In order to ease the pressure on British businesses, the Government has extended the deadline to use the UKCA certification until 2023. The Business department announced the change in part due to the issues to supply chains caused by the pandemic. This means, however, the current European CE label continue to be used until the beginning of 2023 - two years after the end of the transition period.
Ahead of the extension, businesses warned they did not have enough time to apply the changes due to the chaos caused by the pandemic.
It is hoped by extending the deadline, manufacturers will now have adequate time to test goods in order to comply with the 2023 deadline, although companies making medical devices will have until July 2023.
Commenting on the announcement, Samuel Lowe, trade expert and senior research fellow for the Centre for European Reform praised the move.
He said: "This should have been announced months ago, given it has long been obvious to anyone with a passing interest that companies would not be ready to switch to a UK-only regime by the end of the year."
Manufacturers group, Make UK, also welcomed the extension despite the UK being tied to the EU for a further year.
A spokesman told The Daily Telegraph: "Companies were becoming increasingly nervous as the clock ticked down to the end of the year, caught up in the delays and bureaucracy in getting their products tested.
“The extra year will provide both exporters and importers with valuable breathing space to enable a new testing system to bed in place.”
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7.25am update: Brexit Britain extends ties to EU for another year
The UK has announced an extension for the introduction of the new UKCA certification.
The new labelling will now be rolled out at the beginning of 2023 instead of 2022.
This means businesses will continue to use the EU CE labelling.
Companies producing medical devices will have until July 2023 to make the changes.