New edition of the Guide to the Radio Equipment Directive

On 6 October 2026, the European Commission published a new edition of the Guide to the Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU. This new edition replaces the previous versions from 2017 and 2018 and takes account of numerous regulatory developments in recent years.

Compared with the last edition, the guide has grown from 56 to 95 pages. In addition to updating existing explanations, it contains, in particular, new guidance on the cybersecurity of networked radio equipment, the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) and the interaction between the RED and other European product regulations. Furthermore, the guidance has been aligned with the horizontal legal framework of the Blue Guide in its 2022 edition.

Although the RED Guidance is not legally binding and does not replace either the Directive or a legal assessment in individual cases, it nevertheless provides an important interpretative aid for manufacturers, authorities and other economic operators. 

  

Cybersecurity: RED requirements and the transition to the Cyber Resilience Act

Of particular relevance to connected radio equipment are the new explanations regarding the cybersecurity requirements under Article 3(3)(d), (e) and (f). These relate in particular to the protection of networks, personal data and privacy, as well as protection against fraud.

In this regard, the guidance takes into account Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 and its amendment by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2444, which are to apply from 1 August 2025.

The guidance also draws attention to the forthcoming transition to the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 will be repealed on 11 December 2027. For radio equipment falling within the scope of the CRA and placed on the market from that date onwards, the CRA’s requirements will, in principle, apply with regard to cybersecurity. The other requirements of the Radio Equipment Directive remain unaffected. 

Manufacturers of radio equipment should therefore not only take the applicable RED requirements into account, but also keep an eye on the forthcoming transition to the CRA.
 

When is radio equipment considered to be ‘internet-connected’?

In Section 1.7.2, the Guide addresses the question of when radio equipment is to be classified as ‘internet-connected radio equipment’.

The Guide makes it clear that a direct internet connection is not strictly necessary for this. Radio equipment is considered internet-connected if it can communicate via the internet itself – either directly or via another device.

This means, for example, that scenarios may also be relevant where a product first communicates with another device via Wi-Fi or another wireless connection, and internet communication only takes place via that device.

For the first time, the guidance contains a dedicated section on this subject, featuring illustrative case studies to assist in the assessment of internet-connected radio equipment. This section is of particular interest to manufacturers who need to determine whether the cybersecurity requirements of Article 3(3) of the RED apply to their product.
 

Interfaces with other EU legislation

The new edition considers the RED much more closely in conjunction with other European product regulations.

New or significantly expanded references include, amongst others, those to the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR – 2023/988), theBattery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, the Cyber Resilience Act, the Cybersecurity Act and the AI Act (EU) 2024/1689. The guidance now includes a separate section on EU legislation in the field of AI and cybersecurity.

With regard to product safety, for example, the Commission points out that Article 3.1(a) of the RED does not fully cover certain risks – such as impacts on mental health or risks arising from a product’s malfunction – and that, in such cases, the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) may be relevant.  
 

New regulations for crisis situations: IMERA

A separate section on the Internal Market Emergency and Resilience Act (IMERA) has also been added.

The amendments are intended to ensure that, in the event of a triggered internal market emergency mode, certain crisis-relevant products can be made available on the European market more quickly. Among other things, conformity assessment bodies are to prioritise applications for crisis-relevant products.
 

Overview of key changes

The table below provides an overview of selected key changes and additions to the new RED guidance. It is not intended to be exhaustive.

For a detailed comparison of the previous and new editions, you can use the Safexpert document comparison tool. This allows you to display amended sections specifically and compare the respective text versions directly with one another.