Abstract: In a composite panel with a core plate (1), a cover plate (2) glued to the upper side of core plate (1), an edge strip glued to an edge (4) of the core plate (1) and a protective sheet (3) or the like glued to the underside of the core plate (1) in which a drip groove (7), running essentially parallel to the edge (4), is provided on the underside of core plate (1) at a certain distance from its edge (4), considerable production simplification and, simultaneously, a considerably improved protection from water drops running in on the underside of the composite panel are attained, by drip groove (7) being put directly into core plate (1), by the cover plate (2) being pulled around to the underside of core plate (1) and/or protective sheet (3) or the like glued to the underside being pulled into drip groove (7) as far as possible and by the area of the drip groove (7) that is not covered by the cover plate (2) and/or protective sheet (2) or the like, including the free edges of the cover plate (2) and/or the prot