The export of LED lamps to UK CE has become a thing of the past, and the new UKCA certification process is explained in detail.

On September 1, 2020, the British government officially announced that the United Kingdom has left the European Union. On January 1, 2021, it will officially begin to use the United Kingdom Conformity Assessment (UKCA) certification mark. By the end of this year, the transition period for the use of the product mark after Brexit will end.

The UKCA mark is a new British product mark that will be used for products sold in the UK (England, Wales and Scotland) market. It covers most of the goods that previously required CE marking. Note: The UKCA mark does not apply to goods sold on the Northern Irish market.

After the UKCA mark is implemented, the export of products that only required CE certification to the EU and the UK will require CE and UKCA certification respectively, which may have a significant impact on the cost of the company's products and requires great attention.

? Products that need to use the new UKCA logo

1. Products sold in the UK

The UKCA mark will apply to most goods currently using the CE mark. From January 1, 2021, the technical requirements, conformity assessment process and standards that products must meet will be basically the same as now. In some cases, it will be necessary to apply the new UKCA mark to goods sold in the UK. The UK encourages companies to prepare to use the UKCA logo as soon as possible before this date.

Although the UKCA mark will be used from January 1, 2021, in order to allow companies time to adapt to the new requirements, in most cases, the CE mark can still be used until January 1, 2022. The CE mark is only valid in areas where the current UK and EU rules are still consistent. If the EU changes its rules and the product CE marking meets the new EU rules, then the product will not be able to use the CE marking to be sold in the UK, even before December 31, 2021.

2. Products sold in the EU still use the CE mark

Products sold in the EU still require the CE mark, and the UKCA mark will not be recognized by the EU market. From January 1, 2021, products that currently require CE marking are still required to apply for CE certification for sales in the EU.

? When to use the UKCA logo

After January 1, 2021, products that meet all of the following conditions need to immediately use the new UKCA mark:

1. Products manufactured for the British market;

2. The law requires the use of the UKCA logo;

3. Products requiring mandatory third-party conformity assessment;

4. The product has been subject to conformity assessment by the British Conformity Assessment Agency, and before January 1, 2021, the conformity assessment documents have not been transferred from the UK agency to the EU recognized agency (if the transfer is successful, it will be regarded as equivalent to CE certification and can be used The CE mark continues to be sold in the UK market, and the UKCA mark is not required).

These regulations do not apply to existing inventory, for example, if the product has been fully produced and is ready to be placed on the market before January 1, 2021. In this case, even if it is a certificate of conformity issued by a British institution, products with the CE mark can still be sold in the UK.

From January 1, 2022, the United Kingdom will not recognize the CE mark. However, as long as the product also has the UKCA mark and complies with the relevant British rules, products with the CE mark can still be sold in the UK. There are separate applicable rules for medical equipment.

?How to use the UKCA logo

1. How to place the UKCA logo

In most cases, the UKCA logo must be used on the product itself or on the packaging. In some cases, it may be placed on manuals or other supporting documents. This will vary according to the specific regulations that apply to the product.

General applicable rules:

1. The UKCA logo can only be placed on the product by the manufacturer or authorized representative (when permitted by relevant laws);

2. When the UKCA logo is affixed, the manufacturer or authorized representative shall be fully responsible for the product's compliance with the requirements of relevant laws;

3. Only the UKCA logo can be used to show that the product complies with relevant British laws;

4. The manufacturer or authorized representative must not place any mark or logo on the product that may misunderstand the meaning or form of the UKCA mark to a third party;

5. Do not attach other marks that affect the visibility, legibility or meaning of the UKCA mark on the product;

6. Unless required by law, the UKCA logo cannot be used on products.

2. Rules for using UKCA images

It must be ensured that when reducing or expanding the logo, the UKCA logo composed of letters must be in the same proportions as the version listed below. The height of the UKCA mark is at least 5mm, unless relevant laws provide for a different minimum size. The UKCA logo must be clearly visible (it must be permanently attached to the product from January 1, 2023)

3. Transitional measures for the use of the UKCA logo

For general products covered by the UKCA mark, the following transitional measures apply. Before January 1, 2023, for most goods (except those subject to special rules), you can choose to stick the UKCA mark on the label with the product or accompanying documents. Operators (whether they are manufacturers, importers or distributors) should take reasonable measures to ensure that the UKCA mark remains effective. Products that require the UKCA mark cannot be provided without it (unless the CE mark is used before January 1, 2022).

From January 1, 2023, the UKCA logo must be printed directly on products in most cases, and manufacturers should incorporate this date into the product design process.

The transitional measures for the UKCA mark do not apply to products with special regulations such as construction products, medical equipment, interoperability equipment for railway systems, and transportable pressure equipment.

4. UKCA certification application process and matters needing attention

The UKCA mark is the same as the CE mark. It is the manufacturer's responsibility to ensure that the product meets the standards set by the law, and after self-declaration in accordance with the prescribed procedures, the corresponding mark is made on the product.

Manufacturers can seek testing by qualified third-party laboratories to prove that the product meets the relevant standards, issue a qualified test report, and issue a compliance certificate AoC, and use this as the basis to make the manufacturer's UK compliance statement DoC.

The DoC needs to include key parameter information such as the manufacturer's name and address, and the product model.

What is the UK Declaration of Conformity DoC?

(1) The UK Declaration of Conformity is a document drafted for most products legally bearing the UKCA logo. In the document, you, as the manufacturer or authorized representative (if permitted by relevant regulations), shall:

? Declare that the product complies with relevant regulatory requirements.

? Ensure that the name and address of the manufacturer (or your authorized representative), as well as information about the product and conformity assessment body (if relevant) are on the file.

? The UK declaration of conformity should be provided to the market surveillance agency.

(2) The information required for the UK declaration of conformity is basically the same as that required for the current EU declaration of conformity. Different regulations may have different requirements, but they should generally include:

? The name and full office address of you or your authorized representative

? Product serial number, model or model identification

? Declare that you are fully responsible for the compliance of the product.

? Details of the accreditation body performing the conformity assessment procedure (if applicable)

? Relevant regulations that the product complies with

? Your name and signature

? Date of statement

? Supplementary information (if applicable)

(3) You need to list in the UK Declaration of Conformity:

? Related UK directives (non-EU directives)

? Related UK standards (standards not quoted in the Official Journal of the European Union)

?Note: On January 1, 2021, the British Standards will be the same as those used by the European Union in terms of substance and reference. However, they will use the prefix "BS" to indicate that they are standards adopted by the British Standards Institution as the British National Standards Agency.