Installation cables fall short of EU standards

EU testing of a sample of 41 cables used in buildings found that only 36 % met EU standards for cable construction and markings and passed performance tests. The tests were organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW).

The evaluations looked at two cable types: THHN, single-conductor cables with thermoplastic insulation mainly used in industrial buildings; and NM, cables comprising several individually insulated conductors surrounded by a non-metallic sheath, commonly used in residential buildings.

15 cables complied with all requirements, while 26 did not.

Diverse samples

Samples came from market surveillance authorities (MSAs) in Croatia, Cyprus, Finland, Lithuania, Malta, Spain and Sweden. The majority were purchased in physical shops, the rest online.

Most of the cables were made in the EU. The samples varied in price, although this was found to have no bearing on quality. Testing took place at an accredited laboratory with expertise in electrical and construction products.

Detailed evaluation

For markings, 28 complied, 10 did not. Common failures were absence of markings, markings too far apart, or unmarked sections of cable that could cause installation or maintenance errors.

Performance and construction testing saw 21 cables pass and 19 fail. Common failures were due to excessive electrical resistance or insufficiently thick insulation, which could lead to overheating or exposure of live conductors.

Furthermore, 28 samples were tested for flame propagation, the amount of smoke they produce when burned and fire resistance, on which all passed, and on the acidity of the fumes they emit when burned, on which one failed.

Follow-up actions

So far, for eight samples, the MSAs asked the economic operator to change/improve the product. For one sample, the economic operator was requested to mark the product with the appropriate warnings. Four products were withdrawn from the market and a stop of sales notice was issued for a fifth. The MSAs are in contact with the other economic operators to discuss the non-compliances and follow-up measures for their products.

Cable sellers should contact manufacturers in case information is missing or appears to be incorrect. In addition, sellers need to ensure that cables – especially those from outside the EU – have the necessary markings and documentation and sufficient information, in the official language(s) of the country of sale. For the other samples, MSAs are still in contact with the economic operators to determine the appropriate measures to take.

Protecting the single market

“Market surveillance campaigns like this help to protect consumers and businesses from unfair competition by those who do not comply with the rules,” said Vanessa Capurso, Policy Officer at DG GROW.

The testing was done during the Joint Actions on Compliance of Products (JACOP) 2024 project. MSAs across the EU jointly selected and checked the compliance of products sold on the single market with EU health, safety and environmental standards. Installation cables were one of 16 product categories tested.

More information

Market surveillance webpage

Contact: jacop2024esn [dot] eu (jacop2024[at]esn[dot]eu)