In 2011, the European Parliament ratified amendments to the Construction Products Regulation of the European Union. The Construction Products Regulation (CPR) outlines the requirements for marking all construction products marketed in the European Community. As of December 31, 2011, all lumber marketed in Europe must comply with Article 9 of the CPR. One of the requirements is that the products must bear a CE mark.
The bottom line is that each piece of structural lumber exported to the European Union from the U.S. or Canada must bear a CE mark.
Through our accreditation with the Canadian Lumber Standards Accreditation Board (CLSAB), PLIB is authorized to provide quality control services for use of the CE Mark on lumber products manufactured in Canada and the U.S. As a result, PLIB members in the U.S. and Canada can receive approval to use the CE Mark on their structural lumber products.
For more information on becoming approved to use the CE Mark, call us at 253.835.3344 (U.S.) or 604.732.1782 (Canada) or contact us via email.
The CE mark is a symbol that stands for the abbreviation of the French phrase “Conformitê Europêene” which means “European Conformity.” It is used to indicate that goods sold in Europe, ranging from medical equipment to computer monitors to building products, conform to specific requirements of relevant European health, safety, and environmental protection legislation. The mark serves as a manufacturer’s declaration that a product complies with applicable European standards and that it has been independently assessed and confirmed to comply with those standards. It indicates to government officials that the product may legally be placed on the market and move freely within the European Union. Products that do not bear the CE mark may legally be removed from the market by customs and enforcement authorities.
With regard to lumber, the CE Mark indicates that the lumber is in accordance with EN 14081-1 and has been manufactured to standards using a quality assurance program and oversight body that are recognized by the European Community.