Field of application - Definitions - Requirements -Technical specifications - Free movement of goodsArticle 1 1.
This Directive shall apply to construction products in so far as the essential requirements in respect of construction works under Article 3 (1) relate to them.
2.

For the purposes of this Directive, 'construction product' means any product which is produced for incorporation in a permanent manner in construction works, including both buildings and civil engineering works.
'Construction products' are hereinafter referred to as 'products'; construction works including both buildings and civil engineering works are hereinafter referred to as 'Works'.

Article 2

1.

Member States shall take all necessary measures to ensure that the products referred to in Article 1, which are intended for use in works, may be placed on the market only if they are fit for this intended use, that is to say they have such characteristics that the works in which they are to be incorporated, assembled, applied or installed, can, if properly designed and built, satisfy, the essential requirements referred to in Article 3 when and where such works are subject to regulations containing such requirements.
2.

(a) When products are subject to other Directives with regard to other aspects and which also provide for the affixing of the CE conformity marking, referred to in Article 4 (2), the latter shall indicate that the products are also presumed to conform to the provisions of those other Directives.
(b) However, where one or more of these Directives allow the manufacturer, during a transitional period, to choose which arrangements to apply, the CE marking shall indicate conformity only to the Directives applied by the manufacturer. In this case, particulars of the Directives applied, as published in the Official Journal of the European Communities, must be given in the documents, notices or instructions required by the Directives and accompany such products.
3.

When a future directive concerns mainly other aspects and only to a minor extent the essential requirements of this Directive, that subsequent directive shall contain provisions ensuring that it also covers the requirements of this Directive.
4.

This Directive shall not affect the right of Member States to specify - with due observance of the provisions of the Treaty - the requirements they deem necessary to ensure that workers are protected when using products, provided it does not mean the products are modified in a way unspecified in this Directive.

Article 3

1.

The essential requirements applicable to works which may influence the technical characteristics of a product are set out in terms of objectives in Annex I. One, some or all of these requirements may apply; they shall be satisfied during an economically reasonable working life.
2.

In order to take account of possible differences in geographical or climatic conditions or in ways of life as well as different levels of protection that may prevail at national, regional or local level, each essential requirement may give rise to the establishment of classes in the documents referred to in paragraph 3 and the technical specifications referred to in Article 4 for the requirement to be respected.
3.

The essential requirements shall be given concrete form in documents (interpretative documents) for the creation of the necessary links between the essential requirements laid down in paragraph 1 and the standardization mandates, mandates for guidelines for European technical approval or the recognition of other technical specifications within the meaning of Articles 4 and 5.

Article 4

1.

Standards and technical approvals shall, for the purposes of this Directive, be referred to as 'technical specifications'.
For the purposes of this Directive, harmonized standards shall be the technical specifications adopted by CEN, Cenelec or both, on mandates given by the Commission in conformity with Directive 83/189/EEC on the basis of an opinion given by the Committee referred to in Article 19 and in accordance with the general provisions concerning cooperation between the Commission and these two bodies signed on 13 November 1984.
2.

Member States shall presume that products are fit for use if they enable works in which they are employed, provided the latter are properly designed and built, to satisfy the essential requirements referred to in Article 3 where such products bear the CE marking indicating that they satisfy all the provisions of this Directive, including the conformity assessment procedures laid down in Chapter V and the procedure laid down in Chapter III. The CE marking shall indicate:
(a) that they comply with the relevant national standards transposing the harmonized standards, references to which have been published in the Official journal of the European Communities. Member States shall publish the references of these national standards;
(b) that they comply with a European technical approval, delivered according to the procedure of Chapter III, or
(c) that they comply with the national technical specifications referred to in paragraph 3 in as much as harmonized specifications do not exist; a list of these national specifications shall be drawn up according to the procedure in Article 5 (2).
3.

Member States may communicate to the Commission the texts of their national technical specifications which they regard as complying with the essential requirements referred to in Article 3. The Commission shall forward these national technical specifications forthwith to the other Member States. In accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 5 (2), it shall notify the Member States of those national technical specifications in respect of which there is presumption of conformity with the essential requirements referred to in Article 3.
This procedure will be initiated and managed by the Commission in consultation with the committee referred to in Article 19.
Member States shall publish the references to these technical specifications. The Commission shall also publish them in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
4.

Where a manufacturer, or his agent, established in the Community, has not applied, or has applied only in part, the existing technical specifications referred to in paragraph 2, which require, according to the criteria set out in Article 13 (4), the product to be submitted for a declaration of conformity as defined in Annex III (2) (ii), second and third possibilities, the corresponding decisions under Article 13 (4) and Annex III shall apply and such a product's fitness for use within the meaning of Article 2 (1) shall he established in accordance with the procedure set out in Annex III (2) (ii), second possibility.
5.

The Commission, in consultation with the committee referred to in Article 19, shall draw up, manage and revise periodically a list of products which play a minor part with respect to health and safety, and in respect of which a declaration of compliance with the 'acknowledged rule of technology', issued by the manufacturer, will authorize such products to be placed on the market.
6.

The CE marking signifies that products satisfy the requirements of paragraphs 2 and 4 of this Article. It is for the manufacturer or his authorized representative established within the Community to take responsibility for affixing the CE marking on the product itself, on a label attached to it, on its packaging, or on the accompanying commercial documents.
The model of the CE Marking and conditions of its use are given in Annex III.
Products referred to in paragraph 5 shall not bear the CE Marking.


Article 5

1.

Where a Member State or the Commission is of the opinion that the harmonized standards or European technical approvals referred to in Article 4 (2), points (a) and (b), or the mandates referred to in Chapter 11, do not satisfy the provisions of Articles 2 and 3, that Member State or the Commission shall notify the committee referred to in Article 19, setting out its reasons. The committee shall deliver an urgent opinion.
In the light of the opinion of the committee, and after consultation with the committee se up under Directive 83/189/EEC where it concerns harmonized standards, the Commission shall inform Member States if the standards or approvals concerned should be withdrawn in the publications referred to in Article 7 (3).
2.

On reception of the communication referred to in Article 4 (3), the Commission shall consult the committee referred to in Article 19. In the light of the opinion of the committee, the Commission shall notify Member States whether the technical specification in question should benefit, from the presumption of conformity and, if so, publish a reference to it in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
If the Commission or a Member State believes that a technical specification no longer fulfills the conditions necessary. for presumption of conformity. with the provisions of Articles 2 and 3, the Commission shall consult the committee referred to in Article 19. In the light of the opinion of the said committee, the Commission shall notify the Member States whether the national technical specification in question should continue to benefit from presumption of conformity, and, if not, whether the reference to it referred to in Article 4 (3) should be withdrawn.


Article 6

1.

Member States shall not impede the free movement, placing on the market or use in their territory of products which satisfy. the provisions of this Directive.
Member States shall ensure that the use of such products, for the purpose for which they were intended, shall not be impeded by rules or conditions imposed by public bodies or private bodies acting as a public undertaking or acting as a public body on the basis of a monopoly position.
2.

Member States shall, however, allow products not covered by Article 4 (2) to be placed on the market in their territory if they satisfy national provisions consistent with the Treaty until the European technical specifications referred to in Chapters II and III provide otherwise. The Commission and the committee referred to in Article 19 will monitor and review the development of the European technical specifications on a regular basis.
3.

If the relevant European technical specifications, either themselves or on the basis of the interpretative documents referred to in Article 3 (3), distinguish between different classes corresponding to different performance levels, Member States may determine the performance levels also to be observed in their territory only within the classifications adopted at Community level and only subject to the use of all or some classes or one class.