The most relevant European legislation in the field of windows is the mandatory EC Marking. Established by the European Commission through its communications 2006/C 304/01 (DOUE 13/12/2006) and 2008/C 321/01 (DOUE 16.12.2008) and adopted in Spain by the harmonized standard UNE-EN 14351-1/2006 and its Annex ZA, applied to windows and external pedestrian doorsets.
The aim of the EC Marking is to declare the product conformity with EU requirements imposed on the manufacturer by the European Directives. Therefore, the EC Marking ensures the free movement of wooden windows in the European Union through the harmonization of national laws relating to the essential requirements of the products in health, safety and welfare.
It is therefore a "passport" applied to the wooden window, meaning the compliance with the harmonized European Standard UNE-EN 14351-1/2006, mentioned above. Therefore it means the freedom marketing of products throughout the EU, previously tested compliance requirements through tests that determine its features and capabilities.
For windows, the following parameters have been defined:
• Resistance to wind load, UNE-EN 12211:2000
• Water tightness, UNE-EN 1027:2000
• Coefficient of sound insulation, according to the UNE-EN ISO 140-3:1995 and EN 14351-1:2006, Annex B.
• Coefficient of thermal transmittance, according to the UNE EN ISO 12567-1:2002, EN ISO 12567-2:2005, EN ISO 10077-1:2001, EN ISO 10077-2:2003.
• Ability of safety devices to withstand loads, UNE-EN 14609:2004.
• Air permeability, according to standard EN 1026:2000.
Therefore, the CE MARKING obliges to meet the demands and requirements of the local installation site and its regulatory framework. In each country there is a regulatory authority that sets the minimum requirements the windows have to meet, depending on its location (abiotic parameters). In Spain, is the Technical Building Code CTE, which characterizes the window with six mandatory parameters, previously exposed (in addition with other six which are optional).
Since last February 2010, the EC Marking is necessary and mandatory to market windows and external pedestrian doors throughout the European Union. FONT FUSTERIA S.A. has tested its main product lines (UNI, MED, CON and Lifting-Sliding Windows) in ENSATEC, laboratory notified by ENAC (Nº 1668), this plus the fact that the Company is ISO 9001 certified and therefore takes a factory production control as set out in paragraph 7.3 of the product standard UNE EN 14351-1, ensures compliance with all quality requirements set by EC Marking, meeting the provisions of the European Commission 2006/C 304/01 (DOUE 13.12.2006) in accordance with Annex ZA of the standard UNE-EN 14351-1:2006..
