1) What does CE marking mean? What do the letters CE stand for?
2) What are the benefits of CE Marking?
3) What is the Construction Product Directive?
4) What are the Harmonized Standards (hEN)?
5) Who are the Notified Bodies?
6) When will a European Technical Approval (ETA) become relevant?
7) System of Attestation of Conformity (AoC)
8) Initial Type Testing (ITT)
9) Factory Production Control (FPC)
10) Does my product require CE marking?
11) How can I obtain CE marking for my products?
12) What are the penalties for making a false declaration about products being CE marked?

What does CE marking mean? What do the letters CE stand for? back to top
By applying a CE mark to a product the manufacturer confirms that the product meets all the appropriate provisions of the relevant European Directive. For glass products the Construction Product Directive( CPD 89/106/EEC )applies. The CE marking of products removes commercial barriers by confirming that the product meets harmonized European Norms. The letters “CE” are an abbreviation for the French term 'Communauté Européenne’” or European Community.

The main goals of the CE Marking are to:
Ø indicate a product’s conformity with the essential requirements of the directives
Ø allow products to be placed on the market
Ø ensure the free movement of such goods within the European Economic Area (EEA – EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein)
Ø allow the withdrawal of non-conforming products by customs and enforcement authorities

The CE Marking:
Ø is not a mark or certification or approval issued by a third party
Ø is not a mark of origin
Ø is not simply a marketing or promotional tool
Ø is not a quality mark
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What are the benefits of CE Marking?

The harmonized European Norms (hENs) allow evaluation of a product’s performance on a European scale. It provides an opportunity for cost-effective product approval since it has to be done only once.
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What is the Construction Products Directive?

The Construction Products Directive is one of the "New Approach" Directives. The intention of the CPD is to remove technical barriers to the trade of construction products within the European Economic Area (EEA) and move to one Single Market. This is achieved by overruling existing national standards and introducing

Ø a system of harmonized technical specifications,
Ø an agreed system of attestation of conformity for each product family,
Ø a framework of notified bodies,
Ø the CE marking of products.

The CPD doesn’t aim to harmonize any building regulations! All Member States and public authorities are free to set their own requirements on the performance of works and therefore products. The CPD just harmonizes the methods of test, declaration of product performance and conformity assessment.

The CPD defines a construction product as „any product which is produced for incorporation in a permanent manner in construction works, including both buildings and civil engineering works“ (Art.1 of CPD). The CPD identifies the essential requirements of the building works. To obtain building works that fulfill the essential requirements, building products must be fit for their intended use and will be assessed against the following six essential requirements:

Ø Mechanical resistance and stability
Ø Safety in case of fire
Ø Hygiene, health and the environment
Ø Safety in use
Ø Protection against noise
Ø Energy economy and heat retention
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What are the Harmonized Norms (hEN)?

Harmonized European Norms (hEN) are standards developed by CEN/CENELEC, based on mandates from the European Commission.

A hEN will prescribe how a product must conform to the mandate, the testing to be undertaken by the manufacturer and the factory production controls required.
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Who are the Notified Bodies?

A Notified Body is an organization which after nomination by a member state obtains its notification by the European Commission. The main task of a Notified Body is to provide assessment services to manufacturers to confirm conformity to hENs.
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When will a European Technical Approval (ETA) become relevant?

If standards cannot be developed or can not be expected within a reasonable period of time, or if a product deviates substantially from a standard, then an ETA may be issued. This will mostly be the case for innovative products or for complex products like kits, composite elements, prefabricated building units or houses. ETA’s must be based on a European Technical Approval guideline (ETAG), if such a guideline is available.
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System of Attestation of Conformity (AoC)?
The system of attestation of conformity is chosen in accordance with annex ZA of the relevant product standard and depends on the degree of involvement of a third party in the conformity assessment of the product. The CPD provides six attestation systems, 1; 1+; 2; 2+; 3 and 4. Applicable for glass are:

System 1: in addition to the requirements for system 3 , this system covers the requirements regarding the resistance and reaction to fire, the external fire performance as well as bullet and explosion resistance. Initial type tests, inspection of the factory production control (FPC), an initial inspection of the factory and a continuous surveillance of the FPC has to be done by a notified body.

System 3: the requirements for this system are: burglar resistance, pendulum impact body impact testing, resistance against temperature & wind & snow, protection against noise, energy conservation and heat retention. A notified body does initial type tests. The manufacturer does the control of the FPC.

System 4: All other intents of use than the ones described in system 1 and 3. No notified body involved, all controls are done by the manufacturer.

Initial Type Testing (ITT)

All products characteristics shall to be tested initially to verify conformity with the standards. For System 4 tests are done by the manufacturer only. For Systems 1 or 3 the tests are performed by the manufacturer and a Notified Body.
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Factory Production Control (FPC)

These are the internal production controls carried out by the manufacturer and cover materials, production and product control. Each hEN details the necessary controls required.
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Does my product require the CE marking?

If any of the New Approach Directives or the older Global Approach Directives apply to your product, CE marking must be applied.
The same principles above apply to imported products. It is the responsibility of the importer or his agent to ensure that the product is correctly CE-marked.
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How can I obtain the CE marking for my products?

• Determine the product family to be offered and determine which European Norm is applicable to that product.
• Identify the Initial Type Testing requirements and carry them out internally
• Decide on the system of Attestation of Conformity applicable to the product.
• Prepare and launch necessary FPCs.
• If the system of attestation requires it, choose a Notified Body and undertake Initial Type Testing.
• Get approval of your FPCs by the Notified Body and arrange surveillance if necessary.
• Develop and maintain a technical file containing all relevant technical and test data.
• Prepare declarations of conformities
• Produce the CE marking label and accompanying information.
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What are the penalties for making a false declaration about products being CE marked?

Where a manufacturer claims that their products are CE marked i.e. claims compliance and/or product characteristics that are false, the penalty for the false declarations are set by each country and can be severe. False declaration of performance can be easily checked as a manufacturer must have written evidence of tests proving a product’s compliance to the respective standard. This data can be openly challenged by surveillance bodies and other glass companies.
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