Johnson Controls offers a complete portfolio of products and services including Fire Suppression, HVAC equipment, building automation controls, and security systems. Our fire suppression range forms a vital part of our business, delivering an unmatched portfolio of sprinklers, extinguishers, firefighting agents and special hazards systems to meet the unique requirements of any application and ensure the protection of people and property.
As these products and services are supplied globally, we have dedicated teams to ensure compliance with all national requirements to allow seamless trade in all markets.
Since the decision was taken by the UK to leave the European Union (EU), Johnson Controls like other businesses, has faced a period of uncertainty as to how trade with our European partners would be affected.
Of particular concern, leaving the EU without a trade deal could have placed significant obstacles to the way we conduct our business.
In respect to this concern, Johnson Controls welcomes the new Trade Agreement between the United Kingdom and the EU, effective 1 January 2021. Whilst this addresses a number of concerns that we had over our ability to continue to successfully supply UK manufactured product to our European partners, there are still a number of concerns and uncertainties.
Our most pressing concern is the need for all CE marked Fire Protection products that are placed on the market in the UK and in the EU to carry additional certification marks. The certification needs to be issued by a UK-based approval body by the end of the transition period that expires on 31 December 2021.
From 1 January 2022, products that are placed on the GB market will be required to carry the UK CA mark or in Northern Ireland, the UK NI and CE certification marks. Our concern is that there may be insufficient time to ensure compliance, as manufacturers need to prepare for the change, as well as many of the approval bodies who have previously issued CE certification. These approval bodies do not yet appear ready to assess the products to allow for the UK CA or UK NI mark to be applied.
Johnson Controls fully supports an industry approach to Government for that transition period to be extended to 3 years, which will give time for the approval bodies to gear up and to ultimately ensure that they have the necessary capacity to issue the certification which will be mandatory from 1st January 2022.
