We can only provide an opinion on the current position of the relevant European Standards and the requirements for CE marking, as these standards are still being developed, although they are all nearing completion. The approved wording of the Construction Products Regulation (CPR which is likely to come into effect in mid-2013, states:
"For any construction product covered by a harmonised standard, or, for which a European Technical Assessment has been issued, the CE marking shall be the only marking which attests conformity of the construction product with the declared performance in relation to the essential characteristics, covered by that harmonised standard or by the European Technical Assessment.
In this respect, Member States shall not introduce any references or shall withdraw any references in national measures to a marking attesting conformity with the declared performance in relation to the essential characteristics covered by a harmonised standard other than the CE marking."
For fire resisting doorsets the harmonised standard will be prEN 160341 In annex ZA, table ZA-1 the essential characteristics are given as:
Since the fire resistance of a doorset is an essential characteristic, this will mean CE marking will be the only marking which will be permitted to show conformity with a declared performance and references to fire performance. All other methods will be withdrawn. prEN16034 applies to doorsets however, the general section of the standard, under the heading performance characteristics and general requirements, states:
"Pedestrian door assemblies fulfilling the provisions of this standard (prEN 16034) under the responsibility of one identified manufacturer are considered to be doorsets."
Under the BWF-CERTIFIRE Scheme, Prime Fire Door Manufacturers are responsible for the specification of items that form fire door assemblies under their CF certification. This could mean that CE marking could apply to fire door assemblies as well as doorsets. Even if the new product standard and the CPR create the environment where CE marking becomes the single permitted method of declaring fire performance, this will not be the end of third-party certification schemes such as BWF-CERTIFIRE.
The BWF-CERTIFIRE scheme is likely to incorporate CE marking but will continue to provide the additional benefits of audit testing and sampling. Of particular concern now is that the majority of Prime Fire Door Manufacturers under the BWF-CERTIFIRE Scheme have products which have been tested to BS 476-222. If changes for CE marking are as we predict, the test will need to comply with EN 16343 as part of an overall assessment to EN 146004 Manufacturers will need to consider their transition towards products that can achieve a fire resistance rating when submitted to an EN1634 test. This may mean that the door assemblies need to be upgraded. References: 1 prEN 16034. (amendments being considered after public comments stage.)
Pedestrian doorsets, industrial, commercial, garage doors and windows. Product standard, performance characteristics. Fire resistance and/or smoke control characteristics 2 BS 476-22:1987 (current)
Fire tests on building materials and structures. Methods for determination of the fire resistance of non-loadbearing elements of construction 3 BS EN 14600:2005 (current)
Doorsets and openable windows with fire resisting and/ or smoke control characteristics. Requirements and classification 4 BS EN 1634-1:2008 (current)
Fire resistance and smoke control tests for door, shutter and, openable window assemblies and elements of building hardware. Fire resistance tests for doors, shutters and openable windows