Procedure

If you are an actor in the construction industry and you wish to initiate the process with a view to obtaining a technical approval, you are strongly advised to take note of the following points in order to optimize the procedure from the point of view of costs and delays.

The Technical Approval, ATG, is an instrument intended to facilitate acceptance of the product or system covered by the approval, by the Belgian construction sector (insurers, works’ inspection bodies, …) and in particular, by the specifiers (public procurers and architects) and contractors (installers, assemblers). Applying for a Technical Approval, ATG, is a voluntary initiative taken by the applicant. There is no legal requirement that requires products to be covered by a Technical Approval, ATG.

Technical Approvals, ATG, cover unique, innovative and complex products and systems.

The Technical Approval aims at informing the Belgian construction sector that the product or system in which the product is being used, is fit for the intended use, is in accordance with the Belgian Works’ legislation and may be installed, incorporated, executed or assembled in accordance with the generally applicable Belgian state of the art and without undue risks. Products covered by technical approvals are always certified to ensure that the product specified in the technical approval text corresponds with the product that is placed on the Belgian market.

To introduce an application, the applicant must own the industrial property or act with the consent of the entity that owns it.

Rules

Careful reading of the various documents governing the process of obtaining and maintaining a technical approval will allow the applicant to understand how it works.

The tasks and responsibilities as well as the composition and functioning of the structures of the UBAtc can be found in the statutes of the organization and in the Regulations for interior order (these documents are only available in French and Dutch)

All practical information relating to the application and the issuing of technical approvals and other related fitness for use declarations issued by UBAtc, the certification based on them as well as the approval examination may be found in the General approval and certification regulations. The approval and certification fees are partly given in an Annex to these regulations which may be updated. Costs which are not included in this Annex will be made available by the operators concerned.

The regulation with regard to the use and protection of the ATG mark governs the way in which the ATG mark may be used.

Introducing an application 

An application needs to be introduced using the relevant form duly completed and accompanied by documents requested (e.g. the technical file). That form needs to be submitted to info@butgb-ubatc.be.  More information regarding the technical file may be found in the General approval and certification regulations. For your application to be considered admissible, the content of the technical file needs to be complete.