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Building materials

The construction sector accounts for a large part of both the EU and Estonian economies. Together with building materials, the construction sector accounts for about 7% of Estonia's GDP. The safety, quality, and energy efficiency of buildings and the balanced and sustainable development of the living environment can be ensured by using appropriate construction products.

Essential requirements for buildings: 

As a whole and in their separate parts, buildings must be fit for their intended use, having particular regard to the health and safety of the occupants during their life cycle. Considering regular maintenance, construction products shall meet the following essential construction requirements during their economically viable lifetime.

  • Mechanical resistance and stability
  • Fire safety
  • Hygiene, health, and environment
  • Safety of use and access
  • Protection against noise
  • Energy efficiency and thermal stability
  • Sustainable use of natural resources

The requirements for construction products stem from: 

  • Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 of the European Parliament and the Council (CPR).
  • The Product Conformity Act (PCA) and the legislation enacted under it.

Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 of the European Parliament and the Council requires the manufacturer to draw up a declaration of performance and affix the CE marking when placing a product covered by a harmonized standard on the market. This is based on the demonstration of conformity of the product to the applicable harmonized standard or the product's European Technical Assessment.

You can find the procedures for demonstrating the conformity of a product in Annex V to Regulation (EU) No 305/2011, which explains the systems for assessing and checking the constancy of a product's performance, as set out in Annex ZA to the product standard.

You can find the list of harmonized standards and the corresponding accredited bodies in the NANDO database.

You can find information on the standards and other references above at:

Estonian Standardisation and Accreditation Centre Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 of the European Parliament and the Council NANDO database European Commission factsheet on construction products

Information on the construction products and materials used in the construction works must be included in the construction documents, enabling the relevant information on the works and the construction to be obtained for the use and inspection of the works.

You can find the procedures for demonstrating the conformity of a product in Annex V to Regulation (EU) No 305/2011, which explains the systems for assessing and checking product constancy of performance found in Annex ZA the product standard.

For each assessment system and verification of constancy of performance applicable to the essential characteristic, it may be necessary for the notified body to carry out specific additional tasks. The following table indicates the functions that you and the notified bodies have to carry out depending on the performance assessment and verification system's constancy.

If all your product characteristics are covered by the constancy of performance evaluation and verification system 4, you do not need an agreement with a notified body. If they fall under system 3, your product will need to be tested by a notified body (in this case, a notified laboratory), which may differ for each essential characteristic. If they fall under system 1, 1+ or, 2+, the notified body will cooperate with you in the assessment. It will perform specific tasks in your manufacturing plant, so the best solution is to contract the only one notified body to complete all the tasks.

The production control system shall reflect the technical documentation describing all the relevant elements of the performance assessment and verification system's required constancy.

The factory production control system shall ensure the product's continued conformity with the technical specification and the defined requirements.

All the policies, instructions, and requirements implemented by the manufacturer must be documented systematically in written operating plans and procedures. The documentation must ensure the system's overall comprehensibility and enable the achievement of continuous product conformity and the effective operation of internal control.

In Estonia, market surveillance of construction products is carried out by the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority.
Notified bodies carry out certification of manufacturers' production control. The notified bodies operating in Estonia are Inspecta Estonia OÜ, Teede Tehnokeskus AS, Tallinn University of Technology Certification Authority, TÜV Eesti OÜ, Inseneribüroo Vahter & Hendrikson OÜ, and NCS Estonia OÜ.

The company's documented production control shall reflect the following:

  • the manufacturer's production control system meets the requirements of the standard;
  • the elements of the manufacturer's actual technological process conform to the documentation of the production control system;
  • there is a continuous internal control system in place to ensure the production of a product with the characteristics specified in the declaration;
  • the personnel, facilities, methodology, and test equipment used to carry out the internal control tests conform with the requirements;
  • the manufacturer has the technical documentation of the products (test reports, declarations, accompanying documents);
  • the manufacturer has the documentation concerning the technical condition and maintenance of the production equipment;
  • the test results of the internal checks conform with the technical specifications as stated in the declarations;
  • the technical specifications are maintained during storage and dispatch of the products;
  • the manufacturer has laid down the measures to be taken in the event of non-compliance;
  • the manufacturer holds a valid production control certificate issued by a notified body (for system 2+).

A construction product is covered by a harmonized standard or conforms with a European Technical Assessment issued for it. The manufacturer shall draw up a declaration of performance when placing such a product on the market.

By drawing up the declaration of performance, the manufacturer takes responsibility for the construction product's declared performance. In the absence of objective evidence to the contrary, the declaration of performance drawn up by the manufacturer shall be presumed to be accurate and reliable.

The declaration of performance shall express the construction products' performance concerning those products' essential characteristics following the relevant harmonized technical specifications (standard or European Technical Assessment).

The declaration of performance should be drawn up following the model and the guidelines set out in Annex III to EU Regulation 305/2011.

The declaration of performance contains the following information:

  • a reference to the product type for which the declaration of performance has been drawn up;
  • the system or systems for assessing and verifying the constancy of performance of the construction product;
  • the reference number and date of issue of the harmonized standard or European Technical Assessment used for the assessment of each essential characteristic;
  • where appropriate, the reference number of the specific technical documentation used and the requirements with which the manufacturer declares the product to comply;
  • the intended use or uses of the construction product per the harmonized standard;
  • the list of essential characteristics as defined for the intended use or uses declared in the harmonized standard;
  • the performance of at least one essential characteristic for the claimed intended use or uses of the construction product (unless otherwise specified in the legislation governing the area of use);
  • where appropriate, the performance of the construction product by levels or classes or by description;
  • in the case of listed essential characteristics for which performance is not declared, the acronym 'NPD' (No Performance Determined);
  • The product concerned has been subject to a European Technical Assessment (ETA), the construction product's performance per level or class, or a description with the essential characteristics included in the relevant ETA.

The document or documentation accompanying the product must include:

  • CE marking;
  • the type, batch, or serial number enabling the product to be identified;
  • the name and registered address of the manufacturer, or a mark allowing the name and address of the manufacturer to be identified easily and without any ambiguity;
  • the unique identification code of the product type;
  • the declaration of performance reference number;
  • the declared level or class of performance;
  • the reference of the harmonized standard applied;
  • the identification number of the notified body (where appropriate);
  • the intended use covered by the applicable harmonized standard.

Manufacturers shall keep the technical documentation and the product's declaration of performance for ten years after the construction product has been placed on the market.

Excavated construction waste is generally a natural material with controlled properties or a construction product with defined quality characteristics resulting from processing, which is used for road construction, general construction, or the production of building materials.

The regulations adopted by the Product Conformity Act set out the requirements for construction products, the procedure for demonstrating conformity with these requirements, and the market surveillance authority that monitors compliance with these requirements.

The basic rules for the assessment of product conformity derive from Regulation No 305/2011 of the European Parliament and the Council laying down harmonized conditions for the marketing of construction products. European and Estonian legislation and harmonized standards derive from this Regulation. Construction products may not be placed on the market unless they have been assessed under the legislation and a declaration of performance has been drawn up as a result.

Following Regulation No 49 of the Ministry of the Interior, the conformity assessment of aggregates is carried out in accordance with system 2+ if the safety requirements in the area of use of the aggregate are essential (e.g., in the manufacture of load-bearing structures). In other cases, the conformity assessment of aggregates is carried out in accordance with system 4.

By Regulation No 74 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management, road construction material may be used for road maintenance works on public roads if its compliance with the requirements has been demonstrated in the manner and according to the procedure laid down in the legislation. According to the Regulation, the verification of aggregates' compliance is carried out following the 2+ evaluation system. According to their intended use, the basic characteristics of aggregates must be determined and declared by the methodology for the determination of the essential characteristics of road construction materials.

Last updated: 06.04.2021