European Technical Assessment (ETA)
The European Technical Assessment (ETA) is a voluntary pathway to CE marking for non-standard construction products. It allows you to market your construction product throughout Europe even if it is not covered by a harmonised standard. DIBt is one of the leading Technical Assessment Bodies (TAB) issuing ETAs and the only such body designated by Germany. We are happy to guide you on your journey to Europe.
A passport for Europe
The ETA is a product performance assessment that leads to CE marking. It allows you to market your construction product across the entire European Economic Area, Switzerland and Turkey. In many cases, the ETA also opens doors worldwide.
Compared with national technical approvals, the ETA offers a broader geographical reach. However, when using an ETA, the declared performance must always be assessed against the national requirements for construction works.
If you need advice on which route to choose for your product, we are happy to assist you.
You can find practical ETA information for individual product groups in our Information portal for construction products and techniques.
To learn more about the ETA route, feel free to watch this video:
Get to know our work at DIBt!
How to get your innovative construction product approved and assessed. We explain the procedure step by step – from application to approval.
© DIBt, January 2017
Note: When this video was produced, the abZ/aBG still used to be called abZ.
You would like to request an ETA? Please fill in the following form:
- pdf-Datei Form for requesting a European Technical Assessment (ETA) (2 pages ) Last updated: 11 March 2025
We begin processing your ETA request by checking whether we have received all the necessary documents and whether an assessment basis already exists for your construction product. As soon as your technical file is complete, you will receive an official application confirmation from us.
This marks the start of the actual procedure, which is similar to the one for a national approval. We will draw up a test plan and recommend suitable test laboratories. You may then take the test plan to the institute of your choice and have the necessary test reports drawn up there. Afterwards, we will evaluate the submitted test reports and issue the ETA.
The processing time for an ETA depends on the complexity of the product and the testing requirements.
If there is an assessment basis – a European Assessment Document (EAD) –, the ETA can in many cases be issued within a few months.
The period of validity of an ETA is linked to the validity of the underlying EAD. Usually, this results in validity periods of between five and 15 years. You can find further information in our transitional rules for the ETA route.
DIBt recommends that manufacturers have their ETAs reviewed at regular intervals, approx. every five years, and adapted to the state of the art. We are happy to assist you in this process.
The costs for issuing an ETA vary according to the complexity of the product. They are comparable to those for a national approval. You can find a general price range in the DIBt Statutes. If you require an individual estimate, please send us some more detailed information about your product. Our ETA request form provides a good overview of the information we need.