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CE Marking Guide: 2014/53/EU Radio Equipment Directive (RED)
Directive 2014/53/EU — the Radio Equipment Directive (RED) — is the primary EU regulatory framework for radio equipment placed on the EU market. It replaced the R&TTE Directive (1999/5/EC) from June 13, 2017. This guide covers its scope, essential requirements, harmonised standards, and the CE marking process.
Scope of the Radio Equipment Directive
The RED applies to radio equipment — any electrical or electronic product that intentionally emits and/or receives radio waves for the purpose of radio communication and/or radio determination. This includes:
- Mobile phones, smartphones, tablets with cellular or Wi-Fi/Bluetooth
- Wi-Fi access points, routers, repeaters
- Bluetooth and short-range wireless devices
- Satellite navigation receivers (GNSS)
- Amateur radio equipment
- Radar equipment (certain categories)
- Software Defined Radio (SDR) platforms
Products that only receive radio waves without intentionally transmitting (e.g., AM/FM radio receivers) may fall under the EMC Directive (2014/30/EU) instead of the RED, unless they are broadcast radio receivers within RED scope. Products connecting to the public switched telephone network are also within RED scope.
ⓘ The RED and EMC Directive can apply simultaneously to the same product — a radio device that also has significant non-radio EMC emissions and immunity obligations may need to satisfy requirements under both directives.
Essential Requirements of the RED (Article 3)
Article 3.1(a) — Health and Safety
Protection of health and safety of persons and domestic animals, and protection of property. This includes electrical safety (typically IEC 62368-1, IEC 60950-1 legacy, or IEC 60601-1 for medical devices) and RF exposure (SAR limits per EN 50360 / EN 62209 series).
Article 3.1(b) — Electromagnetic Compatibility
The radio equipment must not impair the radio spectrum and must not cause harmful interference. EMC harmonised standards applicable under the RED (EN 301 489 series for most radio equipment, or product family standards like EN 55032 for multimedia).
Article 3.2 — Efficient Use of Radio Spectrum
Radio equipment must be constructed to use the radio spectrum efficiently. This is addressed by the radio performance harmonised standards — the ETSI EN 300 series and EN 301 series covering the specific radio technology (e.g., EN 300 328 for 2.4 GHz wideband, EN 301 893 for 5 GHz RLAN, EN 300 440 for SRDs).
Article 3.3 — Additional Requirements (Delegated Acts)
The Commission may activate additional requirements for specific categories of radio equipment via delegated acts. Active examples include: cybersecurity requirements for IoT (Delegated Regulation EU 2022/30, mandatory from August 2025) and interoperability requirements for certain wearables and accessories (EU 2023/826, mandatory from June 2025).
Harmonised Standards and ETSI Testing
Compliance with harmonised standards (published in the Official Journal of the EU) provides a presumption of conformity with the essential requirements. Key standards families for RED compliance include:
- ETSI EN 301 489 series — EMC for radio equipment (specific to each radio type)
- ETSI EN 300 328 — Wideband data transmission at 2.4 GHz (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee)
- ETSI EN 301 893 — 5 GHz RLAN (Wi-Fi)
- ETSI EN 300 440 — Short range devices 1 GHz to 40 GHz
- ETSI EN 300 220 — Short range devices 25 MHz to 1 GHz
- EN 62368-1 / IEC 62368-1 — Safety (A/V, IT, and communication equipment)
- EN 50360 / EN 62209 — RF exposure / SAR limits for mobile and portable devices
Compatible Electronics performs ETSI RED testing at three Southern California labs — covering EN 301 489, EN 300 328, EN 301 893, EN 300 440, and more.
ETSI RED Testing →
CE Marking Process Under the RED
1
Determine Applicable Directives and Standards
Confirm the product falls under RED scope. Identify which Article 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 requirements apply and the relevant harmonised standards.
2
Perform Conformity Assessment Testing
Testing to the harmonised standards by an accredited laboratory. For most RED products, the manufacturer can self-declare (Module A — internal production control). For certain radio categories where no harmonised standard exists, a Notified Body may be required.
3
Compile Technical Documentation
The technical file must include: product description, design drawings, list of harmonised standards applied, test reports, risk assessment, and the EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC).
4
Issue EU Declaration of Conformity
The manufacturer (or their EU authorised representative) signs and issues the EU DoC, which must include the product identification, list of applicable directives, list of harmonised standards, and the signatory's details.
5
Affix CE Mark and Register if Required
The CE mark is affixed to the product (and packaging). For radio equipment, a radio equipment notification may be required in some member states before market placement.
CE Marking / RED Testing at Compatible Electronics
We perform ETSI RED testing, EN 301 489 EMC testing, and RF exposure evaluation at three Southern California labs — providing test data for your EU Declaration of Conformity.
www.celectronics.com
