What is CE Certification for Wireless devices?

CE certification means that the product complies with the requirements defined in the applicable EC Directives. Radio products must comply with the Radio Equipment Directive (RED) 2014/53/EU, RoHS 2011/65/EU, and the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) 2012/19/EU.

RED (Radio Equipment Directive) certification is one of the mandatory CE certification schemes in the EU for wireless products. Products with wireless transmission frequencies, such as tablet computers, wireless doorbells, Bluetooth devices, WiFi devices, wireless alarm devices, radio receiving and transmitting equipment, telephones, computers, etc., are required to apply for RED certification.

On May 22, 2014, the EU issued the new version of the Radio Equipment Directive RED 2014/53/EU, which was formULated based on the EU's new CE Framework Decision 768/2008/EC. RED 2014/53/EU replaced the original EU Radio Equipment and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment Directive (R&TTE-D) 1999/5/EC. All wireless products must comply with the RED Directive before they can be circulated in the EU market.

R&TTE: (Radio and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment Directive). Brief Introduction to R&TTE Certification – Upgraded to RED Directive Certification. Wireless remote control products and communication products exported to the EU must comply with the requirements of the R&TTE Directive (Radio and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment Directive) 1999/5/EC. The EU's new RED Directive for wireless products, RED 2014/53/EU, was enforced on June 13, 2017, to replace the previous Radio Equipment and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment Directive (R&TTE Directive). Products that comply with the old R&TTE Directive are no longer allowed to be sold in the EU market, and any products put on the market after June 13, 2017, must comply with the RED Directive.

The RED Directive mainly consists of three parts of requirements:

1. Safety (Article 3.1a), which directly refers to the low voltage directive (LVD) 2006/95/EC.

2. EMC (Article 3.1b), which is basically equivalent to the Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMC) 2004/108/EC, with the test standard being the ETSI EN 301489 series.

3. Spectrum (Article 3.2), which covers requirements for the efficient use of the spectrum. The test standards are classified into many types according to different product categories, frequency bands, and wireless technologies, such as ETSI EN 300328, EN 300440, EN 301357, EN 300220, etc.

Objectives of the New RED Directive

1. Clarify the scope of spectrum use

2. Improve the efficiency of spectrum use

3. Facilitate the implementation of regulations and market monitoring among member states

Before wireless products can be legally sold in EU countries, they must undergo testing and obtain approval in accordance with the RED Directive, and must also bear the CE mark. Wireless remote control products must comply with the requirements of the RED Directive 2014/53/EU.

CE Certification Test Standards for Various Wireless Products

①　ETSI EN 301489-1: General requirements for the EMC part of CE-certified wireless products.

②　ETSI EN 301489-3: Special requirements for the EMC part of CE-certified short-range wireless products, such as wireless doorbells operating at 433.92 MHz.

③　ETSI EN 301489-7: Special requirements for the EMC part of CE-certified wireless products with GSM functions, such as GSM mobile phones.

④　ETSI EN 301489-17: General requirements for the EMC part of CE-certified broadband modulation products, such as Bluetooth headsets and tablet computers with WiFi functions.

⑤　ETSI EN 300220-1/-2: Test standards for CE-certified short-range wireless products with frequencies ranging from 25 MHz to 1000 MHz and power less than 500 mW, such as wireless doorbells operating at 433.92 MHz.

⑥　ETSI EN 300330-1/-2: Test standards for CE-certified short-range wireless products with frequencies ranging from 9 KHz to 25 MHz, such as 13.56 MHz RFID products.

⑦　ETSI EN 300440-1/-2: Test standards for CE-certified broadband modulation products except Bluetooth and WiFi, such as 2.4G game remote controls using FSK modulation. However, it should be noted that for products using Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) technology, the number of channels in the design must be at least 20.

⑧　ETSI EN 300328: Test standards for CE-certified broadband modulation products operating in the 2.4G ISM frequency band, such as Bluetooth headsets and tablet computers with WiFi functions.

⑨　ETSI EN 301511: Test standards for CE-certified electronic products with GSM communication functions, such as GSM mobile phones and tablet computers with GSM functions. The SAR standard adopts EN 62209.

⑩　ETSI EN 301908-1/-2: Test standards for CE-certified electronic products with WCDMA functions, such as WCDMA 3G mobile phones and tablet computers with WCDMA 3G functions.

⑪　en 62479: Health assessment requirements for low-power, portable wireless products in CE certification, with the RF output power (EIRP) required to be less than 20 mW.

⑫　en 62311: Health assessment requirements for wireless products in CE certification, requiring that the distance between the product and the human body during use is at least 20 cm, such as wireless cameras with WiFi functions.

Scope of Products Covered by the RED Directive for CE Certification of Wireless Products

1. Short-range wireless remote control products (SRD), e.g., remote-controlled toy cars, remote-controlled alarm systems, remote-controlled doorbells, remote-controlled switches, remote-controlled MICe, keyboards, etc.

2. Professional mobile radio (PMR) products, e.g., professional wireless walkie-talkies, wireless microphones, etc.

3. Cordless telephones (CTO, CT1, CT1+, etc.)

4. ISDN (digital telephone products)

5. DECT (enhanced digital cordless telephones)

6. Mobile phone GSM and CDMA testing

7. Bluetooth products, e.g., Bluetooth headsets

8. Inductive data transmission equipment with operating frequency < 9 kHz

9. Wireless broadcast receiver equipment

Process for Obtaining ETSI EN 300328 Test Report for Wireless Products

1. Submit product information, including application, style photos, and relevant parameter data for quotation.

2. The certification body sends the relevant quotation to the customer, which includes the project operation cycle, certificate sample, amount, and data to be submitted.

3. The manufacturer mails the samples to officially start the process; the manufacturer only needs to cooperate with the submission of data. The specific requirements vary by project, and factory inspection is required for many projects. The specific operation mode of certification is implemented in accordance with the provisions of the regulations.

4. Confirm the certificate information and pay the balance to obtain the certificate.

Data Required for RED Certification

1. User manual

2. Circuit schematic

3. Power circuit block diagram (also known as control module function diagram)

4. PCB layout diagram

5. PCB component placement diagram

6. Operational description (explanation of the block diagram)

7. Bill of materials (BOM LIST)

8. Label

9. Antenna specifications (or receiving sensitivity diagram)

10. Charger LVD report

11. Frequency-fixed software

It should be noted that the applicable EU CE certification standards and test requirements may vary for different types of wireless equipment. Therefore, before applying for CE certification, you should consult the certification body about the relevant requirements and processes to ensure the smooth progress of the application.