CPA Bulletin

40 CPA Bulletin > November 2022 www.cpa.uk.net Legal NEWS LEGAL: 1 Earlier in the year, the UK Government announced changes on how businesses can apply the UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) Mark on qualifying products, including machinery, to show that the product conforms to Great Britain’s market rules. The new Mark covers most goods sold in Great Britain - which were previously required for the European Union’s (EU’s) ‘CE’ mark - and became mandatory from 1st January 2022. However, the Government granted an extension for businesses to continue to use the EU’s existing CE mark for qualifying products until 1st January 2023. In addition, the Government had confirmed that CE marked products that are manufactured and imported into the UK on or before 31st December 2022, can be sold without needing to meet UKCA thresholds, and therefore avoid product re-testing/re-certification. With the forthcoming change, the Government has allayed industry fears by allowing spare parts for existing products into Great Britain which had previously complied with EU’s CE marking scheme; to help avoid any disruption to businesses being forced into sourcing UKCA marked products instead. Legislation will be presented before Parliament by the end of the year to allowmanufacturers to apply the UKCA mark on their products without the need for re-testing. The Government also plans to introduce legislation - where the product’s information and other UKCA markings can be added to the product using a sticky label or an accompanying document - which will help non-GB businesses supplying their products into Great Britain’s markets. UKCA introduction from 1st January 2023 The Government has launched a digital buying scheme where SMEs can receive discounts of up to £5,000 on approved software, which will help to improve their company’s business. The scheme offers business access to 30 different solutions from 14 leading suppliers of Digital Accounting, CRM and eCommerce software - helping businesses to sell online. This includes helping them to manage their inventory, take payments and gather data and insights on customers’ needs. In addition, the scheme offers one-to-one advice for SMEs on how best they can adopt digital technology. The scheme has been extended to those that employ up to 249 workers. For further information on the scheme, you can visit www.learn-to-grow-your-business.service.gov.uk The Government’s Recovery Loan Scheme, which originally launched in April 2021 to help businesses recovering from the pandemic, has been extended to 2024. The maximum loan that could be granted will be up to £2m, and the principle behind the extended scheme remains unchanged, i.e. the Government will underwrite 70% of the lender’s liabilities, at the individual borrower’s level, in return for a lender’s fee. Lenders must ensure that the benefits of the government guarantee are passed through to the business borrowing the money. Full details of the scheme are available on the Gov UK website at www.gov.uk/guidance//recovery-loan-scheme. Recovery loan scheme extended for 2 years Government offers Digital help to SMEs In late October, the Government closed the consultation regarding the review of Car Driving Licences. The changes being consulted on was the restoration of the C1 entitlement to holders of a Category B driving licence. This would allow holders of normal car licences to drive vehicle combinations up to 8.25 tonnes in weight and minibuses - entitlements which were removed in 1997. We will inform members of the Government’s feedback to this proposal. Consultation on changes to Car Driving Licences