What is CE marking?

CE marking indicates that a product conforms to the European Community obligations placed on the manufacturer and that the product in question complies with the Community provisions concerning its use.

Essentially we're talking about technical and safety requirements applicable to construction products that are permanently installed. The CE marking is therefore not a quality seal. With the CE marking, the manufacturer simply guarantees that the product conforms to the declared performance and that it complies with the European standard associated with the product in question.

Member States may not restrict the sale and use of products bearing the CE marking, except in proven cases of non-conformity of the product concerned.

For anchors and screws, CE marking is associated with the Construction Products Regulation (CPR 305/2011/EU). This regulation stipulates mandatory CE marking for those products which are covered by a harmonised European standard. However, even when there is no harmonised European standard, if the product is covered by a European Technical Assessment (ETA) according to a European Assessment Document (EAD), the manufacturer must also conduct the CE marking. It should be noted, however, that the European Technical Assessment (ETA) is VOLUNTARY.

We highlight some relevant definitions included in the CPR:

• European Harmonised Standard: a standard adopted by one of the European standardisation bodies listed in Annex I to Directive 98/34/EC.
• European Assessment Document (EAD): a document adopted by a TAB (Technical Assessment Body) for the purpose of issuing European Technical Assessments.
• European Technical Assessment (ETA): a documented assessment of the performance of a construction product in terms of its essential characteristics, in accordance with the relevant European Assessment Document.
• Manufacturer: any natural or legal person who manufactures a construction product, or who has a construction product designed or manufactured, and markets it under their name or trademark.
• Distributor: any natural or legal person in the supply chain, other than the manufacturer or the importer, who makes a construction product available on the market.

By affixing the CE marking, the manufacturer acquires important obligations, including:

• To develop a Declaration of Performance (DoP) for each product and ensure that it is available to the end user (printed together with the product or accessible electronically).
• To assume responsibility for compliance with the performance stated in the declaration of performance.
• To include the CE marking on the construction product; it is acceptable to include the marking on the packaging if, due its size or characteristics, the product itself cannot be marked.
• To conduct the assessment and verification of consistency of performance in accordance with the applicable system for each product.