VIA-COMP® cables have exceeded all test expectations and we have reached B2ca certification, another industry first for access control composite cables

Construction Products Regulation (CPR) – new requirements for cables

The Construction Products Regulation (CPR) is the REGULATION (EU) No. 305/2011 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 9 March 2011 related to the construction products and repealing Council Directive 89/106/EEC (Construction Product Directive). The regulation classifies construction products and lays down the rules regarding testing of said products. The Regulation entered into force on July 1, 2013.

In the case of isolated conductors and cables used as construction products, the CPR is based on the harmonized European standard EN 50575:2014, whose implementation date was set at July 1, 2016. Since that date, manufacturers/importers have had 12 months to fully comply with the new regulations and adapt to the new requirements. This means that from July 1st 2017 all installation cables should be treated as construction products and subject to appropriate regulations. The new regulations require manufacturers to issue Declaration of Performance (DoP), as well as label their products meeting the relevant standards with the CE mark. The manufacturer, by drawing up their DoP, assumes the responsibility for the conformity of the construction product with the declared performance(s). EN 50575 standard specifies the requirements for the fire performance of cables which are used in permanent systems in buildings, i.e. power cables, control and communication cables, fiber optic cables:

  • power cables – isolated conductors and electric cables used e.g. for the supply of electricity;
  • control and communication cables – isolated conductors, symmetrical and coaxial cables with metallic conductors used e.g. in telecommunications systems, for data transmission, for distribution of TV and radio signals in RF networks, in signaling and control systems;
  • fiber-optic cables – used e.g. in telecommunications systems, for data transmission, for distribution of TV and radio signals in RF networks, in signaling and control systems.

So far, the conductors and cables have been considered exclusively as electrical products subject to product safety regulations under the Low Voltage Directive (LVD) and were subject to CE marking by the manufacturer. The new rules established by EN50575 impose on the manufacturers (also importers and distributors) the obligation to commission relevant tests to notified certification bodies/laboratories in order to obtain certificates confirming the fire resistance classes of their products and to issue Declarations of Performance (DoP) with the relevant Euroclasses. The Euroclass of a construction product (including power, control and communication cables) allows for its classification in terms of reaction to fire according to the same rules and criteria across Europe. The markings of the fire classification can already be found on the labels of many construction products and will soon be required for all such products.

Cable classification scheme according to EN50575 standard

Euroclass Test methods Additional classification Examples of products
Aca EN ISO 1716 – halogen-free cables
B1ca  EN 50399
EN 60332-1-2		 smoke production (s1, s2),
flaming droplets/particles (d1,d2)
and acidity (a1)		 halogen-free cables
B2ca EN 50399
EN 60332-1-2		 hard PVC and halogen-free cables
Cca EN 50399
EN 60332-1-2		 halogen-free cables
Dca EN 50399
EN 60332-1-2		 high-quality PVC cables
Eca EN 60332-1-2  no requirements PVC cables
 Fca Not fulfilling requirements
for Eca		  no requirements  PE and PVC cables

VIA-COMP® cables have exceeded all test expectations and we have reached B2ca certification, another industry first for access control composite cables

Construction Products Regulation (CPR) – new requirements for cables

The Construction Products Regulation (CPR) is the REGULATION (EU) No. 305/2011 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 9 March 2011 related to the construction products and repealing Council Directive 89/106/EEC (Construction Product Directive). The regulation classifies construction products and lays down the rules regarding testing of said products. The Regulation entered into force on July 1, 2013.

In the case of isolated conductors and cables used as construction products, the CPR is based on the harmonized European standard EN 50575:2014, whose implementation date was set at July 1, 2016. Since that date, manufacturers/importers have had 12 months to fully comply with the new regulations and adapt to the new requirements. This means that from July 1st 2017 all installation cables should be treated as construction products and subject to appropriate regulations. The new regulations require manufacturers to issue Declaration of Performance (DoP), as well as label their products meeting the relevant standards with the CE mark. The manufacturer, by drawing up their DoP, assumes the responsibility for the conformity of the construction product with the declared performance(s). EN 50575 standard specifies the requirements for the fire performance of cables which are used in permanent systems in buildings, i.e. power cables, control and communication cables, fiber optic cables:

  • power cables – isolated conductors and electric cables used e.g. for the supply of electricity;
  • control and communication cables – isolated conductors, symmetrical and coaxial cables with metallic conductors used e.g. in telecommunications systems, for data transmission, for distribution of TV and radio signals in RF networks, in signaling and control systems;
  • fiber-optic cables – used e.g. in telecommunications systems, for data transmission, for distribution of TV and radio signals in RF networks, in signaling and control systems.

So far, the conductors and cables have been considered exclusively as electrical products subject to product safety regulations under the Low Voltage Directive (LVD) and were subject to CE marking by the manufacturer. The new rules established by EN50575 impose on the manufacturers (also importers and distributors) the obligation to commission relevant tests to notified certification bodies/laboratories in order to obtain certificates confirming the fire resistance classes of their products and to issue Declarations of Performance (DoP) with the relevant Euroclasses. The Euroclass of a construction product (including power, control and communication cables) allows for its classification in terms of reaction to fire according to the same rules and criteria across Europe. The markings of the fire classification can already be found on the labels of many construction products and will soon be required for all such products.

Cable classification scheme according to EN50575 standard

According to CPR and the EN50575 standard there are seven Euroclasses classifying the reaction of cables to fire: Aca, B1ca, B2ca, Cca, Dca, Eca, Fca along with additional criteria characterizing smoke production, occurrence of flaming droplets/particles and acidity of combustion and thermal decomposition products. Aca class defines nonflammable cables (no reaction), whereas Fca class contains cables not fulfilling Eca class requirements (i.e. with undetermined performance). Additional classification includes:

  • s1, s2 – smoke production,
  • d1, d2 – occurrence of flaming droplets/particles,
  • a1 – acidity.

The requirements for using cables with a specific reaction to fire class in a given type of building should result from a risk analysis performed by the installation designer or from other national formal and legal documents. The CPR Directive does not impose the requirements on EU member states regarding building types and associated cables with specific reaction to fire reaction classes.

With the introduction of the European classes of reaction to fire, designers and architects have clear regulations regarding the use of the appropriate type of cables. In order to achieve a higher level of fire safety, cable manufacturers recommend the use of B2CA cables in special-purpose buildings which have to meet very high safety requirements (e.g. in hospitals, nurseries, high-rise buildings, office buildings, and nursing homes).