Construction Products Directive
Encyclopedia
Construction Products Directive (Council Directive 89/106/EEC) (CPD) is a now repealed European Union Directive
with the aim to remove technical barriers to trade
in construction
products between Member States in the European Union
.
The directive is now replaced by Regulation (EU) No 305/2011
. The directive was replaced in order to simplify and clarify the existing framework, and improve the transparency and the effectiveness of the existing measures.
It sought to "ensure the free movement of all construction products within the European Union by harmonizing national laws with respect to the essential requirements applicable to these products in terms of health and safety." An additional objective of the directive was to "standardize the manufacturing
of construction products and guarantee the unlimited use of these products within the EU."
The CPD provided the following four main elements:
The Directive did not aim to harmonize regulations. Member States and public and private sector procurers were free to set their own requirements on the performance of works and therefore products. What the CPD sought to harmonize was the methods of test, the methods of declaration of product performance values, and the method of conformity assessment. Choice of value for intended use, was left to the regulators in each Member State.
The CPD has been amended by the Council Directive 93/68/EEC of 22 July 1993 and Regulation (EC) No 1882/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 September 2003. The directive was repealed and replaced by Regulation (EU) No 305/2011
on 9 March 2011.
The importance of the CDP was to remove the technical barriers to trade, market barriers and market entry strategy for the EU construction industry. Five hundred product standards and 200 testing standards are planned in the context of the CPD.
The objective of the CPD (and the CPR alike) is not to define the safety of construction products, but to ensure that reliable information is presented in relation to their performance. This is achieved by providing, mainly in standards, a common technical language, to be used not only by manufacturers, but also by public authorities when defining their requirements on construction works, directly or indirectly influencing the demands placed on the products to be used in them.
works, including both buildings and civil engineering works," such as buildings, bridges, highways and other civil engineering projects.
So far 552 standards have been harmonized.
There are six essential requirements which need to be addressed (by committee) and satisfied, when relevant, by the product prior to being put on the market:
CE marking is obligatory for every product placed on the EEA
(European Economical area or the European Union + Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) market as soon as all conditions are fulfilled to enable this.
European Union directive
A directive is a legislative act of the European Union, which requires member states to achieve a particular result without dictating the means of achieving that result. It can be distinguished from regulations which are self-executing and do not require any implementing measures. Directives...
with the aim to remove technical barriers to trade
Technical barriers to trade
Technical barriers to trade , a category of nontariff barriers to trade, are the widely divergent measures that countries use to regulate markets, protect their consumers, or preserve their natural resources , but they also can be used to discriminate against imports in order to protect domestic...
in construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
products between Member States in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
The directive is now replaced by Regulation (EU) No 305/2011
Regulation (EU) No 305/2011
Regulation No 305/2011 of the European Parliament and of the European Council is regulation of 9 March 2011 lays down harmonised conditions for the marketing of construction products and replaces Construction Products Directive...
. The directive was replaced in order to simplify and clarify the existing framework, and improve the transparency and the effectiveness of the existing measures.
It sought to "ensure the free movement of all construction products within the European Union by harmonizing national laws with respect to the essential requirements applicable to these products in terms of health and safety." An additional objective of the directive was to "standardize the manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
of construction products and guarantee the unlimited use of these products within the EU."
The CPD provided the following four main elements:
- a system of harmonized technical specifications
- an agreed system of attestation of conformity for each product family
- a framework of notified bodies
- the CE marking of products
The Directive did not aim to harmonize regulations. Member States and public and private sector procurers were free to set their own requirements on the performance of works and therefore products. What the CPD sought to harmonize was the methods of test, the methods of declaration of product performance values, and the method of conformity assessment. Choice of value for intended use, was left to the regulators in each Member State.
The CPD has been amended by the Council Directive 93/68/EEC of 22 July 1993 and Regulation (EC) No 1882/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 September 2003. The directive was repealed and replaced by Regulation (EU) No 305/2011
Regulation (EU) No 305/2011
Regulation No 305/2011 of the European Parliament and of the European Council is regulation of 9 March 2011 lays down harmonised conditions for the marketing of construction products and replaces Construction Products Directive...
on 9 March 2011.
Background
The construction sector has one of the most significant economic activities of the EU. Prior to the CPDs inception, there were differing standards and technical approvals among EU member states.The importance of the CDP was to remove the technical barriers to trade, market barriers and market entry strategy for the EU construction industry. Five hundred product standards and 200 testing standards are planned in the context of the CPD.
The objective of the CPD (and the CPR alike) is not to define the safety of construction products, but to ensure that reliable information is presented in relation to their performance. This is achieved by providing, mainly in standards, a common technical language, to be used not only by manufacturers, but also by public authorities when defining their requirements on construction works, directly or indirectly influencing the demands placed on the products to be used in them.
Construction Products
A 'construction product' means "any product which is produced for incorporation in a permanent manner in constructionConstruction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
works, including both buildings and civil engineering works," such as buildings, bridges, highways and other civil engineering projects.
Harmonized Technical Specifications
The Construction Products Directive recognizes the following types of Harmonized Technical Specifications:- Harmonized European Standards
- European Technical ApprovalsEuropean Organisation for Technical ApprovalsEuropean Organisation for Technical Approvals is an international non-profit association. It was established in 1990 in Belgium under the provisions of the EC Council Directive of December 21, 1988 relating to construction products .EOTA is composed of organizations nominated by the European...
- European Technical ApprovalsEuropean Organisation for Technical ApprovalsEuropean Organisation for Technical Approvals is an international non-profit association. It was established in 1990 in Belgium under the provisions of the EC Council Directive of December 21, 1988 relating to construction products .EOTA is composed of organizations nominated by the European...
without Guideline
So far 552 standards have been harmonized.
CE Marking of construction products
CE Marking of construction products was introduced in the CPD in 1989. CE Marking is a declaration by the manufacturer that the product meets certain public safety requirements. The public safety requirements are a set of essential characteristics that each product must satisfy and these characteristics are given in the product’s harmonized standard.There are six essential requirements which need to be addressed (by committee) and satisfied, when relevant, by the product prior to being put on the market:
- Mechanical resistance and stability
- Safety in the case of fire
- Hygiene, health and the environment
- Safety in use
- Protection against noise
- Energy economy and heat retention
CE marking is obligatory for every product placed on the EEA
European Economic Area
The European Economic Area was established on 1 January 1994 following an agreement between the member states of the European Free Trade Association and the European Community, later the European Union . Specifically, it allows Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway to participate in the EU's Internal...
(European Economical area or the European Union + Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) market as soon as all conditions are fulfilled to enable this.
External links
- The construction products directive (CPD)
- Guide to the CE Marking of Structural Steelwork, BCSA Publication No. 46/08.
- "The Construction Products Directive:A Practical Guide to Implementation and Ce Marking" (2007).Adam A. Pinney & Stephen J. Rein. Authorhouse.
- List of Harmonised Standards