ETSI testing for Radio Equipment Directive (RED) 2014/53/EU compliance

ETSI RED Testing Services

Compatible Electronics provides testing to ETSI harmonized standards for Radio Equipment Directive (RED) 2014/53/EU compliance. Our NVLAP accredited laboratory tests to the key ETSI standards required for CE marking of wireless products sold in the European market.

NVLAP Accredited FCC Listed Lab ISO/IEC 17025:2017 CE Marking Support

What is the Radio Equipment Directive?

The Radio Equipment Directive (RED) 2014/53/EU establishes a regulatory framework for radio equipment placed on the EU market. It replaced the Radio and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment (R&TTE) Directive in 2016 and sets essential requirements for safety, EMC, and efficient use of radio spectrum. Compliance with ETSI harmonized standards provides a presumption of conformity with RED essential requirements.

RED Essential Requirements

Article 3.1(a)

Health and Safety

RF exposure limits per EN 62311; electrical safety (LVD-aligned).

Article 3.1(b)

EMC

Electromagnetic compatibility per EN 301 489 series.

Article 3.2

Radio Spectrum

Effective use of radio spectrum; radio performance per technology-specific ETSI standards.

Article 3.3

Additional Requirements

Interoperability, privacy, anti-fraud (where applicable).

ETSI Standards We Test To

2.4 GHz

ETSI EN 300 328 V2.2.2 (2019-07)

Wideband data transmission at 2.4 GHz; covers WiFi 802.11b/g/n/ax, Bluetooth, Zigbee for RED Article 3.2. Accredited at Brea location.

Sub-GHz

ETSI EN 300 220 V2.4.1

Short Range Devices 25 MHz to 1000 MHz; covers Z-Wave, LoRa 868 MHz, sub-GHz SRDs. Accredited at Lake Forest/Silverado.

NFC / RFID

ETSI EN 300 330 V2.1.1 (2017-02)

Short Range Devices 9 kHz to 25 MHz and inductive loop systems to 30 MHz; covers NFC and LF/HF RFID. Accredited at Lake Forest/Silverado and Brea.

1–40 GHz

ETSI EN 300 440 V2.1.1 (2017-03)

Short Range Devices 1 GHz to 40 GHz; covers higher-frequency SRD technologies. Accredited at Lake Forest/Silverado and Brea.

EMC — Common

ETSI EN 301 489-1 V2.2.3 (2019-11)

Common EMC technical requirements for radio equipment; Article 3.1(b). Accredited at Brea.

EMC — SRD

ETSI EN 301 489-3 V2.1.1 (2019-03)

EMC for Short Range Devices 9 kHz to 246 GHz; Article 3.1(b). Accredited at Lake Forest/Silverado and Brea.

EMC — Broadband

ETSI EN 301 489-17 V3.2.4 (2020-09)

EMC for broadband data transmission systems; WiFi and Bluetooth RED EMC. Accredited at Brea.

Multimedia

EN 55032 (2015)+A11(2020)

Multimedia equipment emissions; relevant for IoT hubs and connected AV devices. Accredited at all three locations.

Products We Test for RED

2.4 GHz Technologies

WiFi and Bluetooth devices (EN 300 328 + EN 301 489-17)
Zigbee devices (EN 300 328 + EN 301 489-17)

Sub-GHz & Inductive

Short range devices — sub-GHz (EN 300 220 + EN 301 489-3)
LoRaWAN — 868 MHz (EN 300 220 + EN 301 489-3)
NFC and HF RFID readers — 13.56 MHz (EN 300 330 + EN 301 489-3)
LF RFID and inductive devices — 9 kHz to 135 kHz (EN 300 330 + EN 301 489-3)

IoT & Sensors

IoT wireless products — technology-specific standard plus EN 301 489 EMC
Remote controls and wireless sensors

CE Marking Support

Test Reports

Technical Documentation

Complete testing to applicable ETSI harmonized standards, with test reports formatted for technical documentation file.

Declaration

Declaration of Conformity

Support for Declaration of Conformity preparation alongside your technical documentation file.

Global

Combined Multi-Market Testing

Combined testing with FCC and ISED standards for global certification from one test session, minimizing cost and schedule.

Real-World Testing Examples

LoRa 868 MHz Sensor — RED CE Marking

A European IoT company required CE marking under RED for a LoRaWAN soil sensor operating in the 868 MHz EU band. Compatible Electronics performed ETSI EN 300 220-2 testing for the radio performance requirements (EIRP, frequency accuracy, occupied bandwidth, duty cycle compliance) and EN 301 489-3 for EMC (radiated emissions, ESD immunity, RF immunity). The test reports supported the manufacturer's Declaration of Conformity, enabling CE marking and sale throughout the EU without further regulatory approval.

NFC Payment Terminal — RED Article 3.1(b) + 3.2

A payment technology company needed CE marking for a contactless NFC point-of-sale terminal. Compatible Electronics performed EN 300 330 V2.1.1 inductive loop system testing for the 13.56 MHz radio performance (Article 3.2) and EN 301 489-3 for the EMC essential requirements (Article 3.1(b)). RF exposure evaluation per EN 62311 confirmed compliance with the Article 3.1(a) health and safety requirement at contact distances. The complete RED test package supported the Declaration of Conformity affixed to the terminal.

Zigbee + BLE Smart Home Device — Multi-Standard RED

A smart home device manufacturer needed CE marking for a combined Zigbee and BLE sensor. Both radios operate at 2.4 GHz, so both were covered under ETSI EN 300 328 for the radio performance requirements and EN 301 489-17 for EMC. Compatible Electronics tested worst-case simultaneous transmission of both radios, confirming that the combined operating mode met all EN 300 328 spectral requirements and that neither radio's emissions exceeded the EN 301 489-17 conducted or radiated emission limits. A single RED test report covered both technologies.