On 30 March 2022, the European Commission published a draft of the revised Construction Products Regulation (CPR). This revision aims to simplify the rules for construction products on the EU market. The proposal was announced as part of the circular economy package.
The proposal wants to create a harmonised framework to assess and communicate the environmental and climate performance of construction products.
New product requirements shall ensure that the design and manufacture of construction products is based on state of the art to make these more durable, repairable, recyclable, easier to re-manufacture.
It will also facilitate the work of standardisation bodies in developing common European standard and offer digital solutions to reduce administrative burdens, particularly on SMEs, including a construction products database and a Digital Products Passport.
Besides a proposal for a regulation on eco-design for sustainable products, an Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Work Plan 2022-2024 has also been produced. The plans are aimed at making all products in the EU market more sustainable.
Climate and environment
The CPR aims to create a framework to establish harmonised (technical) rules for construction products on the EU market that will reduce the environmental and climate impacts of products. The rules on environmental sustainability were adopted to accelerate the transition to a climate-neutral, resource-efficient and circular economy.
Key changes in the revision include:
- Ensuring a clearer definition of the scope and inclusion of reused and 3D printed building products and prefabricated houses;
- Introduction of environmental, functional and safety product requirements for construction products;
- Further harmonisation of standardisation of construction products and improvement of the assessment process (the current legislative framework provides harmonised rules for CE marking of construction products);
- Introduction of a new obligation for manufacturers to provide a declaration of conformity (compliance with product requirements) in addition to a declaration of performance; possibility to provide information electronically, digital tools, data and digital product passports;
- Improving the circularity of construction products and facilitating reuse, recycling and repair;
- Inclusion of a list to establish sustainability of construction products, possibly to be further defined by product family;
- Introduce and improve simplification and exemption provisions for micro-enterprises (SMEs)
- Expanding Commission's ability to intervene on standardisation and enforcement. Improve complaints procedure.
The revision aligns with the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products regulation on climate and environmental sustainability and the digital product passport.