Establishment and Development of Croatian Quality Control System for Wood-Based Panels in Accordance with European Technical Regulations

Abstract

After reaching its independence, Croatia’s (CRO) main economic goal was to enter the international market and join the European Union (EU). As foreign trade relations developed, it was necessary toestablish a quality control system for wood-based panels. The development of the quality system started at the State Offi ce for Standardization and Metrology (SOSM). The Faculty of Forestry was intensively involved in all activities related to the establishment of the quality system, such as the establishment of testing laboratories, education, certifi cation, quality control, work in technical committees, and special activities were directed towards the implementation of technical regulations in wood technology practice. The system was fi rst introduced by the Order of obligatory certifi cation of particleboard panels for general use and construction (Offi cial Gazette “Sl. list” 61/83), based on laws of the former state. In accordance with the Order, in 1995 SOSM authorized the Faculty of Forestry for conducting the certifi cation of particleboards. The Ministry of Economy was also included in the development of the system in areas not covered by the Order and regulations under SOSM’s jurisdiction. In the field of wood-based panels, a respectable system was built by the end of 1998. The next step was the preparation of technical regulations with the implementation of harmonized European standards. However, for reasons beyond understanding, the system completely collapsed, and in early 2004 it practically ceased to exist. The Ministry of Economy and the Croatian Government abolished all decisions on quality control of wood-based panels, except the obligatorily certifi cation of particleboards performed by SOSM, and it stopped its activities in 2003. The Ministry of Environmental Protection, Physical Planning and Construction (MEPPPC), as the competent institution, took over the certifi cation of particleboards after a whole year of lack of any quality control of wood-based panels, and implemented the European standards for particleboards into technical regulations for construction. However, the certification of particleboards is still performed in accordance with standards of the former state. In the attempt to enact the Technical Regulation for wood-based panels, initiated by the Ministry of Regional Development, Forestry and Water Management (MRDFWM), no consensus was reached, due to the application of wood-based panels both in the area of general use and in the fi eld of construction.

Keywords

• wood-based panels
• quality control
• TC 89
• technical regulation
• European standards