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Requirements MapEU

EU Radio Equipment Directive Requirements

RED requirements start with Article 3: health and safety, electromagnetic compatibility, and efficient use of radio spectrum. In-scope equipment needs conformity assessment, CE marking, an EU declaration, and technical documentation. Selected Article 3(3) features and common-charger duties depend on the category.

This map helps decide which RED requirement bucket applies to a product, which evidence belongs in the technical file, and when harmonised standards or a notified-body route change the conformity plan.

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Author
Sorena AI
Published
May 9, 2026
Updated
Oct 15, 2026
4 sections7 primary sources
Overview

This RED requirements page maps the directive's product duties into reviewable workstreams: Article 3 , Article 3(3) activated categories, common charger duties, conformity assessment route, CE and declaration package, and technical-documentation evidence.

Section 1

Core Article 3 requirements

For every in-scope radio equipment type, start with the three baseline Article 3 tests. The product must be constructed to protect health and safety, including the safety objectives of Directive 2014/35/EU without a voltage limit; provide an adequate level of electromagnetic compatibility as set out in Directive 2014/30/EU; and effectively use and support efficient use of radio spectrum to avoid harmful interference.

Record the decision in a requirement matrix. Each row should name the equipment type, intended operating conditions, possible configurations, applied harmonised standard or other technical specification, test report, residual gap, and the person approving market release.

  • Article 3(1)(a): health and safety of persons, domestic animals, and property.
  • Article 3(1)(b): adequate electromagnetic compatibility.
  • Article 3(2): effective and efficient use of radio spectrum to avoid harmful interference.
  • Article 17: conformity assessment must cover intended operating conditions and all possible configurations where the equipment can take different configurations.
Section 2

Activated Article 3(3) and common charger requirements

Article 3(3) contains feature requirements that apply only to categories or classes of radio equipment specified through delegated acts. They include network protection, personal-data and privacy safeguards, fraud protection, accessibility, emergency-service access, software-compliance controls, and other functions listed in the directive.

For cybersecurity, Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 activates Article 3(3)(d), (e), and (f) for defined categories. Internet-connected radio equipment is covered for network protection under point (d). Privacy safeguards under point (e) apply to listed equipment when it can process personal data, traffic data, or location data. Fraud protection under point (f) applies to internet-connected radio equipment that enables transfer of money, monetary value, or virtual currency. The requirements apply from 1 August 2025. Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/339 repeals the category act from 11 December 2027, while preserving RED market surveillance for covered equipment placed on the Union market through 10 December 2027. EN 18031-1:2024, EN 18031-2:2024, and EN 18031-3:2024 are cited for these points with restrictions, so a standards row must capture the applicable part and each limiting notice.

For common charging, the Commission guidance identifies handheld mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, headsets, portable speakers, handheld videogame consoles, e-readers, earbuds, keyboards, mice, and portable navigation systems from 28 December 2024, with laptops from 28 April 2026. Evidence should cover USB-C charging, harmonised fast charging where relevant, charger unbundling, pictogram use, and charging-capability information.

  • Do not mark all Article 3(3) points as applicable by default; tie each point to the delegated act, product category, and product function that activates it.
  • For Article 3(3)(d), document whether the radio equipment can communicate itself over the internet, directly or through other equipment.
  • For Article 3(3)(e), document whether the product falls into a covered category and can process personal data, traffic data, or location data.
  • For Article 3(3)(f), document whether the internet-connected radio equipment enables money, monetary value, or virtual currency transfers.
  • For common charger duties, keep the category decision, charging-port specification, fast-charging assessment, charger-in-box decision, pictogram, label, and distance-selling display evidence together.
Section 3

Conformity assessment, CE marking, and declarations

The RED conformity route depends on the requirement being assessed and on standards coverage. For Article 3(1) and common charger Article 3(4), manufacturers may use internal production control, EU-type examination followed by conformity to type based on internal production control, or full quality assurance. For Article 3(2) and Article 3(3), internal production control remains available only where applicable harmonised standards published in the Official Journal are applied; if they are missing or only partly applied, the route moves to EU-type examination or full quality assurance for those requirements.

After the relevant conformity assessment demonstrates compliance, the manufacturer draws up the EU declaration of conformity and affixes CE marking. The product must be accompanied by a full or simplified EU declaration; a simplified declaration must provide the exact internet address where the full text is available.

  • Standards row: list each harmonised standard, version, OJEU status, applied parts, and requirement covered.
  • Route row: show whether Annex II, Annex III, or Annex IV is used for each requirement group.
  • Notified-body row: keep the EU-type examination certificate and annexes when Annex III is used; keep quality-system approvals and reports when Annex IV is used.
  • Declaration row: keep the EU declaration for each radio equipment type and confirm that accessories, components, and software covered by the declaration are identified where applicable.
  • CE row: confirm CE marking and notified-body identification number handling where the selected conformity assessment route requires it.
Section 4

Technical file and market-release evidence

The technical documentation must be drawn up before the radio equipment is placed on the market and continuously updated. It must contain relevant data or details showing how the manufacturer ensured compliance with Article 3, including the Annex V elements where applicable.

A complete RED release file should let a reviewer reproduce the compliance decision without project memory. Keep the general product description, photographs or illustrations, marking, internal layout, compliance-relevant software or firmware versions, user information, installation instructions, design drawings, explanations of operation, standards list, alternative technical solutions where standards are not fully applied, EU declaration, notified-body certificates where relevant, calculations, examinations, test reports, and the Article 10(2)/Article 10(10) explanation.

  • Keep technical documentation and the EU declaration of conformity for 10 years after the radio equipment has been placed on the market.
  • Include frequency bands and maximum transmitted radio-frequency power in instructions for equipment intentionally emitting radio waves.
  • For restricted-use equipment, document the Member State or geographic-area information required on packaging and in instructions.
  • For common charger equipment, retain instructions, label, pictogram, packaging, distance-selling, and compatible-charger evidence.
  • Reopen the file after design, firmware, component, supplier, intended-use, operating-condition, market, standard, delegated-act, or authority-feedback changes.
Recommended next step

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Primary sources

References and citations

Directive 2014/53/EU on radio equipment
eur-lex.europa.eu5 citations
Referenced sections
  • Primary RED source for scope, Article 3 essential requirements, manufacturer obligations, conformity assessment, EU declaration, CE marking, technical documentation, and Annex V file contents.
  • Article 3 is the binding RED source for baseline safety, EMC, spectrum, and selected category-specific essential requirements.
  • Article 3(3) lists the additional essential requirements that apply only to specified categories or classes of radio equipment.
Show 2 more
  • Articles 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 support the standards, conformity assessment, declaration, and CE-marking workflow.
  • Articles 10 and 21 plus Annex V define manufacturer documentation, retention, instructions, declarations, and technical-file contents.
"Essential requirements"
More quoted passages
"radio equipment within certain categories or classes"
"Conformity assessment procedures"
"Technical documentation"
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 on RED cybersecurity
eur-lex.europa.eu2 citations
Referenced sections
  • Defines the radio equipment categories for which Article 3(3)(d), (e), and (f) cybersecurity-related requirements apply.
  • Activates RED Article 3(3)(d), (e), and (f) for defined cybersecurity-related radio equipment categories.
"internet-connected radio equipment"
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1354 on Article 10(10) information
eur-lex.europa.eu2 citations
Referenced sections
  • Specifies packaging and instruction presentation for radio equipment subject to Member State restrictions or authorisation requirements.
  • Specifies how to present restrictions on putting into service or requirements for authorisation of use on packaging and in instructions.
"Restrictions or Requirements in"
European Commission - one common charging solution for all
single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu2 citations
Referenced sections
  • Commission guidance for common charger categories, USB-C, fast charging, charger unbundling, consumer labels and pictograms, and 2024/2026 application dates.
  • Commission page explaining covered device categories, USB-C, fast charging, charger unbundling, labels, pictograms, and 2024/2026 common charger dates.
"USB-C is the common port."

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