Standards body BSI has been granted “notified body” status in the Netherlands to cover personal protective equipment. The move will allow existing BSI clients in the UK to have continuing access to European markets following the UK’s exit from the EU.
A notified body is an independent organisation designated by an EU country to assess the conformity of certain products before they are placed on the market.
By achieving this designation from the Netherlands government and the European Commission, BSI is authorised to assess the compliance of PPE products subject to the Personal Protective Equipment Regulation from its Netherlands office.
Once products have met the requirements, manufacturers can affix CE marking so that they can be sold throughout the European Union and the European Economic Area.
BSI chief executive Howard Kerr said: “This additional designation reinforces our strategy to continue and grow two product conformity notified bodies in the UK and Netherlands, which will benefit industry here in the UK and internationally.”
He said a straightforward administrative process would allow existing client conformity assessment certificates to be transferred to the new BSI Netherlands notified body, giving clients continuity of market access in the event of disruption linked to the UK’s exit from the European Union.
BSI’s designation follows accreditation by the Dutch Accreditation Council last December. BSI is also in the final stages of application to become a designated notified body to the Pressure Equipment Directive and the Gas Appliance Regulation. Confirmation is expected from the Netherlands government soon.