CE Marking: The gateway into the European Single Market

05 Nov 2007

CE Marking will come into effect in Europe from 1 November 2007 for self-supporting metal sheet for roofing, external cladding and internal liners.  While it is not mandatory in the UK, Southern Ireland or Sweden, the UK government is recommending that the CE Marking be applied to all construction products.  This recognises that the directive is a representation of best practice and simplifies the process of material selection.

Ian Taylor, Managing Director of Corus Panels and Profiles, comments:  ‘CE Marking is a declaration by the manufacturer that the product meets all the appropriate provisions of the relevant legislation in the UK and Europe.  By making all of our products compliant, our customers can be assured that the products we supply have been tried and tested for durability, fire performance, dimensional change and structural resistance to concentrated force to meet European and UK Standards.

‘The CE Marking enables our products to be legally marketed and exported within any member state of the EEA – enabling us to take full advantage of the Single Market.  As a result, specifiers of Corus Panels and Profiles products will have the guarantee that the materials supplied are fully complaint with the European Construction Codes.’

The CE Mark itself can only be displayed on the inspection certificate once the manufacturer has undergone a thorough audit and inspection of the manufacturing and testing routes by an independent, approved third party examiner.  The manufacturer has to prove complete compliance with all the requirements of the relevant manufacturing standard by submitting the product to a strenuous type-testing program prior to the product being approved for CE Marking.  In the case of new products launched onto the market, the appropriate conformity assessment procedures and essential requirements of the relevant European health, safety and environmental protection legislation have to be adhered to.