Compliance View from a Major Region of the World

| Beniamino Gorini

In the European Union, EMC requirements are covered by the EMC directive 2014/30/EU, but for some products, these requirements are covered by specific directives such as the Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU.

In order to demonstrate compliance with the essential requirements listed in the directives, EMC European Norms (EN) are prepared by CENELEC and ETSI under the mandate of the European Commission. Once these CENELEC and ETSI EN standards are published and the EU Commission notified, they are cited in the EU Official Journal as “harmonized standards,” signifying compliance with the specific directives. For each EN, the EU Official Journal also includes the transition period between the new standard and the one it replaces. Therefore, by the date of cessation of the superseded standard, manufacturers must show they conform to the specifications of the new EN in force.

The European Norms on EMC for radio equipment and telecommunication network equipment are produced by ETSI while all other EMC standards are produced by CENELEC. CENELEC and ETSI ENs, together with EMC requirements, refer to the basic standards produced by the IEC (e.g., 61000-4-x series) or CISPR (e.g., 16-x-y series) and adopted in the European Union as European Norms (for instance, in the EU, IEC 61000-4-2 has been adopted as EN 61000-4-2 and CISPR 16-2-3 as EN 55016-2-3). Similarly, the EMC generic and product family standards are, in most cases, the IEC standards adopted in the European Union as ENs (e.g., IEC 61000-6-1 became EN 61000-6-1 and CISPR 32 became EN 55032). When no EMC product standards are available from the IEC or CISPR, then CENELEC and ETSI produce specific ENs; an example is the standard EN 50 561-1, Power Line Communication Apparatus Used in Low-Voltage Installations, where an equivalent IEC or CISPR standard does not exist.

In some cases, the IEC/CISPR standards are adopted in the European Union with some modifications. These modifications are quoted in the “Foreword” of the EN. Furthermore, in recent EU ENs, there is an Annex section that defines the relationship between the requirements in the EU directives and the specific technical requirements defined in the standard that should be applied by manufacturers to demonstrate compliance.

Information on the latest harmonized standards produced by CENELEC and ETSI for the EMC directive 2014/30/EU can be found at https://ec.europa.eu/growth/single-market/european-standards/harmonised-standards/electromagnetic-compatibility_en. Information on the latest CENELEC and ETSI standards harmonized with EMC requirements for the Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU can be found at http://ec.europa.eu/growth/single-market/european-standards/harmonised-standards/rtte_en.


Beniamino Gorini
Alcatel-Lucent (Nokia)

International standardization bodies

 
 
 
 
  • Since 1991 Alcatel (now Alcatel-Lucent) representative in ETSI EMC TB and later Vice-chairman of ERM-EMC WG. Project Leader for various EMC standards for telecommunication and radio equipment.
  • Since 1991 member of ETSI TC-EE with role of rapporteur of some environmental standards
  • Since 1995 national representative in CENELEC TC210 “EMC standards”.
  • Since 1996, national delegate in CISPR SC A “EMC test methods & instrumentation”, SC H “EMC Generic standards and Emission limits” and SC I “EMC standards for ITE/MME”
  • Since 1998 member of ITU-T SG5 “EMC of telecommunication systems & hazard to human beings” (now “Environment and climate change”)
  • Since 2000 secretary of CISPR SCA/WG2 “EMC test methods” and in September 2006 appointed convenor of this WG
  • From 2000 until 2008 Convener of the Joint Task Force IEC 77B/WG10 & CISPR SC/A for “Uniform measurement test arrangement”
  • From 2003 until 2012, member of IEC SC77B/WG10 “Immunity basic standards”
  • From 2004 until 2010, member of IEC SC106/WG5 “generic EMF standards”
  • Since 2004, national delegate and ETSI TC-EE liaison person in CENELEC TC111X/WG3 “Standardization programme for the Energy using Product” directive