Selling electronics in the UK and EU: markings, WEEE, batteries and who is responsible

To sell electronics in Great Britain and the EU you need the right conformity marking, a business based in each market that takes legal responsibility, WEEE and battery registrations, and, for connected devices, minimum security features. Most products that already sell in the US need label, paperwork and registration changes rather than a redesign. The plug is the common exception.

Who this guide is for

Overseas brands selling consumer electrical and electronic products into the UK or EU, such as chargers, small appliances, lighting, audio, smart home devices and wearables, through their own website, Amazon or other marketplaces.

1. Conformity marking: CE and UKCA

In the EU, most electrical products need CE marking under one or more pieces of law: the Low Voltage Directive, the EMC Directive, RoHS, and the Radio Equipment Directive for anything with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or other radio. Behind the mark sits a Declaration of Conformity and a technical file showing how the product meets the relevant standards.

In Great Britain, the government has confirmed that CE marking continues to be accepted for most product rules, alongside UKCA. A product that is properly CE marked can usually go on sale in GB without a separate UKCA mark, but the UK versions of the same rules still apply. Northern Ireland follows EU rules. Our UKCA vs CE marking guide covers the exceptions.

FCC and UL marks are not accepted as evidence of conformity in either market. Test reports to the equivalent IEC or EN standards can often be reused, so ask your test lab what they already hold before paying for new testing.

2. The plug and the power supply

Domestic electrical appliances sold in the UK must be supplied with a UK three-pin plug to BS 1363, or an approved conversion plug that needs a tool to remove, under the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994. A US plug with a travel adaptor in the box does not meet this. In the EU there is no single plug type, so check each country you sell into. Both markets run at 230V and 50Hz, so check the rated input too.

3. A business in the market that is responsible

Both markets expect a business based there whose name and address appear on the product, its packaging or an accompanying document.

• EU: CE-marked products need an economic operator established in the EU under Article 4 of the Market Surveillance Regulation (EU) 2019/1020. This can be the manufacturer, an importer, an authorised representative or a fulfilment service provider. The General Product Safety Regulation extends the same idea to most other consumer products. See our EU Responsible Person guide.
• Great Britain: the importer must put their name and UK address on the product or its packaging. Selling direct from overseas does not remove the need for a UK contact. Enforcement bodies and marketplaces will look for one.

4. WEEE: take-back and recycling

Anyone placing electrical and electronic equipment on the market for the first time is a producer under the WEEE rules and must pay towards collection and recycling. Products must carry the crossed-out wheeled bin symbol.

• UK: producers join a producer compliance scheme or, below 5 tonnes a year, register directly with their environmental regulator. Overseas businesses selling direct to UK customers must appoint a UK authorised representative or join a compliance scheme. If you sell through a UK importer or distributor, the first UK business in the chain registers instead. Online marketplaces count as the producer for household electricals they supply from non-UK sellers.
• Germany: producers register with the national register (stiftung ear) under the ElektroG before selling. The WEEE registration number goes on invoices, and marketplaces check it. Producers without a German establishment must appoint an authorised representative.
• France: producers join an approved eco-organisme for electrical equipment and hold a unique identification number (IDU). Overseas sellers must appoint an authorised representative.
• Other EU countries: each has its own register. Article 17 of the WEEE Directive lets sellers based outside a country appoint an authorised representative there.

5. Batteries

Batteries, including those built into a product, have their own rules.

• EU: the Batteries Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 applies in every member state. Producers register in each country they sell into, and producers without an establishment there must appoint an authorised representative for producer responsibility. Batteries need CE marking and the separate collection symbol, with further label information phased in, including a QR code from 2027.
• UK: the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009 require producers of portable batteries to register and, above 1 tonne a year, join a compliance scheme. Reform of the UK rules is under way.

Lithium batteries also need a UN38.3 test summary for transport, which your forwarder and marketplace will ask for.

6. Connected devices: security rules

• UK: since 29 April 2024, the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) regime has applied to consumer connectable products. That means no universal default passwords, a published way to report security issues, and a stated minimum period of security updates. A statement of compliance must accompany the product.
• EU: since 1 August 2025, internet-connected radio equipment must meet the cybersecurity requirements added to the Radio Equipment Directive. The Cyber Resilience Act adds wider duties for products with digital elements, with vulnerability reporting from September 2026 and full application from December 2027.

7. Labels, manuals and language

Safety warnings and instructions must be in English for the UK and in the official language or languages of each EU country you sell into. The product needs a type, batch or serial number and the manufacturer's name and postal address. Our packaging changes guide covers when stickers and inserts are acceptable.

At a glance

Questions we get asked

Can I sell my FCC and UL certified product in the UK?

Not on those marks alone. You need CE or UKCA marking backed by a Declaration of Conformity. Existing test data to IEC standards often covers much of the work.

Do I need WEEE registration if I only sell on Amazon?

In Germany and France, yes: marketplaces check your registration number and can block listings without it. In the UK, the marketplace counts as the producer for household electricals it supplies from non-UK sellers, but you still need your own route for any direct sales, such as through your own website.

Can I include a plug adaptor instead of a UK plug?

No. Domestic appliances sold in the UK must come with a BS 1363 plug or an approved conversion plug that needs a tool to remove.

Do the same rules apply in Northern Ireland?

Northern Ireland follows EU product rules, so CE marking applies there rather than UKCA alone.

How Lantara helps

Lantara reviews your labels, manuals and declarations against UK and EU rules, acts as your Responsible Person in each market (the EU economic operator, and the UK contact marketplaces and enforcement bodies ask for), and tells you exactly which WEEE, battery and packaging registrations you need. Start with a free readiness check of up to 10 SKUs, or read about UK product compliance and EU compliance.

Official guidance

• Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994
• Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022
• Market Surveillance Regulation (EU) 2019/1020
• WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU
• Batteries Regulation (EU) 2023/1542

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