The European Commission’s DG GROW has announced the kick-off meeting of the Fire sub-group within the Construction Products Regulation (CPR) Acquis. These updates reinforce stronger alignment across Europe on fire‑related standards, testing, and regulatory support.
Horizontal sub-group fire performance of construction products (SG-Fire) Launched
The EU commission through DG GROW has launched a new Horizontal Group that will focus on fire issues with its kick‑off meeting held on 26 March. This group will coordinate fire‑related topics across all product areas within the CPR framework.
The scope for the group includes:
- Standardization request for façade fire test standardization, addressing test protocols, classification systems, and procedures for extended application (DiAp/ExAp).
- Technical fire‑safety support to product‑specific CPR Acquis groups.
- Discussion of proposals for classification without further testing for certain products
This horizontal structure is intended to ensure coherence and avoid fragmented approaches across product families.
Continuous Call for Experts Now Open
DG GROW has confirmed that the continuous open call for interest in CPR expert groups is active and accepting applications. Those wishing to contribute to the Commission’s technical work either on fire aspects or broader CPR topics can submit expressions of interest at: https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/calls-application?lang=en
The Commission encourages participation from technical experts, industry specialists, and research bodies to show interest.
Upcoming CPR Acquis Fire‑Related Product Groups
Two fire‑related product groups under the CPR Acquis are scheduled to begin work shortly:
- Product Group 10: Fixed Fire‑Fighting Equipment
- Product Group 35: Fire Stopping, Fire Sealing, and Fire‑Protective Products
These groups will help clarify future regulatory pathways, streamline testing and classification methods, and support greater consistency across the European market.
What This Means for Industry and Regulators
These initiatives mark a significant step toward greater harmonization and predictability in fire‑safety regulation. Stakeholders across the construction value chain manufacturers, designers, fire‑safety engineers, notified bodies, and regulators should closely follow the development of these groups, as their work will directly influence future compliance obligations and market access conditions.
We will continue to monitor these activities and share updates as the expert groups progress.