Radio Equipment Directive (RED) 2014/53/EU

• The Radio Equipment Directive (RED 2014/53/EU) regulates the placing of radio equipment on the EU market.

• It applies to radio equipment that intentionally transmits or receives radio waves for communication or positioning (e.g. smartphones, routers, IoT devices).

• Key requirements include safety, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), and efficient use of the radio spectrum.

• CE marking is mandatory and based on a conformity assessment and an EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC).

• Cybersecurity requirements under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 have applied to defined categories of radio equipment since August 1, 2025.

Assess the following areas for your radio equipment:

Safety Requirements

Assess risks to people, domestic animals and property, including intended use and reasonably foreseeable conditions. The LVD safety objectives apply without voltage limits.

Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)

Check both:

• Emissions: Disturbances generated must not exceed the level above which other equipment cannot operate as intended.

• Immunity: The product must have sufficient immunity to operate without unacceptable degradation under the electromagnetic disturbances expected in its intended use.

Radio Frequency Spectrum Efficiency

Assess effective and efficient spectrum use and the avoidance of harmful interference across the product’s intended operating conditions and configurations.

Common-Charger Requirements

For specified categories of equipment capable of wired charging, Article 3(4) and Annex Ia also set common-charger requirements, including USB Type-C and, where applicable, USB Power Delivery. They have applied to the listed categories since December 28, 2024, except for laptops, for which they have applied since April 28, 2026.

The RED covers products that intentionally transmit or receive radio waves for communication or positioning, even when radio is a secondary function. Examples include mobile phones, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices, radio-enabled IoT products and automotive radio systems. The following exclusions apply only under their specific legal conditions.

Overview of Legal Obligations

To legally place radio equipment on the EU market, manufacturers must meet the essential requirements of the Radio Equipment Directive (RED). These include:

• Ensuring product safety, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), and efficient use of the radio spectrum.

• Meeting the applicable cybersecurity requirements under Article 3(3)(d)–(f) for the categories covered by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30, applicable since August 1, 2025.

• Conducting a conformity assessment and issuing an EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC).

• Affixing the CE marking visibly, legibly, and durably to the equipment or data plate, unless its nature makes this impossible or unwarranted, and visibly and legibly to the packaging.

• Preparing and retaining technical documentation and the EU DoC for 10 years, and supplying documentation on a reasoned request from a competent authority.

Choose the assessment route for each applicable RED requirement. Module A is the manufacturer’s own assessment; B+C and H involve a Notified Body.

• Mandatory involvement: Article 17(4) requires a Notified Body for spectrum or applicable additional requirements without full harmonized standards coverage, as defined above.

• Voluntary involvement: Where Module A is available, you may instead choose B+C or H. A laboratory test report does not replace a required Notified Body assessment.

Manufacturers must prepare the technical documentation before placing radio equipment on the market, keep it up to date, and retain it together with the EU Declaration of Conformity for 10 years after the equipment has been placed on the market. The file must support assessment of the applicable requirements and include, where relevant:

• A device description, technical specifications, and software or firmware versions affecting conformity

• Design and manufacturing information, such as schematics and circuit diagrams

• Risk assessment, the applied standards, and explanations of alternative compliance solutions

• Test reports, the EU Declaration of Conformity, and the EU-type examination certificate where Module B applies

• User instructions and safety information

Manufacturers must provide the necessary documentation on a reasoned request from a competent authority during market surveillance.

Step 1: Determine Requirements

• Check whether your product falls within the RED scope

• Identify applicable EU requirements and harmonized standards

• Define the appropriate conformity assessment route (A, B+C, or H)

Step 2: Prepare Documentation

• Compile technical documentation and risk assessment

• Document the applied standards and any alternative solutions used to meet the requirements

Step 3: Testing & Conformity Assessment

• Perform required tests (internally or via external lab)

• Involve a Notified Body where Article 17 requires it, or by choosing B+C or H voluntarily

• Issue the EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC)

Step 4: CE Marking & Market Access

• Apply the CE marking to the product and packaging

• Maintain series-production conformity and procedures for corrective action

• Retain the technical documentation and EU DoC for 10 years

Cybersecurity: Check whether the Article 3(3)(d)–(f) requirements apply to your product category before selecting the assessment route. See Cybersecurity Requirements.

Which Requirements Apply to Your Product?

Since August 1, 2025, Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 has applied RED Article 3(3)(d)–(f) to defined equipment categories. The corresponding EN 18031 standards are listed in the Official Journal with restrictions:

• Network protection — EN 18031-1:2024: Radio equipment that can communicate over the internet, directly or through another device.

• Privacy and data protection — EN 18031-2:2024: Internet-connected radio equipment, equipment designed exclusively for childcare, toys and wearables, where it can process personal, traffic or location data.

• Fraud protection — EN 18031-3:2024: Internet-connected radio equipment that enables transfers of money, monetary value or virtual currency.

Sector-specific exceptions: Equipment subject to the MDR or IVDR is exempt from all three cybersecurity requirements. Article 2 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 exempts specified aviation, vehicle and electronic road-toll equipment from the privacy and fraud requirements only. These are not general RED exemptions.

Limits of the Presumption of Conformity

• All three parts: “Rationale” and “Guidance” sections do not themselves confer a presumption of conformity.

• All three parts: No presumption arises if applying the password clauses allows users not to set and use a password.

• Part 2: No presumption for privacy protection where parental or guardian access control is not ensured for the specified equipment categories.

• Part 3: The assessment criteria in clause 6.3.2.4 do not confer a presumption for fraud protection.

See Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/138 for the restrictions. If the standards are not fully applied or do not fully cover the applicable requirement for your product, Article 17(4) requires B+C or H with a Notified Body for that requirement.

For testing and assessment support, see our IoT cybersecurity certification page.

IoT and RED Compliance

Radio-enabled sensors, gateways and smart-home products can fall within these categories. Assess the product’s communication and data-processing capabilities against the requirements above.

The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA, Regulation (EU) 2024/2847) is a separate framework with phased application:

• September 11, 2026: CRA Article 14 reporting obligations for actively exploited vulnerabilities and severe incidents affecting product security started applying to manufacturers of products within the CRA’s scope.

• December 11, 2027: The CRA’s main obligations apply, and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 is repealed by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/339.

For equipment placed on the EU market between August 1, 2025 and December 10, 2027 and subject to these cybersecurity requirements, RED market surveillance continues after repeal.

5G and Spectrum Use

5G radio equipment is assessed against the applicable RED requirements. Relevant parts of the EN 301 908 series can support the spectrum assessment within the scope of their Official Journal listing. National spectrum-use conditions must also be checked.

Multi-Radio and Configurable Equipment

The assessment must consider all intended operating conditions and all possible configurations. For safety, reasonably foreseeable conditions must also be considered. These principles apply to multi-radio products and software-configurable equipment.

Summary

Identify the requirements that apply to the product, check the relevant standards and listing restrictions, and document the chosen conformity assessment route before placing the equipment on the market.