CE Marking is mandatory for all manufacturers of doors and windows; the manufacturer affixes the marking in order to be allowed to sell his product in the European market. It affects the finished product but not its installation, as it only marks its technical characteristics and, based on the results, shall be appropriate for certain conditions. It represents the minimum safety level which must be attained in order to sell the finished product in the EFTA & European Union (EU) single market, and guarantees compliance with the essential safety requirements contained in the Council Directive 89/106/EEC “Construction Products Directive”.
The coexistence period for windows and external pedestrian doors with mandatory CE Marking began on January 1 st , 2007, meaning that windows and/or external pedestrian doors available on the market can have CE Marking or not. This coexistence period will last for 24 months; as of January 1 st , 2009, windows and external pedestrian doors without CE Marking cannot be manufactured or sold in the EU.
The UNE EN 14351-1 standard is a harmonised standard, also called “Product Standard” for windows and external pedestrian doors, and is, therefore, essential for compliance with mandatory CE Marking for these products.
The mandatory characteristics for CE Marking compliance for windows are the following:- Wind load resistance
- Watertightness
- Giving-off of toxic substances to the interior
- Impact resistance (when required by national regulations)
- Safety device response (if planned for tilt and turn windows)
- Protection against noise (when required by national regulations)
- Thermal insulation
- Radiation properties (solar gain factor and light transmittance, only for use outdoors) Air permeability
CE CONFORMITY MARK
The CE conformity marking shall consist of the initials "CE" taking the following form:
The various components of the CE marking must have substantially the same vertical dimension, which may not be less than 5 mm .
Additional information required:
- Name and address, or identifying mark, of the manufacturer.
- The last two digits of the year in which the marking was affixed.
- Reference to this European Standard.
- Description of the product: (type, identification, use...)
- Indications to identify the characteristics of the product on the basis of the technical specifications (watertightness, wind load resistance, etc.)
- Where appropriate, the number of the EC certificate of conformity.
- The mark must be placed on the product in a visible, legible and indelible manner, using an adhesive. When this is not possible, it should be affixed to the packaging, if it exists, and appear on the accompanying documents, if the Directive requires it.
- It is the only mark that indicates that the product complies with the Directive which applies to it.
- It must be affixed at the end of the production control stage.
- It must be affixed by the manufacturer or his agent established in the European Union. As an exception, when the Directive allows it, it can be affixed by the person responsible for the distribution of the product in the EU.
CE conformity marking, which consists of the CE marking symbol specified in the Directive 93/68/CEE
- The name or identifying mark of the producer,
- The last two digits of the year in which the marking was affixed
- Number of the European harmonized Standard
- Description of the product
- Indications to identify the characteristics of the product on the basis of the technical specifications
