Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU (not to be confused with the Renewable Energy Directive) has been issued as one of a recent large upgrade of CE Marking Directives.
2014 /53/EU replaced the R&TTE Directive 1999/5/EC in June 2016.
Implementation of the Directive to UK law came into force on 26th December 2017.
The changes to the Directive were mainly procedural rather than technical so the areas mostly effected are documentation and labelling.
There are some changes in the scope of the Directive from the original R&TTE:
- Broadcast receivers (TV’s, Radio’s etc.) have now been included within the scope of the RED.
- Telecommunication terminal equipment moves to the EMC Directive.
- Low frequency transmitters (<9kHz) comes within the scope of RED (Induction loop systems).
- Article 3 – Essential Requirements requires testing to the LVD without voltage limits, but also that radio equipment should work with “common chargers” and “network with other radio equipment”.
An importer or distributor is considered to be a manufacturer if he places the equipment on the market in his own name or modifies the equipment in such a way that compliance with the Directive may be affected.
Labelling
- A product label showing a Manufacturers name / trade mark AND address is required.
- A product label showing an Importers name / trade mark and address is required.
- A product label showing a type, batch or serial number is required, this should also appear on the item to aid traceability.
- Any restrictions for operation in a particular Member State must be shown on the packaging.
Documentation
Instructions for Use must be provided with the equipment to include the operating frequency and the transmitted power.
A Declaration of Conformity must be provided with the equipment.
The Class 2 (Alert Sign) is no longer required.
Technical Documentation must be held and be available for examination by – the manufacturer, an authorised representative or an importer, to include;
- A general description of the apparatus including photographs or diagrams.
- Conceptual design and manufacturing drawings and schematics of components, sub-assemblies, circuits, etc.
- A list of the harmonised standards applied in full or in part the references of which have been published in the Official Journal of the European Union, and, where those harmonised standards have not been applied, descriptions of the solutions adopted to meet the essential requirements of the Directive. In the event of partly applied harmonised standards, the technical documentation shall specify the parts which have been applied.
Test Reports.
A Declaration of Conformity (D of C) must be raised by the manufacturer or an Authorised Representative (who has a formal written mandate from the manufacturer to do so).
The D of C shall be kept 10 years from the date of placing the item on the market.
Compliance to more than 1 Directive shall be shown on a single D of C with references to the appropriate Directives and Standards.
A D of C shall not be made to more than 1 Directive if this is not appropriate (e.g. EMC and RED).
The D of C included with the equipment documentation may be an abbreviated sheet only (simply stating compliance with the Directive) but must include a reference to an internet address where the full text is available.
Radio equipment is regulated in the UK by OFCOM. – ofcom.org.uk