💢Press Interview on UKCA Marking for Products and the Vietnam–United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA)
On September 9, 2022, Ms. Le Kim Ngan – Sales Consultant Manager at VINTECOM International Management Consulting Company – participated in an interview with a reporter from Vietnam News, the English-language newspaper of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), regarding UKCA Marking and the requirements that businesses should be aware of when placing products and goods on the UK market in the context of the implementation of the Vietnam–United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA).
The interview focused on changes related to the transition from CE Marking to UKCA, product conformity assessment requirements, business responsibilities, and key considerations that manufacturers and exporters in Vietnam need to prepare for in order to meet the technical requirements of the UK market.
Through the interview, VINTECOM International provided professional information and expert insights to help businesses better understand UKCA, CE Marking, conformity assessment, and related requirements applicable to products exported to the United Kingdom.
The following is an excerpt reproduced and introduced by VINTECOM International from the Vietnam News interview with Ms. Le Kim Ngan, providing additional reference information for organizations and businesses interested in UKCA consulting, conformity assessment, and access to the UK market.
1. Vietnam News Reporter (VN News): Could you briefly introduce your company’s activities and the services you provide, particularly those related to UKCA?
Ms. Le Kim Ngan (LKN): VINTECOM International Management Consulting Co., Ltd. operates in the fields of training and consulting on management systems, quality and environmental management, social responsibility, and product and goods conformity for businesses across various economic sectors, including industrial manufacturing, mechanical engineering, automotive, electronics, information technology, telecommunications, food, pharmaceuticals, textiles and garments, as well as services and logistics.
Our services cover compliance with international standards and requirements such as ISO, IATF, VDA, CSR, CE Marking, UKCA Marking, CSA Mark, GS Mark, RoHS, REACH, QC 080000, and many other international standards. These services are aimed at helping organizations and businesses ensure that their products and goods are eligible to enter international and global supply chains.
For more information about our products and services, please visit our website:
VINTECOM International – Company Introduction and Services
2. Vietnam News Reporter (VN News): What is the UKCA Mark? Which products does it apply to? What conditions and standards must these products meet to obtain the UKCA Mark?
Ms. Le Kim Ngan (LKN): The UKCA Mark is a conformity marking used for products and goods that meet the applicable legal requirements for being placed on the market in Great Britain, namely England, Scotland and Wales.
Product sectors subject to UKCA marking requirements include:
- Toys
- Fireworks
- Recreational craft and personal watercraft (with a hull length of less than 4 metres)
- Simple pressure vessels
- Electromagnetic compatibility
- Non-automatic weighing instruments
- Measuring instruments
- Measurement of the capacity of bottles and containers
- Lifts
- Equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres (UKEX)
- Radio equipment
- Pressure equipment
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Gas appliances
- Machinery
- Equipment for outdoor use
- Ecodesign
- Aerosol dispensers
- Electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits (low-voltage electrical equipment)
The technical requirements, sometimes referred to as “essential requirements,” that organizations and businesses must meet in order to apply the UKCA Mark depend on the specific legislation and regulations applicable to the product.
Therefore, organizations and businesses should refer to the specific legislation applicable to their product sector or contact VINTECOM International for advice on which regulations apply to their products and how to demonstrate compliance with those requirements.
Certain conformity assessment procedures allow manufacturers to self-declare conformity. Other regulations, particularly those applicable to products considered to present a higher level of risk, may require third-party conformity assessment.
Organizations and businesses should therefore check the specific sector guidance applicable to their products to determine whether they are permitted to self-declare conformity or whether they need to use a third-party conformity assessment body to meet the relevant UKCA requirements.
For example, personal protective equipment is subject to Regulation (EU) 2016/425 on personal protective equipment.
3. Vietnam News Reporter (VN News): If a business wants its products to bear the UKCA Mark, what application, registration and assessment process does it need to go through? Which organizations have the authority to assess and approve UKCA conformity?
Ms. Le Kim Ngan (LKN): A business wishing to obtain UKCA conformity for its products needs to submit an application to a Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) for review of the relevant information concerning the organization and the products intended for UKCA marking.
Once the application has been reviewed and accepted as appropriate, the manufacturer, or a representative such as VINTECOM International, can support the manufacturer in developing the required documented system and technical documentation for the product.
This documentation is intended to demonstrate that the manufacturer’s product complies with the applicable requirements of UK legislation and the requirements of the relevant CAB, which is the conformity assessment organization responsible for carrying out the applicable conformity assessment activities.
4. Vietnam News Reporter (VN News): What benefits does the UKCA Mark provide to businesses? What difficulties or disadvantages might products without the UKCA Mark face in the UK market? Is UKCA genuinely necessary for businesses wishing to benefit from the UKVFTA?
Ms. Le Kim Ngan (LKN): Products manufactured or handled by organizations and businesses that fall within the 19 product sectors listed in Question 2 are subject to the applicable UKCA marking requirements.
UKCA can provide significant benefits to businesses by demonstrating that their products and goods meet the applicable requirements for access to the UK market. It can also contribute to enhancing the credibility and value of products where conformity has been assessed by an independent conformity assessment body (CAB) and the relevant UKCA conformity documentation has been issued.
Businesses seeking to benefit from preferential tariffs under the UKVFTA must ensure that they provide the required documentation demonstrating the origin of goods in accordance with the applicable UKVFTA rules.
Therefore, in addition to the documentation required to obtain tariff preferences, if an organization’s or business’s products fall within the scope of UKCA marking requirements, the business must also comply with the applicable UKCA requirements in order for those products and goods to be eligible for placement on the UK market.
5. Vietnam News Reporter (VN News): Could you tell us about some of the technical characteristics of the UKCA Mark? For example, is it applied as a label or engraved? What is its size? Is it temporary or permanent?
Ms. Le Kim Ngan (LKN):
Use of the UKCA Mark – Placement of the UKCA Mark
In most cases, the UKCA Mark must be affixed to the product itself or to its packaging. The UKCA Mark must be clearly visible, legible and indelible when affixed to the product.
In certain circumstances, it may also be included in instruction manuals, catalogues or other supporting documentation, depending on the specific regulations applicable to the product.
When applying the UKCA Mark, the manufacturer assumes full responsibility for ensuring compliance with the relevant UK legal requirements and for maintaining the technical documentation supporting such compliance.
Rules for using the UKCA Mark
Businesses must ensure that:
- If the UKCA Mark is reduced or enlarged, the letters forming the mark must remain proportionate to the official UKCA marking format.
- Unless a different minimum size is specified in the relevant legislation, the UKCA Mark must have a minimum height of 5 mm.
- The UKCA Mark must be clearly visible, legible and indelible.
Note:
The UKCA Mark may appear in different forms, such as in different colours, provided that it remains clearly visible and legible and maintains the required proportions.
6. Vietnam News Reporter (VN News): Once a product has been granted the UKCA Mark, is the marking valid permanently, or can it be withdrawn under certain circumstances? If it can be withdrawn, in what circumstances?
Ms. Le Kim Ngan (LKN): A product subject to UKCA conformity assessment may be issued with a certificate whose validity period is stated on the certificate and, under the arrangements referred to at the time of this interview, was commonly five years.
Market surveillance or enforcement authorities may request the relevant information at any time to verify whether an organization’s or business’s products comply with the applicable regulatory requirements and whether the technical documentation supporting the conformity assessment remains available and valid.
The information that manufacturers are required to retain varies depending on the specific legislation applicable to the product.
Therefore, in the event of non-compliance, the validity of the relevant certificate may be suspended or otherwise affected, and the UKCA Mark may no longer be valid for the product.
For further information and support regarding UKCA conformity assessment and UKCA marking for products and goods intended for the UK market, please contact:
Our Client Support
Ms. Mai Nguyên – Sales Consultant MNG
Zalo / WhatsApp: 094 886 5288
Email: sales.iso@vintecom.vn or support@vintecom.vn
Vietnam News Reporter (VN News): Thank you very much for participating in the interview with Vietnam News. Thank you!
Reference: Transition from CE to UKCA could cause headache for exporters, Vietnam News: Transition from CE to UKCA could cause headache for exporters – Vietnam News
📶📶📶 Contact to register for Training and Consulting services for CE marking, UKCA mark, EU Rohs Directive & Reach Directive
Customers, organizations and enterprises require the Training course, Consulting or Audit services of CE marking, UKCA mark, EU Rohs Directive & Reach Directive please click on "Registration - Quotation" or on the right toolbar below the PC screen to receive a quotation for Training, Consulting and Certification services.
📶📶📶 Further information, Please contact us as below:
☎ VINTECOM International Office in Ha Noi City: 16th Floor - Green Stars City, 234 Pham Van Dong Street, Phu Dien Ward, Hanoi City. Hotline 094-886-5288/ (024) 730-588-58
☎ VINTECOM International Office in Ho Chi Minh City: Glory Height Vinhome Grand Park - 88 Phuoc Thien Street, Long Binh Ward, HCM City. Hotline 0938-083-998/ (028) 7300-7588
VINTECOM INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY COMPANY
Head Office: No. 5 Hoang Sam treet, Nghia Do, Cau Giay district, Ha noi City
HANOI VINTECOM INTERNATIONAL OFFICE
Address: 16th Floor - Green Stars City
234 Pham Van Dong Street, Phu Dien Ward, Hanoi City
Tel : (024) 730.588.58/ (024) 730.333.86
Hotline: 094 886 5288
Skype: kd.vintecom
Email : office-hn@vintecom.com.vn
Web : www.vintecom.com.vn
HCM VINTECOM INTERNATIONAL OFFICE
Address : Glory Heights - Vinhomes Grand Park
88 Phuoc Thien Street, Long Binh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
Contact: Ms. Pham Thu Ha
Tel: (028) 7300 7588
Hotline: 0938 083 998
Email : office-hcm@vintecom.com.vn
Web : www.vintecom.com.vn