2 10 月, 2026
CE Marking for Structural Steel: What Importers Need to Know
Short answer: CE marking for structural steel is the EU’s way of declaring that a construction product meets a harmonised European standard. For fabricated steelwork that standard is EN 1090-1, backed by the technical rules of EN 1090-2; for steel placed on the market as a mill product — sections, plate, hollow sections — the harmonised product standards such as EN 10025 apply. Since 1 July 2014 it has been a legal requirement in the EU to supply structural steelwork with a CE mark and a Declaration of Performance. The mark belongs to the manufacturer that takes responsibility for it; as an importer you have to check it, keep it and pass it down the chain.
What CE marking is, and what it is not
The CE mark is a declaration: it means the manufacturer has assessed the product against the applicable harmonised standard, runs a factory production control system, has drawn up a Declaration of Performance, and accepts legal responsibility for it in the EU market. Two consequences follow.
- It is standard-specific, not a quality ranking. A mark issued against one harmonised standard says nothing about performance under another.
- It states declared values, not fitness for your project. Matching the declared values to your design stays with your engineer.
Which rules apply
| Layer | Instrument | What it decides |
|---|---|---|
| Legal framework | Construction Products Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 | Which products must be CE marked, what the Declaration of Performance contains, and the duties of manufacturers, importers and distributors |
| Fabricated steelwork | EN 1090-1, with EN 1090-2 (steel) and EN 1090-3 (aluminium) | How factory production control is assessed, how the execution class is declared and how the CE mark is applied to components and kits |
| Mill products | EN 10025 and related standards, with dimensional standards such as EN 10034 | The properties and tolerances the mill declares for sections, plate and hollow sections |
The execution classes, EXC1 to EXC4
EN 1090 does not grade steel; it grades the quality control applied to the fabrication. The class is set by the designer from the consequence of failure, the service category and the production category, and it scales welding control, inspection and traceability. A higher EXC does not mean better steel — it means more control over how it was made.
| Class | Typically used for | What scales with it |
|---|---|---|
| EXC1 | Low-consequence structures such as simple agricultural or light buildings | Basic factory production control and documentation |
| EXC2 | Ordinary residential and commercial buildings, general fabrication | Welding quality management, a responsible welding coordinator and documented inspection |
| EXC3 | Large structures, bridges, crane tracks and public buildings | Tighter welding and testing requirements, more non-destructive testing and fuller traceability |
| EXC4 | The most severe consequences, including long-span and special structures | The most demanding control of all, at the top of the same ladder |
Conformity assessment: who signs what
How conformity is attested depends on the class. The two arrangements you meet in practice are:
| Arrangement | Who is involved | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|
| System 4 | The manufacturer alone declares conformity and keeps its own production control records | The lighter end of the range, met in practice with EXC1 |
| System 2+ | A notified body inspects the factory production control initially and then keeps it under surveillance, usually by periodic audit | The normal arrangement from EXC2 up, and the reason an EXC2 order moves more slowly than a mill order |
Because the assessment is tied to a declared class, a fabricator’s certificate names the class it covers. If your project needs EXC3 and the certificate stops at EXC2, the mark does not cover your work.
The documents behind the mark
| Document | Who produces it | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| CE mark and Declaration of Performance | The manufacturer placing the product on the market | The declared performance and the standard it was assessed against |
| Factory production control certificate | A notified body, where the system requires one | That production control was inspected and is under surveillance, and for which class |
| Welding documentation | The fabricator, through its welding coordination | Procedure specifications, welder qualification and the responsible welding coordinator behind them |
| Inspection documents for the steel | The steel mill | The test results for the material used, typically an EN 10204 inspection certificate |
What an importer actually has to do
- Check before you place it on the market. Verify that the mark is present, that a Declaration of Performance exists for the product and the standard, and that the declared class covers your end use.
- Reconcile the paperwork with the goods. Marks on bundles, the packing list and the documents must describe the same product — that reconciliation is the importer’s step.
- Be identifiable, and keep the documents. An importer placing product on the EU market has to be traceable, and to make the Declaration of Performance available on request.
- Act if something is wrong. If you have reason to believe the product does not conform, it is not to be placed on the market until it is brought into conformity.
Non-EU manufacturers and the chain of responsibility
Fabricated steelwork shipped from outside the EU follows the same logic, with one addition: the regulation expects a non-EU manufacturer to have an authorised representative established in the EU. Settle that early, because the representative, the notified body’s assessment and the documentation all sit on the critical path before anything can ship.
Great Britain also runs its own marking arrangements following the UK’s departure from the EU, and the acceptance rules there have changed more than once. If your destination is the UK rather than the EU, check the position for your product and date of placing on the market instead of assuming the EU rules transfer.
What to put in your enquiry
- The product and the standard it must be assessed against, plus the grade designation in full.
- The execution class your project requires, and the attestation system that goes with it.
- Whether the Declaration of Performance and the factory production control certificate are needed before shipment, and in what form.
- The inspection documents you want for the steel itself, such as an EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2 certificate, and your destination market’s marking requirement.
Related reading
- CBAM and steel: what buyers need to know
- EN 10204 3.1 vs 3.2: which mill test certificate you need
- How to read a mill test certificate
- Structural sections and profiles
- How we inspect and certify each order
- Where your steel is made
Frequently asked questions
Is CE marking mandatory for structural steel in the EU?
Yes, for construction products that fall within a harmonised European standard. Structural steelwork has been covered since 1 July 2014 under the Construction Products Regulation, and fabricated steelwork is assessed under EN 1090-1. Products outside the scope of a harmonised standard are governed by different rules.
What is the difference between EN 1090 and EN 10025?
EN 10025 covers the steel product itself: the grades, chemical composition and mechanical properties the mill declares. EN 1090 covers the fabrication of structural steelwork: factory production control, execution classes, welding and inspection. An order usually needs both, answering different questions.
What are the execution classes EXC1 to EXC4?
They are quality-control classes for fabrication, not material grades. EXC1 applies to low-consequence structures and EXC4 to the most severe. A higher class means more welding control, more inspection and more traceability — the same steel, fabricated under a tighter regime.
Who is responsible for CE marking, the mill or the fabricator?
The manufacturer that places the product on the market. For steel supplied as a mill product that is the mill, declaring against a harmonised product standard such as EN 10025. For fabricated steelwork it is the fabricator assessed under EN 1090-1. A trader or importer distributes the documentation; it does not issue it.
Does CE marking guarantee the steel suits my project?
No. The Declaration of Performance states the values the manufacturer declares against the standard. Whether those values suit your design, loads and local building rules is an engineering decision that stays with your designer and, where applicable, your national authority.
This article describes the regulatory framework in general terms for buyers. It is not legal advice and makes no statement about the certification status of any company. Confirm what applies to your product, your execution class and your destination market with the applicable standard and your notified body.
Send the product, size, grade and quantity you need and we will come back with a worked offer. See the steel product catalogue, how we inspect and certify each order, or request a quotation.