Category: United Kingdom

Despite the UK having left the European Union, certain EU product regulations and directives still apply to goods sold in Northern Ireland. In return, companies in Northern Ireland retain access to the EU single market.

In practice, this means that companies selling products in Northern Ireland may need to ensure compliance with EU requirements and stay up to date with new and updated regulatory requirements.

This guide addresses some common questions concerning the Northern Ireland Protocol, related agreements, and selling products in Northern Ireland.
Continue reading Product Compliance Requirements in Northern Ireland: An Overview

Authorised Representatives are companies established in the United Kingdom appointed by a manufacturer to perform specific duties on the manufacturer’s behalf. Such companies can, for example, communicate with UK authorities.

Some product regulations indicate that it is voluntary for manufacturers to appoint an authorised representative. Other regulations, such as The Medical Devices Regulations 2002, require manufacturers to hire an authorised representative – or “UK responsible person” – if they are established outside the United Kingdom.

Note that the requirements for appointing an authorised representative in Northern Ireland are different because they remain aligned with EU regulations and directives.

This guide answers some common questions concerning authorised representatives, using The Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011 and The Medical Devices Regulations 2002 as the basis.
Continue reading Authorised Representative Requirements in the United Kingdom

Jewellery, both made of precious and non-precious metals, are subject to various regulations, substances restrictions, labelling, and testing requirements in the United Kingdom. For example, jewellery may contain excessive amounts of lead, cadmium, and other heavy metals.

In this guide, we take a closer look at General Product Safety Regulations 2005, REACH, the Hallmarking Act 1973, and other compliance requirements for jewellery sold in UK.

Note: This article does not cover requirements for Northern Ireland, which is generally aligned with EU product safety requirements.
Continue reading Regulations and Standards for Jewellery in the United Kingdom

Products defined as machinery are subject to various regulations, safety standards, labelling, documentation, and testing requirements in the United Kingdom. Ensuring compliance is critical, as unsafe machinery can result in severe injuries or even death.

In this guide, we explain how regulations such as The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 and The Noise Emission in the Environment by Equipment for Use Outdoors Regulations 2001 apply to machinery sold in the United Kingdom.

Note: This article does not cover requirements for Northern Ireland, which is generally aligned with EU product safety requirements.
Continue reading Regulations and Standards for Machinery in the United Kingdom: An Overview

Batteries and products containing batteries sold in the UK are subject to various safety standards, substance restrictions, labelling, documentation, and testing requirements. Ensuring compliance is essential, as non-compliant batteries can explode and cause fires.

In this guide, we take a closer look at the Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2008, Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009 and other UK regulations relevant to batteries and products containing batteries. However, this article does not cover UK regulations relevant only to electronic parts, such as the Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016.

Note: This article does not cover requirements for Northern Ireland, which is generally aligned with EU product safety requirements.
Continue reading Regulations and Standards for Batteries in the United Kingdom

UKCA marking indicates compliance with one or more UK regulations that in turn requires the UKCA mark on the product or its packaging. The marking can be found on many products that were previously CE marked when the UK was part of the EU. As such, the UKCA mark is commonly found on toys, electronics, PPE, medical devices and many other products.

In this guide, we list different UKCA marking regulations and explain what type of products they cover. The information presented in this guide is based on information found on the GOV.UK website. The product examples are taken from the lists of designated standards and, in some cases, from the text of the relevant regulation.

Note: This article does not cover requirements for Northern Ireland, which is generally aligned with EU product safety requirements.
Continue reading Which products must be UKCA marked?

Personal protective equipment sold in the United Kingdom should comply with various regulations, safety standards, and other requirements. Non-compliant PPE may not adequately protect the user – for instance, helmets that break easily may not protect motorcyclists and construction workers from head injuries, which may lead to severe injuries.

In this guide, we explain how regulations such as the Personal Protective Equipment Regulation (EU) 2016/425 and the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 apply to personal protective equipment sold in the United Kingdom.

Note: This article does not cover requirements for Northern Ireland, which is generally aligned with EU product safety requirements.
Continue reading Regulations and Standards for Personal Protective Equipment in the United Kingdom