Technical insights

CE Marking and DoP

Why CE Marking matters in natural stone

In the world of natural stone, CE Marking is often mentioned but rarely understood. Some perceive it as a guarantee of quality, others as a bureaucratic formality. In reality, the CE mark has a very specific function: ensuring that construction products covered by a harmonised European standard can circulate freely on the EU market.
This means that CE Marking applies only to finished products intended to become a permanent part of a building. It does not apply to raw blocks, unfinished slabs or semi-finished materials, nor to many furnishing applications such as kitchen countertops, bathroom tops, islands, furniture claddings or custom-made elements, which fall outside the scope of harmonised standards. Understanding this distinction allows professionals to navigate documentation and real project needs more accurately

CE Marking: what it really means

CE Marking states that a product meets the requirements of its applicable harmonised standard. It is not a quality label, nor does it certify superior performance or guarantee suitability for any specific application.
It is strictly a declaration of regulatory conformity. To affix CE Marking, the manufacturer must perform the tests required by the standard and maintain a production control system ensuring consistent performance over time. Responsibility for CE Marking lies with the manufacturer and, when a finished product is placed on the EU market for the first time by another party, also with the importer-distributor, who then becomes an economic operator legally responsible for compliance.

CE Marking must be provided automatically when applicable. It is not a document that clients need to “request”, nor something that can be omitted. It authorises the product to be sold legally within the European market but does not determine its suitability for a specific project.

Credits: Matteo Bianchessi

The Declaration of Performance (DoP): the document that truly matters

The Declaration of Performance (DoP) is the technical foundation of CE Marking. It specifies the tested performance values, the intended use of the product, the reference standard and the system of assessment applied. This is where key data can be found: water absorption, bending strength, bulk density, freeze–thaw resistance and other parameters required by the harmonised standard.

The DoP does not describe the aesthetic qualities of the material, nor does it automatically indicate whether it is suitable for a particular application. It is the designer’s responsibility to interpret the declared values and assess whether the material is appropriate for the intended use, considering environmental conditions, mechanical stresses and functional requirements.
In other words: CE and DoP are obligations of the manufacturer, while suitability for use is the responsibility of the designer and the professional user.

This principle helps avoid misunderstandings: the DoP provides objective information, but only technical competence can translate it into correct material choices.

When CE Marking and DoP are actually required

CE and DoP are required when natural stone is used as a construction product covered by a harmonised standard: flooring, wall cladding (interior or exterior), stairs, thresholds, window sills or façade panels.
They are not required for applications outside the scope of harmonised standards, such as:

kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities and furniture surfaces,

custom-made monolithic elements,

furniture claddings and decorative components,

semi-finished slabs not directly intended for installation.

These applications still require technical expertise and understanding of the material’s performance, but they do not fall under CE Marking obligations. Within the supply chain, each actor has a defined role: the manufacturer (or the importer placing the product on the EU market) ensures conformity; distributors maintain traceability; designers interpret the DoP to assess whether the product is suitable for the intended use. When each role is fulfilled correctly, the result is a more reliable and informed design process.