No loss of standards post Brexit

UK: The UK’s involvement in the development of European standards and product certification is not expected to change post Brexit – at least in the short term.

In a letter to relevant organisations, the British Standards Institution (BSI) has maintained it will be “business as usual” following the UK referendum vote to leave the EU.

As the UK’s national standards body, BSI says it will continue to develop and publish British Standards. In addition, its says: “Our membership of the two international standardisation organisations, ISO and IEC, will not be affected where we will continue to play an influential leadership role.”

It will also maintain full membership of CEN, the European Committee for Standardisation, and the electrical standards body CENELEC while the UK Government sets out the arrangements for its withdrawal from the EU.

“During this transition period, BSI will be working with the UK Government (such as Department of Business, Innovation and Skills) and other parties as appropriate such as European political institutions and European Standardisation Organisations regarding its role in the development of the European standardisation system.

“For now, it’s business as usual and most importantly, we would like to assure you that BSI will continue to help organisations as we have done for the past 115 years,” the BSI said in its statement to CEN committee chairmen.

A similar position exists for product certification, with the BSI remaining as an EU notified body during the UK Government’s EU exit negotiations.

“We anticipate that products already certified and those certified while the negotiations progress, will continue to be accepted by the EU authorities and member states of the EU,” it reassured members.

“During this transition period, BSI will be working closely with the UK Government (such as Department of Business, Innovation and Skills) and UKAS (UK Accreditation Service) to enable BSI to continue being recognised as a notified body.”

Looking further ahead, the BSI says it anticipates remaining an EU notified body for assessing and approving products against the relevant CE directives and regulations. It points to the recognised existing mechanisms in place for non-EU countries to participate, including the mutual recognition agreements between the EU and America, Canada, Australia, Switzerland and Japan. 

“Regulatory authorities in these countries designate Notified Bodies to carry out these activities in the same way as member states of the EU,” says the BSI.