Repercussions from Brexit for machine builders laid bare

Hold Tech Files has published a new white paper, ‘The implications of Brexit for machine builders in the UK, the EU and the rest of the world’.

This is likely to prove essential reading for machine builders, system integrators and suppliers of safety components, as well as manufacturing companies that create assemblies of machines requiring CE marking or UKCA marking as a whole.

Greater transparency

Now the UK has left the EU and the two parties have agreed a new trading relationship, there is finally some clarity for machine builders. The new white paper looks at the full range of scenarios, including UK machine builders serving the home market, and machine builders exporting to the UK from the EU or anywhere else in the world.

Machinery placed on the market in Great Britain (ie, England, Scotland and Wales) now has to be UKCA marked, instead of being CE marked. The white paper highlights the differences between these two marking systems and also explains why CE marking is still required in Northern Ireland.

In addition, the white paper discusses how ‘designated’ standards have replaced ‘harmonised’ standards for UKCA marking, and the change to ‘Approved’ bodies from ‘Notified’ bodies for conformity assessment of Annex IV machinery.

Other key factors

As well as the issues relating to UKCA/CE marking, the white paper also raises two more important points that UK-based machine builders need to be aware of. The first is the rules of origin, which relate to customs declarations when UK-based machine builders export to the EU. The second is EU Regulation 2019/1020, which comes into force on 16 July 2021. While this new Regulation aims to strengthen the requirements for market surveillance, it also places new obligations on machine builders exporting to the EU.

Hold Tech Files is based in the Republic of Ireland and operates a web-based service for manufacturers of machines, partly completed machines and safety components covered by the European Machinery Directive. It enables companies to meet their obligation to name someone from the EU on the Declaration of Conformity or Declaration of Incorporation.

A free copy of the white paper can be downloaded here.