On 13 December, trilogue negotiations marked the concluding session of the year for the revision of the Construction Products Regulation (CPR), culminating in a provisional political agreement between the co-legislators. This significant achievement marks a crucial step forward in reshaping the regulatory landscape for construction products within the European Union.
The co-legislators have agreed on the introduction of an Accelerated Standardisation System as a key element. This initiative aims at addressing challenges encountered in recent years, seeking to expedite and streamline the publication of standards for a more efficient and cost-effective approach. Furthermore, the revised CPR scope appears to be narrower than the Commission’s initial proposal, excluding materials for 3D printing and products directly installed on production sites. Despite this reduction, the adapted regulation encompasses reused and remanufactured products.
In terms of sustainability, the provisional agreement grants public authorities the discretion to consider sustainability as an optional criterion for auctioning construction works, which requires close monitoring to ensure that this does not prove to be an additional obstacle to the participation of SMEs in public contracts. The agreement also introduces the Digital Product Passport from the Eco-design Regulation, facilitating digital-format product information on construction sites. Finally, the proposed 15-year transition period, extending until 2039, allows for comprehensive updates to harmonized technical specifications, mitigating the risk of de-harmonization of product groups.
EBC salutes the work to achieve an agreement on such a technical file. Advocating for the perspective of SMEs, EBC together with Small Business Standards SBS collaborated with Construction Products Europe and FIEC to present uniform proposals beneficial for the entire construction value chain. Awaiting final technical details, EBC remains committed to supporting SMEs in effectively implementing the new regulation and advocating for minimal administrative burden once it is in place.
The validated text of this provisional agreement now should move forward for validation by Parliament, with expectations that the revised CPR is published in the Official Journal of the EU in the context of the upcoming Belgian Presidency of the Council.
To read the press release of the European Parliament click here.
To read the press release of the Council of the EU click here.
To read the press release of the European Commission, click here.
To consult the joint EBC-SBS position paper on the revision of the CPR, click hereTo consult the latest joint EBC-SBS-FIEC-CPE declaration on the revision of the CPR, click here