What is the fundamental difference between Flame Retardant and Fire Resistant cables ?

This is a critical distinction for fire safety planning:

Flame Retardant (e.g., IEC 60332): Designed to resist the spread of fire along the cable length. It self-extinguishes but will eventually lose electrical functionality if the core is burned.

Fire Resistant (e.g., IEC 60331 / BS 6387): Designed to maintain circuit integrity and continue operating during a fire. These are mandatory for emergency lighting, fire alarms, and smoke extraction systems where power must stay on during an evacuation.