Regulations and standards after Brexit

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Stay up to date

The UK will leave the EU on 31 October. This page tells you how to prepare for Brexit. It will be updated if anything changes, including if a deal is agreed.

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This information may affect your business if:

you are a manufacturer intending to place products on the UK market
you are a manufacturer intending to place products on the EU market

What your business needs to do now

Understand the changes and prepare for them now. You can find information on this page, as well as practical guidance on regulation and standards after we leave the EU.
Be aware of the timings. There are some actions that you may need to take as soon as we leave the EU. The action you may need to take will depend on your individual circumstances.
Consider whether you need separate professional advice on how these arrangements could affect your business. The information provided here is meant for guidance only.
Stay updated. Some of these requirements may change depending on the terms that the UK leaves the EU. Revisit this page or sign up to email alerts on the signposted pages to stay up to date.

Goods regulation if there’s no deal

For goods regulation, the government has taken the decision, in the event that we leave the EU without a Brexit deal, to provide continuity for a temporary period after 31 October 2019.

This does not mean that everything will stay the same, but the approach is intended to ensure that in most cases, the regulatory requirements for placing a manufactured good on the UK market will not significantly change from those which currently apply. This is to ensure stability for those businesses who place goods on the UK market.

Broadly, goods that meet EU regulatory requirements will continue to be recognised as valid for sale on the UK market for a time limited period after the UK leaves the EU, irrespective of whether the EU reciprocates.

In some areas there will be light touch new requirements for access to the UK market to ensure the safety of products being sold in the UK (see below for links to more detailed guidance). For example, in some sectors (such as chemicals, automotive and medicines), EU/UK public bodies play a critical role in ensuring safety and compliance. In these cases, new UK processes will be established to allow for the recognition of EU approvals in place at the time of Brexit as equivalent to UK approvals.

By taking this approach, we will make sure that goods which are safe and compliant under EU law as it stands at the point of exit can continue to be placed on the UK market without need for additional requirements other than where these are necessary and proportionate.

Placing goods on the EU market if there’s no deal

The EU has taken the decision to adopt a different approach to goods regulation in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal. In general terms (and please see the specific guidance below for further detail within each sector) the EU will cease to recognise regulatory compliance activity carried out in the UK as valid for goods being placed on the EU market.

This does not mean that UK manufacturers will have to cease placing goods on the EU market. UK manufacturers who sell into the EU will still be able to do so as long as they continue to meet EU regulatory requirements.