in the development of ENs (European standards), which enables simplified market access in 34 European countries and reinforces consumer trust.

2021: an important year for standards in the UK

For BSI members, it is vital to remain well-informed and aware of changes and how they may affect your business. Allowing plenty of time for planning and preparation in advance of any change will help to minimize the impact on operations and avoid disruption.

BSI will continue to provide information and support to members, helping you to navigate changes and adapt smoothly. The BSI Membership Portal is a valuable source of information. Use the Knowledge Centre to seek expert opinion or visit the resources below for more information. 

More information:

• Standards and EU exit
• Standards and regulation
• UK product regulation from 1/1/21
• UK government website: designated standards