Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU: Wireless Connectivity and CE Marking
The Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU covers all equipment that intentionally emits or receives radio waves: WiFi, Bluetooth, 5G, DECT, GPS, RFID and IoT devices. IgeraIndustria answers every RED compliance question: essential requirements, SAR limits, harmonised standards, Notified Body need and DoC content. Your team gets the exact article in seconds.
RED 2014/53/EU: essential requirements, harmonised standards and cybersecurity update for radio equipment
Since June 2017, CE marking under RED is mandatory for all radio equipment sold in the EU. Since August 2025, internet-connected radio equipment must also meet cybersecurity, privacy and anti-fraud requirements under Article 3(3). Non-compliance means recall and market withdrawal.
WiFi/BT/5G/DECT covered
RED covers all intentional radio emitters: WiFi routers, Bluetooth modules, 5G base stations, DECT phones, GPS receivers, RFID tags and IoT wireless devices, regardless of frequency band.
CE mandatory since 2017
RED replaced R&TTE Directive 1999/5/EC on 13 June 2017. All radio equipment must carry CE marking based on RED 2014/53/EU. Equipment compliant with R&TTE alone cannot be placed on market.
SAR and spectrum tests
Essential requirements include SAR testing (health and safety), EMC testing (electromagnetic compatibility) and radio spectrum testing (effective use of spectrum). From August 2025, Article 3(3) adds cybersecurity tests for internet-connected devices.
Regulatory teams spend hours identifying which harmonised standards cover their radio product, whether a Notified Body is required for non-harmonised frequency bands, and how to implement the Article 3(3) cybersecurity requirements. IgeraIndustria answers those questions in seconds, citing the exact RED article and harmonised standard, so the technical team can focus on product development rather than regulatory research.
Instant RED compliance query by requirement
IgeraIndustria locates the exact RED 2014/53/EU requirement for each question and responds with the applicable essential requirement, harmonised standard and Notified Body obligation.
RED scope: does my product qualify as radio equipment?
IgeraIndustria checks whether your product intentionally emits or receives radio waves for communication or radio determination. Products that only use radio incidentally (e.g. switching-mode power supplies that generate EMC emissions) fall under EMC 2014/30/EU, not RED.
Harmonised standard selection for RED
RED harmonised standards are published in the Official Journal. IgeraIndustria identifies the applicable standard for your product: EN 300 328 (WiFi 2.4 GHz), EN 301 893 (WiFi 5 GHz), EN 300 440 (short-range devices), EN 301 511 (GSM), EN 303 413 (GNSS receivers), and others depending on frequency and application.
SAR testing requirements
RED Article 3(1)(a) requires equipment to protect health and safety. For equipment held close to the body, SAR must be measured and must not exceed EU limits (2 W/kg averaged over 10 g tissue). IgeraIndustria identifies which products require SAR testing and the applicable measurement standard (EN 62209 series).
Article 3(3) cybersecurity requirements
From August 2025, internet-connected radio equipment must comply with RED Art. 3(3): (d) network protection, (e) personal data protection, (f) anti-fraud measures. IgeraIndustria clarifies which product categories are affected and what the harmonised standard EN 303 645 (IoT cybersecurity) requires.
Notified Body requirement for RED
A Notified Body is required when: no harmonised standard covers the product, the manufacturer does not apply harmonised standards fully, or the product operates in non-harmonised frequency bands. IgeraIndustria identifies whether your product and target frequency bands require NB involvement.
Registration obligation for RED
RED Art. 10(10) requires manufacturers of certain radio equipment categories to register their product in EUDAMED (for medical radio devices) or in the RED database before placing on market. IgeraIndustria identifies which products are subject to registration and the process required.
Complete RED 2014/53/EU compliance support
From product scope determination through harmonised standard selection, test planning and DoC preparation, IgeraIndustria supports the technical team at every stage of RED conformity assessment.
RED and EMC directive interaction
Products covered by RED are excluded from the EMC Directive 2014/30/EU for their radio and EMC requirements. However, the power supply of the radio equipment may still need to comply with LVD 2014/35/EU if it falls within the LVD voltage range. IgeraIndustria maps which directive covers each aspect of the product.
Restrictions on putting into service
RED Art. 10(3) allows Member States to restrict the putting into service of radio equipment for reasons related to effective use of spectrum, prevention of harmful interference, or public health. IgeraIndustria identifies which frequency bands have national restrictions and whether they affect your target markets.
Radio test report and technical file
The RED technical file must include: product description, design documentation, risk assessment, harmonised standards applied, test reports (radio, SAR, EMC), and DoC. IgeraIndustria details the mandatory content and the minimum test data that must appear in the radio test report for each standard applied.
Software-defined radio compliance
Radio equipment whose radio parameters can be changed by software must comply with RED even after software updates. IgeraIndustria explains the obligations for software-defined radios: which configurations have been declared compliant, how to handle software updates, and the «authorised configurations only» requirement.
Importers and distributors under RED
Importers and distributors have specific obligations under RED: importers must verify the manufacturer has fulfilled obligations before placing on market; distributors must check CE marking and DoC are present. IgeraIndustria explains the economic operator obligations and documentation requirements.
Multi-radio products and combined DoC
Products with multiple radio technologies (e.g. WiFi + Bluetooth + Zigbee) must cover all radio interfaces in the technical file and DoC. IgeraIndustria clarifies how to structure the DoC, which standard covers each radio interface, and how to handle situations where different standards apply to the same product.
The 4 key requirements of RED 2014/53/EU
These requirements define what manufacturers must demonstrate before affixing CE marking to radio equipment placed on the EU market.
Essential requirement Art. 3(1)(a) — Health and safety
Radio equipment must protect the health and safety of persons and domestic animals and protect property. This includes compliance with LVD-equivalent safety requirements and, for equipment worn or held close to the body, SAR limits. SAR for head and trunk must not exceed 2 W/kg (averaged over 10 g tissue) per EN 50566 and EN 62209 series.
Essential requirement Art. 3(1)(b) — Electromagnetic compatibility
Radio equipment must meet the same EMC essential requirements as EMC 2014/30/EU (emissions and immunity). However, for products within RED scope, the EMC assessment is done under RED, not under the EMC Directive separately. Harmonised standards under RED cover both the radio and EMC requirements in a single standard.
Essential requirement Art. 3(2) — Effective use of radio spectrum
Radio equipment must be constructed to effectively use radio spectrum and avoid harmful interference. This is assessed by testing the product against the limits for conducted and radiated emissions in the transmit band and spurious emissions outside the band. Harmonised standards define the permitted transmit power, frequency tolerance, occupied bandwidth and out-of-band emissions for each radio technology.
Essential requirement Art. 3(3) — Cybersecurity (from August 2025)
Internet-connected radio equipment must comply with three cybersecurity requirements: (d) protection of network resources from harmful effects, (e) protection of personal data and privacy of users and subscribers, (f) protection from fraud. The delegated regulation (EU) 2022/30 activated these requirements on 1 August 2025. Harmonised standard EN 303 645 covers the cybersecurity baseline for IoT radio equipment.
How IgeraIndustria works for RED 2014/53/EU
Five steps from loading your radio equipment documentation to receiving an answer with the exact RED article, applicable harmonised standard and test requirement.
Index your radio equipment technical documentation
Upload your radio test reports, SAR test reports, EMC test reports, existing DoCs and product specifications. IgeraIndustria processes them together with the full RED 2014/53/EU text and harmonised standards list in under 24 hours.
Connect the assistant to your regulatory team
Embed it in your compliance portal, Teams, Slack or as a standalone tool for the R&D and regulatory affairs team. One line of code. Compatible with any document management system.
Ask in plain language
«What harmonised standard covers our 5 GHz WiFi industrial access point?», «Do we need SAR testing for our Bluetooth headset?», «What does Art. 3(3) cybersecurity require for our IoT gateway?»
IgeraIndustria searches across 2 knowledge layers
First in your internal radio test reports and technical files, then in the indexed RED 2014/53/EU directive text, harmonised standards list, and Article 3(3) delegated regulation (EU) 2022/30.
Answer with directive reference and applicable test requirement
The response cites the applicable RED article or harmonised standard, states which essential requirements apply and what tests are needed, identifies whether a Notified Body is required, and flags the most common non-conformities that market surveillance authorities detect.
IgeraIndustria in action — RED 2014/53/EU IoT gateway certification
RED harmonised standards and Art. 3(3) cybersecurity requirements for an industrial IoT gateway resolved in under 3 seconds.
Hardware Compliance Engineer
We have an industrial IoT gateway with WiFi 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth 5.0 and LTE Cat-M1. What RED standards apply and does Art. 3(3) affect us?
IgeraIndustria
RED 2014/53/EU — Multi-Radio Gateway Compliance
Applicable harmonised standards:
- • WiFi 2.4 GHz → EN 300 328 v2.2.2 (radio) + EN 301 489-1 + EN 301 489-17 (EMC)
- • Bluetooth 5.0 → EN 300 328 v2.2.2 + EN 301 489-1 + EN 301 489-17
- • LTE Cat-M1 → EN 301 511 / EN 301 908 series + EN 301 489-1 + EN 301 489-52
Art. 3(3) applies — internet-connected device:
- • EN 303 645 cybersecurity baseline required since August 2025
- • Requirements: unique default passwords, vulnerability disclosure, security updates
⚠️ LTE Cat-M1 operates in licensed bands — verify national operator approvals for each target EU market before placing on market
✓ RED 2014/53/EU Art. 3(1)(2)(3) + Delegated Reg. (EU) 2022/30 · Confidence: 98.5%
120
employees, industrial IoT manufacturer
-55%
time to identify applicable RED standards
0
RED non-conformities at market surveillance
We manufacture industrial wireless gateways with WiFi, Bluetooth and cellular connectivity. Identifying which RED harmonised standards applied to each radio interface used to take our team days. IgeraIndustria resolves it in seconds with the exact standard references and, since August 2025, has been helping us implement the Art. 3(3) cybersecurity requirements too.
*Representative testimonial based on results from real customers
Frequently asked questions — RED 2014/53/EU
What equipment falls under the Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU?
RED covers all products that intentionally emit or receive radio waves for communication or radio determination purposes. This includes WiFi routers, Bluetooth devices, 5G base stations, DECT phones, GPS receivers, professional radio equipment (PMR446, TETRA), IoT devices with wireless connectivity, satellite communications equipment, and radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags. It does NOT cover equipment used exclusively for activities relating to public security, defence, state security and activities of the state in the area of criminal law.
What are the essential requirements of RED 2014/53/EU?
RED sets three categories of essential requirements: (1) Health and safety — equipment must not harm persons or animals, including compliance with SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) limits; (2) Electromagnetic compatibility — equipment must not cause harmful interference and must be adequately immune; (3) Effective use of radio spectrum — equipment must be constructed to avoid harmful interference with other systems. From August 2025, Article 3(3) requirements on cybersecurity, privacy protection and anti-fraud measures apply to internet-connected radio equipment.
Is a Notified Body required for RED certification?
In most cases, RED allows self-certification by the manufacturer using harmonised standards. If harmonised standards exist and the manufacturer applies them fully, a Notified Body (NB) is not required — the manufacturer issues the EU Declaration of Conformity. A NB is required when: no harmonised standard covers the product, the manufacturer does not apply harmonised standards fully, or the product operates in frequency bands not harmonised across the EU (the NB must then confirm the radio equipment only operates in these bands).
IgeraIndustria RED 2014/53/EU Plans
No lock-in. Cancel whenever you want.
Starter
For radio equipment manufacturers that need to identify correct RED harmonised standards and prepare compliant technical files without months of regulatory research.
- RED 2014/53/EU pre-indexed
- Multi-radio standard selector
- Art. 3(3) cybersecurity checker
- 1,000 queries/month
- Widget for the technical team
- Email support
Professional
For companies with regular product releases that need ongoing RED compliance support including Art. 3(3) cybersecurity implementation.
- RED + internal technical files indexed
- SAR and spectrum test planning
- DoC and technical file support
- 5,000 queries/month
- Standard update alerts
- Priority support
Enterprise
For industrial groups with multiple radio product lines requiring integrated RED, EMC and LVD compliance management.
- Multi-directive (RED + EMC + LVD)
- Multi-radio product line management
- Market surveillance response kit
- Unlimited queries
- 99.9% uptime SLA
- Dedicated customer success
Comply with RED 2014/53/EU. Get your radio equipment CE-marked without delays.
- Free 14-day trial — no credit card required
- Full RED 2014/53/EU text and harmonised standards pre-indexed from day 1
- Upload your radio test reports, SAR reports and existing DoCs
- Multi-radio standard selector and Art. 3(3) cybersecurity requirement checker