Correction of technical standards for wireless devices on aircraft: what manufacturers must review

Key data

If your company manufactures or certifies radio communication equipment for aeronautical use in the EU, this correction affects you. The Implementation Decision (EU) 2025/2499, originally published on December 11, 2025, updated the harmonized standards of Decision 2022/2191. Now, the correction of errors published on July 24, 2026 ensures that the regulatory texts are technically precise and legally sound.

This is not a substantive change in regulatory policy, but rather a correction that has immediate practical consequences for those in the middle of a product certification process.

What does this regulation establish?

Harmonized standards are technical references published by the EU that, when correctly applied, grant presumption of conformity with the essential requirements of the Radio Equipment Directive (RED). That is: if your product complies with the harmonized standard, it is presumed to comply with the Directive, which greatly simplifies the CE marking process and marketing in the European market.

The affected regulatory chain is as follows:

The purpose of the correction is to ensure the technical accuracy and legal certainty of the regulatory texts. Any manufacturer that has initiated its certification process based on the original version of Decision 2025/2499 must now verify that it is working with the corrected version.

Economic and operational impact

The direct economic impact of this correction is limited, according to the regulatory summary itself. It does not introduce new fees, does not expand the scope of the RED Directive, nor does it modify the substantive essential requirements. However, it has concrete operational consequences for affected manufacturers:

• Ongoing certification processes: If a certification file has been built on the original version of Decision 2025/2499, it may contain incorrect technical references. This may generate delays or additional requirements from the notified body.
• Technical documentation: The declaration of conformity files and the product's technical documentation must reference the corrected version of the applicable harmonized standards.
• Review cost: No cost figures are published in the regulation, but the review of certification files in the aeronautical sector may involve engineering hours and coordination with notified bodies, with variable cost depending on product complexity.

For companies that do not have active certification processes under these specific standards, the impact is zero at this time.

Who does it affect?

• Manufacturers of short-range devices for use on board aircraft in the EU.
• Manufacturers of mobile communication systems installed or used on aircraft.
• Certification and regulatory compliance managers in aeronautical and aeronautical telecommunications companies.
• Notified bodies that assess the conformity of these equipment under the RED Directive.
• Importers and distributors of aeronautical radio communication equipment that market in the European market.

Companies that manufacture wireless devices for terrestrial or maritime use, without aeronautical application, are not affected by this specific correction.

Practical example

A European manufacturer of mobile communication systems for passenger cabin initiated in January 2026 the certification process of a new product under the RED Directive, referencing the harmonized standards of Implementation Decision (EU) 2025/2499 in its technical documentation.

With the publication of the correction of errors on July 24, 2026, the regulatory compliance department must:

1. Locate in the correction published in the EU Official Journal which technical references have been corrected.
2. Compare those references with those included in its certification file.
3. If there are discrepancies, update the technical documentation and notify the notified body before issuing the declaration of conformity.

If the certification process had already concluded before July 24, 2026 with the previous version, it is advisable to assess with the notified body whether the correction affects the validity of the already closed file.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify if you have active certification processes under Implementation Decision (EU) 2025/2499 or Decision 2022/2191 for short-range devices or mobile communication systems on aircraft.
2. Review the correction published in the EU Official Journal (OJ:L_202690624, 24.07.2026) to identify exactly which technical references have been modified.
3. Update the technical documentation of certification files in progress to reference the corrected versions of the harmonized standards.
4. Communicate the changes to the notified body managing your certification process, to ensure that the conformity assessment is carried out on the correct regulatory basis.
5. Review declarations of conformity already issued that referenced the original version of Decision 2025/2499, and assess with specialized advice whether they require updating.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/./legal-content/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L_202690624