Manufacturers must ensure that radio equipment which they intend to place on the Irish market meets the essential requirements of the Radio Equipment Directive (“RED”) (see Article 3 of 2014/53/EU).
Manufacturers of radio equipment are any legal or natural persons who:
- Design and/or manufacture radio equipment;
- Have radio equipment designed and/or manufactured; and
- Market radio equipment under their own name and/or trademark.
Radio equipment is defined as any electrical or electronic product that intentionally emits or receives radio waves for communication or radiodetermination or requires an accessory (such as an antenna) to do so. Examples of radio equipment are GPS trackers, smart watches, Bluetooth and WiFi-enabled devices, smart kitchen and home appliances, baby monitors, phones, and laptops.
ComReg, as the sole Market Surveillance Authority in Ireland for the RED, conducts inspections of radio equipment for sale in Ireland, to check for compliance and ensure that the essential requirements of the RED are being met.
These inspections include:
- Checking that an EU Declaration of Conformity accompanies the radio equipment;
- Checking for the presence of the CE mark, which must be visible, legible, and indelibly affixed;
- Checking that the radio equipment is clearly marked with a type, batch, or serial number, as well as the manufacturer’s contact details;
- Checking that each item of radio equipment is accompanied by instructions for user and safety information in the correct language; and
- If the manufacturer is based in a third country, checking that there is an Economic Operator in the EU (an EU Authorised Representative) to represent them.
Find out more on the Economic Operators webpage.
