Directive 2014/30/EU is the Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMCD) for the European Union. This EMC directive set out mandatory “essential requirements” for electrical and electronic equipment to ensure the Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) of the equipment. This Directive regulates the electromagnetic compatibility of electrical and electronic equipment that is placed or taken into service in the European Union market, including products imported from other countries. On 29 March 2014, this EMC directive was published in the Official Journal of the European Union L 96/79. It repealed and replaced the old EMC Directive 2004/108/EC from 20 April 2016.

Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) means the electrical and electronic equipment's capability to function satisfactorily in its intended electromagnetic environment without introducing intolerable electromagnetic disturbances to other equipment in that environment. Electromagnetic disturbance (or electromagnetic interference) means unwanted electromagnetic energy emission (conducted and radiated emission) from working equipment that may affect the performance/damage the other nearby equipment.

The EMC Directive 2014/30/EU outlines essential requirements for equipment (both apparatus and fixed installations). This directive requires that the equipment needs to comply with the essential requirements referenced in Article 6 and detailed in Annex I of this directive to ensure the Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) of the equipment. Here, apparatus means any finished appliance. The fixed installation means a particular combination of several types of apparatus intended to be used permanently at a predefined location (e.g., machinery installations and networks).

The objective of Directive 2014/30/EU is to ensure electrical and electronic equipment (apparatus and fixed installations) will operate satisfactorily without emitting harmful electromagnetic disturbance while working in its intended real-time electromagnetic environment. This EMC Directive applies to electrical and electronic equipment, systems, and installations to be placed on/put into service in the European Union market. This directive requires that the equipment, when operating in its intended environment, must not emit harmful electromagnetic disturbances (interference) and must have immunity to withstand a certain level of electromagnetic interference from external sources. Thereby, it regulates the electromagnetic compatibility of equipment.

CE MarkingTo comply with the essential requirements of this directive, manufacturers shall do the EMC assessment (i.e., EMC testing) for their apparatus according to the relevant harmonized standards of the product and prepare technical documentation that contains details of product descriptions, circuits, drawings, product operation details, harmonized standards applied, test reports, etc. After preparing the technical document, the manufacturer shall affix the CE marking on each product and prepare a written EU declaration of conformity.

After placing the apparatus on the market, the manufacturer is required to keep the EU declaration along with the technical documentation at the disposal of the national authorities for 10 years. A copy of the EU declaration of conformity must be submitted to the relevant authorities when requested. Manufacturers are fully responsible for their products to comply with this directive.

The EMC Directive  2014/30/EU plays a crucial role in ensuring electromagnetic compatibility of equipment in the EU market and ensuring the smooth functioning of the internal market for electrical and electronic devices. This EMC directive differs from most other directives in that its primary requirement is the functionality of equipment and the protection of the electromagnetic spectrum rather than the safety of the equipment. This EMC directive does not address the safety of equipment!, since it is dealt with by separate Union or national legislation.

Which products are required to comply with the EMC Directive 2014/30/EU?

Products containing electronics or active electrical components, regardless of whether they are mains-powered or battery-powered, must comply with this directive.  

Which products are exempted/excluded from the EMC Directive 2014/30/EU?

The directive 2014/30/EU does not apply to equipment that does not include any active (electronic) parts; since these equipment are incapable of emitting EMI or can operate satisfactorily in their intended electromagnetic environment. Examples of such equipment include cables and cabling, equipment containing only resistive loads, domestic heaters without controls, batteries (without an active circuit), pocket lamps (including LED flashlights), induction motors without electronics, and simple quartz watches.

Also, the following products are exempted from the scope of this EMC Directive because they are already covered by other EU directives. 

• Radio equipment covered in the scope of the radio equipment directive (RED);
• Aeronautical products, parts, and appliances (covered in Regulation (EC) No 216/2008);
• Radio equipment indented for use by radio amateurs; 
• Motor vehicles;
• Medical devices (covered in the Medical Device Regulation (EU) 2017/745 );
• Marine equipment (Covered in Directive 2014/90/EU);
• Agricultural and forestry tractors (covered in Regulation (EU) No 167/2013);
• Two or three-wheel motor vehicles within the scope of Regulation 168/2013;
• Custom-built evaluation kits are intended for professional use exclusively within research and development facilities for such purposes.

The following products are excluded from this directive for EMC immunity requirements only (but EMC emission requirements still apply):

• Measuring instruments (Covered in Directive 2014/32/EU);
• Non-automatic weighing instruments: (Covered in Directive 2014/31/EU).

How to comply with the Directive 2014/30/EU?

Economic operators (i.e., product manufacturers, distributors, and importers) must ensure that the equipment placed and/or put in service on the Union market complies with the essential requirements of this EMC directive.  The essential requirements are referenced in Article 6 and detailed in Annex I of the directive. The manufacturers can use any one of the following conformity assessment procedures to show the compliance of their products with the EMC directive 2014/30/EU. 

(a) internal production control - described in Annex II; 

(b) EU-type examination that is followed by Conformity to type based on internal production control - described in Annex III.

Steps involved in the internal production control conformity assessment procedure to get EMC compliance of equipment: 

The internal production control conformity assessment procedure is described in Annex II of this directive. This procedure allows a manufacturer to self-certify a product. The steps of the procedure include:

Step 1: The manufacturer must design and manufacture a product that does not emit unwanted electromagnetic disturbance and is immune to electromagnetic disturbance from other products. The product manufacturers can apply EMC-compliant design principles and take necessary EMI mitigation techniques such as adding shielding and filters.

Step 2: Conduct EMC assessment testing

To comply with the essential requirements of this directive, the manufacturer is required to conduct EMC assessment testing (i.e., EMC testing) for a product according to the harmonized standards relevant to the product.

 Harmonized standards are European standards for conducting EMC testing (EMC-conducted emission testing, EMC-radiated emission, EMC EMC-conducted, and radiated immunity testing).  Detailed information regarding the harmonized standards is available on the website of the European Commission. A product usually needs to meet several harmonized standards.  EMC testing is often expensive when conducting several tests on a product; hence, the manufacturer can subcontract the EMC tests to a qualified EMC test laboratory.

When there is NO existence of harmonized standards or cannot be used (or if the manufacturer wants to apply any other standards), the manufacturer may follow alternate ways or a technical methodology to ensure the requirements of the EMC Directive are met. But, the manufacturer will need to provide clear evidence of compliance.

Step 3: Prepare the technical documentation or ‘Technical File’.

The manufacturer shall prepare the technical documentation to demonstrate evidence of compliance with the essential requirements of this directive. The technical documentation shall contain information such as a general description of the apparatus, circuits, drawing, product operation details, explanations for drawings and circuits, results of design calculations made,  harmonized standards applied, examinations carried out, etc., and test reports.

Step 4: Manufacture the product as per technical document

The manufacturer shall take all necessary measures to ensure that the apparatus is manufactured as per the technical documentation.

Step 5: CE marking and EU declaration of conformity

Once the essential requirements are met, the manufacturer shall affix the CE marking on each product and prepare a written EU declaration of conformity. After placing the apparatus on the market, the manufacturer is required to keep the EU declaration along with the technical documentation at the disposal of the national authorities for 10 years. A copy of the EU declaration of conformity must be submitted to the relevant authorities when requested.  

Step 6: Authorized representative

A manufacturer may appoint an authorized representative to perform tasks on behalf of the manufacturer. The tasks of the representative include keeping the EU declaration along with the technical documentation for 10 years and providing the required documents and information for demonstrating the conformity of the apparatus or product. If a manufacturing company is located outside Europe, the authorized representative tasks can be helpful to the company.

Steps involved in the EU-type examination conformity assessment procedure (outlined in Annex III) to get EMC compliance of equipment: 

The manufacturer can use the EU-type examination (which is part of a conformity assessment procedure).  This procedure starts, after the technical document preparation mentioned in the above steps. Here, a notified body examines and verifies product technical documentation prepared by the manufacturer and attests that the technical design of the apparatus when meets the essential requirements of this directive. The notified body will provide an EU-type examination certificate for the product that meets the essential requirements.  

Once the essential requirements are met, the manufacturer shall affix the CE marking on each product and prepare a written EU declaration of conformity. After placing the apparatus on the market, the manufacturer is required to keep the EU declaration along with the technical documentation at the disposal of the national authorities for 10 years. A copy of the EU declaration of conformity must be submitted to the relevant authorities when requested.  

Steps involved in the EU-type examination conformity assessment procedure are described in Annex III of this directive.

Note: The manufacturer is required to apply an application for the EU-type examination with a single notified body of manufacturer choice.

The Following flow chart explains the EMC assessment procedure (Annex II and Annex III):

What are the penalties and measures for non-conformity with the EMC Directive 2014/30/EU?

Penalties are applicable for non-compliant products on the market and may include criminal penalties for serious infringements. But, generally, manufacturers are allowed to immediately take the necessary corrective steps to bring the product into conformity or, if needed, withdraw or recall the product.

Note: Manufacturers remain fully responsible for the compliance of their apparatus with the provisions of the Directive 2014/30/EU.