Press release: Coexistence period expired on November 1st, 2019

System Schröders

CE standard EN 16034 mandatory for fire and smoke protection doors

Erkelenz, Germany, October 2020 – The European fire/smoke protection product standard EN 16034 "Windows, doors and gates – with fire and/or smoke protection properties" was introduced for gates and external doors on November 1st, 2016. In these areas the phase of coexistence of national and European product standards ended on November 1st, 2019. Nevertheless, manufacturers should also prepare their product range for the approval of the CE standard for interior and automatic doors.

Since November 2019 internal and external fire and smoke protection gates as well as external doors may only be sold when they have the CE marking. The reason for this is that the three-year coexistence phase ended on that day. Before that, it was possible to apply fire protection closures that meet the national standards in addition to the ones meeting the European fire safety standard EN 16034. Now, manufacturers are obliged to offer at least parts of their fire protection range in compliance with the CE standard.

Introduction of product standards for internal and automatic doors is still pending

For the time being, internal and automatic doors can still be manufactured according to the national standards and certificates of the country in which they are used. This is because the parallel standards EN 14351-2 (internal doors) and EN 16361 (automatic doors) have not been registered in the Official Journal of the European Commission, yet.

Reinhard Schröders, Managing Director of System Schröders and member of various national and European standardization committees for fire protection and smoke protection agreements, explains: "Since the Europe-wide standard EN 16034 is only valid in combination with the respective product standards for gates, internal and external doors as well as automatic doors, it is essential that these are listed in the Official Journal. Unfortunately, the standards for internal doors and automatic doors have been postponed indefinitely. So existing national standards are still valid in these areas of application.”

However, for manufacturing companies it is advisable to keep track of the developments and to employ newly standardized products from an early stage, even if there is a transition phase. Schröders continues: “On the one hand, the early compliance with the CE standards will enable manufacturers to offer products with higher quality fire protection properties. And on the other hand, companies will be prepared for the future. Already today, CE-labeled fire doors are in demand or at least accepted for internal use in many European countries, even if the standard for internal doors is not available yet.”

Licensing program enables manufacturers to expand their product range easily

With their unique licensing program System Schröders offers European manufacturers the opportunity to expand their product range with advanced and CE-certified safety doors.

Thanks to the extensive System Schröders door range, licensees can start manufacturing the respective security door immediately after purchasing a suitable license without investing time and budget in research, development and testing. This allows manufacturers to expand their product range in a short time with fire protection closures that meet the new standard EN 16034.

To learn more about Schroeder's licensing system manufacturers can visit www.system-schroeders.de/lizenz.