EN 13567 and the protection levels.

The standard and its edition

The edition in force is EN 13567:2002+A1:2007. The French standards body AFNOR lists its national version, NF EN 13567+A1, as published in June 2007 and current, replacing NF EN 13567 of September 2002. Its title covers protective clothing for fencers: hand, arm, chest, abdomen, leg, genital and face protectors, with requirements and test methods. As the AFNOR catalogue gives it, the 2002 title did not include "chest".

According to catalogue summaries, the standard sets general requirements for ergonomics, sizing, the area protected and the performance of fencing protective clothing and equipment, plus marking, information the maker must supply, test methods and performance levels.

The revision in progress

A revision, prEN 13567 rev, is being developed at CEN/TC 162, the committee for protective clothing including hand and arm protection and lifejackets. The Genorma standards catalogue lists its comment period as closed on 28 January 2025 (stage 20.60), with Regulation (EU) 2016/425 on personal protective equipment as the related legislation. A search summary of another catalogue said the revision was approved as a new CEN project on 1 October 2024; that page was not opened, so the date is unconfirmed. No content or timetable for the revised standard was found.

How bodies describe the levels

• British Fencing calls the FIE kit "FIE CEN Level 2" (FIE and EFC equipment rules, 13 March 2026), and its Safety Guidelines (23rd edition) say it sets minimum clothing standards in line with the European CEN standards, with CEN Level 1 about 350 N.
• The FIE's 2009 homologation handbook says EC tests of clothing, under-plastrons and masks for FIE homologation were made to EN 13567 level 2, and that the FIE-approved M2009 foil masks followed EN 13567 level 2.
• The FIE's current text states its requirements in newtons. In the August 2026 Material Rules the only 350 N figure is the sabre glove cuff (m.33.1); the 350 N clothing level comes from the standard and national rules.

Levels and FIE approval are different things

British Fencing's markings page (as at 13 March 2026) separates three marks. The CE mark is the maker's declaration that the item complies with EU law, and equipment without it is not legal for sale in the UK or mainland Europe. CEN Level 2 is required for certain national and European Fencing Confederation or FIE competitions, but meeting it does not make an item FIE-approved. An FIE mark means the FIE has approved the item, so a jacket marked 800N without the FIE mark is not approved for FIE competitions. The FIE Material Rules (August 2026) describe FIE homologation tests as made against both the FIE rules and CE/EC standards (Annexe A).

The FIE's SEMI minutes of July 2014 record that the CEN standards were then due for revision and that the SEMI had received documents comparing FIE homologation with the CEN rules, with the aim of bringing them into line. The same minutes record a maker telling the SEMI that the CEN standard did not then require back straps on masks; that is the maker's statement as minuted.

A maker's description (claims)

• Leon Paul, a maker, states on its US site that 350N (CEN Level 1) is the minimum standard for fencing protective clothing and adequate for non-electric and children's fencing, and that FIE approval of uniform material requires CEN Level 2 (800N). It also says standard masks have a 350N bib and FIE-approved masks a 1600N bib.

The standard in regulators' hands

EN 13567 has been used in European enforcement. European Commission Decision 2011/49/EU (25 January 2011) upheld a United Kingdom prohibition on a fencing jacket and breeches sold as "Jiang 350N Stretch", after a UK test report found insufficient penetration resistance under EN 13567:2002. The case is set out on recalls and incidents.

Outside Europe

Fencing Ontario reported on 5 April 2018 that the Canadian competition standard, including Canada Cups, required 350N masks and clothing, and that the FIE does not regulate 350N equipment or national standards for domestic use; no current Fencing Canada document was found to confirm the present rule. British Fencing's markings page says buyers of non-FIE protective equipment from outside Europe need to check that its standard is equivalent. National levels with dates are on national equipment rules.