UK in Brexit climbdown as safety rule deadline extended

The government has pushed back a deadline for the launch of post-Brexit product safety standards by allowing companies to follow EU rules until 2023, in the latest climbdown amid concerns over the economy.

Businesses will have an extra year to start using the new UKCA mark, which is planned to replace the EU’s CE mark used to certify that a wide range of products meet safety standards, including electrical goods and construction materials.

In the latest delay to post-Brexit reforms as firms struggle with disruption caused by the pandemic and leaving the EU, the government said firms would be given more time to adapt.

“Recognising the impact of the pandemic on businesses, the government will extend this deadline to 1 January 2023 to apply UKCA marks for certain products to demonstrate compliance with product safety regulations, rather than 1 January 2022,” the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said.