G/TBT/N/GBR/38  
11 March 2021  
(21-2039) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED KINGDOM   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  The Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, and 
the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regardi ng the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
UK TBT Enquiry Point  
Trade Policy Group  
Department for International Trade  
3 Whitehall Place  
London  
SW1A 2AW  
TBTEnquiriesUK@trade.gov.uk  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [   ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other  [X]: N/A – 
this is a pre -notification under Article 2.9.1  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Electric 
Vehicle Chargepoints - HS 8702400000; Motor vehicles for the transport of >= 10 
persons, incl. driver, with only electric motor for propulsion (HS 870240)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the n otified document:  The Electric 
Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021 (6 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  This is an early notice publication  of regulations to be laid under 
the 'Automated and electric vehicles (AEV) act 2018' . The AEV Act gives the UK 
Government the powers through secondary legislation to mandate that  private electric 
vehicle (EV)  chargepoints  sold or installed in the  UK must  have smart functionality  and 
meet minimum  device -level requirements.   
The UK will provide a subsequent notification with draft text, notified under article 2.9.2 
with an appropriate comment period, post publication of the Government's consultation 
response , expected in June/July 2021 ahead of laying legislation later this year.  G/TBT/N/GBR/38  
 
- 2 - 
 
  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Decarbonising transport is an essential step towards the UK reaching its 
target of bringing all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. In 2020, the UK 
Government announced an accelerated, 2 -phased approach to ending the sale of new 
petrol and diese l cars, with the phase -out date brought forward to 2030, and all new cars 
and vans to be fully zero emission at the tailpipe from 2035. For this to happen, our 
electricity system needs to be able to meet the extra demand created by electric vehicles. 
EVs o ffer new opportunities for consumers to be part of a smarter and more flexible 
electricity system. Smart charging, for example during off -peak periods when electricity 
demand is low, means consumers can benefit from cheaper electricity and avoids 
triggerin g unnecessary network reinforcement. Charging of  EVs can also be shifted to 
periods where there is plentiful renewable electricity generation and support system 
operation by providing demand side response services. To ensure the UK has the 
infrastructure i n place to support a smarter energy system, these regulations aim to 
embed smart functionality within chargepoints across "private" settings such as homes 
and workplaces. Secondly these regulations ensure that smart chargepoints meet 
minimum device -level r equirements to mitigate the potential risks posed by smart 
charging, such as cyber security; Protection of the environment  
8. Relevant documents:   
1. Pre-Notification Covering Note  
2. Electric Vehicle Smart Charging consultation (Annex E includes draft legislation)  
3. Electric Vehicle Smart Charging consultation: Summary of Responses  
4. The Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  The regulation will be laid in late 2021. The consultation 
proposed 12 months between the date of adoption and date of entry into force, however 
this is subject to change.  
Proposed date of entry into force:  TBA 
10. Final date for comments:  31 March 2021  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
UK TBT Enquiry Point  
Trade Policy Group  
Department for International Trade  
3 Whitehall Place  
London  
SW1A 2AW  
TBTEnquiriesUK@trade.gov.uk  
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/electric -vehicle -smart -charging  
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/electric -vehicle -smart -charging/public -
feedback/electric -vehicle -smart -charging -consultation -summary -of-responses  
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2018/18/contents/enacted  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/TBT/GBR/21_1846_00_e.pdf