European EMC Directive 2004/108/EC updated to 2014/30/EU

The new EMC Directive 2014/30/EU has been published on the Official Journal of the European Union (L 96/79) on 29 March 2014, which will repeal the old EMC Directive 2004/108/EC, in alignment to the NLF (New Legislative Framework). 

Execution time

2014/30/EU will effect on 20 April 2016. Member States shall adopt and transit 2014/30/EU into national laws by 19 April 2016.

Scope

The Directive should apply to finished apparatus placed on the market. Certain components or sub-assemblies should, under certain conditions, be considered to be apparatus if they are made available to the end-user, e.g. Household Electrical Appliances, Electrical Lighting Equipment, Information Technology Equipment and ISM radio-frequency equipment, Motor, etc.

Requirements

This Directive regulates the electromagnetic compatibility of equipment. It aims to ensure the functioning of the internal market by requiring equipment to comply with an adequate level of electromagnetic compatibility.
The updates of the directive include

• Custom built evaluation kits destined for professionals to be used solely at research and development facilities are not covered by the EMC Directive.
• Add the definition of ‘manufacturer’ ,‘importer’, ‘distributor’ and  ‘authorised representative’ etc.
• Obligations of economic operations are added. (e.g. in terms of conformity marking, labeling and traceability of products).
• Manufacturers and importer shall indicate on the apparatus, their name, registered trade name or registered trade mark and the postal address at which they can be contacted or, where the size or nature of apparatus do not allow it, on its packaging, or in a document accompanying the apparatus.
• User information required to enable apparatus to be used in accordance with the intended purpose of the apparatus and to conformity with the essential requirements of the directive shall be included in the instructions accompanying the apparatus. Such as, assembling, installation, maintaining, using and operating environment.
• EU-Type Examination Certificate instead of Notified Body Opinion.
• A written declaration that the same application has not been lodged with any other notified body (Declaration of Sole Application).
• Possibility for wider use of electronic means for economic operators when demonstrating compliance; for example products’ technical documentation should not necessarily be in paper form and may be sent to market surveillance authorities electronically.
• Member State will take all appropriate measures to restrict or prohibit formal non-compliance apparatus being made available on the market or ensure that it is withdrawn or recalled from the market. The formal non-compliances involve:
  (a)  the CE marking has been affixed in violation of Article 30 of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 or of Article 17 of this Directive; 
  (b)  the CE marking has not been affixed; 
  (c)  the EU declaration of conformity has not been drawn up;
  (d)  the EU declaration of conformity has not been drawn up correctly; 
  (e)  technical documentation is either not available or not complete; 
  (f)  the information referred to in Article 7(6) or Article 9(3) is absent, false or incomplete; 
  (g)  any other administrative requirement provided for in Article 7 or Article 9 is not fulfilled.

Especially

• Conformity assessment should remain solely the obligation of the manufacturer.