The European Commission provides support tools to help manufacturers identify key legislation, regulations and standards in the construction sector. This webpage introduces the key online tools and studies on construction published in the EU.
Online tools for construction products
The NANDO database
The NANDO database identifies notified bodies (NB) and technical assessment bodies (TAB) responsible for construction products. These bodies are assessing products and/or the manufacturing processes for relevant harmonised European standards (HEN). Public authorities in all EU countries notify the Commission of new NBs and TABs. Notifications are evaluated and entered in the database by the Commission.
The EU-LCI database
The EU-LCI database provides a set of common values at EU level for the lowest concentration of interest (LCI) in indoor air and is regularly updated by a group of experts (207 kB).
Classified without further testing (CWFT)
Published Commission decisions for construction products (186 kB)
Supporting indoor air quality
Overview at EU level
The staff working document (SWD) provides an overview of Commission policies, regulations, research and technical tools to support EU countries to define and improve indoor air quality.
See the SWD on supporting indoor air quality.
Level(s): building sustainability performance
Level(s) is a voluntary reporting framework to improve the sustainability of buildings. It provides a common EU approach to assess environmental performance in the built environment.
The goals are: improved resource efficiency in construction and bringing buildings into the circular economy. The latter through a regenerative economic system, minimising energy and resource consumption. Level(s) links the environmental performance of buildings with resource priorities at European level.
The European Commission developed Level(s) in close cooperation with industry stakeholders.
See the sustainable buildings page for more information, including the test phase running from 2017 to 2019.
See the video message on Level(s) by Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius.
Studies on construction
List of construction studies initiated by the Commission
Studies on fire safety
Studies on policies for the European construction sector
- The study on circular economy principles for buildings' design identifies policy options to support the uptake of circular economy principles for building design in European, national and local policies, with the aim to increase the service life of buildings, ease the use of secondary materials, and improve resource efficiency during building lifecycles.
- Study on construction and demolition waste recycling infrastructure - fostering investment and innovation + executive summary (490 KB) (2018)
- Study on waste assessment prior to demolition/renovation (2.4 MB) + executive summary (340 kB) (2017)
- The European construction value chain: performance, challenges and role in the GVC (4MB) (2016)
- Study on possible national legal obstacles to full recognition of electronic processing of performance information on construction products (under CPR) (1 MB) (2014)
- Sustainable competitiveness of the construction sector and its enterprises (4 MB) (2010)
- Voluntary arrangements for collaborative working in the field of construction services (1 MB) (2009)
Studies on regulations for the European construction sector
- Analysis of production and trade data on construction products (2019)
- Supporting study: review of the construction products regulation (2018)
- Survey on EU countries’ regulatory practices (2018)
- Survey on users' need for information on construction products (2018)
- Survey on information needs among EU country authorities (342 kB) (2018)
- Toxicity of smoke from construction products in fires – a study to evaluate the need to regulate within the framework of Regulation (EU) 305/2011 (2017)
- Cross-border trade for construction products and harmonised European standards - a snapshot (2017)
- Economic Impacts of the construction products regulation (2016)
- Supporting study for the evaluation of the relevance of EOTA tasks (2016)
- Supporting study for the fitness check on the construction sector: EU internal market and energy efficiency legislation (2016)
- Supporting study for the fitness check on the construction sector: The second phase on EU environment, health and safety legislation (2016)
- Analysis of implementation of the construction products regulation (July 2015): main report, annexes 1 to 4, annex 5: topical reports
- Screening of national building regulations (971 kB) (2011)
Studies on standards and professional skills for the European construction sector
- Monitoring the learning commitment in construction (3 MB) (2017)
- Examination of CPD/R based harmonised product standards - classes and threshold levels: executive summary (566 kB) (2017) and exhaustive screening (709 kB) (2017)
- Promotion of Eurocodes in third countries (2 MB) (2011)
- Future needs for skills and competences in the construction sector (1 MB) (2009)
- Life-cycle costing (LCC) as a contribution to sustainable construction: towards a common methodology (411 kB) (2007)
Studies on dangerous substances in construction
- Study on specific needs for information on the content of dangerous substances in construction products (3 MB) (2014)
- Currently, a group of experts is working on a study on common EU-LCI values (lowest concentration of interest) in indoor air. See the mandate of expert group on EU-LCI values (206 KB) and the EU-LCI pages
Inventory on contact points - Studies on product contact points (PCP), product contact points for construction (PCPC) & point of single contact (PSC)
- Screening report (2 MB) for PCP & PCPC, survey analysis (1 MB) for PCP & PCPC and guidelines for websites (559 KB) for PCP, PCPC and PSC
CE marking step-by-step
Manufacturers who plan to CE-mark their products or who are looking for a 'to-do list' can consult the CE marking step-by-step (1 MB).
The guide is available in all EU languages. The guide also explains what to do if the product changes (its processes, raw materials, testing, etc.): this makes it necessary to revise the documents required.
Remember that the rules of CE marking have changed since 1 July 2013 and you may need to update the CE marking of your products. Complete with hyperlinks to appropriate references, this brochure could prove useful to you.
EU construction and demolition waste management
The pre-demolition and renovation guidelines on waste audits for buildings are intended for those who handle waste in the demolishing and re-use/recycling in the construction sector, as well as the authorities that collaborate with them.
Complete with hyperlinks to mentioned references, the text includes best practice examples, recommended templates and a list of international, EU and national policy and framework conditions.