Construction products lay the foundations for the spaces in which we live and work. The safety, durability and sustainability of these products is essential, which is why the European Union has harmonised standards that construction products must meet before they can be sold on the EU single market. Do you want free trade of your construction products in the EU? Here’s everything you need to know about the Construction Products Regulation, meeting applicable harmonised standards, and drafting a Declaration of Performance.

 

EU Construction Products Regulation
The Construction Products Regulation 305/2011 (CPR) outlines the health, safety, performance and consistency standards that construction products must meet to be sold within the European Union. All products that fall under the scope of the regulation must obtain the CE mark. This includes:

• Cement, building lime, admixtures and aggregates
• Fire protection products
• Gas and electrical appliances
• Geotextiles and waterproofing membranes
• Glass
• Manhole and inspection covers
• Masonry
• Traffic furniture
• Pipes
• Precast concrete
• Windows and doors

You (the manufacturer) are responsible for assessing the performance of your product to ensure that it meets the standards outlined in the CPR. The route to conformity differs for every product and depends on the relevant harmonised standards.

What is a harmonised standard?
Harmonised standards are used by manufacturers, economic operators, and conformity assessment bodies to demonstrate that products comply with EU regulations (in this case, the CPR). They outline a common technical language to:

• Define requirements (EU regulatory authorities)
• Declare the product’s performance (manufacturers)
• Verify compliance with requirements and demands (design engineers & contractors)

Your construction product can fall under one or more harmonised standards. If no harmonised standard applies (but your product falls under the scope of the CPR), you can obtain the CE mark through a European Technical Assessment.

The 5 steps to obtaining the CE Mark for Construction Products
While the certification process is different for every construction product, there are five general steps to undergo when CE marking your construction product:

• Identify the harmonised standards applicable to your product
• Define the essential characteristics of the product
• Carry out necessary procedures to declare the performance of each characteristic
• Compile the technical file (including testing, factory production control, instructions and safety information and, if applicable, a notified body statement and/or European Technical Assessment)
• Draw up the Declaration of Performance and affix the CE mark

Performance of Construction Products: Why does it matter?
Manufacturers are responsible for assessing product performance and putting in place factory production controls. It is crucial that the quality of construction products does not change over time, which is why the performance of each characteristic must be measured for consistency.

In some cases, you will need a Notified Body to assess the performance of specific product characteristics. If you are unsure whether you need a Notified Body to CE mark your construction product, we are happy to help.

What is a Declaration of Performance?
After carrying out the necessary testing to indicate that your product complies with the CPR, a Declaration of Performance must be complied. A Declaration of Performance is considered the most important document supporting CE marking because it entails all information about the manufacturer, the product and its performance.

In a Declaration of Performance, the manufacturer takes responsibility for the conformity of the construction product and the performance of the defined characteristics. It includes the following information:

• Intended purpose of use
• Manufacturer information
• Authorised representative information (if applicable)
• Systems of assessment and verification of constancy of performance (AVCP)
• Applicable harmonised standards
• Notified Body information (if applicable)
• European Technical Assessment information (if applicable)
• Declared performance of each essential characteristic
• Applicable technical documentation

Benefits of the EU CPR
Affixing the CE mark is your product’s ticket to the European Union. The European Commission outlines the benefits of having harmonised standards for construction products sold in the EU:

• Free circulation of CE marked products on the EU single market
• Construction products have to be tested only once
• Users of construction products can easily indicate performance demands
• Market surveillance can rely on a common infrastructure

Looking to gain EU market access for your construction product? Let us help you. Our experts will identify relevant harmonised standards, carry out testing, and draft a Declaration of Performance so that you can get your product on the market before your competitors do.