Testing according to the RED directive

What are the differences between a directive and a standard?

A directive is a legislative instrument which imposes on the recipient States a common objective and a deadline for achieving it. After being adopted by the European institutions, it must be transposed by the Member States into their national law through harmonized standards, unlike regulations, which apply directly.

A harmonized standard is developed by a European Standardization Organization. It sets technical specifications and defines test methods. The tests, when satisfactory, make it possible to presume the conformity of equipment with one or more essential requirements, or with part of an essential requirement of the directive, if the standard is cited in the European official journal of the directive. directive.

For more details, see our “CE Marking” page

The RED directive and its fields of application

The European directive on radio equipment 2014/53/EU EN, known as RED ( Radio Equipment Directive ), aims to harmonize the regulations of the Member States of the European Union in order to allow the free movement of radio equipment within its territory.

It establishes a regulatory framework for the marketing of radio equipment.

Manufacturers of this radiocommunication transmitter or receiver equipment who wish to sell it or place it on the market in the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA) must prove their conformity.

Application fields

Radio equipment, with the exception of certain devices which are covered by other directives such as marine equipment (96/98/EC), aeronautical and amateur radio equipment, as well as tailor-made evaluation kits for R&D. Equipment for public safety, defense and wired telecom equipment are also excluded.

The essential requirements of the RED directive and the associated services

The RED directive sets 4 essential requirements (article 3) covering:

• Protection of health and safety (Art. 3.1 a) : protection of health, safety of people, domestic animals and property, provided for by Directive 2014/35/EU, without lower voltage threshold.
  • Electrical safety tests help meet this requirement.
• Electromagnetic compatibility (Art. 3.1 b) : the adequate level of electromagnetic compatibility, provided for by Directive 2014/30/EU, aims to limit the electromagnetic emission of equipment in order to ensure that the equipment does not disrupt radio waves and telecommunications, or other equipment, and is not disturbed by radio emissions when used normally.
  • EMC testing helps meet this requirement.
• Efficient use of the radio spectrum (Art. 3.2) : the requirement is to demonstrate that the radio equipment uses the radio spectrum efficiently and in an optimized manner in order to avoid harmful interference. It also concerns the conditions of access to spectrum to facilitate spectrum sharing with other equipment.
  • Radio frequency testing helps meet this requirement.
• Specific essential requirements (Art. 3.3) : various technical functionality requirements ( such as the use of a universal charger, protection of personal data, protection against fraud or even access to emergency services) for certain categories or classes of equipment, with the introduction of a requirement relating to cybersecurity .
  • Cybersecurity testing through intrusion testing of embedded products helps meet this requirement.

LNE offers all of these tests and can support you with these services and provide you with informed insight, via technical assistance, on these different requirements depending on your situation.

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The manufacturer's obligations?

The manufacturer (or his representative) must demonstrate the conformity of his equipment.

• It must carry out a risk analysis in order to identify all the risks that the product is likely to present, and determine which essential requirements the product must meet. This analysis must be included in the technical documentation, unless the risk analysis is included in a harmonized standard.
• It must document its assessment of the measures taken to address the risks identified in order to ensure that the product complies with the applicable essential requirements (for example by applying harmonized standards).

The way to certify conformity is to carry out the product evaluation tests referenced above via a testing laboratory such as the LNE.

Notified body (NB) and EU type examination

Why use a notified body (NB) for conformity assessment?

An NB is an organization designated by an EU Member State to assess the conformity of certain products before they are placed on the market.

When a harmonized standard is not yet available, or the manufacturer (or his representative) does not wish to apply all or part of a harmonized standard, he may request the opinion of an NB to assess the conformity of his radio equipment in view of the scope of the essential requirements concerned. If the manufacturer uses a non-harmonized standard to meet the radio 3.2 or cyber 3.3 requirement of the RED Directive, he is obliged to have his product validated by an ON.

His role :

• It examines the technical design of the equipment accompanied by the risk analysis carried out by the manufacturer. After examining the proofs of conformity submitted to it, it certifies that they meet the essential requirements of the Directive.
• It certifies product quality through inspection of manufacturers' quality systems and surveillance audits carried out.
• It issues the manufacturer with an EU type examination certificate (or certificate) under Directive RED 2014/53/EU.
• It provides useful information to the national authority to which it is responsible, to market surveillance authorities and other notified bodies.
• It intervenes with the required competence, in a non-discriminatory, transparent, neutral, independent and impartial manner.
• It guarantees the confidentiality of the information obtained during the conformity assessment.

EU type examination

The EU type examination is one of eight types of conformity assessment procedures. This is the procedure by which an authorized body notes and certifies that a machine model complies with the technical rules concerning it.

A notified body (ON), consulted by the manufacturer (or its representative), examines the technical documentation established by the manufacturer and certifies that the technical design of the device meets the essential requirements by establishing an assessment report and a certificate of EU type examination.

Benefits obtained by consulting a notified body:

• Be able to provide market surveillance authorities with all necessary evidence demonstrating the conformity of the product.
• Being able to guarantee secure marketing, certified by an independent third party.
• Be informed of the technical developments followed by the ON and acquired through its experience of collaboration with other European and non-European manufacturers.
• Benefit from regulatory monitoring of your product throughout the validity period of your certificate.
• Avoid possible problems with authorities, such as a product being withdrawn from the market by customs.
• Avoid possible problems with competitors, such as a legal attack if the competitor has tested the product and proven that it is not compliant.
• Conquer new markets thanks to the international recognition of this certificate.

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