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Hallmarking requirements and the EU

Recognition of hallmarks

From 1 January 2021, obligations to recognise equivalent EU hallmarks ended in Great Britain. For the Northern Ireland market EU hallmarks will continue to be recognised.

Any product already on the market before 1 January 2021 will continue to be legal.
Any new stock entering the GB market will require a UK hallmark or Common Control Mark.
Any new stock exported to EU members will require a mark recognised by those countries.

Common Control Mark
The Common Control Mark (CCM) applied by signatories to the Vienna Convention on the Control of Precious Metal Articles will continue to be recognised in the UK and by Convention members:

Austria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Finland
Hungary
Republic of Ireland
Israel
Latvia
Lithuania
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Slovak Republic
Slovenia
Sweden
Switzerland
Serbia and Italy are in the process of ratifying the treaty.

The CCM mark can be applied to new articles along with UK Assay Office marks or as an addition to articles already bearing UK hallmarks.
If you are importing from a convention member, you can request a convention mark on your goods or you can submit them to Birmingham Assay Office for hallmarking.
Exemption weights

The UK exemption weights of 7.78 grams for silver, 1 gram for gold/palladium and 0.5 grams for platinum may not apply in other countries. For example, in the Republic of Ireland there are no exemption weights so any stock destined for the Republic of Ireland must bear a CCM. Exemption weights for the other signatory states are available from your UK Assay Office.
Other EU members

Luxembourg and Germany do not require any hallmark as a pre-market authorisation.

In France a hallmark is a legal requirement. Importers must register with the bureaux de garantie.

In Spain a hallmark is a legal requirement. Importers must register with an assay office in Spain, see the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism website.

There are legal requirements regarding hallmarking in Belgium.
Customs arrangements

This guidance is about hallmarks only. There is separate guidance on customs arrangements.

If you have any further questions, please email customerservice@theassayoffice.co.uk

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