A European Technical Approval (ETA) for a construction product is a favourable technical assessment of its fitness for an intended use, based on the contribution made by this product to the fulfilment of the six Essential Requirements, as stated in the CPD for the construction works in which the product is installed.
An ETA can be granted when any of the following conditions apply:
-
no relevant Harmonised Standards for the product exist
-
no mandate for such a Standard has been given by the European Commission
-
the European Commission considers that a Standard cannot be developed (yet)
-
a product deviates significantly from the relevant Harmonised Standards
In conjunction with an Attestation of Conformity procedure (which is intended to ensure that the product specification set out in an ETA is maintained by the manufacturer), ETAs allow manufacturers to place CE marking on their products.
Although in certain circumstances it may be possible for an ETA to be issued on the basis of a common assessment procedure agreed among EOTA members (according to the art. 9.2 of the Council Directive 89/106/EEC) in most cases an ETA for a product will be granted to a manufacturer based on the assessment principles set out in an ETA Guideline for the relevant product sector. When a European Technical Approval has been issued it is valid in all EEA countries, for a period of five years, renewable thereafter.