CE marking and UKCA marking of construction products
Why do construction products need to be CE marked? Well, because when the European Union was founded, one of the aims was to create a single European market by removing trade barriers that existed among the EU Member States. This has been achieved partly through legislation known as the “New Approach” directives, which require CE Marking of certain products that are to be placed on the European market for the first time.
The New Approach Directives are designed to ensure that goods are safe to use and that the standards of safety are the same across the European Trading Block. The HSQE Department works with customers on CE marking of their products under the Construction Products Directive.
The Construction Products Regulations (CPR) became UK law in 2011 to enforce the European Construction Products Directive. Where all countries have agreed a specification that a construction product will be made to, this is known as a Harmonised European Norm (hEN). Construction products with a hEN must be CE marked and, in order to do this, manufacturers must have a Factory Production Control system that is certified by a UK Government approved third party known as a Notified Body.
A question we are being asked increasingly is, what happens to CE marking now that the UK has left the EU? The Construction Products Regulations are part of UK law and the Government has declared its intention that nothing will change after the BREXIT transition period. The use of CE marking will continue until the end of December 2021 for certain circumstances but, from the end of December 2020 the new UKCA mark comes into use. At the same time, UK based Notified Bodies will become Approved Bodies and applicable EN standards will be added to a list of UK Designated Standards.
The HSQE Department helps companies to develop the Factory Production Control systems that are a compulsory part of CE marking and UKCA marking and manages the certification process where a Notified Body is needed.
We have experience with:-
- Structural metalwork – EN 1090-1
- Bituminous mixtures – EN 13108 series, EN 14023
- Pre-cast concrete – EN 13369, EN 14992, EN 15258 and others
However we add new standards constantly, so please contact us to discuss your needs or to discuss how CE and UKCA marks apply now that Brexit transition is complete.
For the latest guidance on UKCA marking see here.
