Statutory guidance

Radio Equipment (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2025

Updated 16 December 2025

Guidance on the regulations as they apply to radio equipment being placed on the market in Northern Ireland.

1. Introduction

This Guidance is for businesses placing radio equipment on the market in Northern Ireland (“NI”) having regard to the Radio Equipment (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/1244), which came into force on 16 December 2025 and ensure effective implementation of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 in NI.

Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 supplements the EU’s Radio Equipment Directive and introduces further essential requirements that manufacturers must meet before placing certain categories of radio equipment on the EU market. These requirements include that such equipment is constructed so that it does not harm the network, that it ensures protection of personal user data and privacy, and that it ensures protection from fraud.

The Radio Equipment (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/1244) amend the UK’s Radio Equipment Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1206) (“the 2017 Regulations”) as they apply in NI in order to implement Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 in NI. The 2025 Regulations also set out the procedures that manufacturers must follow for the appropriate conformity assessment under the Radio Equipment Directive and amend the scope of existing criminal offences under the 2017 Regulations as they apply in NI, enabling the requirements of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 to be enforced.

This guidance sets out how businesses placing radio equipment on the market in NI can comply with the Radio Equipment (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2025.

2. Legislative background

Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30, which was adopted by the EU on 29 October 2021, applies to all EU Member States from 1 August 2024. In particular, the new requirements apply to certain categories of radio equipment placed on the EU market on or after 1 August 2025. In accordance with the terms of the Windsor Framework, which provides for NI’s access to the EU Single Market for goods, Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 will apply in NI.

The Radio Equipment (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/1244) therefore amends the UK Radio Equipment Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1206) in order to implement Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 in NI and to enable it to be legally enforced.

3. Scope

The Regulations apply to certain internet-connected radio equipment (that is any radio equipment that can communicate itself over the internet, whether it communicates directly or via any other equipment), such as connectable consumer electronics and smart devices such as smart phones, tablets, laptops and connected consumer appliances such as smart washing machines which are placed on the market on or after 1 August 2025.

Also in scope are radio equipment products that are designed or intended for use by children, such as connected toys and games, as well as childcare devices such as connected baby monitors, and smart wearable accessories such as watches, rings, wristbands, headsets, and earphones, which are capable of processing personal, traffic or location data.

For internet-connected radio equipment, radio equipment designed for use by children, childcare devices or wearable items placed on the NI market from 1 August 2025, manufacturers, importers and distributors have to ensure compliance with the Radio Equipment (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/1244). Such equipment, devices or items which were placed on the market before 1 August are unaffected.

4. Complying with the Radio Equipment (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2025

When placing internet-connected radio equipment, or other relevant radio equipment on the NI market from 1 August 2025, manufacturers will need to ensure that products have been designed and manufactured in accordance with additional essential requirements.

These additional essential requirements require relevant equipment to be constructed to ensure that it:

• does not harm the network or its functioning nor misuse network resources, thereby causing an unacceptable degradation of service
• incorporates safeguards to ensure that the personal data and privacy of the user and the subscriber are protected (if the equipment is capable of processing personal data, traffic data or location data)
• supports certain features ensuring protection from fraud (if the equipment enables the holder or user to transfer money, monetary value or virtual currency)

Manufacturers must perform the appropriate conformity assessment process. Three standards (EN 18031-1, EN 18031-2, and EN 18031-3) that address cybersecurity requirements for radio equipment are recognised. Use of these standards for conformity assessment is voluntary.

Manufacturers must update the technical documentation and update the EU Declaration of Conformity referencing compliance with the additional essential requirements. Manufacturers must ensure CE marking is affixed visibly, legibly and indelibly and that proper documentation is in place before placing the product on the NI market.

Importers who place these products on the NI market and distributors who make them available on the NI market, will also need to ensure that manufacturers have complied with their responsibilities for the additional essential requirements.

Products in scope of the Radio Equipment Directive which are made available for supply in NI are excepted from compliance with the UK’s Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure regime (see Regulation 6 and Schedule 3 of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (Security Requirements for Relevant Connectable Products) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1007).

Read guidance for manufacturers, importers and distributors on the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 and Regulations 2023.

5. Offences and enforcement

The Radio Equipment (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/1244) extend the scope of existing offences under the 2017 Regulations (S.I. 2017/1206) by adding new essential requirements. Enforcement of the Regulations will be carried out by Northern Ireland District Councils.

In the great majority of cases, it is expected that compliance will be achieved without recourse to the use of penalties, by working with and supporting businesses to understand their obligations. Enforcement will continue to be proportionate, risk-based and intelligence-led, in line with the Regulators’ Code, thereby minimising disruption to compliant UK businesses The use of penalties is anticipated only where there is deliberate or sustained non-compliance, after engagement with enforcement authorities, or where there are product safety risks.

6. Qualifying Northern Ireland goods

Qualifying NI goods in scope of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 continue to benefit from unfettered access to the rest of the UK internal market, as set out in the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020.