← All articles

What certification does an electronic device need in the EU?

· 6 min read

When someone asks us "which certification do I need?", what they really want to know is which key lets them sell their product. Sometimes it is someone who has never heard of electromagnetic compatibility; sometimes it is a technical team that knows the subject but needs to know exactly what applies to them.

The short answer is that there is no single certification in the European Union. There is a set of directives and regulations, and the CE marking shows that the product complies with all of those that apply to it.

CE marking: who declares it

In most cases, nobody grants the CE marking: the manufacturer declares it. Under the Low Voltage Directive, for example, the procedure is internal production control (module A): the manufacturer prepares the technical documentation, including a risk analysis, signs the EU declaration of conformity and affixes the CE marking, under its sole responsibility. That documentation and the declaration are kept for ten years after the product is placed on the market.

That is why "certification" is rarely the right word. A laboratory issues test reports that support the declaration. A notified body, when it is involved, does issue a certificate, but it is only mandatory in specific cases, which we cover below.

Which legislation applies to your product

It depends on what the product contains and what it is for. Go through this list with your product in mind:

  • Almost any electronic equipment: the Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMC, 2014/30/EU) and RoHS (2011/65/EU), which restricts substances such as lead, mercury and cadmium in materials, including cables and spare parts.
  • Operates between 50 and 1,000 V AC or between 75 and 1,500 V DC: the Low Voltage Directive (LVD, 2014/35/EU).
  • Contains a radio (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LTE, any transmitter or receiver): the Radio Equipment Directive (RED, 2014/53/EU). The RED includes the safety objectives of the LVD, with no voltage limits, and the EMC requirements, so the equipment is declared compliant with the RED rather than with the LVD and EMC separately.
  • Contains a radio and connects to the internet: since 1 August 2025, Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 has applied cybersecurity requirements of the RED: not harming the network and, if it processes personal data, protecting it.
  • Can be used by a consumer: the General Product Safety Regulation (2023/988), applicable since December 2024, covers the risks not covered by specific legislation. A 12 V device falls outside the LVD, but not outside the obligation to be safe.
  • Contains a battery: Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 also applies to batteries built into products. From 18 February 2027, portable batteries must be removable and replaceable by the end user, and all batteries will carry a QR code.
  • Runs software and connects: the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), fully applicable from 11 December 2027, with reporting obligations since 11 September 2026. We explain it in our CRA guide.
  • Has a medical purpose: it is regulated by the MDR, with its own rules. We explain it in what is a medical device.
  • Is household or office equipment connected to the mains: the Ecodesign Regulation (EU) 2023/826 limits its consumption in off, standby and networked standby modes.
  • Is a machine or is built into one: check the new Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, which applies from 14 January 2027.

When you need a notified body

Under the LVD and RoHS, the manufacturer assesses conformity itself. Under the EMC Directive it can choose between doing so or using an EU-type examination by a notified body.

The RED is stricter on one point: for spectrum use and the additional requirements, such as cybersecurity, the manufacturer can self-assess if it applies the harmonised standards published in the Official Journal of the EU. If it does not apply them, applies them only in part, or none exist, it needs a notified body.

Beyond those directives, the MDR requires a notified body above class I, and the CRA may require one for some products in the important and critical categories.

Certified radio modules

A Wi-Fi or Bluetooth module with its own declaration of conformity makes the job much easier, but it does not make the final product compliant automatically. You rarely know for sure under what conditions the module was tested, and those conditions are usually different from the product's: another power supply, another antenna, another enclosure, other circuits around it. That is why the complete product is still tested.

What to do before you design

We are surrounded by electronic products that have never been through a laboratory. Validating every requirement adds cost to a product launch, and some manufacturers choose to skip it. We always recommend the opposite: take all applicable standards into account from the design stage and validate them.

  1. List the applicable legislation when the design starts, using the list above as a starting point.
  2. Identify the harmonised standards you will apply for each one. Under the RED, not applying them means going through a notified body.
  3. Run pre-compliance tests before the formal test. We always recommend them: they catch major errors before you pay for the final test and give you confidence when you sign a self-assessment. We work with several partner laboratories that offer both pre-compliance and accredited testing.
  4. Start the technical documentation with the first prototype, not at the end. You will have to keep it for ten years.

If you need to know what applies to your product or to prepare for testing, we can help.

Pre-compliance and certification preparation:Testing and validation

Sources

Email Get in touch