CE marking for electronics
Almost every electronic product sold in the EU carries CE marking, but no single “electronics directive” exists. The mark on a power supply, a smart plug or a Bluetooth speaker certifies conformity with a combination of EU acts. Which acts apply depends on three questions: does the product contain a radio, what voltage does it run on, and does it contain a battery? This page maps the combinations and links to the detailed page for each act.
The core acts at a glance
| Act | What it covers | Applies to | Usual route |
|---|---|---|---|
| EMC Directive 2014/30/EU | Electromagnetic compatibility: emissions and immunity | Almost all electrical and electronic apparatus without a radio function | Module A |
| Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU | Electrical safety | Equipment rated 50–1000 V AC or 75–1500 V DC, without a radio function | Module A |
| Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU | Safety, EMC, efficient use of spectrum and, for internet-connected devices, cybersecurity | Any product that intentionally emits or receives radio waves: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, LoRa, NB-IoT, GNSS, NFC | Module A with full harmonised standards; otherwise Notified Body |
| RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU | Restriction of 10 hazardous substances | Almost all electrical and electronic equipment | Module A |
The acts apply together, and one CE mark covers all of them. The EU Declaration of Conformity lists every act that applies.
Radio equipment: the RED replaces the LVD and EMC Directive
Once a product contains a radio function, it falls under the Radio Equipment Directive, and the LVD and EMC Directive no longer apply to it as separate acts. Article 3(1) of the RED covers the same ground itself:
- Article 3(1)(a): health and safety, with the safety objectives of the LVD but no lower voltage limit, so a 3 V device is covered too;
- Article 3(1)(b): electromagnetic compatibility, with the EMC Directive's level of protection;
- Article 3(2): effective and efficient use of radio spectrum;
- Article 3(3): specific requirements activated by delegated act. The most important are the cybersecurity requirements of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30, which have applied to internet-connected radio equipment, toys and wearables since 1 August 2025 (harmonised standards EN 18031-1/-2/-3), and the common charger (USB-C) rules of Directive (EU) 2022/2380.
Test laboratories still apply the familiar safety and EMC standards (for example EN 62368-1 and the EN 301 489 series), but under the RED. Citing the LVD or EMC Directive on the Declaration for a radio product is a common error.
Which acts apply: common product types
| Product | Acts typically applicable |
|---|---|
| Mains-powered LED lamp, no wireless | LVD, EMC, RoHS, ecodesign/energy labelling for light sources |
| External power supply / USB charger | LVD, EMC, RoHS, Ecodesign Regulation (EU) 2019/1782 for external power supplies |
| Smart plug with Wi-Fi | RED (including cybersecurity), RoHS |
| Bluetooth speaker with built-in battery | RED (including USB-C charging rules), RoHS, Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542; LVD and EMC for any mains adapter supplied |
| 12 V DC control board sold as finished apparatus | EMC, RoHS (below LVD voltage range) |
| Electronic controls built into a machine | Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC (Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 from 20 January 2027), EMC, RoHS |
| Electronic toy | Toy Safety Regulation (EU) 2025/2509 (under its transition from Directive 2009/48/EC), EMC or RED, RoHS, Battery Regulation |
Treat the table as a starting point. Scope must be checked act by act, as described in does my product need CE marking?
Components, modules and sub-assemblies
The EMC Directive applies to finished apparatus and fixed installations. Components with no direct function of their own for the end user, such as resistors, bare ICs and most bare PCBs sold to professional assemblers, are generally not apparatus and do not carry CE marking under it. A component sold to end users for installation, such as a plug-in module or a PC graphics card, can be apparatus. The Commission's EMC guide gives the detailed criteria. Pre-certified radio modules make RED testing easier, but they do not replace the conformity assessment of the host product.
Other EU rules that apply to electronics without CE marking
- WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU: producer registration in each Member State and the crossed-out wheeled-bin symbol. This is not a CE requirement, but it is mandatory.
- Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542: labelling (phased in from 18 August 2025 to 18 February 2027), removability and replaceability of portable batteries (from 18 February 2027), and the CE marking of batteries themselves (since 18 August 2024).
- Ecodesign implementing measures: for example standby and off-mode power (Regulation (EU) 2023/826), external power supplies and displays.
- REACH (EC) No 1907/2006: SVHC disclosure duties for articles, separate from RoHS.
- Cyber Resilience Act (EU) 2024/2847: horizontal cybersecurity rules for products with digital elements. Its reporting obligations for actively exploited vulnerabilities have applied since 11 September 2026, and its main requirements apply from 11 December 2027, from which date CRA conformity is also signalled by CE marking.
- GPSR (EU) 2023/988: covers consumer-product safety risks not addressed by the sectoral acts, plus traceability and online-sale requirements.
Documentation checklist
- Scope analysis: which acts apply and why (radio or not, voltage, battery).
- Risk assessment covering electrical, thermal, mechanical, RF-exposure and, where relevant, cybersecurity hazards. See risk assessment.
- Test reports against the harmonised standards cited in the OJEU for each act.
- RoHS evidence: supplier declarations and material data, structured according to EN IEC 63000.
- Schematics, bill of materials and PCB layouts, as required for the technical documentation.
- One EU Declaration of Conformity listing every act, plus a copy or simplified Declaration with each unit where the RED requires it.
- Product markings: CE, type/batch/serial identification, manufacturer's name and postal address, and the importer's details where applicable. See affixing the CE mark.
Frequently asked questions
Which CE directives apply to electronic products?
For most mains-powered electronics without a radio: the EMC Directive 2014/30/EU, the Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU and the RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU. Products with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular or any other radio function fall under the Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU instead of the LVD and EMC Directive, together with RoHS.
Does a battery-powered device need the Low Voltage Directive?
Usually not. The LVD applies only to equipment rated 50–1000 V AC or 75–1500 V DC. A device running on a 5 V USB supply or a 3.7 V cell is outside it, although the mains charger or adapter supplied with it is within scope. EMC, RoHS and the Battery Regulation still apply, and general safety is covered by the GPSR.
Does a product with Bluetooth need EMC and LVD testing?
It needs the same kind of testing, but the legal basis is the RED. Article 3(1) of the RED covers safety (with no lower voltage limit) and electromagnetic compatibility, so the Declaration of Conformity cites the RED and the EMC and LVD standards are applied under it.
Do electronics need a Notified Body?
Usually not. EMC, LVD and RoHS use internal production control (Module A). Under the RED, a Notified Body is needed only where harmonised standards are not applied in full, for example for the cybersecurity requirements if EN 18031 is not applied in full or is applied with its restrictions.
Is the WEEE crossed-out bin a CE marking requirement?
No. The crossed-out wheeled-bin symbol comes from the WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU, which does not use CE marking. It is still mandatory for electrical and electronic equipment sold in the EU and is usually applied next to the CE mark.
Sources
- Directive 2014/30/EU (EMC) — EUR-Lex.
- Directive 2014/35/EU (Low Voltage) — EUR-Lex.
- Directive 2014/53/EU (Radio Equipment) — EUR-Lex.
- Directive 2011/65/EU (RoHS) — EUR-Lex.
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 — EUR-Lex.
- Regulation (EU) 2024/2847 (Cyber Resilience Act) — EUR-Lex.
- Directive 2012/19/EU (WEEE) — EUR-Lex.