The UK’s recognition of CE marking on construction products was due to end across Great Britain on 30 June, 2025. However, the UK government has now announced an extension to the scheme beyond this date, ending years of uncertainty for the construction industry.
Back in January 2020, when the UK exited the European Union, the then-UK government said recognition of CE marked products would end ‘in the shortest time possible’, and that the UK would develop its own marking system known as UK Conformity Assured (UKCA). However, in the years since, the new legislation required to support this change was not introduced, and recognition for many products outside of construction materials were extended indefinitely.
Until now, recognition of the CE marking of construction products was still due to end on 30 June 2025, but this has now been extended for at least two years as part of a planned system-wide reform of construction product regulations.
Rushanara Ali, MP for Bethnal Green and Stepney, and Parliamentary Under Secretary for Building Safety and Homelessness, announced the extension in a statement on building safety in Parliament on 2 September, 2024.
She said: “We have listened to the findings from the Independent Review of the Construction Products Testing Regime. It was clear that there is currently insufficient testing and certification capacity in the UK alone to provide the volume of conformity assessment that would be required were CE recognition to end. We are also clear that ending recognition of CE marking without reforming the domestic regime would create trade barriers and negatively affect the supply of products that meet recognised standards.
“The Government recognises the role of UK Conformity Assessment Bodies in ensuring compliance of goods on the market. As part of the reforms the Government will work with UK Conformity Assessment Bodies, the UK Accreditation Service, and the wider industry to strengthen the conformity assessment market.”
Ali said this extension was conditional on the government committing to system-wide reform of the construction products regulatory regime, and that recommendations from the Grenfell Inquiry report would also be taken into account. Any changes subsequently made to the CE marking system would be subject to a minimum two-year transitional period to give the industry time to plan ahead.
The UKCA mark will remain a valid and accepted regulatory mark, sitting alongside CE marking until further notice, and timber and builders’ merchants can use be assured that both products remain valid symbols of conformity to all relevant safety, health and environmental requirements and legislation.
David Hopkins, CEO of Timber Development UK, said: “We welcome the government’s decision, and in particular the announcement of the two-year transitional period to give manufacturers, suppliers and merchants sufficient time to adjust to any future changes.
“We have long been calling for the government to provide the clarity the industry urgently needed, and this decision gives all concerned time to create a regulatory system that is truly fit for purpose, without creating barriers to trade both into and out of Great Britain. We will continue to work with the Government and all timber industry stakeholders to support the wider reform of all construction products, including timber.”
You can keep up to date on all the latest CE and UKCA marking news at www.timberdevelopment.uk
