What is the CPR?
The Construction Products Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2024/3110) is the legal framework that sets harmonised conditions for placing construction products on the single market. While it establishes a common technical language, it does not establish conditions for the use or installation of these products. EU countries establish those rules, as they are responsible for their building codes, while respecting the technical language of harmonised standards. The framework ensures that products are tested only once to meet European standards, facilitating free circulation within the EU’s single market.
Scope of CPR
Both the old (CPR-2011) and the new (CPR-2024) Regulation maintain a broad definition of construction products. However, the obligations of the CPR are not automatically applicable to every product falling within that definition. They apply only when a harmonised standard or European assessment document for the product has been cited in the Official Journal of the EU.
Economic importance
The CPR provides economic benefits for various actors in the value chain
- Cost reduction: Products only need to be tested once, in line with harmonised European standards, rather than meeting varying national requirements
- Market comparison: Reliable information allows consumers and professionals to compare product performance across different manufacturers and countries
- Predictability: National authorities can set performance requirements using the same common technical language, allowing manufacturers to better understand demand
Legal framework
The legal framework is currently in a state of transition between two primary regulations
- Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 (the ‘old’ CPR), which has been in place since 2011
- Regulation (EU) 2024/3110 (the ‘new’ CPR-2024), which entered into force on 7 January 2025 and has been in full application since 7 January 2026
The CPR-2024 is based on the same core principles as its predecessor. However, it introduces specific elements to better reflect the regulatory needs of EU countries, support environmental sustainability, and facilitate the digital transition. The CPR-2011 will eventually be repealed in 2039, though individual product families will migrate to the new framework much earlier when new harmonised standards are cited.