European Technical Assessment (ETA) in Public Procurement Law 2026

Definition: The European Technical Assessment (ETA) is a document attesting to the performance of a construction product in relation to its essential characteristics under the EU Construction Products Regulation (CPR, Regulation No 305/2011) and serves as a basis for the CE marking of innovative or non-standardised construction products.

Last updated: January 2026 · Legal basis: Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 (CPR), ETAG/EAD framework, BVergG 2018, VgV

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What is a European Technical Assessment (ETA)?

The ETA is the central European instrument for assessing the performance of construction products that are not, or not fully, covered by harmonised standards. Since the entry into force of the Construction Products Regulation (CPR) in 2013, it has replaced the earlier European Technical Approval (ETA, formerly ETZ). The ETA is issued by an authorised Technical Assessment Body (TAB) on application by the manufacturer and sets out which performance characteristics a construction product meets – without itself constituting an approval in the building-law sense.

In public procurement the ETA plays an increasingly important role, since public contracting authorities must refer to European recognised standards when describing technical requirements for construction products. The ETA gives contracting authorities and tenderers a reliable, EU-wide recognised basis for specifications and product selection.

Significance in public procurement law

Public contracting authorities may not favour the products of individual manufacturers in their specifications – the ETA makes it possible to formulate technical requirements in a product-neutral yet precise way.

Under § 31 VgV (Germany) and § 97 BVergG 2018 (Austria), technical requirements must in principle be formulated on the basis of European standards, ETAs, common technical specifications or international standards. The order of preference is:

1. European Standards (EN)
2. European Technical Assessments (ETA)
3. Common technical specifications
4. International standards

Where an ETA is referenced in the specifications, all tenderers must offer products that meet the described performance characteristics – regardless of whether they themselves hold an ETA, provided equivalence can be demonstrated.

Issuance and validity

An ETA is issued by a national Technical Assessment Body (TAB) that is a member of EOTA (European Organisation for Technical Assessment).

In Austria the Austrian Institute of Construction Engineering (OIB) is recognised as a TAB. In Germany this role is performed by, among others, the German Institute of Construction Engineering (DIBt). The ETA is based on a European Assessment Document (EAD) developed by EOTA. It is in principle valid without time limit, but may be revised in the event of material changes to the product or to the underlying EADs.

Related terms

• Specifications
• Functional specifications
• Prescriptive specifications
• Selection criteria

FAQ

What is the difference between an ETA and the CE marking? The ETA is the basis for the CE marking of construction products that have no harmonised standard. The CE marking itself is the visible declaration by the manufacturer of the product's performance; the ETA is the underlying assessment document.

Must a tenderer offer a product with an ETA if the tender refers to an ETA? No. Tenderers may offer equivalent products provided they can demonstrate equivalence. The contracting authority must not use the ETA reference in such a way that only a particular manufacturer can be considered.

Who issues ETAs in Austria? The Austrian Institute of Construction Engineering (OIB) is the competent Technical Assessment Body in Austria.

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Last updated: January 2026 All information without warranty. For legally binding advice please consult a law firm specialising in public procurement.