In an effort to update and consolidate requirement for radio equipment and to eliminate overlap with other directives, the EU Commission has released a new directive intended to cover all products that utilize the radio frequency spectrum.
Published in May 2014 in the Official Journal of the European Union, the new Radio Equipment Directive (2014/53/EU) is intended to replace the EU’s Directive 1999/5/EC covering radio equipment and telecommunications terminal equipment (the so-called R&TTE Directive).
According to the EU Commission, the new Directive has been aligned with the EU’s new legislative framework for products in an effort to provide a more consistent application of requirements. New requirements include:
- More specific requirements regarding the efficient use of the radio spectrum
- More clearly defined obligations for manufacturers, importers and distributors
- More stringent traceability requirements to improve market surveillance
- In some cases, prior notification requirements for radio equipment categories characterized by low levels of compliance
The requirements under the new Radio Equipment Directive will come into full effect in June 2016. In the interim, EU member states will be required to take the necessary steps to transpose the Directive’s essential requirements into their respective national laws.
Read the complete text of the EU’s new Radio Equipment Directive.
