Mapping of EMCD 2014/30/EU

The SAL comprises the following steps:

1. Product qualification – Is the product actually within the scope of the EMCD?

2. Selection of the conformity assessment procedure – Self-assessment and/or EU Type-Examination.

3. EMC risk assessment + Assessment of harmonised standards and, where necessary, other means of fulfilment where such standards are not applied or do not exist – Which standards translate the universal essential requirements of Annex I(1)(a) and (b), and where are there gaps? A risk assessment of relevant EMC phenomena and the intended operating environment is required to ensure that the chosen standards or alternative compliance measures adequately address the product’s exposure to emissions and immunity requirements.

4. Technical documentation – Which records demonstrate compliance?

5. Information and marking obligations

6. Series Production – How is ongoing conformity ensured? Conformity is not limited to design and initial assessment; it must also be maintained throughout ongoing production. In practice, this means identifying and controlling those product and process characteristics whose deviation could compromise compliance with the essential requirements.

7. EU Declaration of Conformity & CE marking – Official confirmation of compliance, ready for the EU market.

Note: SAL is not an end in itself. It provides a repeatable methodology that translates regulatory principles into a clear, structured assessment logic.

This diagram illustrates the SAL workflow visually:

Product definition

↓

Harmonised standards / other means of fulfilment

↓

Conformity assessment procedure

↓

Technical documentation

↓

Information and marking obligations

↓

Series Production

↓

CE marking & Declaration of Conformity

Interfaces to Related Legislation

When applying EMCD 2014/30/EU, there are often intersections with other regulatory frameworks that must be considered simultaneously:

• Electrical safety legislation

• Radio equipment legislation

• Sector-specific regulations for connected products

A coordinated assessment is therefore necessary to avoid regulatory gaps or duplicated evaluations. In practice, this means SAL provides the roadmap, but it must always be applied in the context of related legislation.

Overview: Directive 2014/30/EU

• Number: 2014/30/EU

• Title: Directive relating to electromagnetic compatibility

• Publication: OJ L 96, 29.3.2014, p. 79

• Purpose: Provides a framework to ensure that electrical and electronic equipment placed on the market meets electromagnetic compatibility requirements.

• Public interest: Electromagnetic compatibility

• Guidance: Guidelines on EMCD 2014/30/EU: Guide for the EMCD

Scope

EMCD applies applies to electrical and electronic equipment that meets the following characteristics:

• It may generate or contribute to electromagnetic emissions that exceed levels allowing radio and telecommunications equipment or other devices to operate as intended.

• Its operation may cause unacceptable performance degradation in the presence of electromagnetic disturbances normally resulting from its intended use.

The Directive does not apply to products whose EMC aspects are already covered by other specific directives or regulations. Certain product categories are also excluded, as listed in Article 2(2).

• Radio equipment

• Medical devices

• Certain aviation equipment (aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as associated engines, propellers, components, and non-installed equipment) intended exclusively for airborne use

• Equipment with special physical characteristics or custom-built evaluation kits intended solely for professional use in research and development facilities

Provisions relating to essential requirements, conformity assessment procedures, CE marking, and other information labels do not apply to equipment intended solely for incorporation into a fixed installation, which is otherwise not placed on the market.

Conformity Assessment Procedures

Manufacturers must apply one of the procedures referred to in Article 14 and detailed in Annexes II and III:

(a) Internal Production Control (self-assessment),

(b) EU Type-Examination + Conformity to Type.

The manufacturer may choose to restrict the application of the procedure referred to in point (b) to some aspects of the essential requirements, provided that for the other aspects of the essential requirements the procedure referred to in point (a) is applied.

Core Requirements under Annex I

Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)

1. No interference with other devices

2. Immunity / resistance to external interference

Harmonised Standards

• Technical specifications facilitating compliance

• Use provides a presumption of conformity

• Developed by recognised European standardisation organisations

• Referenced in the Official Journal of the EU

• Directive 2014/30/EU on electromagnetic compatibility - Summary list 

Information and Marking Obligations

• Identification and manufacturer marking

• Instructions and Information on EMC-compliant use of apparatus

Subject to delegated acts, manufacturers may also be required to provide information on the conformity of combinations of radio equipment and software and to register certain categories of radio equipment.

Series Production

The requirement for ongoing conformity is implemented in practice by ensuring that manufacturers identify and keep under control those product and process characteristics whose deviation could jeopardize compliance with the legal requirements.

This requires a systematic management of safety- and compliance-critical characteristics, defining how these characteristics are identified, monitored, controlled, and protected against unintended change.

CE Marking

• Mandatory before placing the product on the EU market

• Must be visible, legible, and permanent

• Notified Body number required if involved

Conclusion

With SAL, the mapping as a roadmap, and consideration of interfaces to related legislation, it becomes clear how EMCD 2014/30/EU is systematically applied. The final workflow logically follows from scope through requirements, standards, and assessment procedures to CE marking – providing a clear orientation for manufacturers, assessors, and all stakeholders seeking regulatory clarity.