Separate building design from product market access
A building's design and use, a manufacturer's construction product, and a project's information-management process require different evidence. First establish whether you need structural calculations, a product declaration and CE-marking route, execution requirements, material testing or BIM information procedures. The Commission's CPR overview distinguishes harmonised product-marketing rules from national requirements governing use and installation.
Eurocodes and national requirements
The Eurocodes, EN 1990–EN 1999, provide a common framework for structural design. Use the relevant national implementation and National Annex, including the nationally determined parameters for the country where the works will be built. Check which editions and transition arrangements apply to the project. See the European Commission JRC's country guidance.
It is too broad to say that Eurocodes are the only lawful option for every public works project. EU public-procurement rules allow different ways to specify technical requirements. Where standards are referenced under Article 42 of Directive 2014/24/EU, the reference must allow equivalent solutions, with appropriate proof; compatible mandatory national technical rules still matter. Check the tender and local requirements. See Article 42 of the Public Procurement Directive.
Construction Products Regulation: the 2026 transition
Regulation (EU) 2024/3110 generally applies from 8 January 2026, but this is not a single switch of every construction product to new documentation and assessment rules. Articles 94–96 preserve parts of Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 and establish product-specific transitions. Existing cited harmonised standards remain valid under the older framework until withdrawn or otherwise repealed. Requirements for a product family depend on the relevant implementing act and its application date.
Before specifying a declaration or CE-marking process, record the product, intended use, applicable legal framework and current harmonised technical specification or assessment route. Check Articles 94–96 of the new CPR rather than assuming that publication of a new standard changes the route immediately.
When is EN 1090-1 relevant?
EN 1090-1 concerns conformity assessment of structural components; it is not a blanket certification requirement for every metal item used in a building. Identify the product's intended structural function and check its exact scope. CEN/TR 17052, described by BSI, provides guidance on applying EN 1090-1 and examples of products within and outside its scope.
Before appointing a certification provider, ask it to explain the product-scope decision and the applicable declaration, factory-production-control assessment and CE-marking obligations. Check whether a dedicated product specification applies instead. Resolve product-specific uncertainty with the relevant national authority or construction-product contact point, using the Commission's current CPR support resources. Read that scope decision alongside the transition provisions above.
Standards families and their different roles
| Reference family | Typical role | Before selection |
|---|---|---|
| Eurocodes: EN 1990–EN 1999 | Structural design | Confirm national rules, relevant parts, National Annexes and project editions. |
| EN 1090-1 | Assessment of relevant structural steel and aluminium components | Confirm product scope, intended use and the applicable CPR route. |
| EN ISO 19650 series | Information management using BIM | Define information needs, responsibilities and contractual deliverables. |
These references are not interchangeable approvals or a complete compliance checklist. ISO 19650-1, for example, addresses information-management principles across an asset's life cycle. It does not certify structural safety or replace the evidence required for construction-product CE marking.
Prepare the evidence before appointing a provider
- Identify the product or works, structural function, intended use and installation country.
- Record the exact specification, edition, National Annex and legal or contractual requirement.
- Separate design verification, material testing, product assessment and information-management deliverables.
- Provide drawings, materials, performance targets, existing declarations and the question that needs resolving.
- For testing or third-party assessment, verify the provider's relevant scope and role before appointment.
Prepare a test brief · Find laboratory support · Verify a laboratory's accredited scope
European Standards provides information and introductions. It does not approve building designs, certify factory production control or determine a product's legal route.
Find construction standards
Check the external catalogue for the exact document, amendments, language, format and licence. Verify any required National Annex separately; a catalogue entry alone does not establish legal applicability.
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Frequently asked questions
Are Eurocodes mandatory for every public project?
No universal answer applies to every project. Check national technical rules and procurement documents, including the provisions for demonstrating equivalent solutions.
Does every steel fabricator need EN 1090 certification?
Assess the products and activities supplied. An EN 1090-1 route depends on the relevant scope and construction-product conditions; a metalworking business is not automatically subject to that route for everything it makes.
Does the new CPR immediately replace every existing product declaration?
No. Establish the applicable transition for the product family and technical specification. Do not replace documentation solely because the calendar has passed January 2026.
Official sources checked on 28 September 2026. General planning guidance; confirm current national requirements, specifications and project-specific obligations before relying on them.
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