As part of the UK’s departure from the European Union, changes were due to come into force on 1 January 2022 that would require products that had previously had CE markings shift across to the new United Kingdom Conformity Assessed (UKCA) mark.

However, concerns had been raised about whether the construction sector was ready for the changes, with uncertainty about availability and capacity of testing for products under the new regime.

The government has now responded, allowing CE marked products to be sold in the UK for a further 12 months.

Welcoming the confirmation, Construction Leadership Council co-chair Andy Mitchell said: “Given the widespread pressures on product supply, we welcome this pragmatic decision by the Government to extend the deadline for CE-marked products.

“However even with this extension, it will still be very challenging to ensure that the whole sector is ready for the new date, given the need to drive major increases in testing capacity.

“It is vital that industry continues to work with the government to address these issues, ensuring that we don’t just postpone the crisis by 12 months, but instead establish a robust testing and marking regime to ensure the continued safety and performance of the products that we use.”

Chief executive of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors, James Talman, added: “At a time when we are facing some of the worst material availability and inflation in living memory, this announcement will come as a welcome relief for manufacturers and merchants. We have been telling the government that the 1 January 2022 deadline was not feasible for some time, with many products simply unable to receive certification by the deadline. I am glad that the message has now got through. This extra time will provide much-needed breathing space for suppliers to undertake the necessary tests and acquire the correct paperwork.

“The government should now work with industry to ensure the supply chain is fully prepared for the new 2023 deadline, particularly smaller firms, so we do not face similar problems in the future.”