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WHAT WE DO

Policy & Advocacy

At CEIR, we represent the European taps and valves industry and ensure that its technical expertise contributes to effective European policymaking. We develop positions on key regulatory topics, encourage cooperation and knowledge exchange across the sector, and bring industry experts together through initiatives such as the CEIR Congress.
 

Our work is driven by specialised committees and close dialogue with European institutions. On this page, you can explore CEIR’s main policy areas, including the work of our committees and key topics such as water solutions and materials in contact with water.

  • UNIFIED Water Label (UWLA)

    The Unified Water Label is a European labelling voluntary scheme initiated by taps and valves manufacturers to improve the water consumption and performance of taps, valves & shower heads.
    To learn more about the Unified Water Label in less than 3 minutes, check the video
     

    WHAT THE LABEL SAYS

    • A simple tool to inform consumers on water consumption of taps, valves and showerheads

    • A single label used throughout Europe

    • A complete database of labelled water saving products
       

    WHAT THE LABEL SHOWS

    • It clearly shows the volume of water that the product will consume if installed correctly and according to the manufacturer’s instructions

    • Litres per minute

    • Coloured performance bands

    • Actual capacity/performance
       

    Simple classification scheme applicable throughout Europe

    • Sets harmonized water flow requirements conforming to any legal national requirements

    • Promotes the use of water saving taps, valves and shower heads in private and public buildings

    • Self-declared and monitored by independent audits to keep the scheme cost-efficient

    • Informs European consumers on water consumption of taps (basin and kitchen) and shower heads

    • Invites consumers to check the products database to find water saving taps, valves and shower heads in their country

    • Maximizes the effectiveness of the labelling scheme and monitors its implementation

    • Contributes to the various efforts to save water and energy

    The website: https://uwla.eu/
     

    Tips for saving water, energy and money

    • Don’t leave the tap running while brushing your teeth, washing your hands, shaving or cleaning

    • An efficient and satisfying shower need not more than 5 minutes

    • Prefer showers to baths

    • Fix a dripping tap, shower head or shower hoes

    • Don’t overfill the bath

    • Insulate all exposed water pipes

    • Ask installers to avoid dead leg of water (water that remains in the pipe once the delivery mechanism has been turned off) to avoid cold water stagnation and mitigate pipe damages

    • Use other water efficient appliances in your home such as modern washing machines and dishwashers
       

    An initiative of CEIR - The European Association for the Taps and Valves Industry - www.ceir.eu
    With the support of BMA - the Bathroom Manufacturers Association (UK) - www.bathroom-association.org
     

  • Improve the European regulatory context

    The 4MS abbreviation means the four Member States which collaborate in the harmonization of requirements for the hygienic suitability of products in contact with drinking water. The 4 countries are Germany, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

    This group was created in 2006 after the failure of the European Commission’s project "European Acceptance Scheme", which intended to create a unique European system to assess hygienic aspects of products in contact with drinking water. After several years of informal work, the 4MS officialised their cooperation by a declaration of intent in 2011.

    The work they do is carefully monitored by the CEIR Sanitary Technical Committee. Manufacturers are extremely conscious of hygiene issues and while they are improving their products, they stay in close touch with regulatory initiatives. The CEIR Sanitary Technical Committee is in constant contact with representative of the 4MS to understand, discuss and propose.

    As written on the 4MS website, hosted by the German government, the 4MS intend to adopt common, or directly comparable, practices for:

    • The acceptance of the constituents used in materials in contact with drinking water

    • The testing of materials

    • The use of common test methods and setting acceptance levels

    • The specification of tests to be applied to products

    • Reviewing factory production control and setting audit testing requirements

    • Assessing the capabilities of certification and testing bodies

    As a complement to the 4MS initiatives, CEIR is also involved in the European Commission’s Expert Group on Product Testing Procedures, whose aim is to provide guidance in the process of drafting standards for products in contact with drinking water. These standards, when ready, will be reviewed by the European Commission in order to obtain the status of harmonized standards, so that they can be used to support CE marking for products covered by the Construction Products Regulation.
    The 4MS and other national initiatives are used as input, along with the practices and experience of manufacturers.

  • The Technical Committee for Building & Industrial Valves (TC BIV) deals with all regulatory and standardization
    matters related to:

    • Building Valves

    • Industrial Valves

    • Actuators

    It comprises manufacturers of Gas-, Heating-, Water- and Fire Fighting Valves in all CEIR member countries. It also covers manufacturers of valves, actuators and associated products for all industrial applications. The Committee represents the common economic, technical and scientific interest of its manufacturers.

    CEIR's Building & Industrial Valves Technical Committee deals with a great variety of topics.
    Applicable regulations are numerous and include:

    • Pressure Equipment Directive

    • Construction Products Regulation

    • ATEX Directive

    Building and industrial valves are used in a complex normative framework, that the Technical Committee is in charge to follow, that includes CEN TC69 and ISO TC153 for industrial valves, CEN TC236 for gas valves and CEN TC164 for building valves.


    The Committee systematically reviews the status of relevant regulations and standardization work. For that matter it:

    • Follows European regulations which are in force or in preparation.

    • Follows standardisation work.

    • Ensures that any national technical studies complement such standardization work

    • Activates specific WG when needed on specific subjects;

    • Elaborates consensual position papers and guidelines.

    • Manages standardization work in the interests of industry (elaboration of consensual policies to be supported by CEIR members in relevant CEN and ISO Technical Committees and Working Groups).

    • Allows members to exchange information on national technical studies, in order to facilitate, when needed, comparison on the content (not necessarily results) of these studies.

    Activities can also cover:

    • Members' interest representation at European level

    • The economic situation in the member countries

    • Statistical data

    • Directory / member profiles / website

    • Origin marking schemes

    • Trademark protection

    • Protection against counterfeiting

    • Exhibition policy

    • Market and distribution channel analysis

    • Standardisation / certification

    • Materials in contact with drinking water

    • Contacts with Plumber and Wholesaler associations

    The Committee is chaired by Mr Vinzio and the secretariat is managed by Mr Sornais of Profluid

    Achievements

    TC BIV has the possibility to set up dedicated Working Groups when a particular matter arises.
    The deliverable, depending on the matter, can be:

    • A published Position Paper

    • A guideline

    • CEIR’s input to a broader question

    Recent examples of such achievements are:

    • Publication of a Position Paper on RoHS II Directive, an updated position on the Machinery Directive

    • Participation of CEIR to the evaluation and revision of the Pressure Equipment Directive

    • Publication of guidelines on the application of SIL concepts to industrial valves

  • CEIR's Sanitary Valves Technical Committee is the common platform of the European sanitary valves manufacturers within CEIR

    The objectives, tasks and concrete work of the CEIR's Sanitary Valves Technical Committee are defined by its General Assembly. As a result, the scope and benefit of the work is closely linked with the commitment and requirements of the member companies. The CEIR's Sanitary Technical Committee offers its members the possibility to be in permanent touch with European confrères allowing the exchange of views and the opinion-forming process regarding current technical and regulatory matters.

    The CEIR's Sanitary Technical Committee informs and advises its member companies on all product-specific technical matters. This committee is constituted of experts from main taps & showerheads manufacturers in Europe. Its main tasks are regulatory follow-up at European level, standardization follow-up and pre-normative works. It also represents taps & shower heads manufacturers views and interests as CEIR is a registered stakeholder at the European Commission.

    The CEIR's Sanitary Technical Committee represents the interests of the European sanitary valves industry towards European institutions and authorities, supplier and customer organizations, and exerts influence on technical rules. All activities always aim at facilitating the member companies actions on the market and at promoting the investment decisions of potential customer circles.

    The CEIR's Sanitary Valves Technical Committee is chaired by Mr Fehrholz and the secretariat is managed by Mr Chalet of Profluid.


    The central topics covered by the CEIR's Sanitary Technical Committee are as follows:

    • Technical and Environmental Regulation at European level

    • Water saving

    • European guidelines on technical matters

    • Standardisation

    • Products certification

    • Communication and public relations

    CEIR is notably involved in the following topics:

    • Materials and products in contact with drinking water

    • Construction Products Regulation (CPR)

    • Ecodesign, European ecolabel and green public procurement criteria for taps & showerheads 

    • REACH Regulation

    • RoHS II & WEEE II

    • The European Water Label

    • The efficiency of showerheads

    Achievements

    The Sanitary Technical Committee has the possibility to set up dedicated Working Groups when a particular matter arises. The deliverable, depending on the matter, can be:

    • A position paper

    • A guideline

    • CEIR’s input to a broader question

    Recent examples of such achievements are:

    • The participation of CEIR in the ErP preparatory study for Taps and Showers in collaboration with the JRC and the European Commission

    • The participation of CEIR to the EDW – European Drinking Water, a consortium of European trade associations (see "Member associations") representing industries which are involved with supply products or materials that are used in drinking water applications and connected to municipal drinking water supplies within the European Union

    • The setting-up of the European Water Label and the defense of this successful voluntary scheme as an alternative to mandatory ErP measure

    • Participation of CEIR to the Nickel Institute workshop on nickel allergy and the EU nickel restriction on “articles in direct and prolonged skin contact

  • The Marketing & Communication Committee is chaired by Mr Pettinaroli with the support of Mr Durante of AVR, the Italian association.

    The Committee is in charge of coordinating the CEIR newsletter.

    It launched in 2012 the CEIR Quarterly Business Trends Survey. It helped with the Valve Terminology CD.

    The Committee is also in charge of the website and promotion of CEIR.

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