UKCA / UKNI Marking & CE Marking

The European Regulation (UE) No 305/2011 of the European Parliament and the Council of 9 March 2011, laying down harmonised conditions for the marketing of construction products, and repealing Council Directive 89/106/EEC, abbreviated as Construction Products Regulation (CPR), was implemented on 1st July 2013.

This regulation exclusively concerns construction products covered by a European harmonised technical specification, (harmonised European Standard [hEN] or European Assessment Document [EAD]).

In March 2019, the UK Government introduced legislation which came into effect on 1st January 2021 to make arrangements for the regulation of construction products after the UK’s EU exit. Since then, further changes were made to take account of the Withdrawal Agreement and the Northern Ireland Protocol, which also came into effect on the 1st of January.

The CPR, as it applies now in the UK, is referred to as “Construction Products Regulation 2011 (retained EU law EUR 305/2011) as amended by the Construction Products (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 and the Construction Products (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020”.

Additionally, the previous harmonised standards as they apply in the EU, are now detailed as designated standards for use in the UK. Full details of these can be found via the UK GOV website using the following link: Designated standards: construction products

On 1st January 2021, the UK Government issued its own UKCA mark which can be used in place of CE marking for products placed in the UK. For products placed in Northern Ireland, there is a new UKNI mark.

The marking of construction products with the UKCA / UKNI mark is only possible against designated Product Standards or UK Technical Assessment Documents.

Each designated standard describes within an annex (Annex ZA) a conformity system required to ensure compliance. This may include self-declaration by the manufacturer, usually for product of less structural significance, or attestation supported by certification issued by a UK based conformity assessment body.

These annexes should be used in conjunction with the rules for use of the new UKCA / UKNI mark requirements as detailed in the UK GOV website using this link: Using the UKCA marking

The type of certification required will therefore depend on the nature of the product and the system of attestation ascribed to that product. CARES is a recognised conformity assessment body under the CPR, as it applies in the UK, and can offer the necessary Product Conformity certification and Factory Production Control certification.

CARES has also been designated as a UK Technical Assessment Body (TAB). This designation means CARES will be in a position to prepare UK Technical assessment documents for manufacturers placing goods on the GB market.

A European assessment document cited in the OJEU and adopted before the UK left the EU may be used as the basis to develop a UK Technical assessment document, a notice of the available assessment documents can be found via this link.

For further information on this, or any other queries relating to the application of UKCA and UKNI marks, please contact:

Ayhan Tugrul : General Manager (ayhantugrul@carescertification.com)

Lyn Morgan : Construction Scheme Manager (lynmorgan@carescertification.com)

Ian Bell : Operations Manager, UK & Europe (ianbell@carescertification.com)