Great Britain announced that it will indefinitely retain the European CE safety certification for products instead of scrapping it after the country’s departure from the European Union, a move welcomed by businesses as a pragmatic step.
The UK government had promoted Brexit as an opportunity to abolish cumbersome EU regulations for businesses, but it has since scaled back some of those plans after companies complained that they would face higher costs and bureaucracy, which would affect their competitiveness.
One of the proposals was to introduce a UKCA mark to replace the European system, indicating that products meet safety, health, and environmental protection requirements. The government stated on Tuesday that companies can now choose which system they want to use when selling products in Great Britain.
“The government is tackling bureaucracy, reducing burdens on businesses, and creating certainty for companies – we have listened to the industry and are taking action to deliver results,” said Trade Minister Kevin Hollinrake.
“By extending the use of CE marking throughout the UK, businesses can focus their time and money on creating jobs and growing the economy.”
Earlier this year, the government scrapped another post-Brexit plan, stating that it would no longer abolish all EU laws by the end of this year.
British companies had complained that a UKCA certification would lead to additional costs because it was not recognized by Brussels, which has much more regulatory power worldwide, making it less relevant outside of Great Britain.
Some British companies exporting to Europe have relocated their operations to the EU to access the block’s CE certification system – a mark that may be desired by buyers of goods outside Europe.
The British Chambers of Commerce welcomed the indefinite retention of the CE marking, stating that a 2021 survey showed that only 8% of companies wanted to abolish the EU marking system, and 59% of companies affected by the decision wanted to retain it.
