"From Next Year, 'UKCA' Mark Required Instead of 'CE' for Exports to the UK"

KATS Holds Briefing Session on Changes in UK Certification System After Brexit

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Due to Brexit (the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union), from next year onwards, only the UK-specific certification mark, UKCA, will be recognized for products exported to the UK. Thorough preparation by exporting companies and related organizations is required.

The National Institute of Technology and Standards under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy held an online briefing session titled "Response Measures for UK Testing and Certification Due to Brexit" at 10:30 a.m. on the 14th to share the current status of technical regulations changed by Brexit and discuss response measures for exporting companies.

As the UK left the EU, it independently introduced the UKCA mark, which replaces the EU conformity assessment system CE mark, and has applied it to its domestic market excluding Northern Ireland since the 1st of this month.

The UKCA mark applies to 18 product groups including toy safety, personal protective equipment, and eco-design, as well as 4 special regulation product groups such as medical devices, construction products, and civilian explosives. Most products that previously bore the CE mark fall under these categories.

From the 1st of this month, obtaining the UKCA mark became possible, and a one-year grace period for certification transition is granted until December 31. This means that the CE mark will no longer be accepted from next year.

The National Institute of Technology and Standards has disseminated the "UKCA Mark Usage Guide" to domestic companies through the Overseas Technical Regulation Information System and the Korea International Trade Association website.

At the online briefing session, key contents of the newly applied certification system were introduced to export company representatives, and the progress and future outlook of Brexit were explained.

The institute also discussed the main contents of the Korea-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which came into effect immediately with Brexit, and ways to utilize it for conformity assessment.

Kim Gyuro, Director of the Technical Regulation Response Bureau at the National Institute of Technology and Standards, explained, "The UK is the second largest market in the EU after Germany, and our exports to the UK amounted to $5.5 billion in 2019. Our country's main export products such as ships, automobiles, electrical and electronic products, steel, cosmetics, and medical devices account for about 80% of total exports to the UK."

Director Kim added, "To prevent export disruptions due to changes in the certification system, we will promptly collect and share information on regulatory changes in the UK with companies. Through dialogue channels between the two governments, such as regulatory dialogue bodies, we will actively resolve difficulties faced by our companies."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.