The ECA has recently responded to the government’s new announcement that UKCA marking will not be mandatory for any products until the 1st January 2023, delaying the previous deadline for the marking by one year.
Manufacturers will now have just under 16 months to prepare for the new UKCA marking regulations on construction products. The ECA welcomes the extension as it gives a wider pool of manufacturers and distributors the opportunity to be compliant and get up to speed with UKCA requirements. Although the ECA does note that uncertainty remains about the exact mechanism for compliance.
The decision follows lobbying from engineering services alliance Actuate UK and others to recognise that for many products needing third party conformity assessment, including construction products, there would not be sufficient availability or capacity for UK Approved Body testing by the end of 2021.
ECA Director of Legal and Business Rob Driscoll comments: “With the ongoing materials shortage and severely limited product testing facilities, the materials market was clearly going to struggle to verify common products as UKCA-compliant within the government’s previous deadline.
“All things considered, it is unlikely that material supplies will improve dramatically in the next 12 months. However, this deadline extension will offer some sorely needed respite for manufacturers as well as contractors. The looming cliff-edge of the soaring materials shortage will be eased by this move, but not removed as many of the other global causes are beyond the UK Government’s control.”