Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect on (a) charity shops and (b) other second hand retailers of plans to replace Conformité Européene markings with a UK mark in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
In the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal, the Government is taking the decision to adopt a continuity approach in some areas, such as CE marked products, and continue to recognise CE marking as now. This means that charity retailers and other second-hand retailers can continue to place second hand goods with CE marking on the UK market, as before, for a time-limited period. There will be no need to reassess or re-mark goods, thereby minimising costs to business and consumers.
As products that meet EU requirements can continue to be placed on the UK market without any need for reassessment or re-marking, CE marked products will therefore not be required to be re-marked with a UK Marking. This includes second hand products.
We will consult with business, including charity retailers, before taking any decision to end the period of recognition of the CE marking.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the period of time that will be provided to retailers to adapt to the replacement of Conformité Européene markings in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
In the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal, goods that are CE marked will continue to be recognised for a time-limited period.
We recognise that adequate notice will need to be given to businesses of any change to the period in order to enable them to adapt. In the event of no deal, we will consult with businesses, including retailers, before taking any decision to end the period of recognition.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to ensure that charity shops will not be required to change Conformité Européene labels to UK labels on existing stock on 29 March 2019 in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
In the unlikely event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal, the Government is taking the decision to adopt a continuity approach to minimise disruption to businesses and consumers. This means that goods that meet EU regulatory requirements, including those with a CE Marking, will still be able to be placed on the UK market for a time-limited period after 29 March 2019.
This rule applies to goods sold in charity shops, therefore charity shops will not need relabel their products on 29 March 2019. As retailers of second hand goods, they will, however, remain responsible for ensuring the products that they place on the market are safe.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether secondhand goods with a CE label can continue to be sold by charity shops in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
CE marking is a declaration that a product complied with relevant EU legislation when the product was initially placed on the EU market. If a product has already been placed on the market and is then later sold as second hand, it does not generally have to be relabelled.
If the UK leaves without a deal, the Government has announced a time-limited continuity approach to minimise disruption to businesses and consumers. This will mean that CE marked goods – whether new or second hand – can continue to be sold in the UK.
Charity shops will, therefore, still be able to sell second-hand goods labelled with the CE Marking, as long as those goods were compliant at the time they were initially placed on the UK market, and are still safe.