The Construction Products Regulation (CPR) has been adopted by the European Commission and UK Government and replaces the Construction Products Instruction (CPD). As a result of the change, CE marking will soon become mandatory in the UK. Manufacturers and importers have until July 2013 to ensure that their construction products meet the CE requirements of the new Regulation.
According to the Regulation, the requirement for CE marking will apply to:
"any product or kit which is produced and placed on the market for incorporation in a permanent manner in construction works or parts thereof and the performance of which has an effect on the performance of the construction works with respect to the basic requirements for construction works."
So any products that fall under this definition that are placed on the market from July 2013 and are covered by a harmonized standard, will have to be accompanied by a Declaration of Performance and will need to display the CE mark.
The move to CPR builds on the success of the CPD, allowing construction products that have been assessed against harmonized standards to be legally placed on the market anywhere in the European Economic Area.
How does CPR affect you?
If you manufacture or import products that are within the scope of the Regulation, you will be required to declare that the product complies with the Regulation and display the CE mark, before they can be sold in the UK and Europe.
The responsibility for ensuring that a product has the correct characteristics for a particular application rests with the building designers, contractors and local building authorities, and manufacturers and importers will be required to provide the necessary testing evidence.
How can BSI help you prepare for CPR?
Kitemark can help you prepare for 2013, when CE marking will become mandatory under the Construction Product Regulations. Kitemark certification exceeds the basic requirements of CE marking and demonstrates the quality and reliability of your products. Kitemark includes the initial type testing required for CE marking, so we can provide the evidence that you need to comply with the new regulations.
Find out more about the new construction regulations
We are also able to provide expert advice on the requirements of the CPR and its implications for construction products. To find out how our testing and certification services can help you comply with the CPR please email product.certification@bsigroup.com
As BSI is a Notified Body for the Construction Products Instruction, we can help you to prepare for the Construction Products Regulations by CE marking your products now.
As more and more harmonized European standards are published, CE marking is applicable to an ever increasingly number of construction products under the Construction Products Instruction (CPD).
