T: +44 (0)114 551 8170
E: ssas@bssa.org.uk
E: ssas@bssa.org.uk
The Northern Ireland Protocol came into force on 1 January 2021. For as long as it is in force, Northern Ireland will align with all relevant EU rules relating to the placing on the market of manufactured goods. You must show that your products meet those rules by using ‘conformity markings.’
The UKNI marking is a new conformity marking for products placed on the market in Northern Ireland which have undergone mandatory third-party conformity assessment by a body based in the UK. This guidance explains how to use the UKNI marking (sometimes referred to as the UK(NI) mark or the UK(NI) indication).
For further information on the general arrangements for placing goods on the Northern Ireland market, see the guidance on placing manufactured goods on the market in Northern Ireland.
For further information on general requirements across the UK, see marking, labelling and marketing standards.
You need to use a conformity marking if you are placing certain goods on the market to show they meet the relevant rules.
In Northern Ireland, EU conformity markings continue to be used to show goods meet EU rules. For most manufactured goods, this is the CE marking, but there are some other markings for specific products.
If you are using a UK body to carry out mandatory third-party conformity assessment you also need to apply a UKNI marking.
You never apply the UKNI marking on its own – it always accompanies an EU conformity marking.
The UK Market Conformity Assessment Bodies (UKMCAB) database lists all bodies which can provide conformity assessment for the UK market.
The UK government guarantees unfettered access for Northern Ireland’s businesses to the whole of the UK market, without the need for additional approvals before placing goods on the market in the rest of the UK. You can place qualifying Northern Ireland goods on the market in Great Britain based on the conformity markings you use in Northern Ireland.
Find out whether your goods qualify for unfettered access.
Find out more about the UK government’s approach to unfettered access.
The UKNI marking is not recognised on the EU market. If you are placing goods on the EU market, you must use the CE marking on its own, without the UKNI marking.
To find out how to place a CE marking on your product, see Using the CE marking.
Your goods may require different markings for different markets. The table below illustrates the accepted markings on each market.
| Type of good (see list of product areas below) | Accepted marking or combination of markings* | |
|---|---|---|
| Placing goods on the market in Northern Ireland | Manufactured goods being placed on the market in NI using an EU conformity assessment body | CE |
| Manufactured goods being placed on the market in NI using a UK-based body | CE and UKNI | |
| Placing goods on the market in Great Britain | Manufactured goods being placed on the GB market until the end of 2021 | UKCA or CE |
| Manufactured goods placed on the GB market from 1 Jan 2022 | UKCA | |
| Placing qualifying Northern Ireland goods on the market in Great Britain (unfettered access) | Qualifying Northern Ireland goods being placed on the GB market under unfettered access | CE or CE and UKNI |
| Placing goods on the EU market | Manufactured goods being placed on the EU market | CE |
*You may use combinations of the product markings listed in each box and your goods may be acceptable with more than one marking. For example, a product with both the CE and UKCA markings can be placed on the EU market. However, for the EU market the CE mark must appear without the UKNI indication as goods bearing the ‘CE and UKNI’ marking are not acceptable in the EU market. This means these goods must be manufactured to EU rules and cannot be assessed by a body based in the UK.
You need to use the UKNI marking if all of the following apply:
You will not be able to use the UKNI marking if either of the following apply:
If you are a manufacturer based in Northern Ireland (or the manufacturer’s authorised representative) and you currently mark your goods on the basis of a supplier’s declaration of conformity, you do not need to make any changes. Your goods continue to be valid on the UK and EU markets using the relevant conformity markings.
In most cases, you must apply the UKNI marking to the product itself or to the packaging. In some cases, it may be placed on the manuals or on other supporting documents. This will vary depending on the specific regulations that apply to the product.
The following general rules apply:
You must make sure that: