13.08.2018

Radio equipment without the CE (Conformité Européenne, i.e. “European conformity”) marking must be immediately disconnected, as it produces harmful interference with the authorised radiocommunications services, including with those designed for rescuing human lives.

Equipment without CE marking, which typically comes from outside the European Union and does not comply with the European radio frequency allotment standards, causes harmful interference to authorized radiocommunications services and using such equipment may be sanctioned according to the legal provisions. Therefore, the Authority is conducting a campaign for monitoring the radio frequencies affected by non-conforming radio equipment, for identifying this equipment and for informing the users on thefact that using such equipment is illegal.

Radio equipment that can produce harmful interference

DECT 6.0 cordless telephone sets without CE marking are the type of equipment most frequently found to produce harmful interference to mobile communications services.

Other types of widely used radio equipment that must have the CE marking are mobile handsets, baby monitors, desktop PCs, tablets, laptops, remote controls, routers, radio controlled toys, drones, video game consoles and controllers, etc.

Importance of CE marking

The CE marking is a key indicator of a product’s conformity with the EU legislation and enables the free circulation of the respective product across the EU Member States and partner countries. The marking certifies the fact that a product is in line with the essential requirements regarding the health and safety of the users and of any other person and therefore may be sold and used within the European Union.

In the case of equipment functioning by means of  emissions in the frequency spectrum, a lack of conformity may cause harmful interference affecting the operation of mobile telephony services or of other radiocommunications services due to differences in the allotment of frequency bands between the European Union and countries whose legislation is not harmonised with the European one.

Why harmful interference?

Some radio equipment, usually from North America or Asia, operates in the frequency bands that are intended for other services in Romania, such as mobile telephony. When such equipment is put into service on the territory of Romania, it produces harmful interferences that seriously affect the operation of mobile telephony services.

Harmful interference may affect communications services over distances ranging from tens of meters (e.g., radio controlled toys) to more than 500 meters (for DECT 6.0 telephone sets). Mobile phone signal is affected in the proximity of equipment that lack the CE marking, which may jeopardize call continuation or initiation, or surfing the internet, and even preventing emergency calls to 112.

Users’ obligations

A user purchasing or receiving as a gift, from outside the EU area, a device that operates by means of radio waves must look for the CE marking to make sure that the product is compatible with the Romanian market.
If the equipment lacks the marking, it must be disconnected immediately! For example, in the case of DECT 6.0 cordless phones, even connecting to a power supply on the power grid may cause harmful interference to electronic communications services. Further information about the risks associated with using non-compliant equipment is available in Romanian here.

Applicable sanctions

A person holding and using such equipment breaches the provisions of Government Decision no. 740/2016 on making available on the market of radio equipment, this offense being sanctioned by fine amounting from RON 500 to RON 5,000. Further information on non-compliant electronic equipment and household appliances, the CE marking and the obligations incumbent on manufacturers, distributors and consumers are available on the Authority's website.