On 1 January 2021, the UK becomes a separate “single market”, with the aim of using the same EU compliance legislation, at least initially, but with a unique logo “UKCA“, which stands for UK conformity assessment. After that date, most products released to the UK market will have to apply the logo. Those products subject to mandatory regulatory controls must be tested by a UK-approved testing body, while products that require the UKCA mark but are not subject to mandatory regulatory controls can be self-certified by the manufacturer.
Using the UKCA marking in different markets
Selling products in GB The UKCA marking is the product marking used for products being placed on the market in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales).
Product areas covered by the UKCA marking
You will need to use the UKCA marking if you manufacture or handle products in the following areas:
toys
pyrotechnics
recreational craft and personal watercraft
simple pressure vessels
electromagnetic compatibility
non-automatic weighing instruments
measuring instruments
measuring container bottles
lifts
equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres (UKEX)
radio equipment
pressure equipment
personal protective equipment (PPE)
gas appliances
machinery
equipment for use outdoors
ecodesign
aerosols
low voltage electrical equipment (The power adapter is also listed)
What Does This Mean for wall plug power adapter?
When wall plug power supplies are part of a product covered by the UKCA marking requirements, depending on the product category, an application-specific safety standard will apply such as BS 62368-1 for audio/video, information and communication technology equipment. Other standards may also apply to the same equipment, EMC requirements for example. This is the same arrangement as is current with CE marking.
Will European Economic Area countries accept the UKCA logo?
European Economic Area countries do not accept the UKCA mark as a substitute for the CE mark. Goods for both markets must have both the CE and UKCA marks; Even if the product standards applied are initially substantially the same, they may differ in the future if the EU or the UK update their standard requirements separately. For the UKCA flag, the referenced standard will be prefixed with “BS” for a document adopted by the British Standards Institute (BSI), such as BS 62368-1. For the CE mark, the reference standard will be the “EN” (European standard) version, for example EN 62368-1.
Conclusion:
The current deadline for manufacturers to use the UKCA logo has been extended.
You can continue to use the CE mark and reverse epsilon mark on the GB market until December 31, 2024.
