The reports on this study have now been published. This study comprises two reports: the report for the Regulation assessment and the report for the Regulation impact assessment. The first one gathers the evidence to evaluate the Regulation by means of a retrospective analysis of its functioning and the objectives reached. The second one evaluates the potential options for its future revision.

Both reports are composed of the final report, a number of annexes and a summary for executives, which can be obtained either from the Commission Website or from the Publications Office of the Commission.

This is an external study for the Commission developed by: the Joint Institute for Innovation Policy (JIIP), Valdani Vicari & Associati (VVA), the Danish Technological Institute (DTI) and Global Data Collection Company (GDCC).

It seems that the Commission intends to address the impact study in greater depth. Given that the decision on whether to revise the Regulation or not will be made by the next College of Commissioners, no draft of the revision of the Regulation is expected before 2020.

At the beginning of 2018, EOTA agreed with the Commission to bring forward as far as possible the conversion of priority C ETA Guidelines – whose completion date was set for 15 December 2020 – to the end of 2018 (as with the conversions of priority B Guidelines). This decision affects nineteen ETA Guidelines.

In the process of conversion from ETA Guidelines to EAD, four basic phases can be distinguished:

1 Elaboration and adoption by the working group;
2 Adoption by EOTA – by the designated bodies;
3 Comments by the Commission – including their consideration;
4 Publication – this may also include the comments of the Commission, in the final revision of the EADs;

The EOTA commitment was to complete phase 2, Adoption by EOTA, for as many of the nineteen ETA Guidelines as possible and to submit them for phase 3.

At the end of 2018, almost 90% of the conversions of the nineteen ETA Guidelines will have passed phase 2, Adoption by EOTA, and half will also have passed phase 3, Comments by the Commission, while two have already been published in the OJEU (conversions of ETA Guidelines 027 and 34).

The current status of each of these nineteen ETA Guidelines can be consulted in the following two points of this section.

Throughout this process the EOTA working groups have made very significant efforts, and will continue to do so until publication of the corresponding EADs in the OJEU. It should be noted here that a certain number of ETA Guidelines will not be converted into EADs because few ETAs have been issued for this group and because of the lack of interest in the sector (for details, see the first question in section “Frequently asked questions”).

Since the publication of Report no. 17, two EADs have been published in the OJEU, corresponding to the conversion of ETA Guidelines 027 and 034. There are now fifteen published EADs based on ETA Guidelines.

List of the published EADs:

• EAD on mechanical fasteners (conversion from ETA Guideline 001 parts 1 to 4): published in the OJEU, on 9.12.2016 (*).
• EAD on chemical fasteners (conversion from ETA Guideline 001 part 5): published in the OJEU, on 15.12.2017 (*).
• EAD on mechanical fasteners for multiple use for non-structural applications (conversion from ETA Guideline 001 part 6): published in the OJEU, on 10.08.2018.
• EAD on prefabricated stair kits (conversion from ETA Guideline 008): published in the OJEU, on 13.5.2016.
• EADs (2 docs.) on post-tensioning kits for prestressing of structures (conversion from ETA-013 Guideline): EADs published in the OJEU, on 15.12.2017.
• EAD on plastic anchors for ETICS (conversion from ETA Guideline 014): published in the OJEU, on 9.12.2016.
• EAD on reactive coatings for fire protection (conversion from ETA Guideline 018 part 2): published in the OJEU, on 15.12.2017.
• EAD on fire protective renderings (conversion from ETA Guideline 018 part 3): published in the OJEU, on 15.12.2017.
• EAD on fire protective boards (conversion from ETA Guideline 018 part 4): published in the OJEU, on 15.12.2017.
• EAD on fire protective penetration seals (conversion from ETA Guideline 026 part 2): published in the OJEU, on 15.12.2017.
• EAD on fire protective joint and gap seals (conversion from ETA Guideline 026 part 3): published in the OJEU, on 15.12.2017.
• EAD on falling rock protection kits (conversion from ETA Guideline 027): published in the OJEU, on 16.11.2018.
• EAD on metal injection anchors for use in masonry (conversion from ETA Guideline 029): published in the OJEU, on 15.12.2017 (*).
• EAD for façade cladding kits (conversion from ETA Guideline 034 parts 1 and 2): published in the OJEU, on11.2018. See information in the section “ITeC and the European Technical Assessment”.
  

(*) Work has started on revision and technical improvement (2nd phase of the conversion). The published EAD is the result of a conversion with no technical changes, but including specific detailed changes in some cases.

The current status of the seventeen conversions presently in progress was considered at the meeting of Technical Board No. 22.

Detailed status of the works:

• EAD on structural sealant glazing systems (conversion from ETA Guideline 002 parts 1 and 3): sent to the Commission for the publication phase.
• EAD on internal partition kits (conversion from ETA Guideline 003): sent to the Commission for the publication phase.
• EAD on external thermal insulation systems (conversion from ETA Guideline 004): the comments received after circulation to the designated bodies have been considered and the draft EAD adopted at EOTA level; it will be sent immediately for the phase of comments by the Commission.
• EAD on liquid applied roof waterproofing kits (conversion from ETA Guideline 005): sent to the Commission for the publication phase.
• EAD on systems of mechanically fastened flexible roof waterproofing membranes (conversion of Guide 006): sent to the Commission for the publication phase.
• EAD on timber frame prefabricated building kits (conversion from ETA Guideline 007): the second circulation of the draft EAD to the designated bodies for approval or comment ends on 16.12.2018. The EAD is expected to be adopted at EOTA level after Technical Board No. 22.
• EAD on non-load-bearing permanent shuttering systems based on hollow blocks or panels of insulating materials and concrete (conversion from ETA Guideline 009): a pending comment for the adoption of the draft EAD at EOTA level has been resolved at the Technical Board meeting; the EOTA adoption phase has been completed.
• EAD on self-supporting translucent roof kits other than glass (conversion from ETA Guideline 010): having been adopted at EOTA level, the draft EAD was sent for the Commission comments phase; comments by the EC consultant have been received, short to be considered.
• EAD on wood-based composite beams and pillars (conversion from ETA Guideline 011): having been adopted at EOTA level, the draft EAD was sent for the Commission comments phase; the comments received from the EC consultant are under consideration.
• EAD on three-dimensional nailing plates (conversion from ETA Guideline 015): sent to the Commission for the publication phase.
• EAD on prefabricated units for external wall insulation (conversion from ETA Guideline 017): see information in the section “ITeC and the European Technical Assessment”.
• EAD on prefabricated wood-based panels bearing tensioned faces (conversion from ETA Guideline 019): having been adopted at EOTA level, the draft EAD was sent for the Commission comments phase; the comments received from the EC consultant are under consideration.
• EAD on plastic anchors (conversion from ETA Guideline 020): sent to the Commission for the publication phase.
• EAD on watertight covering kits for wet room floors and or walls (conversion from ETA Guideline 022 parts 1-3): having been adopted by the working group, the draft EAD of part 1 has been circulated to the designated bodies for approval or comment.
• EAD on flame retardant products (conversion from ETA Guideline 028): see information in the section “ITeC and the European Technical Assessment”.
• EAD on connectors for structural joints (conversion from ETA Guideline 030): a pending comment for the adoption of the draft EAD at EOTA level has been resolved at the Technical Board meeting; this document will soon be circulated to the designated bodies for approval or comment.
• EAD on expansion joints for road bridges (conversion from ETA Guideline 032 parts 1-8): all draft EADs corresponding to the various foreseen parts of the conversion works, except for part 5, have been adopted at EOTA level and sent for the Commission comments phase; the draft for part 5 will be sent out in February.

At Technical Board meeting no. 22, Mr Iñigo Urresti, the new deputy director in the DG Grow, announced a new procedure for the publication of EADs. The Commission has decided to apply this new procedure for the publication of harmonized standards as well as for EADs. This decision applies from 1 December 2018. For this reason, the publication of harmonized standards and EADs envisaged for the month of December has been suspended until the new procedure has been implemented.

The introduction of this new procedure results from the sentence in the Elliot case. This procedure will include various steps, such as an inter-service consultation in the Commission, and will conclude with the publication of an Implementation Act. The Commission is at present defining the details of this new procedure.

• Conversion from the ETA Guideline for fire retardant products (ETAG 28)

After due consideration of the comments of the Commission, the draft EAD has been sent to the Commission for the publication phase.

• Conversion from the ETA Guideline on prefabricated units for external wall insulation (ETAG 017) – work led by CSTB-ITeC:

Having been adopted by EOTA, the draft EAD was sent for the Commission comments phase. The comments of the EC consultant have been received and will be considered as soon as possible.

• Conversion of the ETA Guideline for façade cladding kits (ETAG 34)

On 16.11.2018 the reference to European Assessment Document EAD 090062-00-0404 “Kits for external wall claddings mechanically fixed” was published in the OJEU, by means of Communication 2018/C 417/07. The full text of the EAD can be consulted in the section “Our Publications” of the EOTA website.

This EAD applies to kits for ventilated and non-ventilated façades with mechanically fixed cladding elements, as did ETA Guideline 034, now replaced by the EAD. This EAD is the result of the conversion of ETA Guideline 034 to an EAD, considering the criteria of the construction products Regulation and certain innovations introduced at the request of the European Commission.

From the date of publication, the new European Technical Assessments-ETA of these products will be issued according to this EAD, in order to make their CE marking possible.

As well as the ten EAD already published, ITeC is currently working on a further fifteen:

• Three have been sent for the publication phase following the issue of the first ETA
• Three have already been internally adopted by EOTA and the corresponding ETAs are now in preparation
• The remaining nine are at different stages of elaboration
  

One of the three EAD in the publication phase was on the last publication list – December 2018 – which has recently been suspended (see section “European Assessment Document-EAD”, second news item.

Note: This point does not include the conversion of ETA Guidelines to EADs detailed in the first point of this section.

Between 18.10.2018 and 19.12.2018, ITeC issued five ETA and has a further thirty-five in process.  The five ETAs issued correspond to the following two EADs and the ETA Guidelines (see the EOTA website, publications section).

• EAD 350142-00-1106, on fire protective board, slab and mat products and kits.

• ETA 18/0690 Protect Wired Mat 4.0 from Saint-Gobain Isover Ibérica SL
• ETA 18/0691 Ultimate Protect Slab 4.0 from Saint-Gobain Isover Ibérica SL
• ETA 18/1017 TECBOR from Tecresa Protección Pasiva SL

• EAD 350402-00-1106, on reactive coatings for fire protection of steel elements.

• ETA 18/0689 Hempafire Pro 315 from Hempel A/S

• Guía DITE 030 parte 1, on dowels for structural joints.

• ETA 16/0064 Geoconnect^® LL from Steel for Bricks GZ SL

In view of the limited number of ETAs issued and the lack of interest in the sector, conversion of ETA Guidelines 016, 021, 023, 024, 025, 031, 033, 035 into EAD is not envisaged (see the EOTA website). The EOTA has made a commitment to the Commission to finalize the greatest possible number of conversions by the end of 2018, but these ETA Guidelines are not included.

When a manufacturer submits an ETA request related to one of these ETA Guidelines, the Technical Assessment Body-TAB must apply Art. 21 (c) of the Regulation: that is, prepare an EAD in response to this request. This EAD will be drawn up based on the corresponding ETA Guideline and will only contain those aspects specifically included in the manufacturer request, unless it is agreed with the manufacturer to carry out a complete conversion of the ETA Guideline. Based on the EAD, the TAB will carry out the product assessment and will issue the ETA.

In principle, two cases can be identified:

1. When the divergence results from a specific technical aspect of the product for which an ETA is requested.
2. When the divergence can be generalized and applies to all similar products in the sector.

In case a), the most appropriate solution is usually to draw up a specific EAD for the product for which an ETA is requested. The TAB receiving the request will develop the EAD in accordance with Annex II of the Regulation, in the same way as all other EADs developed from an individual manufacturer request.

In case b), it is necessary to undertake a modification of the EAD resulting from the conversion of an ETA Guideline. This modification will be developed in an EOTA working group, in the same way as with other conversion works.

• General Assembly of the EOTA, Brussels, 21 November 2018
• Technical Board No. 22, Brussels, 12 and 13 December 2018

• Technical Board No. 23, Brussels, 20 and 21 February 2019
• General Assembly of the EOTA, Brussels, 24 April 2019
• Technical Board No. 24, Brussels, 4 and 5 June 2019
• Technical Board No. 25, location to be decided, 18 and 19 September 2019
• Technical Board No. 26, Brussels, 11 and 12 December 2019