Radio Equipment [EU]
Commercialisation of radio equipment
Directive 2014/53/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market of radio equipment and repealing Directive 1999/5/EC.
SThis is a European Union law that sets out rules for putting radio equipment on the EU’s internal market. It is a directive, which means that it is up to EU governments to draft a national law that contains the elements in the directive.
The new rules aim to keep pace with the growing number and variety of radio equipment devices and ensure that they do not interfere with each other and respect essential health and safety requirements. It also sets out additional means for market surveillance to track and monitor products which fail to comply with the essential requirements (e.g. health and safety).
Scope
The directive applies to all equipment which emits or receives radio waves for radiodetermination (i.e. determining the position, velocity or other characteristics of an object using radio waves) or communication purposes.
This includes devices such as mobile phones, car door openers and modems. It does not cover radio equipment used for public security and defence activities.
Obligations on manufacturers, importers and distributors
The directive contains lists of obligations on manufacturers (Article 10), importers (Article 12) and distributors (Article 13). For example, before manufacturers put their radio equipment on the market for sale they need to ensure that it has been designed and manufactured in such a way that it meets a number of essential requirements. One of these is to ensure the protection of the health and safety of people and of domestic animals.
Others are set out in Article 3 and relate to protection of personal data and privacy, protection against fraud, access to emergency services and features to help users with a disability use the equipment.
Battery chargers
The directive gives the Commission the possibility of making the compatibility of battery chargers an essential requirement for mobile phones. It states that interoperability between radio equipment and accessories such as chargers (i.e. the way in which radio equipment and accessories work together) simplifies the use of radio equipment and reduces unnecessary waste and cost. Therefore, mobile phones that are made available on the market should be compatible with a common charger.
Application
EU countries have 2 years to convert the new requirements into national law and manufacturers have an additional year to comply. Directive 2014/53/EU repeals Directive 1999/5/EC with effect from 12 June 2016.
References
Act
Entry into force
Deadline for transposition in the Member States
Official Journal
Directive 2014/53/EU
11.6.2014
12.6.2016
OJ L 153 of 22.5.2014
RELATED ACTS
Directive 1999/5/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 1999 on radio equipment and telecommunications terminal equipment and the mutual recognition of their conformity (Official Journal L 91 of 7 April 1999).