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RED CE / Product Safety 11 min Changing in the next 12 months

RED: Radio Equipment Directive (Directive 2014/53/EU), explained

The Radio Equipment Directive sets the essential requirements, from safety and electromagnetic compatibility to USB-C charging, that radio equipment must meet before manufacturers, importers or distributors place it on the EU market. It has applied since 13 June 2016; common charger rules cover laptops from 28 April 2026, and the emergency procedures of Directive (EU) 2024/2749 from 30 May 2026.

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Reviewed 24 September 2026 by Conphora compliance team · Next review 13 March 2027 · Not legal advice

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Who it applies to

Covered by the act

  • Electrical or electronic products that intentionally emit or receive radio waves below 3 000 GHz for radio communication or radiodetermination, or that must be completed with an accessory such as an antenna to do so
  • Consumer electronics, IoT devices, smartphones, tablets, laptops, wearables, toys and childcare products with radio functions, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, GNSS, RFID and radar modules and the products that incorporate them
  • Radio equipment placed on the market or put into service in the Union, including equipment sold online to EU end users
  • The economic operators in the chain: manufacturers, authorised representatives, importers and distributors
  • For the categories in Annex Ia, the charging receptacle, charging protocol, charging label and the option to buy without a charging device

Derived and downstream products

  • Radio equipment in scope is not subject to the Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU, but must meet its safety objectives with no voltage limit as part of the Article 3(1)(a) essential requirement (Art. 1(4) and Art. 3(1)(a))
  • Products that combine radio equipment and software are assessed in all intended combinations, and manufacturers of both must provide information on compliant combinations where the Commission designates the category (Art. 4 and Art. 17(1))
  • An importer or distributor that sells under its own name or trade mark, or modifies radio equipment in a way that may affect compliance, is treated as the manufacturer (Art. 14)
  • The Article 3(3) requirements on network protection, privacy and fraud apply to internet-connected equipment, childcare and toy radio equipment, wearables and payment-enabled equipment from 1 August 2025 until 11 December 2027, when Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 is repealed in favour of the Cyber Resilience Act (Delegated Regulations (EU) 2022/30, 2023/2444 and 2026/339)
  • Hand-held mobile phones with computer-like capability must support caller location in emergency communications (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/320)

Roles under the act

Manufacturer (including brand owners)

Any natural or legal person who manufactures radio equipment or has radio equipment designed or manufactured, and markets that equipment under his name or trade mark; an importer or distributor that sells under its own brand or modifies equipment in a way that may affect compliance is treated as the manufacturer.

Source · Art. 2(1), point (12), and Art. 14
Authorised representative

Any natural or legal person established within the Union who has received a written mandate from a manufacturer to act on his behalf in relation to specified tasks; the mandate cannot cover the duty to design and manufacture to the essential requirements or to draw up the technical documentation.

Source · Art. 2(1), point (13), and Art. 11(1)
Importer

Any natural or legal person established within the Union who places radio equipment from a third country on the Union market.

Source · Art. 2(1), point (14)
Distributor (wholesaler or retailer)

Any natural or legal person in the supply chain, other than the manufacturer or the importer, who makes radio equipment available on the market.

Source · Art. 2(1), point (15)

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Does RED apply to your product?

Three questions, a first answer from the regulation’s own scope rules. No account needed.

The rules behind this check
  1. Electrical product with no intentional radio emission or reception · any · any Not in scope Only products that intentionally emit or receive radio waves for radio communication or radiodetermination, or must be completed with an accessory to do so, are radio equipment; other electrical products fall under the Low Voltage and EMC Directives instead. Source · Art. 1(1) and Art. 2(1), point (1)
  2. Radio equipment for radio amateurs that is not made available on the market (kits, self-built or modified equipment), Marine equipment within the scope of the Marine Equipment Directive, Aviation equipment within the EASA basic regulation intended exclusively for airborne use, Custom-built evaluation kit for professionals used solely at research and development facilities · any · any Not in scope Annex I excludes radio amateur equipment that is not made available on the market, marine equipment within the Marine Equipment Directive 2014/90/EU (Annex I still cites its predecessor, Directive 96/98/EC), aviation equipment within Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 intended exclusively for airborne use, and custom-built evaluation kits for research and development. Source · Art. 1(2) and Annex I
  3. Radio equipment used exclusively for public security, defence, State security or criminal law activities · any · any Not in scope The directive does not apply to radio equipment exclusively used for public security, defence, State security or the activities of the State in the area of criminal law. Source · Art. 1(3)
  4. Mobile phone, tablet, camera, headphones, headset, handheld console, portable speaker, e-reader, keyboard, mouse, navigation device, earbuds or laptop with wired charging · Manufacturer (including brand owners), Importer, Distributor (wholesaler or retailer), Authorised representative · any In scope In addition to the general essential requirements, the thirteen Annex Ia categories capable of wired charging must have a USB Type-C receptacle, support USB Power Delivery above 5 V, 3 A or 15 W, carry the charging label and pictogram and be offered without a charging device, from 28 December 2024 and for laptops from 28 April 2026. Source · Art. 3(4), Art. 3a, Art. 10(8) and Annex IaSource · Art. 2(1)
  5. Internet-connected radio equipment, wearable, toy or childcare radio equipment, or equipment used to transfer money · Manufacturer (including brand owners), Importer, Distributor (wholesaler or retailer), Authorised representative · any In scope Internet-connected radio equipment, childcare and toy radio equipment, wearables and payment-enabled equipment placed on the market from 1 August 2025 must also meet the network-protection, privacy and fraud requirements of Article 3(3)(d), (e) and (f), except medical devices (exempt from all three) and, for the privacy and fraud requirements only, equipment covered by the aviation, vehicle-safety or road-toll rules; those requirements cease on 11 December 2027 when the Cyber Resilience Act applies. Source · Art. 1, Art. 2 and Art. 3Source · Art. 1
  6. Consumer or professional device with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, GNSS, RFID or other radio function, Radio module or component built into another product · Manufacturer (including brand owners), Importer, Distributor (wholesaler or retailer), Authorised representative · any In scope Radio equipment may only be made available on the market or put into service if it complies with the directive; the obligations fall on the manufacturer, authorised representative, importer and distributor and contain no company-size threshold. Source · Art. 1(1), Art. 6, Art. 7 and Art. 2(1), point (16)
  7. any · any · any It depends Whether the directive applies turns on whether the product intentionally emits or receives radio waves, whether an Annex I or Article 1(3) exclusion applies, and which role the operator holds. Source · Art. 1 and Art. 2(1)

Key dates

  1. Directive 2014/53/EU adopted by the European Parliament and the Council in Strasbourg Source · title and signature block after Art. 52
  2. Entry into force, the twentieth day after publication in OJ L 153 of 22 May 2014 Source · Art. 51
  3. Deadline for Member States to adopt and publish their transposing laws Source · Art. 49(1)
  4. National measures apply; Directive 1999/5/EC repealed; radio equipment conforming to the previous rules could still be placed on the market until 13 June 2017 Source · Art. 48, Art. 49(1) and Art. 50
  5. Earliest date from which manufacturers must register radio equipment types in categories the Commission designates by delegated act, before placing them on the market Source · Art. 5(1)
  6. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1354 applies: packaging pictogram and instruction text for radio equipment subject to national restrictions on putting into service or authorisation of use Source · Art. 2 and Art. 3
  7. Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 in force: Annex I point 3 redrawn so that only aviation equipment within the EASA basic regulation and intended exclusively for airborne use is excluded, with certified unmanned aircraft on protected aeronautical frequencies Source · Annex I, point 3 (M1)Source
  8. Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/320 applies: hand-held mobile phones with computer-like capability must support caller location through Wi-Fi and Galileo-compatible satellite data in emergency communications (Art. 3(3)(g)) Source · Art. 1 and Art. 2
  9. Directive (EU) 2022/2380 in force: the common charger amendment adds Article 3(4), Article 3a, the charging label in Article 10(8) and Annex Ia; Member States had to transpose by 28 December 2023 Source · Art. 1, Art. 2(1) and Art. 3
  10. Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1717 in force: Annex Ia now references EN IEC 62680-1-3:2022 for the USB Type-C receptacle and cable and EN IEC 62680-1-2:2022 for USB Power Delivery Source · Annex Ia, Part I, points 2 and 3 (M3)Source
  11. Directive (EU) 2024/2839 in force: Member States report on the application of the directive by 12 December 2027 and every five years Source · Art. 4 and Art. 6
  12. Directive (EU) 2024/2749 in force: internal market emergency procedures inserted as Chapter Va (Articles 43a to 43e); transposition by 29 May 2026 Source · Art. 9, Art. 11 and Art. 12
  13. Common charger rules apply to handheld mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, headsets, handheld videogame consoles, portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems and earbuds: USB Type-C receptacle, USB Power Delivery above 15 W, charging label, pictogram and the option to buy without a charger Source · Art. 2(1)Source · Art. 3(4), Art. 3a, Art. 10(8) and Annex Ia, Part I, points 1.1 to 1.12
  14. Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 applies, as amended by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2444: the network-protection, privacy and fraud essential requirements of Article 3(3)(d), (e) and (f) apply to internet-connected radio equipment, childcare and toy radio equipment, wearables and payment-enabled equipment Source · Art. 1 and Art. 3Source · Art. 1
  15. Common charger rules apply to laptops (Annex Ia, Part I, point 1.13) Source · Art. 2(1)
  16. Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/339 in force: it repeals Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 with effect from 11 December 2027, when the Cyber Resilience Act applies in full Source · Art. 1 and Art. 2
  17. National measures transposing the emergency procedures of Directive (EU) 2024/2749 apply Source · Art. 11(2)
  18. Deadline for the Commission's report on the impact of buying radio equipment without a charging device, with a possible proposal for mandatory unbundling Source · Art. 47(3)
  19. Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 repealed: the cybersecurity requirements of Article 3(3)(d), (e) and (f) cease to apply as the Cyber Resilience Act, Regulation (EU) 2024/2847, takes over; equipment placed on the market between 1 August 2025 and 10 December 2027 remains subject to surveillance under them Source · Art. 1 and recitals 4 and 5
  20. Deadline for Member States' first five-yearly report on the application of the directive, covering the period from 13 June 2023 Source · Art. 47(1)

What you must do

Obligations by role

Manufacturer (including brand owners)23
  • Design and manufacture radio equipment to the essential requirements: health and safety of persons, domestic animals and property with the Low Voltage Directive's safety objectives and no voltage limit, an adequate level of electromagnetic compatibility, and effective and efficient use of the radio spectrum to avoid harmful interference. Art. 3(1), Art. 3(2) and Art. 10(1)
  • Where the Commission has designated your category by delegated act, meet the additional Article 3(3) requirements: from 1 August 2025 network protection, privacy and fraud protection for internet-connected, childcare, toy, wearable and payment-enabled equipment, and since 17 March 2022 caller location for smartphones. Art. 3(3)Art. 1 and Art. 3Art. 1
  • For the thirteen Annex Ia categories capable of wired charging, fit a USB Type-C receptacle that stays accessible and operational, accept USB Type-C cables, incorporate USB Power Delivery where charging exceeds 5 V, 3 A or 15 W, and let any additional protocol keep full USB Power Delivery functionality. Art. 3(4) and Annex Ia, Part I
  • Construct the equipment so that it can be operated in at least one Member State without infringing the rules on the use of radio spectrum. Art. 10(2)
  • Draw up the Annex V technical documentation before placing the radio equipment on the market. Art. 10(3) and Art. 21
  • Run the conformity assessment: Annex II internal production control, Annex III EU-type examination or Annex IV full quality assurance, using a notified body where harmonised standards were not or only partly applied for the spectrum and Article 3(3) requirements. Art. 10(3) and Art. 17
  • Where compliance has been demonstrated, draw up the EU declaration of conformity. Art. 10(3) and Art. 18
  • Keep the technical documentation and the EU declaration of conformity for 10 years after the equipment was placed on the market. Art. 10(4)
  • Keep procedures in place for series production to remain in conformity, taking account of changes in design and in the referenced standards. Art. 10(5)
  • Where the risks warrant it, sample-test equipment made available, investigate complaints, keep a register of complaints, non-conforming equipment and recalls, and keep distributors informed. Art. 10(5)
  • Mark the equipment with a type, batch or serial number or other identifier and with your name, registered trade name or trade mark and a single postal contact address, on the equipment or, where size or nature does not allow it, on the packaging or in an accompanying document, in a language end users and authorities understand. Art. 10(6) and Art. 10(7)
  • Supply instructions and safety information in the language the Member State determines, including for transmitting equipment the frequency bands and maximum radio-frequency power, and for Annex Ia equipment the charging specifications and compatible chargers. Art. 10(8) and Annex Ia, Part II
  • For Annex Ia equipment, print the charging label in the instructions and on or affixed to the packaging, and display it near the price in distance selling. Art. 10(8) and Annex Ia, Part IV
  • Accompany each item with a copy of the EU declaration of conformity or a simplified declaration giving the exact internet address of the full text. Art. 10(9)
  • Where national restrictions on putting into service or authorisation of use exist, show the pictogram or the words Restrictions or Requirements in with the Member State abbreviations on the packaging, and list the restrictions in the instructions. Art. 10(10)Art. 2
  • When offering Annex Ia equipment together with a charging device, also offer it without one. Art. 3a(1)
  • Show the Annex Ia Part III pictogram on the packaging or as a sticker stating whether a charger is included, visibly and, in distance selling, close to the price. Art. 3a(2) and Annex Ia, Part III
  • Affix the CE marking visibly, legibly and indelibly to the equipment or its data plate and to the packaging before placing it on the market, followed by the notified body's identification number where the Annex IV procedure was used; the marking may be smaller than 5 mm if it stays legible. Art. 19 and Art. 20
  • If you consider or have reason to believe that equipment you placed on the market does not conform, immediately bring it into conformity, withdraw or recall it, and where it presents a risk inform the competent authorities of the Member States where you made it available with details of the non-compliance and the corrective measures. Art. 10(11)
  • On a reasoned request, provide all information and documentation demonstrating conformity, in paper or electronic form and in a language the authority understands, and cooperate on risk-elimination measures. Art. 10(12)
  • Be able to identify to the market surveillance authorities the economic operators that supplied you and that you supplied, for 10 years. Art. 15
  • Where the Commission designates your category, register the radio equipment type in the central system before placing it on the market, and affix the registration number. Art. 5
  • Where a delegated act requires it, provide statements of compliance for the intended combinations of radio equipment and software. Art. 4
Authorised representative4
  • Act under a written mandate that at least lets you keep the EU declaration of conformity and technical documentation at the disposal of the market surveillance authorities for 10 years, provide conformity information and documentation on reasoned request, and cooperate with the authorities on risk-elimination measures. Art. 11(2)
  • Do not take over the manufacturer's duty to design and manufacture to the essential requirements or to draw up the technical documentation; those cannot form part of the mandate. Art. 11(1)
  • Where the Annex IV procedure applies, affix the notified body's identification number after the CE marking under the body's instructions. Art. 20(3)
  • Be able to identify to the market surveillance authorities the economic operators that supplied you and that you supplied, for 10 years. Art. 15
Importer11
  • Place only compliant radio equipment on the market, and before doing so check that the manufacturer carried out the conformity assessment, that the equipment can operate in at least one Member State within the spectrum rules, that the technical documentation exists, that the CE marking is affixed, that the instructions, declaration of conformity and restriction information accompany it and that the manufacturer's identification and address are applied; hold non-conforming equipment back and inform the manufacturer and the authorities where it presents a risk. Art. 12(1) and Art. 12(2)
  • Indicate your name, registered trade name or trade mark and a postal contact address on the equipment or, where not possible, on its packaging or in an accompanying document, in a language end users and authorities understand. Art. 12(3)
  • Ensure the equipment is accompanied by instructions and safety information in the language the Member State determines. Art. 12(4)
  • For Annex Ia equipment, ensure the charging label is supplied and displayed visibly and, in distance selling, close to the price. Art. 12(4)
  • Keep storage and transport conditions from jeopardising compliance with the essential requirements while the equipment is under your responsibility. Art. 12(5)
  • Where the risks warrant it, sample-test equipment made available, investigate complaints, keep a register of complaints, non-conforming equipment and recalls, and keep distributors informed. Art. 12(6)
  • If equipment you placed on the market does not conform, immediately take corrective measures, withdraw or recall it, and where it presents a risk inform the competent authorities of the Member States concerned. Art. 12(7)
  • Keep a copy of the EU declaration of conformity for 10 years after placing on the market and ensure the technical documentation can be made available on request. Art. 12(8)
  • On a reasoned request, provide all information and documentation demonstrating conformity, in paper or electronic form and in a language the authority understands, and cooperate on risk-elimination measures. Art. 12(9)
  • Be able to identify to the market surveillance authorities the economic operators that supplied you and that you supplied, for 10 years. Art. 15
  • If you place equipment on the market under your own name or trade mark, or modify equipment in a way that may affect compliance, you carry the manufacturer's obligations under Article 10. Art. 14
Distributor (wholesaler or retailer)7
  • Act with due care and, before making equipment available, verify that it bears the CE marking, is accompanied by the required documents and by instructions and safety information in the language of the Member State where it is sold, and that the manufacturer and importer have met their spectrum-operability, identification, address, instruction, declaration and restriction-information duties; hold non-conforming equipment back and inform the manufacturer or importer and the authorities where it presents a risk. Art. 13(1) and Art. 13(2)
  • For Annex Ia equipment, ensure the charging label is supplied and displayed visibly and legibly and, in distance selling, close to the price indication. Art. 13(2), third subparagraph
  • Keep storage and transport conditions from jeopardising compliance with the essential requirements. Art. 13(3)
  • If equipment you made available does not conform, make sure corrective measures are taken to bring it into conformity, withdraw or recall it, and where it presents a risk immediately inform the competent authorities of the Member States concerned. Art. 13(4)
  • On a reasoned request, provide all information and documentation demonstrating conformity, in paper or electronic form and in a language the authority understands, and cooperate on risk-elimination measures. Art. 13(5)
  • Be able to identify to the market surveillance authorities the economic operators that supplied you and that you supplied, for 10 years. Art. 15
  • If you sell under your own name or trade mark or modify equipment in a way that may affect compliance, you take on the manufacturer's obligations. Art. 14

RED in plain terms

The Radio Equipment Directive (RED), formally Directive 2014/53/EU, is the EU’s CE-marking law for anything that intentionally emits or receives radio waves. It establishes the regulatory framework for making radio equipment available on the market and putting it into service in the Union (Art. 1(1)), and it does so through essential requirements rather than product-by-product rules: health and safety with the Low Voltage Directive’s objectives but no voltage limit, electromagnetic compatibility, and effective and efficient use of the radio spectrum (Art. 3(1) and (2)). For designated categories the Commission can switch on further requirements, from interworking and privacy to emergency access and, since the 2022 amendment, a common USB-C charger (Art. 3(3) and (4)).

As a directive it works through national law: Member States had to transpose it by 12 June 2016 and apply it from 13 June 2016, when it replaced the R&TTE Directive 1999/5/EC (Art. 49 and Art. 50). Radio equipment in scope is taken out of the Low Voltage Directive, but its safety objectives come back in through Article 3(1)(a) (Art. 1(4)).

Official text Read the directive on EUR-Lex: Directive 2014/53/EU (CELEX 32014L0053), or the consolidated text of 30 May 2026 that includes the common charger amendment, the emergency procedures and the updated Annex Ia.

Scope

Radio equipment is an electrical or electronic product that intentionally emits or receives radio waves, meaning electromagnetic waves below 3 000 GHz propagated without artificial guide, for radio communication or radiodetermination, or that must be completed with an accessory such as an antenna to do so (Art. 2(1), points (1) to (4)). Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, GNSS, RFID and radar functions all qualify, whether the product is a phone, a sensor, a toy or an industrial module. Making available, placing on the market and putting into service are the three trigger events (Art. 2(1), points (9) to (11)).

Annex I removes four groups: radio amateur equipment that is not made available on the market, such as kits and self-built or modified equipment; marine equipment within the Marine Equipment Directive 2014/90/EU (Annex I still cites its predecessor, Directive 96/98/EC, whose references are read as references to the 2014 directive); aviation equipment within Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 that is intended exclusively for airborne use, including certified unmanned aircraft on protected aeronautical frequencies; and custom-built evaluation kits used solely at research and development facilities (Art. 1(2) and Annex I). Equipment used exclusively for public security, defence, State security or criminal-law activities is also outside the directive (Art. 1(3)).

The duties fall on the economic operators: manufacturer, authorised representative, importer and distributor (Art. 2(1), point (16)). A manufacturer is whoever manufactures radio equipment or has it designed or manufactured and markets it under his own name or trade mark (Art. 2(1), point (12)), and an importer or distributor that sells under its own brand or modifies equipment in a way that may affect compliance takes on the manufacturer’s obligations (Art. 14).

What you must do

Essential requirements

All radio equipment must protect the health and safety of persons, domestic animals and property, deliver an adequate level of electromagnetic compatibility as set out in Directive 2014/30/EU, and both use and support the efficient use of the radio spectrum to avoid harmful interference (Art. 3(1) and (2)). Manufacturers must also construct the equipment so that it can be operated in at least one Member State within the spectrum rules (Art. 10(2)). Conformity with harmonised standards published in the Official Journal gives a presumption of conformity for the requirements they cover (Art. 16).

Article 3(3) lists nine further requirements that apply only to categories the Commission designates by delegated act: interworking with accessories and via networks, connection to interfaces, protection of the network, privacy and personal data, fraud protection, access to emergency services, use by persons with disabilities, and control of software loading. Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/320 switched on emergency access for smartphones from 17 March 2022, requiring Wi-Fi and Galileo-compatible caller location. Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30, postponed by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2444, switched on network protection, privacy and fraud protection from 1 August 2025 for internet-connected equipment, childcare and toy radio equipment, wearables and payment-enabled equipment, with exclusions for medical devices and for aviation, vehicle-safety and road-toll equipment. Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/339 repeals that act with effect from 11 December 2027, when the Cyber Resilience Act, Regulation (EU) 2024/2847, takes over, while equipment placed on the market between 1 August 2025 and 10 December 2027 stays subject to surveillance under the RED requirements.

The common charger

Directive (EU) 2022/2380 added Article 3(4) and Annex Ia. Handheld mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, headsets, handheld videogame consoles, portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, earbuds and laptops that can be recharged by wired charging must have a USB Type-C receptacle to EN IEC 62680-1-3:2022 that stays accessible and operational, must be chargeable with USB Type-C cables and, where they charge above 5 V, 3 A or 15 W, must incorporate USB Power Delivery to EN IEC 62680-1-2:2022 and let any additional protocol keep its full functionality (Annex Ia, Part I). Anyone offering such equipment with a charging device must also offer it without one and show a pictogram stating whether a charger is included (Art. 3a). The instructions must describe the charging specifications and compatible chargers, and a label with the minimum and maximum charging power and USB PD support must be printed in the instructions and on or affixed to the packaging, and shown near the price in distance selling (Art. 10(8) and Annex Ia, Parts II to IV). Member States apply these rules from 28 December 2024, and from 28 April 2026 for laptops (Directive (EU) 2022/2380, Art. 2(1)).

Conformity assessment, technical documentation and CE marking

The manufacturer assesses conformity in all intended operating conditions and configurations (Art. 17(1)). For the health, safety and charging requirements of Article 3(1) and (4), any of the three modules may be used: internal production control (Annex II), EU-type examination followed by conformity to type (Annex III) or full quality assurance (Annex IV). For the spectrum and Article 3(3) requirements, internal production control is available only where harmonised standards were applied in full; otherwise a notified body must be involved through Annex III or Annex IV (Art. 17(2) to (4)). The technical documentation must be drawn up before placing on the market, kept up to date and contain at least the Annex V elements, including software and firmware versions, drawings, the standards applied, test reports and the explanation of spectrum operability (Art. 21). Where it is deficient, the authority can order a test at the manufacturer’s or importer’s expense (Art. 21(4)).

The EU declaration of conformity follows Annex VI, is translated into the languages the Member State requires and, where several Union acts apply, is a single declaration covering all of them (Art. 18). A simplified declaration in the Annex VII wording with the internet address of the full text may accompany the equipment instead (Art. 10(9)). The CE marking is affixed visibly, legibly and indelibly to the equipment or its data plate and to the packaging before placing on the market, may be smaller than 5 mm if it stays legible, and is followed by the notified body’s number where Annex IV was used (Art. 19 and Art. 20).

Information, instructions and traceability

The equipment carries a type, batch or serial number and the manufacturer’s name and single postal contact address; importers add their own (Art. 10(6), 10(7) and 12(3)). Instructions and safety information in the language the Member State determines must accompany the equipment and, for transmitting equipment, state the frequency bands and maximum radio-frequency power (Art. 10(8)). Where a Member State restricts putting into service or requires authorisation of use, the packaging shows the pictogram or the words Restrictions or Requirements in with the Member State abbreviations, and the instructions list the restrictions (Art. 10(10) and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1354). Where the Commission designates a category, manufacturers register the equipment type in the central system before placing it on the market (Art. 5) and provide statements of compliance for combinations of radio equipment and software (Art. 4). All operators identify their suppliers and customers for 10 years (Art. 15).

Obligations by role

Manufacturers carry the design, documentation, assessment, declaration, marking, instruction, corrective-action and 10-year retention duties (Art. 10). Authorised representatives act under a mandate that must at least cover keeping the documents and cooperating with authorities (Art. 11). Importers verify the manufacturer’s work before placing on the market, add their identification, guard compliance in storage and transport, run sample testing where the risks warrant it, take corrective action and keep the declaration for 10 years (Art. 12). Distributors verify the CE marking, documents and language before making equipment available, protect it in storage and transport and see that corrective action is taken (Art. 13). Importers and distributors that sell under their own brand or modify equipment become manufacturers (Art. 14).

Emergency procedures from 30 May 2026

Directive (EU) 2024/2749 inserted Chapter Va. Articles 43b to 43e apply only to radio equipment designated as crisis-relevant goods, only while an internal market emergency mode under Regulation (EU) 2024/2747 is active and only after the Commission has adopted the corresponding implementing act (Art. 43a). They allow notified bodies to prioritise crisis-relevant assessments, national authorities to authorise placing on the market without the mandatory notified-body procedure under conditions, a presumption of conformity based on other standards and common specifications, and prioritised market surveillance with mutual assistance (Art. 43b to Art. 43e).

Enforcement and penalties

Market surveillance follows Regulation (EU) 2019/1020, which since 16 July 2021 replaces the Articles 15 to 29 of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 that Article 39 of the directive cites. Where an authority has sufficient reason to believe that radio equipment presents a risk or does not comply with an essential requirement, it evaluates the equipment, requires corrective action, withdrawal or recall within a period commensurate with the risk and, if the operator does not act, prohibits or restricts the making available, withdraws or recalls the equipment and informs the Commission and the other Member States (Art. 40). Compliant equipment that still presents a risk can be treated the same way (Art. 42), and the Commission decides disputed national measures through the Union safeguard procedure (Art. 41). Formal non-compliance, such as missing or wrongly affixed CE marking, a missing or incorrect EU declaration of conformity, incomplete technical documentation, a missing or incorrect charging label or pictogram, missing identification or restriction information, or a breach of the unbundling or registration duties, must be ended and otherwise leads to restriction, prohibition, withdrawal or recall (Art. 43).

Penalties are set nationally: Member States lay down effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties for infringements of their transposing laws, which may include criminal penalties for serious infringements (Art. 46). In Denmark, the directive is implemented through the act on radio equipment and electromagnetic compatibility (lovbekendtgørelse nr. 958 of 22 June 2022) and executive order nr. 1107 of 6 November 2019; Sikkerhedsstyrelsen, which since January 2026 is a department of Erhvervsstyrelsen (the Danish Business Authority) named Markedsovervågning, carries out the market surveillance of radio equipment on behalf of Styrelsen for Dataforsyning og Infrastruktur, which holds the sector responsibility.

How Conphora helps

Conphora monitors RED and its delegated acts and maps your products against the essential requirements, flagging gaps in the conformity route, the technical documentation, the charging label and the cybersecurity requirements before they become enforcement problems. The platform helps you build and keep the EU declaration of conformity and the 10-year records, and alerts you when a delegated act starts or stops a requirement, such as the Cyber Resilience Act hand-over on 11 December 2027.

See how Conphora works · See plans and pricing

Sources

This guide is for general information and is not legal advice.

Penalties

Enforced by National market surveillance authorities enforce the national laws transposing the directive with the powers of Regulation (EU) 2019/1020, which since 16 July 2021 replaces the market-surveillance chapter of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 that the directive cites; in Denmark, Sikkerhedsstyrelsen (since January 2026 the Markedsovervågning department of Erhvervsstyrelsen) carries out the market surveillance of radio equipment on behalf of Styrelsen for Dataforsyning og Infrastruktur, which holds the sector responsibility, under the Danish act on radio equipment and electromagnetic compatibility. The toolkit is corrective action within a set period, prohibition or restriction of the making available, withdrawal or recall, orders to end formal non-compliance such as missing CE marking, declaration or charging label, tests at the manufacturer's expense where the technical documentation is deficient, and national penalties that must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive and may include criminal penalties for serious infringements.

Member States lay down the rules on penalties for infringements of their national transposing laws by economic operators; the penalties must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive and may include criminal penalties for serious infringements. Market surveillance authorities evaluate equipment that presents a risk or does not meet an essential requirement, require corrective action, withdrawal or recall within a period commensurate with the risk, and if the operator fails to act prohibit or restrict the making available, withdraw or recall the equipment and notify the Commission and the other Member States; compliant equipment that still presents a risk can be treated the same way. Formal non-compliance, such as missing or wrongly affixed CE marking, a missing or incorrect EU declaration of conformity, incomplete technical documentation, a missing or incorrect charging label or pictogram, missing identification or restriction information, or a breach of the charger-unbundling or registration duties, must be ended and otherwise leads to restriction, prohibition, withdrawal or recall, and deficient technical documentation can trigger a test at the manufacturer's or importer's expense. In Denmark, Sikkerhedsstyrelsen, since January 2026 a department of Erhvervsstyrelsen named Markedsovervågning, carries out market surveillance of radio equipment on behalf of Styrelsen for Dataforsyning og Infrastruktur under the act on radio equipment and electromagnetic compatibility (lovbekendtgørelse nr. 958 of 22 June 2022) and executive order nr. 1107 of 6 November 2019.

Source · Art. 46, Art. 40, Art. 42, Art. 43 and Art. 21(4)SourceSource

What changed

Entry into force, amendments and Compliance Radar entries for RED, newest first.

  1. Amendment

    Cybersecurity requirements under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 cease

    Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/339 repeals Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 with effect from this date, when Regulation (EU) 2024/2847, the Cyber Resilience Act, applies in full and takes over the network-protection, privacy and fraud requirements; radio equipment placed on the market between 1 August 2025 and 10 December 2027 remains subject to market surveillance under the RED requirements.

    Source · Art. 1 and recitals 4 and 5
  2. Applies

    Emergency procedures for crisis-relevant radio equipment apply

    The national measures transposing Directive (EU) 2024/2749 apply: Articles 43a to 43e allow prioritised conformity assessment, derogations from notified-body procedures, presumption of conformity based on standards and common specifications and prioritised market surveillance for radio equipment designated as crisis-relevant goods while an internal market emergency mode under Regulation (EU) 2024/2747 is active.

    Source · Art. 9 and Art. 11Source · Art. 43a
  3. Amendment

    Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/339 published: RED cybersecurity act to be repealed

    Adopted on 16 February 2026 and published in OJ L 2026/339 on 29 April 2026, the delegated regulation enters into force on 19 May 2026 and repeals Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 with effect from 11 December 2027 to avoid overlap with the Cyber Resilience Act.

    Source · Art. 1 and Art. 2
  4. Applies

    Common charger rules apply to laptops

    From this date Member States apply the USB Type-C, USB Power Delivery, charging label, pictogram and unbundling rules to laptops, the category in Annex Ia, Part I, point 1.13.

    Source · Art. 2(1)
  5. Applies

    Network-protection, privacy and fraud requirements apply to connected radio equipment

    Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30, as postponed by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2444, applies the essential requirements of Article 3(3)(d), (e) and (f) to internet-connected radio equipment, childcare and toy radio equipment, wearables processing personal, traffic or location data, and equipment enabling transfers of money or virtual currency, with exclusions for medical devices and aviation, vehicle-safety and road-toll equipment.

    Source · Art. 1, Art. 2 and Art. 3Source · Art. 1
  6. Applies

    Common charger rules apply to phones and eleven other categories

    Member States apply the measures transposing Directive (EU) 2022/2380 to handheld mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, headsets, handheld videogame consoles, portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems and earbuds: USB Type-C receptacle, USB Power Delivery above 15 W, charging label, charger-included pictogram and the option to buy without a charging device.

    Source · Art. 2(1)Source · Art. 3(4), Art. 3a, Art. 10(8) and Annex Ia
  7. Amendment

    Directive (EU) 2024/2749 in force: internal market emergency procedures

    The amending directive of 9 October 2024, published on 8 November 2024, adds the definitions of crisis-relevant goods and internal market emergency mode and inserts Chapter Va (Articles 43a to 43e); Member States had to transpose by 29 May 2026 and apply the measures from 30 May 2026.

    Source · Art. 9, Art. 11 and Art. 12
  8. Amendment

    Directive (EU) 2024/2839 in force: Member State reporting reset

    The reporting-requirements directive of 23 October 2024 replaced Article 47(1): Member States report on the application of the directive by 12 December 2027, covering the period from 13 June 2023, and every five years thereafter.

    Source · Art. 4 and Art. 6
  9. Amendment

    Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1717 updates the USB standards in Annex Ia

    The Commission's delegated regulation of 27 June 2023 replaced the standard references in Annex Ia with EN IEC 62680-1-3:2022 for the USB Type-C receptacle and cable and EN IEC 62680-1-2:2022 for USB Power Delivery.

    Source · Annex Ia, Part I (M3)Source
  10. Amendment

    Directive (EU) 2022/2380 in force: the common charger

    The amending directive of 23 November 2022, published in OJ L 315 on 7 December 2022, adds Article 3(4), Article 3a, the charging label in Article 10(8), new formal non-compliance grounds in Article 43 and Annex Ia; Member States had to transpose by 28 December 2023 and apply the rules from 28 December 2024, and from 28 April 2026 for laptops.

    Source · Art. 1, Art. 2 and Art. 3
  11. Applies

    Caller location requirement applies to smartphones

    Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/320 applies the Article 3(3)(g) requirement on access to emergency services to hand-held mobile phones with computer-like capability, which must receive and process Wi-Fi and Galileo-compatible satellite data and make it available in emergency communications.

    Source · Art. 1 and Art. 2
  12. Amendment

    Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 redraws the aviation exclusion

    The EASA basic regulation replaced point 3 of Annex I so that only aviation equipment within its scope and intended exclusively for airborne use is excluded from the directive, including certified unmanned aircraft operating on protected aeronautical frequencies.

    Source · Annex I, point 3 (M1)Source
  13. Guidance

    Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1354 on restriction information applies

    The Commission's implementing regulation of 20 July 2017 specifies how to present the Article 10(10) information: a pictogram or the words Restrictions or Requirements in with the Member State abbreviations on the packaging and the list of restrictions in the instructions; equipment placed on the market after 8 August 2017 in conformity with it is deemed compliant with Article 10(10).

    Source · Art. 2 and Art. 3
  14. Applies

    RED applies; Directive 1999/5/EC repealed

    Member States apply their transposing measures from 13 June 2016 and Directive 1999/5/EC is repealed from the same date; radio equipment conforming to the previous legislation and placed on the market before 13 June 2017 could still be made available and put into service.

    Source · Art. 48, Art. 49 and Art. 50
  15. In force

    Directive 2014/53/EU enters into force

    Adopted on 16 April 2014 and published in OJ L 153 on 22 May 2014, the directive entered into force on the twentieth day after publication; Member States had until 12 June 2016 to transpose it.

    Source · Art. 49(1) and Art. 51

Tools and training

What Conphora offers for RED.

Start from the problem

A retailer asks for proof that the CE mark is real

There is no CE certificate to send. What proves the CE marking on electrical and radio products, and how to give a retailer the evidence behind it.

Product validation → Documentation generator

We do not know if our product needs CE marking

When CE marking is required: only where an EU harmonisation act provides for it, how to test scope under LVD, EMC, RED and toys, and what to do if not.

Free compliance checker → Regulation guides

We do not know which languages the instructions must be in

Language rules for instructions, safety information, warnings and contact details under the GPSR, LVD, EMC, RED, the Toy Safety Directive and cosmetics.

Regulation guides → Knowledge & insights

We changed the product. Does our compliance still hold?

What EU rules say about design changes: series production, updated technical files and declarations, and when a change makes you the manufacturer.

Product validation → Documentation generator

We added Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to an existing product

Adding a radio makes a product radio equipment: the RED replaces the LVD, new essential and cybersecurity requirements apply, and the paperwork changes.

Regulation guides → Product validation

We sell a product for babies or small children

Baby and childcare products: when toy rules apply, the GPSR check for vulnerable users, food contact limits for infants, and baby monitors under the RED.

Regulation guides → Product validation

All problems for RED →

Questions people ask about RED

When did RED start to apply?

Directive 2014/53/EU entered into force on 11 June 2014, the twentieth day after publication in the Official Journal of 22 May 2014. Member States had to transpose it by 12 June 2016 and apply their measures from 13 June 2016, when Directive 1999/5/EC was repealed. Radio equipment that conformed to the previous rules and was placed on the market before 13 June 2017 could still be made available and put into service.

Source · Art. 48, Art. 49, Art. 50 and Art. 51
Which products count as radio equipment?

Any electrical or electronic product that intentionally emits or receives radio waves below 3 000 GHz for radio communication or radiodetermination, or that must be completed with an accessory such as an antenna to do so. That covers Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, GNSS, RFID and radar functions and the consumer, industrial and IoT products that carry them. Annex I excludes amateur radio equipment that is not placed on the market, marine equipment, aviation equipment intended exclusively for airborne use and custom evaluation kits for research, and equipment used exclusively for public security, defence, State security or criminal law is outside the directive.

Source · Art. 1, Art. 2(1), point (1), and Annex I
Does the Low Voltage Directive also apply to radio equipment?

No. Radio equipment within the scope of RED is not subject to Directive 2014/35/EU, but the RED essential requirement on health and safety incorporates the safety objectives of the Low Voltage Directive with no voltage limit, and the electromagnetic compatibility requirement refers to Directive 2014/30/EU. Where the product is subject to more than one Union act requiring an EU declaration of conformity, a single declaration listing all acts is drawn up.

Source · Art. 1(4), Art. 3(1) and Art. 18(3)
What does the common charger rule require and from when?

Handheld mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, headsets, handheld videogame consoles, portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems and earbuds that can be recharged by wired charging must have a USB Type-C receptacle to EN IEC 62680-1-3:2022, be chargeable with USB Type-C cables and, where they charge above 5 V, 3 A or 15 W, incorporate USB Power Delivery to EN IEC 62680-1-2:2022. Member States apply these rules from 28 December 2024, and from 28 April 2026 for laptops. Sellers must also offer the product without a charging device, show a pictogram saying whether a charger is included, and display the charging label with the minimum and maximum power and USB PD support on the packaging and, online, near the price.

Source · Art. 3(4), Art. 3a, Art. 10(8) and Annex IaSource · Art. 2(1)
Do the RED cybersecurity requirements apply to my connected product?

Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 applied the Article 3(3)(d), (e) and (f) requirements from 1 August 2025: network protection for any radio equipment that can communicate over the internet, privacy and personal-data safeguards for internet-connected equipment, childcare and toy radio equipment and wearables that process personal, traffic or location data, and fraud protection for internet-connected equipment used to transfer money or virtual currency. Medical devices are excluded, and the privacy and fraud requirements do not apply to equipment covered by the aviation, vehicle general-safety or electronic road-toll rules. Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/339 repeals the act with effect from 11 December 2027, when the Cyber Resilience Act applies in full; equipment placed on the market between 1 August 2025 and 10 December 2027 remains subject to surveillance under those requirements.

Source · Art. 1, Art. 2 and Art. 3Source · Art. 1Source · Art. 1 and recital 5
Do I need a notified body for RED?

Not always. For the health, safety and charging requirements of Article 3(1) and 3(4), the manufacturer may use internal production control under Annex II. For the spectrum requirement of Article 3(2) and the Article 3(3) requirements, internal production control is available only where harmonised standards published in the Official Journal were applied in full; where they were not applied, applied only in part or do not exist, the manufacturer must use EU-type examination followed by conformity to type under Annex III or full quality assurance under Annex IV, both involving a notified body.

Source · Art. 16 and Art. 17
What must accompany radio equipment when it is sold?

Instructions and safety information in the language the Member State determines, including for transmitting equipment the frequency bands and the maximum radio-frequency power; a copy of the EU declaration of conformity or a simplified declaration with the internet address of the full text; where the equipment is subject to restrictions on putting into service or authorisation of use in any Member State, a pictogram or the words Restrictions or Requirements in with the Member State abbreviations on the packaging and the list of restrictions in the instructions; and for Annex Ia equipment the charging label and the charger-included pictogram.

Source · Art. 3a(2), Art. 10(8), Art. 10(9) and Art. 10(10)Source · Art. 2
How long must I keep the technical documentation and traceability records?

Manufacturers keep the technical documentation and the EU declaration of conformity for 10 years after the equipment was placed on the market, authorised representatives keep both at the disposal of the authorities for the same period, and importers keep a copy of the declaration for 10 years and ensure the documentation can be produced. All economic operators must be able to identify who supplied them and whom they supplied for 10 years after the supply.

Source · Art. 10(4), Art. 11(2), Art. 12(8) and Art. 15

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Related

Related regulations

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Sources

  1. Directive 2014/53/EU on radio equipment, consolidated text of 30 May 2026 (EUR-Lex) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02014L0053-20260530
  2. Directive 2014/53/EU as published in OJ L 153, 22 May 2014 (EUR-Lex) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32014L0053
  3. Document information, dates and relationships for CELEX 32014L0053 (EUR-Lex) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:32014L0053
  4. Directive (EU) 2022/2380 amending Directive 2014/53/EU, the common charger (EUR-Lex) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32022L2380
  5. Directive (EU) 2024/2749 on emergency procedures for the conformity assessment and market surveillance of products (EUR-Lex) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32024L2749
  6. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 applying Article 3(3)(d), (e) and (f) of the directive (EUR-Lex) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32022R0030
  7. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2444 postponing the application of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 to 1 August 2025 (EUR-Lex) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32023R2444
  8. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/339 repealing Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 (EUR-Lex) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32026R0339
  9. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/320 on caller location in emergency communications from mobile devices (EUR-Lex) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32019R0320
  10. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1354 on presenting information on national usage restrictions (EUR-Lex) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32017R1354
  11. Radio Equipment Directive (European Commission, DG GROW) https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/electrical-and-electronic-engineering-industries-eei/radio-equipment-directive-red_en
  12. Kontrol med EMC og RED (Sikkerhedsstyrelsen) https://www.sik.dk/erhverv/produkter/el-produkter/vejledninger/redemc/kontrol-emc-og-red
  13. Sikkerhedsstyrelsen, en del af Erhvervsstyrelsen from January 2026 (Sikkerhedsstyrelsen) https://www.sik.dk/sikkerhedsstyrelsen-del-erhvervsstyrelsen

About this guide

Reviewed by
Conphora compliance team, Compliance editors, Conphora
Reviewed
24 September 2026
Next review
13 March 2027

Written from the official text on EUR-Lex and the Commission’s guidance, with a source for every fact. It is not legal advice.

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Cite this page 
Conphora (2026). RED: Radio Equipment Directive (Directive 2014/53/EU), explained. Retrieved 13 October 2026 from https://www.conphora.com/regulations/red/
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