Construction Products Regulation (CPR)
- Published on: 3 December 2020
- Last updated on: 25 April 2024
On and from 1 July 2013, under Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 (known as the Construction Products Regulation or the “CPR”), CE marking is mandatory for all construction products placed on the market in the European Economic Area and it is covered by:
or
- a European Technical Assessment (These are used by manufacturers of products which are not covered by a harmonised European standard but who still wish their products to be CE marked).
The CPR aims to ensure that reliable performance-related data is made available, by means of Declarations of Performance, in relation to construction products being placed on the European market.
The primary purpose of the CPR is to break down technical barriers to trade in order to ensure the free movement of construction products across Member States within the European Union. It does this by harmonising those elements which previously led to barriers by providing for:
- a system of harmonised technical specifications (over 450 harmonised standards for construction products (hENs) are currently in force)
- an agreed system of attestation of conformity and verification of constancy for each product family (as set out in the harmonised technical specifications)
- a framework of notified bodies, and
- the mandatory CE marking of construction products as a passport to the internal market
It is important to note that the CPR does not aim to harmonise national building codes. Each Member State is free to set its own requirements on the performance of building works and, by virtue of same, construction products when in use. The choice of required performance values for specific intended uses to which construction products are put to rest with each Member State.
The Construction Products Regulation - Information Note sets out the general objectives behind the CPR, the requirements that must be fulfilled in order to place construction products onto the market and the particular implications for manufacturers, importers and distributors that arise from the introduction of the Regulation on 1 July 2013 and provides some brief information for specifiers, designers and builders when using these construction products.
For more information about the CPR including a CE marking “step by step” guide, see the European Commission’s DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs website.
Notifying Authority
Article 40 of the CPR requires each Member State to designate a notifying authority that shall be responsible for setting up and carrying out the necessary procedures for the assessment and notification of the bodies to be authorised to carry out third-party tasks in the process of assessment and verification of constancy of performance (AVCP) for the purposes of the CPR, and for the monitoring of notified bodies, including their compliance with the provisions of Article 43.
In the case of Ireland, this department is the designated notifying authority under the CPR.
An application for notified body status should be made to this department in accordance with the Irish notification procedures for the purposes of the Construction Products Regulation (305/2011).
The Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB) undertakes accreditation and monitoring of notified bodies in Ireland. Bodies seeking to be notified for the purpose of the CPR should first apply to the INAB for the accreditation relevant to the services they wish to provide.