Radio Equipment Directive

What this standard covers and how we test it

The Radio Equipment Directive replaced the R&TTE Directive in 2016 and covers every product that intentionally transmits or receives radio waves for communication or radiolocation. Article 3.1(a) is safety, 3.1(b) is EMC, 3.2 is efficient use of the spectrum, and the cybersecurity requirements of 3.3(d), (e) and (f) now apply to the product types listed there.

How the three articles are covered:

• Safety to EN IEC 62368-1, or the toy, medical or automotive route where it applies
• EMC to the EN 301 489 series, measured while the radio transmits
• Spectrum to the EN 300 or EN 301 part for each band the product uses
• Technical documentation, EU declaration of conformity, and the notified-body route when a harmonised standard is not applied

Following harmonised standards keeps the file self-declared. Deviating from them means a notified body has to be involved, and that decision belongs at the specification stage rather than after the tests have run.

We normally test 2014/53/EU together with EU 2014/53/EU: one sample set, one set of test dates, and a single report pack that the declaration of conformity can reference.