When products are made available or distributed in the UK or EU they must comply with relevant quality, safety, environmental and technical standards. For some products, this requires a product conformity assessment (PCA) and marking to validate that the product is compliant with applicable standards and legislation.
The main application and requirements relating to product conformity assessments and labelling are summarised below.
Conformity Assessments
Manufacturers can perform their own PCA for some products, but higher-risk or safety-critical products require assessment by an independent conformity assessment body (CAB) authorised by the relevant jurisdiction.
Product categories which require independent assessment include:
- Machinery;
- Pressure equipment;
- Radio equipment; and
- Toys.
In addition, ecodesign requirements (such as minimum energy efficiency and emission limits) apply to some products such as lighting, electrical devices and heating or cooling equipment. Likewise, certain construction products must meet designated standards.
Key Duties for Product Conformity
The main duties for product conformity lie with the product’s manufacturer or importer who must ensure that:
- The product has been assessed as meeting all required standards;
- Technical documentation and a signed declaration of conformity are in place; and
- Appropriate labelling and product information is provided with a product.
Distributors also play a key role and are required to:
- Ensure manufacturers and importers have complied with their duties; and
- Report any compliance issues to the relevant authority.
Product Labelling
Products which require conformity assessment must be clearly labelled with:
- Marking confirming the product’s conformity; and
- Details of the organisation responsible for the product in the market available.
The main conformity markings and the products and markets to which they apply are outlined in the table below:
| European Union | Northern Ireland | Great Britain | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Products requiring safety, health and environmental conformity | CE | CE; or UKNI and CE | UKCA; or CE; or UKNI and CE |
| Aerosol dispensers and measuring container bottles | 3 (reversed epsilon) | UKCA; or 3 (reversed epsilon) | |
| Transportable pressure equipment | π (Pi) | P (Rho) | |
N.B. When the UK left the EU it was planned that CE and 3 (reversed epsilon marking) would be replaced by UKCA marking for the GB market. In 2023 it was announced that CE marking and 3 marking will be accepted indefinitely for products placed on the GB market. However, π (Pi) marking has been replaced by P (Rho) for transportable pressure equipment placed on the GB market.
Conformity marking is required for products where relevant health, safety and environmental requirements exist. A product must comply with all relevant requirements in order for conformity marking to be applied. Products requiring safety, health and environmental conformity assessment and labelling are listed in the table below.
| Products Requiring Safety, Health and Environmental Conformity in the EU / NI | Products Requiring Safety, Health and Environmental Conformity in GB |
|---|---|
| Toys | Toys |
| Pressure equipment | Pyrotechnics |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | Recreational craft and personal watercraft |
| Construction products | Simple pressure vessels |
| Pyrotechnics | Electromagnetic compatibility |
| Recreational craft and personal watercraft | Non-automatic weighing instruments |
| Explosives | Measuring instruments |
| Simple pressure vessels | Measuring container bottles* |
| Electromagnetic compatibility | Lifts |
| Non-automatic weighing instruments | Equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres (UKEX) |
| Measuring instruments | Radio equipment |
| Lifts | Pressure equipment |
| Radio equipment | Personal protective equipment (PPE) |
| Marine equipment | Gas appliances |
| Cableway installations | Machinery |
| PPE | Equipment for use outdoors |
| Gas appliances | Aerosol dispensers* |
| Medical devices | Low voltage electrical equipment |
| Fertilisers | |
| Drones | |
| Batteries | |
| Machinery |
*Aerosol dispensers and measuring container bottles can use either UKCA or the EU’s 3 (reversed epsilon) marking for the GB market.
The British Standards Institution’s Kitemark cannot be used to demonstrate legal conformity but is commonly used to indicate a product, including safety-critical equipment, has been independently tested and verified as meeting quality, safety and sustainability standards.
Harmonised and Designated Standards
The UK Government and European Commission have published a range of standards to help organisations ensure that their products conform with requirements. It isn’t a legal requirement for manufacturers to apply the relevant standard to a product, but by doing so this will often be enough to demonstrate that their product is legally compliant.
EU and GB standards can be accessed using the links below:
Additional information
Additional guidance on conformity assessment and labelling can be accessed using the links below:
- Manufacturing guidance and regulation (UK)
- CE marking (UK)
- CE marking (EU)
- UKCA marking (GB)
- UKNI marking (NI)
- Rho marking (GB)