Journey
Understanding EU retained law for your business
Learn how EU law became UK law after Brexit and what this means for product compliance. Covers assimilated law, UKCA and CE marking choices, product safety requirements, and chemical classification rules.
What is assimilated law and why it matters
When the UK left the EU, thousands of EU regulations became part of UK law. Originally called "retained EU law", this body of legislation was renamed "assimilated law" from January 2024. Understanding this framework is essential if your business makes, imports, or sells products.
This learning path explains how EU law became UK law, what has changed since Brexit, and what you need to do to stay compliant.
How EU law was incorporated
The EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018 converted EU regulations, directives, and decisions into domestic UK law at the moment of exit. This preserved legal continuity - products and processes compliant under EU law remained compliant under UK law.
Since then, Parliament has amended, reformed, or revoked specific pieces of assimilated law. Some areas now diverge from EU rules, while others remain largely aligned. The key sectors affected include product safety, chemicals, environmental standards, and food safety.
What this means in practice
For most businesses, assimilated law means you must comply with UK-specific versions of former EU regulations. Product markings, conformity assessment, and technical standards may now differ between the UK and EU markets.
The following steps guide you through the main areas of product compliance affected by assimilated law.
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Understand UKCA marking requirements
The UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking replaced CE marking for products sold in Great Britain. However, recent policy changes mean you often have a choice between the two markings.
UKCA marking: complete guide for manufacturers
Understand when UKCA marking is required, the December 2024 policy changes extending CE marking recognition, conformity assessment routes, and documentation requirements for placing products on the GB market.
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Learn when CE marking remains valid
The UK Government has indefinitely extended recognition of CE marking for 21 categories of products. If your products fall within these categories, you can continue using CE marking for the Great Britain market without switching to UKCA.
When CE marking is still accepted in Great Britain
Find out which product categories have indefinite CE marking recognition, which products have separate rules, and the practical implications for UK-wide businesses including Northern Ireland.
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Understand general product safety requirements
Beyond marking requirements, all consumer products must meet general safety standards. The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 apply to products not covered by sector-specific rules. This is assimilated law derived from the original EU General Product Safety Directive.
General product safety requirements
Learn your legal obligations as a producer or distributor of consumer products, including safety assessment criteria, traceability requirements, and enforcement penalties.
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Chemical classification and labelling (if applicable)
If your business manufactures, imports, or supplies chemicals, you must comply with GB CLP - the UK version of the EU's Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation. This is a key example of assimilated law with UK-specific requirements.
Classify and label chemicals for the GB market
How to classify, label and package hazardous chemicals under GB CLP, including Safety Data Sheet requirements and poison centre notification obligations.
What you should now understand
After completing this learning path, you should understand:
- What assimilated law is and how it relates to former EU regulations
- When you can choose between UKCA and CE marking for the GB market
- Your general product safety obligations as a producer or distributor
- The separate requirements for chemical classification if relevant to your business
Product compliance is an ongoing responsibility. As UK regulations continue to evolve, some areas may diverge further from EU rules while others remain aligned. Monitor GOV.UK guidance for changes affecting your product categories.