AUTHORISED REPRESENTATIVE / UK RESPONSIBLE PERSON SERVICES
An Authorised Representative (AR) or a UK Responsible Person (UKRP) is the name given to a party that represents a product manufacturer (depending on the product) and acts as a liaison with relevant authorities within the appropriate economic area. For example, when applying a UKCA or CE mark onto a product the AR or UKRP will represent the manufacturer in the UK or EU respectively.
At SHAW (Safety, Health & Wellbeing) Group UK Ltd we can support manufacturers by assuming the role of UK or EU Authorised Representative/UK Responsible Person (depending on the product in the UK) and by carrying out the following obligations on their behalf:
- verifying that the UK/EU Declaration of Conformity (or Incorporation, Performance, etc.) and technical documentation has been drawn up correctly;
- ensuring that technical documentation is kept for the period required by legislation and that it can be made available to those authorities (i.e., MHRA for a medical device/IVD) requiring it, such as market surveillance authorities, upon request;
- alerting the necessary parties of risks associated with their product and providing support in taking immediate, necessary and corrective action to remedy any non-compliances identified; and
- allowing our details to be placed on products, packaging and documentation as the Authorised Representative/UK Responsible Person.
CONFORMITY MARKING
UKCA Mark
UKCA Mark
UKCA Mark
The UK will continue to accept the CE mark until the 31st December 2024. A UKCA marking system becomes mandatory on 1st January 2025 and will replace CE marking in the UK. CE marking for the EU market is not affected by these changes.
CE Mark
UKCA Mark
UKCA Mark
The letters ‘CE’ appear on many products traded in the European Economic Area. CE marked products require an economic operator located within the EU. This economic operator must liaise with the authorities to provide them with information or take certain actions.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Initially, the CE mark deadline was to be phased out of the UK by 31st December 2022 where the new UKCA mark would become mandatory on the 1st January 2023. This has now been pushed back, with CE marking to be phased out by 31st December 2024, and the UKCA mark becoming mandatory on 1st January 2025. This has been delayed to provide businesses some breathing space and flexibility to ensure that their products will be UKCA compliant and safe to sell on the UK market.
Manufacturers will not be allowed to use the CE mark from 1st January 2025 onwards to sell goods in the UK, as this will now be the UKCA mark. Products can still be placed on the market with the CE mark up until this deadline.
No. However, the UK has stated that they are looking to implement some similar measures in the future.
Yes, It is required to have both an EU and a UK address on your product if you are planning to sell products in both the UK and EU.
No, the legislation does not specifically require this, it states that the manufacturer must keep the technical information ‘at the disposal of the market surveillance authorities and ensure that the technical documentation can be made available to those authorities, upon request’.
The fact that you re-brand the products means that you are the ‘manufacturer’ according to the CE/UKCA mark rules. You have to be able to show that your products meet the applicable directives and standards, and you have to issue a Declaration of Conformity in your name.
If you continue to sell in Europe, you will have to identify an ‘economic operator’to act as your point of contact with the market surveillance authorities and if you do not appoint an Authorised Representative then the company which was distributing your products before the end of 2020 will become your importer by default.
Yes, the importer’s name and address must be on the product, instructions or the packaging if you wish to sell them in the UK.
Certain specialist goods are allowed to be sold with instructions in electronic format, but consumer products must have the instructions in paper form.
Products already in the supply chain at the time the new rules come into force can continue to be sold under the old rules.
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