What is the Radio Equipment Directive (RED)?

The RED is an EU directive for placing radio equipment on the EU market. It sets out the essential requirements such as the safety of individuals, domestic animals and property, electromagnetic compatibility, and efficient use of the radio spectrum.

Products covered by the Radio Equipment Directive (RED)

The RED covers radio equipment operating at frequencies below 3,000 GHz. This includes Wi-Fi, LTE, 3G/4G/5G, GPS, active RFID, and Bluetooth enabled devices. Here are some product examples:

Wireless earphones

Active RFID tags

Smartphones

Smartwatches

Fitness trackers

GPS navigation devices

Product Exemptions

Annex I of the RED specifies exempted products, including:

Amateur radio kits

Marine radio equipment

Airborne related products

Custom-built kits for R&D evaluation

EN Standards

The European Commission provides a list of harmonized standards applicable to a wide range of products that fall into the scope of the Radio Equipment Directive (RED).

EN 55035 – Electromagnetic compatibility of multimedia equipment

EN 55035 specifies electromagnetic immunity requirements for a wide range of consumer electronic products, including audio and video equipment, and broadcast equipment. The standard include both test methods and limit values.

EN 50360 – Product standard to demonstrate the compliance of wireless communication devices

EN 50360 is applicable to wireless communication devices ranging from 300 MHz to 6 GHz such as mobile phones and wireless headsets. It provides the basic restrictions and exposure limit related to the electromagnetic fields, mobile communication systems, telecommunication systems, and mobile radio systems.

EN 300 422 – Wireless Microphones; Audio PMSE up to 3 GHz

EN 300 422 covers the technical requirements, testing methods, and limits for transmitter parameters of wireless microphones and related equipment.

EN 301 357 – Cordless audio devices in the range 25 MHz to 2 000 MHz

EN 301 357 covers cordless audio devices that fall into the scope of the RED. It specifies testing requirements such as external frequency control test, integral antenna test, and internal RF test.

EN 300 220 – Short Range Devices (SRD) operating in the frequency range 25 MHz to 1000 MHz

EN 300 220 covers technical characteristic and test method of short-range devices equipment range 25 MHz to 1 GHz, such as CCTV, gate openers, movement detectors, and remote control. Also, it provides the required technical performances of the test equipment such as spectrum analyzer and signal generators.

EN 300 328 – Wideband transmission systems

EN 300 328 is applicable to Wide Band Data Transmission equipment such as Bluetooth wireless technologies, Zigbee, and more. It sets out the technical requirements specifications including modulation and equipment types. Also, it provides the conformance requirements of RF output power, accumulated transmit time, hopping frequency separation, and others.

EN 302 065-1 Short Range Devices (SRD) using Ultra Wide Band technology (UWB)

EN 302 065-1 applies to transceivers, transmitters, and receivers using UWB technologies for short-range applications. It specifies the testing methods needed to comply with technical requirements, conformance test suits, and technical requirements specifications. Also, it includes the measurement of antenna, preamplifier, and cable specifications.