EMC Directive
History
- The original EMC directive, 89/336/EEC, was enacted in 1989 and came into force on 1 January 1992 with a transitional period ending on 31 December 1995. The directive has been amended by 91/31/EEC and 93/68/EEC.
- The new EMC Directive (2004/108/EC0 was published in the Official Journal of the EU on 31 December 2004. The new directive came into force on 20 July 2007 with a transitional period ending on 20 July 2009.
Please contact us for the information on the changes of the new EMC directive.
Requirements of the Directive
- Performance of equipment with regard to all forms of radio interference.
- Basic 'essential protection' requirement – not to interfere with other apparatus, not to be interfered with by other apparatus.
- Administrative requirements:
– perform an EMC assessment– compile a Technical File– prepare a Declaration of Conformity– Put CE Mark on the product
- May optionally use an independent test house but this is not obligatory
Scope: The Directive applies to:
- any "relevant apparatus"; basically, if EMC performance can be meaningfully measured, then the directive applies.
- Installations (i.e. an assembly of individual pieces of apparatus brought together on a specific site).
There are some exclusions listed in the Directive:
- Equipment built or assembled by radio amateurs
- Equipment intended for use in commercial aircraft
- Equipment covered by directives containing more specific EMC provisions (e.g. automobiles (2004/108/EC), weighing equipment (2004/22/EC), telecommunication apparatus (1999/5/EC))
- Directive does not recognise lower or upper frequency limits ("d.c. to light") but in practice standards mainly provide for tests covering a range from 10kHz to 30GHz.Please refer to the EMC directive for detailed requirements.
Services that we offer as a Notified Body
- Technical File Review:
A Technical File is required in order to comply with the EMC Directive. We will review your Technical File for conformity to the requirements of the directive and provide recommendations on any areas requiring further action or improvements.
- Technical File Lodging:
CEM will acknowledge receipt and provide secure storage for 10 years after the date of last manufacture.
- EMC Testing Service
If required, CEM will arrange for equipment to be tested to ensure that it conforms to the requirements of the EMC Directive.