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UK EMC Regulations — UKCA Marking Guide
The UK's Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016 (SI 2016/1091, as amended post-Brexit) govern EMC requirements for apparatus placed on the Great Britain market, enforced under the UKCA marking scheme. This guide explains the scope, essential requirements, UK Designated Standards, and what differs from the EU EMC Directive.
Post-Brexit: From EU EMCD to UK EMC Regulations
Before Brexit, the EU's EMC Directive 2014/30/EU applied across Great Britain. From January 1, 2021, the UK's own Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016 (as amended by the Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019) apply to the GB market (England, Scotland, Wales). Northern Ireland continues to follow EU EMCD requirements under the Windsor Framework.
The practical impact for most manufacturers is significant in administrative terms but minimal in technical terms — the essential requirements and applicable test standards are almost identical to the EU EMCD. The main changes are:
- UKCA mark (not CE mark) required for Great Britain
- UK Declaration of Conformity — separate from EU DoC
- UK Responsible Person required if manufacturer not established in UK
- UK Designated Standards replace EU Harmonised Standards
- UK Approved Bodies replace EU Notified Bodies
Testing to EN 55032, EN 61326, and IEC 61000-4 series at Compatible Electronics supports both EU EMCD (CE marking) and UK EMC Regulations (UKCA marking) from a single test campaign.
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Essential Requirements — UK EMC Regulations
The essential requirements of the UK EMC Regulations mirror the EU EMCD Article 6 requirements exactly:
Protection Requirement — Emissions
Apparatus must be designed so that electromagnetic disturbance it generates does not exceed the level above which other apparatus (radio, telecom, other equipment) cannot operate as intended. Apparatus must comply with the applicable emissions limits from the relevant UK Designated Standard.
Protection Requirement — Immunity
Apparatus must have a level of immunity to expected electromagnetic disturbance sufficient to allow it to operate without unacceptable degradation of its intended use. Apparatus must meet the immunity performance criteria from the relevant UK Designated Standard.
UK Designated Standards for EMC
UK Designated Standards are published by DSIT (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology) and are largely identical to the EU harmonised standards. Key standards applicable under UK EMC Regulations include:
Product Family Standards
- EN 55032 / CISPR 32 — Multimedia equipment (emissions)
- EN 55035 / CISPR 35 — Multimedia equipment (immunity)
- EN 55011 / CISPR 11 — Industrial, scientific and medical equipment
- EN 55015 / CISPR 15 — Lighting equipment
- EN 61326-1 — Measurement, control and laboratory equipment
- EN 60601-1-2 — Medical electrical equipment (EMC)
Generic Standards (when no product family standard applies)
- EN 61000-6-1 — Immunity, residential/commercial/light industrial
- EN 61000-6-2 — Immunity, industrial environments
- EN 61000-6-3 — Emissions, residential/commercial/light industrial
- EN 61000-6-4 — Emissions, industrial environments
Immunity Test Standards (IEC 61000-4 series)
- IEC 61000-4-2 (ESD), IEC 61000-4-3 (Radiated RF), IEC 61000-4-4 (EFT/Burst)
- IEC 61000-4-5 (Surge), IEC 61000-4-6 (Conducted RF), IEC 61000-4-11 (Voltage dips)
UK EMC Regulations vs EU EMCD — Key Differences
EU — EMCD (CE Marking)
- Directive 2014/30/EU
- CE mark on product
- EU Declaration of Conformity
- EU Harmonised Standards (Official Journal)
- EU Notified Body (if Annex III used)
- EU Authorised Representative for non-EU companies
- Applies to EU + Northern Ireland
GB — UK EMC Regulations (UKCA)
- Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016
- UKCA mark on product
- UK Declaration of Conformity
- UK Designated Standards (DSIT list)
- UK Approved Body (if third-party required)
- UK Responsible Person for non-UK companies
- Applies to Great Britain only
ⓘ A product may carry both CE and UKCA marks simultaneously. Because the test standards are largely the same, a single test campaign at a UKAS/ILAC-MRA accredited lab supports both conformity assessment routes, requiring only separate Declarations of Conformity for each market.
UK EMC Testing at Compatible Electronics
Our NVLAP accredited lab performs testing to EN 55032, EN 61326, IEC 61000-4 series and other UK Designated Standards — supporting both CE (EU) and UKCA (GB) from a single test campaign.
www.celectronics.com
