DIBt Communication

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs:
European Technical Assessment (ETA)
A guide for applicants
Last updated: October 2021

Kolonnenstraße 30 B
10829 Berlin, Germany
www.dibt.de
Table of contents
Preliminary remarks..................................................................................................................................3
I. Basic information … How to obtain an ETA ..............................................................................3
II. What happens during the ETA or EAD procedure? ..................................................................6
III. After an ETA has been issued … The AVCP procedure ..........................................................8
Your ETA contacts ..................................................................................................................................11

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Preliminary remarks
As one of Europe's leading Technical Assessment Bodies, DIBt receives queries related to the
European Technical Assessment (ETA) on a daily basis. We have compiled a list of the most
important questions and their answers here. This list of questions and answers reflects DIBt's views
and practices and is continuously evolving. We would be pleased to incorporate your suggestions and
questions. Names of our ETA contacts are given at the end of this document.

I. Basic information … How to obtain an ETA

I.1 What is an ETA?

A European Technical Assessment – or 'ETA' for short – is a document in which the performance of a
construction product is assessed in relation to its essential characteristics. This assessment is carried
out by a Technical Assessment Body which has been designated by the authorities for this purpose
and whose technical competence and independence have been proven.
The ETA provides a route to CE marking for construction products that are not or not completely
covered by a harmonised standard. The legal basis for the ETA procedure is the European
Construction Products Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 305/2011, particularly Articles 19 and 26); the
Construction Products Regulation has the rank of a European act with direct applicability in the
Member States.

I.2 What is an EAD?

The European Technical Assessment (ETA) is issued on the basis of a technical specification
containing the relevant assessment methods. This specification is called a European Assessment
Document – or 'EAD' for short.
Like harmonised standards, EADs are considered to be harmonised technical specifications.

I.3 For which products can I request an ETA?

An ETA request can be submitted for all construction products within the meaning of the Construction
Products Regulation which are not or not completely covered by a harmonised standard published in
the Official Journal of the European Union.
Construction products within the meaning of the Construction Products Regulation are products that
are intended for incorporation in a permanent manner in construction works and whose performance is
relevant in relation to the fulfilment of the basic requirements for construction works (cf. Article 2 of the
Construction Products Regulation).

I.4 What are the basic requirements for construction works?

The Basic Works Requirements (or 'BWR' for short) are described in Annex I of the Construction
Products Regulation. The Construction Products Regulation distinguishes seven basic requirements:
 mechanical resistance and stability (BWR 1),
 safety in case of fire (BWR 2),
 hygiene, health and the environment (BWR 3),
 safety and accessibility in use (BWR 4),
 protection against noise (BWR 5),

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 energy economy and heat retention (BWR 6) and
 sustainable use of natural resources (BWR 7).
These basic requirements result from the building provisions of the Member States.

I.5 Can an ETA be issued if a harmonised standard is being prepared?

Yes. Especially if the standardisation process has come to a halt, this can be a good path to take.

I.6 Can an ETA be used to cover characteristics missing from a harmonised standard?

Yes. An ETA can be useful to show that the performance of the product corresponds to the
requirements for a specific use in the Member States. An ETA makes it possible to match the
performance to be declared to the requirements in the Member State in which the construction product
is to be marketed.
Product Contact Points provide information about the requirements in the individual Member States.
DIBt has been designated as the Product Contact Point for Construction (PCPC) – Germany. For
further information, please refer to www.pcpc-germany.de.
A complete list of Product Contact Points in all EU Member States and for all product areas can be
found at:
https://ec.europa.eu/growth/single-market/goods/free-movement-sectors/mutual-recognition/contacts-
list_de

I.7 Can an ETA be issued if a product can be fully assessed for the intended use in
accordance with a harmonised standard?

No, in this case an ETA may not be issued.

I.8 Who is permitted to issue ETAs?

ETAs may only be issued by Technical Assessment Bodies designated for this purpose – and for the
relevant product area – by a Member State. DIBt has been designated as a Technical Assessment
Body in the Construction Products Act (Bauproduktengesetz). Technical Assessment Bodies are often
referred to as 'TABs'. They are to be distinguished from notified bodies which assume other tasks
under the Construction Products Regulation (see question III.5).

I.9 How do I obtain an ETA?

You can obtain an ETA from DIBt. Complete our ETA request form to receive further information and
initiate an ETA procedure.

I.10 Is the ETA voluntary?

Yes. An ETA is only issued upon request. However, if the manufacturer places a construction product
for which he has obtained an ETA on the market, use of the ETA is no longer optional. The
manufacturer is then obliged to draw up a declaration of performance (DoP) and affix the CE marking
to the product (see question I.17).

I.11 How much does an ETA issued by DIBt cost?

The costs for an ETA are comparable to those for a national technical approval.

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I.12 How long does it take to prepare an ETA?

The processing time for an ETA depends on the complexity of the product and the testing
requirements; usually you will be looking at a processing time of a couple of months.
If no EAD has been developed for the product area in question yet, an EAD will first be prepared (see
question I.2). The Construction Products Regulation allows a processing time of 9 months maximum
for this procedure.

I.13 How long is the ETA valid for?

European Technical Assessments are valid for an unlimited duration.

I.14 Where is the ETA valid?

The ETA is valid in the EU, the Member States of the European Economic Area (Iceland,
Liechtenstein and Norway) and in Switzerland and Turkey.

I.15 Who can apply for an ETA?

Any manufacturer. However, the 'manufacturer' within the meaning of the Construction Product
Regulation is not necessarily the person who physically manufactures the product. Anyone who has a
construction product manufactured and marketed under his or her own name or tradename is
considered to be a manufacturer under the Construction Products Regulation and thus has all the
associated rights and obligations.
For more information, please refer to the FAQ Catalogue – Construction Products Regulation and
Market Surveillance issued by the German market surveillance authorities and DIBt.

I.16 What are the advantages of an ETA?

The ETA offers manufacturers the opportunity to market their products all across Europe with the
CE marking even if the products are not or are only partially covered by a harmonised standard. The
ETA can also be used if essential characteristics are not reflected in the harmonised standard or the
harmonised standard does not provide an appropriate assessment method. The ETA can hence be
tailored to your product.

I.17 Which obligations result from an ETA?

The ETA holder is obliged to draw up a declaration of performance and affix the CE marking to his
product when placing it on the market.
The ETA is also linked to a system of assessment and verification of the constancy of performance
(AVCP) – still known to many manufacturers under the former name of 'attestation of conformity
procedure' (please also see Chapter III).

I.18 What do I as a manufacturer have to heed in relation to CE marking?

Good and precise answers to questions related to CE marking are provided in the FAQ Catalogue –
Construction Products Regulation and Market Surveillance issued by the German market surveillance
authorities and DIBt.

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I.19 Harmonised standards must be applied by all manufacturers after a certain transition
period (coexistence period). Does this also apply to EADs?

No. The fact that an EAD has been developed for a product area at the request of a manufacturer
does not impose any obligations upon other manufacturers. The EAD/ETA route to CE marking is
optional (cf. question I.10). However, many manufacturers are happy to make full use of the
advantages of the ETA which allows them to market their product throughout Europe.

II. What happens during the ETA or EAD procedure?

II.1 What happens during the ETA procedure?

A detailed description of the procedure can be found in DIBt's ETA information brochure. Contact us
with your ETA request. We will guide you step by step through the procedure.

II.2 Who are your partners in the ETA procedure?

DIBt is your direct contact for all ETA matters. However, there are other actors playing background
roles in the preparation of an ETA and (if applicable) an EAD.
The other European Technical Assessment Bodies designated for the product area in question
contribute their technical and building supervisory expertise to the EAD and ETA development process
via the EOTA consultation procedure. EOTA is the European Organisation for Technical Assessment.
The role of the European Commission includes adopting AVCP decisions (see Chapter III) and
publishing the EAD references in the Official Journal of the European Union.
DIBt liaises with the European partners on your behalf.

II.3 Which tests do I have to have performed?

A glimpse into the technical specification serving as the basis for the ETA, i.e. the EAD, will give you
an idea of the scope of testing. If no EAD is available for your product yet, we will develop it in
coordination with you (please also see question I.2).
Please discuss the tests with us before commissioning them to avoid unnecessary tests and costs.

II.4 Which testing laboratory can I use?

DIBt recognises documents from testing laboratories that are independent and possess the necessary
expertise and equipment. We would be pleased to advise you in this matter.

II.5 Can tests which have already been carried out be recognised?

This can only be determined on a case-by-case basis. You are welcome to include test reports from
tests already carried out with your ETA request form. In general we recommend that you discuss the
tests in advance with DIBt.

II.6 Do I need to have all essential characteristics stated in the EAD assessed?

No. As the manufacturer, you can decide to not have certain characteristics assessed, e.g. if they are
not relevant for a specific region or a specific intended use. 'NPD' (for 'No Performance Determined')
must then be stated in the declaration of performance for these characteristics.

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In our experience it is important that the ETA provides all relevant information. The ETA only offers the
user and you an advantage if the user can immediately see from the ETA whether he or she can use
your construction product in accordance with the national building requirements. Please do not
hesitate to contact us if you have any questions related to this.

II.7 Can the EAD be extended to include additional characteristics?

Yes. Additional essential characteristics can be incorporated into the EAD upon request by the
manufacturer. In this way the EAD can be tailored to your construction product. We would be pleased
to advise you.

II.8 How is product performance declared in the ETA?

The performance can be given as a description, value or in the form of performance levels or classes.

II.9 Can the EAD include several assessment methods for one essential characteristic?

Yes. For example, the EAD may include a test method and alternatively a calculation, where this is
plausible from a technical perspective. Drafters have to specify whether the two methods are
equivalent and if not, which one is the reference method.

II.10 Does the EAD only contain assessment methods, or does it also include requirements?

An EAD contains methods for assessing product performance as well as information about how the
performance should be declared. The performance requirements for the use of the product result from
the national building provisions.

II.11 What happens if I want to modify my product? Do I also need to have the ETA amended?

Yes, in this case the ETA, and possibly the EAD, need to be adapted.

II.12 What are the possible reasons for amending an EAD?

There are a number of form- and content-related reasons for changing an EAD: for example,
amendment of the AVCP decision, revision of the referenced standards and technical rules or
inclusion of a new essential characteristic at the request of a manufacturer.

II.13 How can I find out which is the current version of an EAD?

Information pertaining to the current version of a given EAD can be found on the EOTA website. The
full-text document will be made available there as soon as the reference to the EAD has been
published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
The version of an EAD is coded into the EAD number in the two-digit middle part
(e.g. EAD 330232-01-0601). The original version of the EAD is version 00. The need for a new
EAD version may arise, for example, if a manufacturer wishes to include a new essential characteristic
in his ETA for which there are no assessment methods in the EAD yet.

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II.14 What happens if there is a new EAD version?

As soon as EOTA has adopted a new EAD version, all ETA requests will be handled on the basis of
this new version. The technical content of existing ETAs, which have been issued based on earlier
versions of the EAD, remains unaffected as long as there are no significant changes to the
assessment methods.

II.15 What is the edition date?

EADs have a version date – and in some cases additionally one or more edition dates. Here is why:
The version date is the date when EOTA adopted a new version. As a general rule, this date is set
and will no longer be changed.
If the EAD needs to be amended again before the version could be published in the Official Journal of
the European Union (OJEU) – for example because several ETA requests relating to the same EAD
are being processed at the same time or in close succession – these amendments will be merged into
the existing version. The different amendments are differentiated from each other by their own edition
date.
The version that is published in the OJEU is thus a consolidated version, but still bearing the initial
adoption date.

II.16 How does a change in the EAD affect the execution of the AVCP system?

A third-party body is notified for a specific version of the EAD. As a result, the notified body must be
renotified if there is a new version. As long as there are no significant changes to the requirements for
the notified body, renotification will be quick and simple.

II.17 What is a kit?

The Construction Products Regulation defines a 'kit' as a construction product that is placed on the
market as a set by a single manufacturer. A kit consists of at least two separate components that need
to be put together to be incorporated in the construction works.

II.18 How does a 'kit' in accordance with the Construction Products Regulation differ from a
'construction technique' in accordance with the Building Codes of the federal states
(Landesbauordnungen)?

A kit is a construction product made up of several components, whereas a construction technique

describes the construction process, i.e. the assembly of (different) construction products to form
structures or parts thereof.

III. After an ETA has been issued … The AVCP procedure

III.1 What is an AVCP system?

The acronym 'AVCP' stands for 'assessment and verification of constancy of performance'. The AVCP
systems replace the attestation of conformity procedures under the Construction Products Directive.
Within the framework of the AVCP systems, the performance of the construction product is assessed
and factory production is monitored to ensure that the performance assessed is achieved in the long
term.

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III.2 Which AVCP systems exist?

The different AVCP systems are described in Annex V to the Construction Products Regulation.
There are five AVCP systems. All systems at least comprise:
 the setup and application of a factory production control system by the manufacturer and
 assessment of product performance.
The systems differ according to the extent to which notified bodies (see question III.5) are to be
involved in the assessment and verification of the constancy of performance.
 No notified body is necessary in system 4; all tasks are assigned to the manufacturer.
 In system 3, a notified testing laboratory assesses the product performance.
 In system 2+, a notified certification body monitors the factory production control.
 In systems 1 and 1+, a notified product certification body assesses the product performance and
monitors the factory production control. In system 1+, the notified body also carries out audit-
testing at regular intervals.

In the case of the ETA, the product performance has already been assessed as part of the ETA
procedure and does not need to be assessed again by the manufacturer or the notified body.

III.3 Can the AVCP system be selected freely? Would it be possible to define a different AVCP
system in the EAD than the one specified in the harmonised standard for the same
product area?

No. The AVCP system is determined by the European Commission through a delegated act. The
European Commission considers the importance of the product or an individual essential
characteristic with respect to the fulfilment of the basic requirements for construction works. The
definition applies to all relevant harmonised technical specifications.

III.4 Can different AVCP systems be applicable for different essential characteristics in an
EAD?

Yes. For example, AVCP system 1 can apply to the reaction to fire of the product and system 4 to all
other essential characteristics.

III.5 What are notified bodies?

Notified bodies are bodies authorised to carry out tasks of an independent third-party in the process of
assessment and verification of the constancy of performance of construction products.
The Member State notifies those bodies to the European Commission and the other Member States.
The notifying authority for Germany is DIBt. Further information on the notification procedure for these
bodies can be found on the DIBt website.
Whether you as the manufacturer need to contract a notified body for the assessment and verification
of the constancy of performance results from the AVCP system specified in the EAD or harmonised
standard (see question III.2).

III.6 How can I find a notified body to carry out the AVCP tasks for my construction product?

The notified bodies for each harmonised technical specification are listed in the European
Commission's NANDO database for information purposes.

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III.7 How quickly can a body be notified for a new EAD?

A body can only be notified formally via the NANDO list when the EAD has been incorporated into the
NANDO list maintained by the European Commission.
Here is what you can do to contribute to more rapid notification: supply a consolidated version of the
EAD to a competent body of your choice. (We are not authorised to do this ourselves.) The body can
become accredited for the relevant activity based on this version. The body then submits the
accreditation along with the application for notification. Within the framework of the notification
procedure we verify whether the accreditation is suitable as proof of competence. It usually is so that
the body can be notified quickly.

III.8 What are the consequences of not having a notified body for an EAD?

In certain cases this means that the declaration of performance cannot be drawn up and the
CE marking cannot be affixed to the product. This applies if AVCP system 1+, 1 or 2+ is defined for
the products covered by the EAD as these systems require an initial inspection of the manufacturing
plant, continuing surveillance of the factory production control and certification by a notified body (see
question III.2).

III.9 Will a body which has been notified for an EAD be capable of verifying all essential
characteristics specified in an EAD?

The notified body is notified for the EAD, and in some cases for the specific intended use, and must
hence be able to verify all relevant essential characteristics. It can call upon subcontractors for this.

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Your ETA contacts

Matthias Springborn
Phone: +49 30 787 30 - 288

[email protected]

Dr Doris Kirchner
Phone: +49 30 787 30 - 423

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Legal notice

Publisher:
Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik (DIBt)
represented by its president
Gerhard Breitschaft
Kolonnenstraße 30 B
10829 Berlin
GERMANY

Phone: +49 30 787 30 – 0

Email: [email protected]
www.dibt.de

Responsible editor:
Dr Doris Kirchner

Last editorial review: November 2021

A complimentary online copy of this publication is available at: www.dibt.de.

All rights reserved. Any reproduction – in part or in full – is subject to the publisher’s written consent.

DIBt ETA FAQs Last updated: October 2021

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