top of page

EMC Compliance

EMC Compliance means that an electronic or electromechanical product is compliant to the laws, directives and regulations of the country where it is sold.
The following chapters are thought as free education for those of you out there who have to deal with EMC and product compliance.

 

1  Big Picture

Products which are sold on the market should...

  • ...be safe.

  • ...not be health threatening.

  • ...not pollute the environment (e.g. RoHS).

  • ...fulfill expectations regarding quality.

  • ...work as intended in their defined environment (e.g. EMC).

In order to have only products on the market which meet the bullet points above, governments and their legislative bodies issue laws and directives, and your product must be regulatory compliant according to this legislation.

A company that is the legal manufacturer of a product must prove compliance with the regulations. This is done with a conformity assessment. An EMC conformity assessment is necessary for a product that contains electronics. Such an EMC conformity assessment usually comprises the proof of...:

  1. ...the manufacturing process control (quality).

  2. ...the conformity of the product regarding the applicable EMC standards (EMC test).

Many countries and customs unions also define that not only the manufacturer but also the companies which import (importer) and/or sell a product, must ensure that the product is compliant with the laws and directives of the country where it is imported or sold, respectively.

1 Big Picture

 

2  EMC Regulations and Standards

EMC directives vs. EMC standards

 

First, every government issues its own EMC regulations (laws, directives) for its country. Whereas these national regulations often refer to multi-national regulations (e.g. countries in the European Union refer to the EMC directive 2014/30/EU).
Second, the government usually builds, appoints, or chooses an organization, commission, or committee which is responsible for defining the applicable EMC Standards for conformity. Such organizations or committees define the applicable EMC standards in a way that products, which pass the tests defined in the applicable EMC standards, are then compliant with the EMC regulations (laws, directives).

​Here is an overview of some authorities (administrations, organizations, commissions, committees) which define the applicable EMC standards for their countries or customs unions. Some of them develop EMC standards themselves, while others refer from their standards to multi-national standards:

2 Regulations

 

3  EMC Testing for Global Market Access

The best way to get access to the global market is to test your product according to the International Electrotechnical Commission for Electrical Equipment (IECEE) Certified Body (CB) Scheme. The IECEE CB Scheme is a system for mutual recognition of safety and EMC test certificates of conformity for over 50 countries. It is also a tool for accessing global markets directly, when national authorities and regulators, retailers, buyers, and vendors accept CB Test Certificates and associate test reports.

IECEE.PNG

This is how it works:

 

  1. EMC Testing. Find a Certified Body Test Lab (CBTL) and test your product according to the CB Scheme at this CBTL and obtain a CB EMC Test Report for your product. All CBTLs are listed on the IECEE website.

  2. CB Test Certificate. Request a CB EMC Test Certificate at a National Certification Body (NCB) for your product. All NCBs are listed on the IECEE website.

  3. Request market access. To obtain a national EMC certification without additional re-testing for a participating CB Scheme country, you have to submit your CB EMC Test Certificate and CB EMC Test Report to the Notified Certified Body (NCB) of that country, where you would like to get market access to. All countries which accept the CB Scheme are listed on the IECEE website.

3 Global Market Access
4 Compliance Marks

 

4  Compliance Marks

Which compliance mark to go for? To decide if and which compliance mark you need for your product, depends on which countries or customs unions (e.g. EU) you want to sell your product to.

Let's take a step back for the big picture of conformity marks: mandatory marks vs. non-mandatory marks.

  1. Mandatory Conformity Marks/Labels. Mandatory marks and labels are legally binding and have to be attached to the product. Examples of mandatory marks and labels are:

  2. Non-Mandatory Conformity Marks. Non-mandatory marks are not legally binding and are therefore optional. Examples of non-mandatory marks are:

    • Canada - CSA (Canadian Standards Association)

    • Germany - GS (Geprüfte Sicherheit)

    • Japan - VCCI (Voluntary Control Council for Interference)

    • USA - UL (Underwriters Laboratory)

Australia & New Zealand
RCM Australia New Zealand compliance mark

 

Updated: 01 March 2020

Australia and New Zealand

RCM

The Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM) is the compliance mark for Australia and New Zealand. By end of March 2016, the RCM replaced the former compliance marks called A-Tick (telecommunications equipment requirements) and C-Tick (EMC requirements).

  • Effective countries: Australia, New Zealand

  • Responsible authority:

  • Statutory basis: EMC regulatory arrangements (Radiocommunications Act 1992).

  • RCM marking obligation for electronic products: Mandatory.

  • Emissions tests required: Yes.

  • Immunity tests required: No (not legally binding).

  • EMC standards: Australian and New Zealand EMC standards (AS/NZS), which are based on IEC and CISPR standards. ACMA mandated EMC standards are published on this website.

  • Scope of RCM marking: All applicable ACMA regulatory arrangements. This includes: Telecommunications, radio communications, Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), Electromagnetic Energy (EME), Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR), electrical safety.

Brazil
ANATEL label

 

 

Updated: 31 March 2024

Brazil

ANATEL label

​​The ANATEL label is mandatory for radio- and telecommunications equipment in Brazil. It consists of the ANATEL logo and a numerical code HHHHH-AA-FFFFF, where:

  • HHHHH identifies the product (5-character sequential numbering)

  • AA identifies the year of issue of the approval (2-digit type)

  • FFFFF identifies the product manufacturer (5 numeric characters)

The height of 4mm for the ANATEL logo and 1mm for the height of the numerical code are the minimum values. Color designs must be authorized by ANATEL. Black and white designs do not require prior authorization, and are therefore recommended.

  • Effective countries: Brazil

  • Responsible authorityAgência Nacional de Telecomunicações

  • Statutory basis:

  • ANATEL marking obligation for electronic products: For telecommunication products (see list here). For non-telecommunication products, ANATEL label is not used.

  • Emissions tests required: Yes.

  • Immunity tests required: Yes.

  • EMC/safety standards: ANATEL publishes acts (called Ato) which contain the applicable limits and refer to the applicable EMC and safety standards (IEC/CISPR/ITU-T standards). For EMC, the act Ato No. 1120 is valid (former resolution 442). For safety, the act Ato No. 17087 is valid. You can find all acts on this website.

  • Scope of ANATEL label: Telecommunication products (see Ato No. 7280 (26 November 2020)).

 
Canada
ISED certification label

 

 

Updated: 31 March 2024

Canada

ISED certification label

​The Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) certification number is made up of a Company Number (CN) assigned by ISED's CEB, followed by the Unique Product Number (UPN). For example IC: CN-UPN. The CN can only be obtained from the Certification and Engineering Bureau (CEB) of ISED. The registration number can be presented electronically (on the device's display) or physically on a product label. An FCC test report will be accepted by ISED if it is less than one year old (details on the ISED website). The ISED label of the image displayed on this page is an example of Apple's iPhone 6s.

China
CCC mark

 

 

Updated: 21 August 2020

China

CCC mark

The China Compulsory Certificate mark (CCC) is a mandatory mark for products sold on the Chinese market.

  • Effective countries: China.

  • Responsible authority: State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR).

  • Statutory basis: Regulations for Compulsory Product Certification.

  • CCC marking obligation for electronic products: Mandatory.

  • Emissions tests required: Yes.

  • Immunity tests required: Yes.

  • EMC standards: GB standards (GB stands for Guobiao, which means National Standard). GB standards are based on the international IEC standards.

  • Scope of CCC marking: Safety, Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC).

Eurasian Economic Union
EAC mark

 

 

Updated: 01 March 2020

Eurasian Economic Union

EAC mark

The Eurasian Conformity (EAC) mark is the product conformity mark of Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU, former Eurasian Customs Union (EACU)).

  • Effective countries: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia (Eurasian Economic Union).

  • Responsible authority: Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) 

  • Statutory basis: Technical Regulations of the Custom Union electromagnetic compatibility of technical devices: CU TR 020/2011.

  • EAC marking obligation for electronic products: Mandatory.

  • Emission tests required: Yes.

  • Immunity tests required: Yes.

  • EMC standards: Russian GOST standards, which are mostly identical to the European EN standards.

  • Scope of EAC marking: Safety, health, EMC and environmental protection.

Europen Union
CE mark

 

 

Updated: 31 March 2024

European Union

CE mark

The Conformité Européenne (CE) mark is the product conformity mark of the European Union (EU).

India
ISI mark

 

 

Updated: 12. October 2021

India

ISI mark

The Indian Standards Institution (ISI) mark is the product conformity mark of India and the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC) logo is mandatory for telecommunication equipment.

TEC logo
Japan
PSE and VCCI mark

 

 

Updated: 01 March 2020

Japan

PSE mark Cat. A, PSE mark Cat. B, VCCI mark

The PSE Category A mark (diamond) is the Japanese conformity mark for Specific Products. The PSE Category B mark (round) is the Japanese conformity mark for Non-Specific Products. PSE stands for Product Safety Electrical Appliance & Material. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) decides which products belong to Category A (specified products) and which product below to Category B (non-specified products). The difference for Category A (diamond) to Category B (round) is, that Category A products must pass an additional conformity assessment by a Registered Conformity Assessment Body. Here is a good overview on how to get access to the Japanese market: Flow of Procedures for Notifying Suppliers.

The Voluntary Control Council for Interference (VCCI) mark is the voluntary Japanese conformity mark for Information Technology Equipment (ITE) based on the CISPR recommendations.

Repubic of Korea
Switzerand
KC mark

 

 

Updated: 31 March 2024

Republic of Korea

KC mark

The Korean Certification (KC) mark is the product conformity mark of the Republic of Korea (South Korea).

CH mark

 

 

Updated: 21 August 2020

Switzerland

CH mark

The CH mark is the Swiss conformity mark. Switzerland does also accept products with the CE mark (according to the agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on mutual recognition in relation to conformity assessment).

Taiwan
BSMI mark

 

 

Updated: 21 August 2020

Taiwan

BSMI mark

The Commodity Inspection Mark, which is also also named Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) Mark or Product Safety Mark is the product conformity mark of Taiwan for Information Technology Equipment (ITE), audio and video devices, appliances and wireless products.

Turkey
TSE mark

 

 

Updated: 31 March 2024

Turkey

TSE mark

According to the EMCD Guide about the EMC Directive (EMCD) 2014/30/EU, the EMCD does also apply to Turkey. Turkey accepts the CE mark in case the declaration of conformity for the CE mark was translated into Turkish.

For radio equipment, the used radio frequency used determines how to get the approval. In case the equipment uses harmonized frequencies (EU, Turkey) the RED 2014/53/EU (2014/53/AB) can be applied. In case of non-harmonized frequencies (frequencies which are not allowed or regulated in EU), a Turkish BTK type approval is required.

​The TSE Mark is the Turkish conformity mark for electronic products, which indicates compliance of a product to relevant Turkish Standards (TSE) and gives the permission to use the TSE mark upon the product and/or packaging. In case a product has the CE conformity, the TSE mark is optional.

The TSEK Mark (Certificate of Conformity to the TSE Criteria) is the Turkish conformity mark in case there are no relevant Turkish Standards available and your product is not CE certified. Such products are subject to the technical conditions accepted by the Turkish Standards Institute based on the conditions of Turkey and/or other countries.

UK

 

Updated: 31 March 2024

United Kingdom

UKCA mark

The United Kingdom Conformity mark (UKCA mark) is the conformance mark in Great Britain to indicate conformity of a product to the UK legislation. Find out more on this website and subscribe to their newsletter. In most cases, businesses have the flexibility to use either the UKCA or CE marking to sell products in Great Britain (GB) [reference].

UKCA mark
FCC mark

 

 

Updated: 23. July 2022

USA

FCC mark

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mark is the product conformity mark of the United States of America (USA).

USA
bottom of page