Radio Equipment Directive (RED)

What does the Radio Equipment Directive regulate?

The Radio Equipment Directive (RED) 2014/53/EU was introduced to ensure manufacturing standards for radio products concerning the impact on consumer health and safety and electromagnetic compatibility. All devices that generate and receive electromagnetic signals for communication or positioning are affected. It includes radios, smartphones or remote controls.

What is the purpose of product conformity testing in RED?

Alongside the Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU and the EMC Directive 2014/30/EU, the Radio Equipment Directive is one of the most critical regulatory instruments for placing electronic products on the market. Tests according to this directive guarantee that when a wireless product is installed correctly maintained, and used as intended, it does not pose a risk to the user (e.g. interference with a pacemaker due to excessive radiation from a device or data theft due to cyber-attacks). And also confirm tests that such products do not interfere with other telecommunications equipment and radio equipment in their operation. Confirmation of conformity of radio equipment is mandatory for manufacturers or their authorised representatives to import a product into the EU and legally distribute it on the market. If a device is not compliant, sanctions can be the consequence. Further distribution may be prohibited, or the product concerned may be withdrawn from the market.

Which products are covered by the Radio Equipment Directive?

A conformity assessment is required from radio and television receivers to garage door openers and surveillance systems for residential buildings. The following devices and products are also covered by RED:

• Wi-Fi enabled devices: cameras, video game consoles, smartphones, laptops.
• Bluetooth-enabled devices: headphones, mice and keyboards, speakers, watches, microphones
• 3G/4G/5G-enabled devices: computers and laptops, smartphones, 3G/4G/5G mobile routers, tablets
• RFID devices
• Mobile emergency transmitters
• Televisions and radio receivers: tuned radio frequency (TRF) receivers, super-regenerative receivers, heterodyne receivers, direct conversion receivers
• GPS transceivers: for surveying purposes, GPS transmitters/receivers for mapping purposes
• Naval and aeronautical communications equipment
• Radar systems: for motor vehicles and surveillance, bistatic radars, Doppler radars, FMCW radars
• Base stations for mobile radio networks and earth stations for satellites
• Some products are exempt from the Radio Equipment Directive. These include, for example, amateur radio kits, inductive heating equipment, surgical radio frequency equipment for medical use or test equipment that uses radio waves.

How to comply correctly with the Radio Equipment Directive

testxchange helps you obtain all the necessary certificates to bring your wireless products to market in compliance with the regulations so that your products finally comply with the RED. The experts at testxchange are familiar with the requirements and the norms and standards of the directive and provide you with comprehensive advice - if desired, already in the product development phase. For the tests, testxchange has access to an extensive network of test laboratories worldwide, for standards such as:

• EN 300 220: Short-range devices (SRD) operating in the frequency range 25 MHz to 1000 MHz.
• EN 300 328: Broadband transmission systems
• EN 300 330: Short-range devices (SRD) - radio equipment operating in the frequency range 9 kHz to 25 MHz and inductive loop systems using in the frequency range 9 kHz to 30 MHz
• EN 300 440: Short-range devices (SRD) - Radio equipment to be used in the frequency range 1 GHz to 40 GHz
• EN 301 489-17: Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) standard for radio equipment and services - Part 17: Specific conditions for wideband data transmission systems - Harmonised EN for electromagnetic compatibility
• EN 301 511: Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) - Mobile station equipment
• EN 301 783: Commercially available amateur radio equipment
• EN 301 893: 5 GHz RLAN
• EN 301 908-1: IMT cellular networks
• EN 303 345: Broadcast receivers
• EN 303 413: Satellite Earth Stations and Systems (SES) - Receivers for the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) - radio equipment to be used in the frequency bands 1 164 MHz to 1 300 MHz and 1 559 MHz to 1 610 MHz
• EN 62209-2: Safety of persons in high-frequency fields of hand-held and body-worn cordless communication equipment
• DIN 85005-36: Ships and marine technology - Graphical symbols for technical documentation - Part 36: Radio, teletype and communication equipment