Interview with the new EOTA Technical Board Chair María Bento (ITeC, Spain)

At its most recent meeting on April 8, 2025, the EOTA General Assembly appointed María Bento from ITeC, Spain, as the new Chair of the Technical Board. We wanted to take this opportunity and talk with her about her new role, the new Construction Products Regulation and the future of the ETA route to CE marking.

Interviewer: Elisabeth Bata, Österreichisches Institut für Bautechnik

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Elisabeth: María, we are pleased that you have accepted our invitation to an interview and would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you once again. As not all our readers are deeply familiar with the European Organisation for Technical Assessments (EOTA) please explain the key responsibilities of EOTA’s Technical Board. Who can attend EOTA Technical Board meetings?

María: Thank you for the invitation and for your congratulations. The EOTA Technical Board (TB) plays a key role in managing all technical matters in EOTA, especially those related to European Assessment Documents (EADs) and European Technical Assessments (ETAs). It also coordinates and follows up on the work of EOTA Project Teams (PTs) and technical Working Groups (WGs). Regarding attendance, the Technical Assessment Bodies (TABs) are the main participants. In addition, both the European Commission and industry representatives can also attend TB meetings as observers.

Elisabeth: The members and observers of EOTA come from various countries and institutions, which gives the organisation a unique diversity – both geographically and in terms of technical expertise. Why is this diversity so important, and what advantages does it offer?

María: Diversity makes us stronger. Our members come from different Member States and backgrounds, bringing to the table various points of view and experiences linked to the corresponding national regulations. This helps a lot when developing EADs for very different innovative products and their intended uses. It ensures that our documents are useful in Europe and beyond. Diversity brings better ideas and more balanced decisions.

Elisabeth: The new Construction Products Regulation (CPR) entered into force on January 8, 2025, and will apply (with a few exceptions) 12 months later. How does this regulation impact the work of EOTA, and what are the priorities of your agenda as the new TB chair to ensure a smooth transition to the new CPR?

María: The new CPR will have an important impact not only on EOTA activities but also on the whole internal market for construction products. Regarding the ETA route, the new CPR keeps the core of the previous process. However, we are moving to a more digital approach and adding detailed sustainability features. Both aspects present great opportunities. They also affect how we prepare documents, how transparent the process should be, and how we ensure traceability and digitalisation. My priority is to help all of us adapt, provide clear guidance, and make sure we continue delivering ETAs smoothly to the market, while complying with the new legal framework. This transition is very important for EOTA and even more so for the industry who is in the driver’s seat of the ETA route.

Elisabeth: The ETA route is a reliable and successful pathway to CE marking although it is voluntary. According to EOTA Annual Report EOTA TABs issued 1 478 ETAs in 2024 and 15 005 ETAs total within Europe and globally. What is your perspective on the role of the ETA under the new CPR in addition to the harmonised standards?

María: ETAs will remain very important under the new CPR. Not all products will be able to follow harmonised technical specifications. The ETA route offers a pathway for innovative products to get CE marking. The industry needs flexibility and solutions adapted to specific cases. The ETA route will continue to offer this, and I see it as a key complement to the harmonised technical specifications now and in the future.

Elisabeth: You have years of experience with the EOTA route and its bureaucracy. If you had the opportunity to enhance one aspect of the ETA process within the new CPR framework, what would it be?

María: Interesting question! If I could improve something, it would be to make the process simpler and faster. Sometimes, the procedure can be a bit too complex and slow, which makes it difficult for manufacturers, especially smaller ones. We are already working on digital tools and better guidance to make EADs and ETAs easier to prepare and understand, and I believe this is the right direction to continue.

Elisabeth: Thank you for your time! We look forward to a successful collaboration.