FIRST UKCA MARKING OBTAINED WITH THE SUPPORT OF COPRO
At the end of the 1st quarter of 2023, the first UKCA certificates - the result of the collaboration between BSI (one of the two UK partner assessment bodies) and COPRO - were awarded to Beaulieu Technical Textiles, the Belgian manufacturer of geotextiles.
The various documents for the CE marking of geotextiles designated by Beaulieu have been sent to BSI. The latter assessed compliance with the English requirements on the basis of designated standards.
Once their compliance has been duly established, Beaulieu geotextiles have received their UKCA certificate for access to the UK market.
We are proud to have actively contributed to making the activities of one of our export customers more sustainable.
CONTEXT
On January 1, 2021, after the Brexit, the United Kingdom stepped out of the European internal market and the European customs union.
It thus no longer benefits the principle of free movement of goods in the European internal market. In addition, the requirements for bringing products to the UK market have changed. After all, European regulations no longer apply on the other side of the Channel and there is no mutual recognition clause.
Specifically, products intended for sale in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) must bear the new UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) mark. According to this mark, the product meets the legal requirements of the UK and the required checks have been carried out by a conformity assessment body, based in the UK and duly accredited by the local accreditation body, the UKAS.
The UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) mark is a new product mark for products marketed in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland). It covers most products previously subject to CE marking, including construction products.
This UKCA mark cannot be used for products placed on the market in Northern Ireland that require a CE or UKNI mark.
From 1 January 2021, the UKCA quality mark will be used. However, to allow companies to adapt to the new requirements, the CE mark is in most cases still valid until 30 June 2025 (transition period), especially when it comes to construction products.
ROLE OF COPRO
Manufacturers which rely on COPRO for their CE marking can now also contact COPRO as a support in obtaining their UKCA certificates, which are essential certificates for continuing to trade with the British market.
Specifically, we have signed Mutual Recognition and Cooperation Agreements with two other UK Conformity Assessment Bodies accredited by the UKAS. The agreement enables these British organizations to issue a UKCA certificate based on the CE marking issued by COPRO. This collaboration is a source of simplification, time savings and savings for the manufacturers who rely on us. This allows them to remain active in the UK market, to remain competitive with their competitors and to comply with applicable legislation.
| UKCA-marking contact person |
| Bernard Cornet |
| bernard.cornet@copro.eu |
