Trade Journals for the Concrete Industry

On 4 April 2011, the regulation 305/2011/EU (also known as “Construction Products Regulation” or “CPR”) has been published in the official journal of the European Union and officially entered into force in the whole European Economic Area (the 27 Member States of the European Union, plus Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein) 20 days later, i.e. on 24 April 2011. As a “Regulation”, it applies immediately in all the mentioned Countries, without the need of any implementing act by the national authorities. Finally, this regulation replaces the so called “CPD” (directive 89/106/EEC - Construction Products Directive) which is presently the basis for the marketing (read ”putting on the market”) of construction products in the European Economic Area. Although officially in force since 24 April 2011, most of the articles of the CPR will take effect as from 1st July 2013. This date shall be in the agenda of all manufacturers of construction products and their “stakeholders”: clients, suppliers, national and local authorities, notified bodies etc… But what is it really changing with the entry into force of the CPR? What shall precast concrete manufacturers do to prepare to this shift?