These relate to Regulation (EU) No. 305/2011 (CPR) (for details see Art. 4) and are drawn up by the manufacturer if a harmonized European standard applies to a construction product or if the product complies with a European Technical Assessment (ETA). Declarations of Performance are required in all EU states and must be affixed to the CE marking when the product is marketed. The manufacturer is also responsible for the information contained in the declaration. It must be issued in the official language(s) of the country of destination. The competent authorities assume the declaration is truthful, i.e., that the products were manufactured and verified in accordance with one of the applicable procedures (systems) for assessing and verifying the constancy of the product’s performance.
The requisites and contents of the Declaration of Performance are stated in Article 6 and Annex III to the CPR. The manufacturer must also include the intended use and define the performance (level, class) in the declaration in accordance with harmonized technical specifications. Manufacturers do not ensure that the construction products comply with the basic requirements, but do ensure that product performance complies with the basic characteristics stated in the Declaration of Performance. The aim is to provide reliable, useful information about product performance, which can be used in building design and construction. A copy of the Declaration of Performance can be provided in printed or digital form.
The information listed in Articles 31 and 33 of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006/EC (REACH). Article 31 of REACH regards the duty to communicate information in the supply chain, i.e., through safety data sheets, and Article 33 of REACH regards the duty to communicate information about substances in the articles.
Article 5 of CPR lists exceptions in which the manufacturer may waive issuing a Declaration of Performance upon marketing a product:
Note: According to CPR, manufacturers issue a Declaration of Performance – unlike Council Directive 89/106/EEC (CPD) and Government Decree No. 190/2002 Coll., in which manufacturers issued a “(EC) Declaration of Conformity” up until 30 June 2013.
