The European Parliament adopted by 550 votes to 12 with 8 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market of radio equipment.
Parliament adopted its position in first reading following the ordinary legislative procedure. The amendments adopted in plenary are the result of a compromise between Parliament and Council.
Essential requirements: radio equipment shall be constructed so as to ensure: (i) the protection of health and safety of persons and of domestic animals and the protection of property; (ii) an adequate level of electromagnetic compatibility.
Common charger: Parliament stressed that a renewed effort to develop a common charger for particular categories or classes of radio equipment is necessary, in particular for the benefit of consumers and other end-users. In particular, mobile phones that are made available on the market should be compatible with a common charger.
The text stipulated that the ability to work with common chargers would be an essential requirement for radio equipment. However, it would be up to the European Commission to decide which specific types of radio equipment will have to meet this requirement.
Included in the list of essential requirements were radio equipment interworks via networks with other radio equipment and radio equipment that could be connected to interfaces of the appropriate type throughout the Union.
Making available on the market: radio equipment would be made available on the market only if it complied with this Directive. Member States shall allow the putting into service and use of radio equipment if it complies with this Directive when it is properly installed, maintained and used for its intended purpose
Obligations of economic operators and market surveillance: manufacturers shall ensure that radio equipment shall be so constructed that it can be operated in at least one Member State without infringing applicable requirements on the use of radio spectrum. To protect the health and safety of end-users, they should carry out sample testing of radio equipment made available on the market,
Each item of radio equipment should be accompanied by a copy of the EU declaration of conformity or by a simplified EU declaration of conformity.
Manufacturers and importers shall indicate on the radio equipment their name, registered trade name or registered trade mark and the postal address at which they can be contacted or, where that is not possible, on its packaging or in a document accompanying the radio equipment.
The contact details shall be in a language easily understood by end-users and market surveillance authorities. Instructions and safety information, as well as any labelling, shall be clear, understandable and intelligible.
Conformity assessment procedures: the manufacturer shall perform a conformity assessment of the radio equipment with a view to meeting the essential requirements using one of the conformity assessment procedures.