On 3 June, FIEC published a statement on EN 206, the Ready-Mixed Concrete (RMC) standard. The construction industry, and contractors in particular, are highly concerned about ongoing harmonisation activities that would undermine the existing integrated system for concrete, which has long ensured safety, durability, and sustainability while balancing responsibilities across the value chain.
The European Commission is proceeding with the harmonisation of the product standard for Ready-Mixed Concrete (RMC) under the Construction Products Regulation (CPR) to replace EN 206. The proposed approach raises fundamental questions about whether RMC should be treated as a standalone construction product subject to harmonised product rules, or as part of a broader system that includes design, production, and execution on site.
A key concern for contractors is that the European Commission’s approach could lead to disruptions in the value chain. Manufacturers would only provide information on selected properties of RMC, but under the harmonised standard, they would no longer be bound by the previously established rules for selecting suitable constituents (cement, aggregates, etc.) for concrete, for adhering to “deem-to-satisfy” limits for concrete composition, and for following the production procedures previously deemed necessary, as stipulated by the current voluntary concrete standard EN 206. In addition, the European Commission aims to reduce the testing burden on manufacturers and shift it, through Member State regulations, to construction sites. This would impose significant additional administrative, technical, and financial burdens on contractors.
Moreover, RMC must be considered within a full system perspective. It is a semi-finished construction product whose final performance is not determined solely at the point of delivery, but depends equally on placement, curing, and execution on site. The harmonisation approach proposed by the European Commission risks an internally inconsistent framework and legal uncertainty.
The statement was submitted to the European Commission ahead of an important technical exchange to support evidence-based decision-making at this stage of the process. One fundamental policy question must be addressed before discussions on technical details continue: Is a harmonised EU approach for RMC justified?
For the time being, this question has not been answered convincingly. The European construction industry federation warns that the planned interventions risk disrupting the coherence between product specification (EN 206), structural design (Eurocode 2), and execution standards (EN 1992). It is essential to carefully assess whether the initiative would deliver sufficient benefits to justify such consequences. Without clear evidence that harmonisation would add value, all options should remain open, including the adaptation, limitation, or discontinuation of the process.
FIEC remains committed to constructive dialogue with the European Commission and calls for a thorough evaluation of the necessity, benefits, and consequences of harmonising the RMC product standard before further technical work progresses.
