Granting of licenses

A product classified according to the EMICODE® system must meet the following criteria laid down by the GEV’s Technical Council in the GEV Classification Criteria:
Licensed products are generally produced without solvents. Exceptions are products for the surface treatment of parquet, mineral floors and resilient floor coverings, which may contain film-forming agents for technical reasons. If products in Germany can be assigned to a GISCODE product group, this must be specified.
If required by local law, a safety data sheet must be prepared for all licensed products. It is recommended to include the EMICODE®classification in the technical data sheet, e.g. “EMICODE® EC 1 – very low emission”.
Substances that have been proven under REACH to be carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction (CMR substances of categories 1A and 1B) must not be actively used1. Emissions of all volatile organic carcinogenic substances of categories 1A and 1B must remain below a total limit value of 10 μg/m3 after 3 days and of 1 μg/m3after 28 days.

Erforderliche Prüfungen müssen nach der definierten GEV-Prüfmethode erfolgen und von einem Labor ausgeführt werden, das die GEV-Prüfmethode beherrscht und dessen Akkreditierung nach ISO 17025 die Prüfungen gemäß GEV-Prüfmethode oder EN 16516 umfasst. Die erforderliche Dokumentation der Prüfergebnisse erfolgt durch den Hersteller nach eigener Systematik. Eine Liste der empfohlenen Labore finden Sie hier.

Required tests must be conducted according to the predefined “GEV test method” and performed by a laboratory that has been accredited for testing according to ISO 17025, including tests as per GEV test method or EN 16516. Documentation of the test results is carried out by the manufacturers themselves according to their in-house system. Please click here for a list of recommended laboratories.

Products that contain methyl ethyl ketoxime (MEKO), methyl isobutyl ketoxime (MIBKO) or acetone oxime, or that release these compounds during the curing process, are excluded from EMICODE® licensing for reasons of occupational safety and odor emission.
Substances that have been included in the so-called “candidate list” under the European Chemicals Directive REACH (EC 1907/2006) in accordance with Art. 57 and Art. 59 (1) must not be actively used in EMICODE®-licensed products1.
Products that have been classified into categories 1, 2 or 3 under the European Hazardous Substances Regulation on account of acute toxic properties (CLP part 3: 3.1 Acute Toxicity) are excluded from the EMICODE® licensing process.

Die Einstufung in EMICODE®-Klassen erfolgt nach Erfüllung aller Anforderungen aus den hier genannten Tabellen. Zur Produktkennzeichnung ist die zutreffende EMICODE®-Klasse zu verwenden.

Classification into EMICODE® classes is based on compliance with all requirements listed in the tables provided here. The applicable EMICODE® class must be used for product labeling.

Products with identical formulations but different product names require separate licenses, but not a separate emission test.
Formulation changes to licensed products only require a new emission test if these changes affect emissions.

1 Für Details und Ausnahmen siehe „GEV-Einstufungskriterien“

1 For details and exceptions, see “GEV Classification Criteria”

Laboratories

Die GEV führt selbst keine Prüfungen durch sondern nutzt hierfür externe Prüflaboratorien, um als Industrievereinigung Neutralität zu bewahren.

GEV does not carry out tests itself, but commissions the tests to external testing laboratories in order to maintain its status as an impartial industry association.