From 1 January 2021 there are differences in the rules for placing electrical and electronic equipment on the market in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and placing Electrical and Electronic Equipment on the market in Northern Ireland. Those differences are explained on this page. 

★ Overview

In Great Britain and in Northern Ireland many types of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) are regulated to control the levels of certain hazardous substances and chemicals they contain, with the aim of protecting human and animal health.

All products in scope must:

• have supporting technical documentation (often referred to as a technical file) to demonstrate compliance

• have a Declaration of Conformity

• be labelled with the required information

• display the appropriate conformity marking for the GB and/ or NI markets as appropriate

In Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2012 (as amended) are the underpinning legislation. However, there are differences in how they apply in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as explained below.

★ What is covered

The regulations in Great Britain and in Northern Ireland cover all EEE, cables and spare parts, with some exemptions including:

• Some equipment for military use or specifically designed to be sent into space

• Products integral to equipment that is not covered by the regulations

• Large-scale stationary industrial tools and large-scale fixed installations

• Photovoltaic (solar) panels produced for permanent use at specific locations

• Means of transport (apart from certain two-wheeled electric vehicles)

• Non-road mobile machinery specifically for professional use

• Products specifically for research and development available on a business-to-business basis

pipe organs

• Active implantable medical devices

• Phthalates in medical devices and monitoring and control instruments until July 2021

★ Extent of obligation

In Great Britain and Northern Ireland, manufacturers, importers and distributors, which include retailers, (known as economic operators) are responsible for the compliance of EEE that they place or make available on the GB and/ or NI market.

Economic operators in Great Britain and Northern Ireland must be able to identify who supplied them and who they supplied for 10 years following the placing on the market of the EEE.

★ Exemptions

For certain specific technical applications, you can apply for an exemption to allow these hazardous substances to be used above their maximum prescribed values.

Great Britain operates its own exemptions system, independent of the EUexemptions system.

Read guidance about exemptions in Great Britain, including how to apply

Northern Ireland continues to follow the EU exemptions system.

Read guidance about the EU exemptions system, including how to apply

★ How to comply

Manufacturers placing EEE on the market in Great Britain and/or Northern Ireland must evaluate their production controls to ensure that their products do not exceed the maximum prescribed levels of the following hazardous substances:

• Cadmium

• Lead

• Mercury

• exavalent chromium

• Polybrominated biphenyls

• Polybrominated diphenyl ethers

• Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate

• Benzyl butyl phthalate

• Dibutyl phthalate

• Diisobutyl phthalate

A Declaration of Conformity must be completed, supported by technical documentation to demonstrate compliance, retained for 10 years after the last product is first placed on the market and be made available to OPSS on request.

★ What is the UKCA Marking?

The UKCA mark is a label that should supplant the CE logo on your products to be placed into the UK's market, under certain conditions. UKCA stands for United Kingdom Conformity Assessed. 

BACL Service:

BACL can provide you efficient and reliable Multi-national certification services, such as United States(NRTL, FCC, ENERGY STAR), Canada(ISED, SCC), EU(CE), Korea(KC), Japan(MIC), Singapore(IMDA), Hong Kong(OFCA), Taiwan (NCC, BSMI), Egypt (NTRA,a GOEIC), Vietnam (MIC), Saudi Arabia (SASO, CITC), Philippines (NTC), Thailand (NBTC), Malaysia (SIRIM), India(BIS, WPC, TEC)and other services to assure your products still smoothly entering into the international trade market even when the international trade barriers are becoming increasingly fierce.