Glass Standards Explained: EN 12150 vs EN 12543 vs EN 1279 (CE Guide)
EN 12150, EN 12543 and EN 1279 explained — what each CE glass standard covers, test requirements and the documents to request from your supplier. A practical import guide by Clariglass.
Glass Standards Explained: EN 12150 vs EN 12543 vs EN 1279 — CE Guide for Importers
If you import glass to Europe, three CE standards appear on every quotation: EN 12150, EN 12543 and EN 1279. Here is what each one means, which glass types they cover, and what documents your supplier should provide.
EN 12150 — Thermally Toughened (Tempered) Safety Glass
Covers tempered (toughened) safety glass. The glass is heated to about 700°C and rapidly cooled, giving 4-5x the strength of annealed glass and safe breakage into small granules.
Applies to: tempered glass for shower doors, railings, partitions, table tops, spandrel panels.
Key requirement: fragmentation test — the glass must break into small, blunt pieces.
What you receive: CE marking, Declaration of Performance (DoP), fragmentation test report.EN 12543 — Laminated Safety Glass
Covers laminated glass: two or more panes bonded with PVB or SGP interlayer. On impact, fragments adhere to the interlayer — the opening stays covered.
Applies to: laminated glass for overhead glazing, balconies, storefronts, floor glass.
Key requirement: impact and adhesion tests; interlayer thickness classes (e.g. 0.76mm, 1.52mm).
What you receive: CE marking, DoP, impact test report.
EN 1279 — Insulated Glass Units (Double Glazing)
Covers insulated glass units (IGU): two or more panes with spacer, desiccant and sealants, optionally argon-filled and Low-E coated.
Applies to: double and triple glazing for windows, curtain walls, energy-saving buildings.
Key requirements: gas leakage rate, moisture penetration (fogging test), U-value verification.
What you receive: CE marking, DoP, U-value and dew-point test reports.Other Standards Worth Knowing
CCC: mandatory Chinese certification for safety glass used in China.
ASTM C1048: US standard for heat-treated glass (common for US-bound projects).
ANSI Z97.1: US safety glazing impact test.
SGCC / IGCC: US certification marks.
What to Ask Your Supplier
- CE Declaration of Performance (DoP) with the exact standard and glass description
- Test reports from an accredited lab for the batch
- Factory audit or live video tour
Clariglass supplies tempered glass CE certified to EN 12150 and CCC, with test reports for every batch — plus laminated, insulated and mirror glass produced to EN 12543 / EN 1279 standards, shipping to 30+ countries.
