Charter for hosting circuses in towns - Circostrada
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Standardization of Circus Facilities

Description of Problem and Brussels Work:

In the hearing before the Parliament’s Culture Committee, one of our speakers explained how different requirements concerning temporary structures created obstacles for movement of circuses. Specifically, the speaker explained that there were conflicting requirements among Member States and localities for placement of tent poles, fire equipment, type of canvas required/prohibited, etc.

The Parliament’s Resolution (13 October 2005) calls upon the European Commission, following consultations with the European circus community, to create a standardization mandate for the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) to prepare a comprehensive set of standards relevant to mobile circus facilities to facilitate the movement of circuses among Member States through harmonization and thereby contribute to the conservation of the European classical circus and public safety.

The European Commission has responded that it “is ready to investigate the need for further European standards with the circus community.”

Temporary Structures – Tents –Safety Standard:

In November 2005, the CEN standard for Temporary Structures – Tents – Safety, a standard that had been in the works for some time, was completed and published. This European standard EN 13782 can be ordered at CEN the European Committee for Standardization. It is available in English German and French. ECA members can find the document in the ECA members part on this website. Contrary national standards must be withdrawn by Member States no later than May 2006. The Tents standard covers manufacture, installation, maintenance, operation, examination and testing of mobile tents of more than 50 m2. Some requirements also apply to smaller tents. Use and operation requirements cover, inter alia, examination of installation, design of emergency exits, layout of escape routes, and requirements for stairs, heating and cooking systems, fire extinguishers and electrical fittings. Design and manufacturer requirements include emergency exit requirements, materials used, connection and welding and textile connection.

In some cases, the requirements are set entirely by the new European Standard. In other cases, national norms still apply because they are more detailed than the European Standard (e.g., burning behaviour of materials).

Legal Status of European Standards: 

• European Standards adopted by the CEN are to be adopted at the national level and conflicting national standards are to be withdrawn within a set period of time. European Standards are not laws, however. They are “norms” which means that activities in compliance with the norms will be accepted by regulatory authorities (i.e., a tent that meets all the requirements of the Tents standard will be allowed for use). It is possible that Member States impose the norms, however, as requirements. They could therefore impose an obligation that all tents meet the requirements of the Tents Standards but normally provision is made to transition old tents, etc. If a circus is in compliance with existing norms, it can use this to counter any local community requirements that are inconsistent.