THE BA’S TECHNICAL PROGRAMME

ABOUT THE TECHNICAL SERVICE

Many BA members see the Technical Service as a key benefit of membership. We offer one-on-one advice on all regulatory, compliance and technical matters, included with your membership. Excellent contacts and a deep knowledgebase allow us to provide swift and authoritative advice on everything from tariffs to fatigue testing, plus early intelligence on standards development, anti-dumping, Brexit, safety issues and more.

The Technical Service also plays a significant role in the BA’s advocacy work, providing expertise for detailed policy development and proposals – as well as flagging and analysing regulatory developments which may pose a threat, or present opportunities, for the cycle industry.

We regret that the Technical Service cannot answer queries from companies who are not Bicycle Association members, nor from members of the public. The BA Guides published below may however be useful to address some popular topics.

AREAS COVERED

The comprehensive technical support offered by the BA’s Technical Service covers the following areas:

- Legal obligations

- Use of standards, testing, compliance documentation for bikes, e-bikes, components, PPE, toys, etc.

- Standards development – the BA participates on relevant BSI, CEN and ISO committees to put UK issues forward and to provide members with early intelligence on upcoming changes.

- Other regulatory obligations for suppliers, including WEEE, Batteries (recycling, and guidance on labelling and paperwork etc. for transport under ADR and best practice for storage), REACH, RoHS, packaging, recall procedures.

- Tariffs, trade remedies (anti-dumping duties), GSP, origin, end use relief, trade statistics, etc.

- Detailed updates on post-transition legalities, requirements, procedures and precautions for members to take.

- Liaison with Government on behalf of industry to resolve uncertainty ASAP.

- Obtaining standards affordably

- Type approval as it affects e-bikes

- Supporting members (inc. start-ups) with technical, industry and sourcing advice

- Government consultations – members can provide input to BA responses via the Technical Service, and we can also support members who wish to make their own submissions.

HOW MEMBERS CAN ACCESS THE BA TECHNICAL SERVICE

Support is provided to BA member companies via:

One-on-one support. Unlimited (within reason) one-on-one technical support from our Technical Director Peter Eland (or a colleague, if he is unavailable) is included in the cost of membership, to help you resolve any technical or compliance issues, or to guide you to Government advice or best practice.

Guidance documents library on the BA website: subjects include safety and compliance for bikes and e-bikes, batteries guidance, a list of UK and EU test labs, detailed analysis of UK legal requirements, notes on the legalities of e-bike conversion kits and more. We also maintain a collection of the latest Government advice, including some items obtained directly from Government for the cycle industry.

Regular update emails (to unlimited recipients within your company).

BA technical meetings. These provide full updates and are also great for networking with technical, quality and compliance peers. Online when necessary, physical meetings in normal times!

THE BA’S REGULATORY AND TECHNICAL WORK

Engagement with Department for Transport, Trading Standards and other regulatory authorities on e.g.
- E-bike and e-cargo regulations
- E-scooter regulations
- Enforcement of current rules
- Other new legislation affecting the industry (e.g. packaging, environmental)

Engagement with Department for International Trade, HMRC and other authorities on e.g.
- Trade remedies
- Tariffs, customs and import/export
- Future trade deals and industry consultation

The BA is a founding member of both the Confederation of the European Bicycle Industries (CONEBI) and of Cycle Industries Europe (CIE), who focus on EU-level regulatory work and shaping policy.

Now that the UK has left the EU, this work may have less direct impact in the UK, but it remains important for BA members. Exporters must still comply with single market rules - and importers who need to be aware of any differences between EU and UK product safety compliance, if and when the systems diverge.

Through CONEBI (at EU level) the BA also participates in the World Bicycle Industries Association (WBIA) which is mainly active on international regulatory issues via the UN and UNECE in Geneva.

The BA sponsors expert participation at BSI, CEN and ISO on cycle-related standards committees, to ensure BA members can benefit from in-depth knowledge about the standards, and early intelligence about upcoming changes.