Construction Products Regulation from 1st January 2021
When evaluating framework tenders, LHC includes sections in the specifications covering Construction Products Regulation compliance, and we want to ensure that all existing and potential Appointed Companies and tenderers are aware of our approach from January 2021, so preparations can be made in good time, as encouraged by the UK Government.
Under European directives all construction products placed on the market that are covered by European Harmonised Standards are required to be CE marked. Now that we are close to leaving the EU on 31 December 2020, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has published new guidance on the use of the new UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) mark to replace the European CE mark.
The guidance (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/construction-products-regulation-from-1-january-2021) published on 1st September 2020, sets out the Government's intentions, but legislation will need to be approved in Parliament, so there may be changes. BEIS will review the guidance once the legislation has been passed through Parliament.
Briefly, it is intended that all existing harmonised European Standards (the definition of CE Marking applicability) will become identical UK ‘designated standards’ and companies will be able to apply to the UKAS certified 'UK approved bodies' (formerly 'UK notified bodies') for certification and the UKCA mark.
UK notified bodies will be listed on a UK version of the' New Approach Notified and Designated Organisations' (NANDO) database. Additionally, UK-based technical assessment bodies (which will become ‘UK technical assessment bodies’ from the end of the transition period) will be able to carry out the technical assessment of construction products for the UK market. The products may then be affixed with the UKCA marking.
Although the UKCA mark can be used from 1 January 2021 in the UK (not including Northern Ireland), to allow businesses time to adjust to the new requirements, the existing CE marking can be used until 1 January 2022 in most cases.
Therefore, in order to be as flexible as possible, LHC will accept certification using both CE and UKCA marking regimes between 1st January 2021 and 31st December 2021.
However, we encourage all Appointed Companies and tenderers to ensure they are can comply with the UKCA marking requirements as soon as possible by reading the guidance and making suitable arrangements for the switchover well before the 31st December 2021 deadline.
