Construction Products Directive

The Construction Products Directive (“CPD” – text here) was adopted to establish the Internal Market in the area of construction products. It aims to do this by establishing harmonised technical standards, thus removing technical barriers to trade, between EU countries, in such products. Construction products are defined to as products manufactured to be incorporated into construction works such as buildings or civil engineering works.

This single European system is based on European harmonised technical specifications, which replace national specifications, which must be withdrawn once the harmonised European versions are available.

There are six essential requirements set by the CPD: mechanical resistance and stability; safety in case of fire; hygiene, health and the environment; safety in use; protection against noise; and energy economy and heat reduction (energy insulation). 

The CPD is currently under revision. See here for more on this.

More information on how it relates to glass in buildings, via the CE Mark, can be found in this Guide to CE Marking for Glass in Buildings from 2003 Onwards.