RED 2026 Repeal: What Changes for Wireless Device Manufacturers

Key data

Manufacturers and importers of wireless devices in Europe have fewer technical obligations as of 16 February 2026. Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/339 eliminates Regulation 2022/30, which imposed specific requirements on software capabilities and radio functions under the Radio Equipment Directive (RED).

The immediate effect is a reduction of administrative burdens in certification and compliance processes. However, this is not total deregulation: the RED Directive remains in force in all its other aspects, and overall product compliance continues to be required.

What does this regulation establish?

Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/339 has a single objective: to repeal Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30. To understand the real scope, it is useful to compare the previous framework with the new one:

Regulation 2022/30 had been adopted under the RED Directive to add a layer of specific technical requirements to certain radio equipment. With its repeal, that additional layer disappears, but the general framework of the RED Directive remains intact.

Economic and operational impact

The repeal has a mainly positive impact for companies in the sector: it reduces regulatory burden in product certification and compliance processes. The specific effects are:

• Reduction of administrative burdens for manufacturers and importers of radio equipment in the European market, as the additional technical requirements of Regulation 2022/30 disappear.
• Simplification of certification processes: compliance procedures no longer need to include verification of the specific requirements on software and radio functions imposed by 2022/30.
• No impact on overall compliance: the remaining obligations of the RED Directive remain in force, so the costs associated with overall RED compliance do not disappear.
• Internal review necessary: although the change is favorable, companies must update their technical documentation and processes to reflect the new framework, which involves a one-time adaptation cost.

No public figures are available on the specific economic savings that this repeal represents for the sector. The impact will vary depending on the volume of certified products and the complexity of each company's processes.

Who does it affect?

This repeal directly affects all economic operators marketing radio equipment in the European market under the RED Directive framework:

• Manufacturers of wireless devices: any company that designs and manufactures equipment that emits or receives radio signals, including mobile phones and connected equipment.
• Mobile phone manufacturers: expressly mentioned in the summary as affected by the repealed Regulation 2022/30.
• Manufacturers of connected equipment: IoT devices, wearables, routers, wireless communication modules and similar.
• Importers of radio equipment: companies that introduce devices manufactured outside the EU into the European market and are responsible for their compliance.
• Distributors of wireless devices: companies that market these products in the distribution chain within the EU.
• Regulatory compliance and certification departments of technology and telecommunications companies that manage product compliance processes.

Practical example

A European manufacturer of wireless connectivity modules (for example, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth modules for IoT devices) had to comply, before the repeal, with additional requirements on software capabilities and radio functions established in Regulation 2022/30, in addition to the rest of the RED Directive.

This involved including in its technical compliance file specific documentation on those requirements, and possibly subjecting the product to additional verifications before being able to mark it with the CE mark and market it in the EU.

Following the entry into force of Regulation 2026/339 on 16 February 2026, those additional requirements are no longer required. The manufacturer can simplify its technical file by removing documentation relating to Regulation 2022/30, and its new products do not need to go through the specific verifications that regulation imposed. However, it must maintain full compliance with the rest of the RED Directive, which remains mandatory.

What should companies do now?

1. Review technical compliance files of all affected products to identify what documentation was included specifically to comply with Regulation 2022/30 and determine whether it can be eliminated or simplified.
2. Update internal certification processes to reflect that the additional requirements on software and radio functions of 2022/30 are no longer required, avoiding unnecessary costs in future compliance processes.
3. Verify that compliance with the rest of the RED Directive is intact: the repeal does not exempt from any other obligation. CE marking and overall product compliance remain mandatory.
4. Communicate the change to R&D and product teams so that new developments do not include unnecessary verifications derived from 2022/30, optimizing launch times and costs.
5. Consult with the notified body or specialized legal advisor if there are doubts about what technical documentation should be retained and what can be removed from the compliance file.