Following the UK’s shock decision to leave EU, HPi-CEproof would like to assure its customers that it is business as usual.
The Prime Minister, Theresa May, invoked Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty on 29th March 2017, signalling the UK’s intention to leave EU. The exit procedure takes 2 years and so the UK is expected to lose EU member status on 29th March 2019. If both parties agree to longer negotiations, the UK may remain a member for longer. Whenever the UK formally leaves EU, HPi-CEproof will be able to continue trading as a Approved Body by either or both of the following two possibilities:
- the UK and EU may negotiate a mutual recognition treaty that will allow UK certification bodies to be EU Notified Bodies, and/or
- HPi-CEproof will trade from Ireland, an EU member state.
Long before the vote, HPi-CEproof registered a company in Ireland and made contact with INAB, the Irish National Accreditation Board. Since the vote, HPi-CEproof senior management has visited INAB and agreed an action plan and timetable for Approved Body status in Ireland. The process is expected to be complete in late 2017.
So when the UK leaves EU, one or both of the above solutions will be in place.
So it is business as usual for HPi-CEproof and clients need not have any concerns about their certificates.
Please contact me directly if you have any questions.
Alasdair Reay
CEO, HPi-CEproof Ltd.