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# ETSI Standards for Wireless Products: How to Select the Right Standard for CE Marking

ETSI produces the technical standards that define the radio performance and coexistence requirements used for CE marking of wireless products under the Radio Equipment Directive. There are hundreds of ETSI standards — selecting the correct one for your product's radio type and frequency band is not obvious, and using the wrong standard means your test reports demonstrate compliance with something other than what RED requires. This guide explains the ETSI standards system and how to select correctly.

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ETSI structure

## How ETSI organises its standards for wireless products

ETSI standards fall into several types, each with different regulatory significance. Harmonised Standards (EN prefix) published in the EU Official Journal with a citation under RED Article 16 give presumption of conformity for the essential requirements they cover. Using a current Harmonised Standard is the fastest path to CE marking because the burden of proof shifts to regulators to demonstrate non-compliance.

ETSI Technical Specifications (TS prefix) and ETSI Technical Reports (TR prefix) are not harmonised standards and do not give presumption of conformity on their own. They provide useful technical guidance and methodologies, but compliance with a TS does not satisfy RED essential requirements without additional evidence.

ETSI also differentiates between product-specific standards (covering one radio type) and generic standards (covering a class of devices). Understanding which category applies to your product determines which standard documents you need to acquire and reference.

The official list of harmonised standards under RED is published in the EU Official Journal and updated periodically. Always verify that the standard you are using is cited in the current OJ reference before finalising your Declaration of Conformity — standards can be withdrawn or superseded while retaining a similar title.

Key standards

## The most commonly applied ETSI standards by radio type

For 2.4 GHz Bluetooth (Classic and LE): EN 300 328 — Wideband Transmission Systems operating in the 2.4 GHz ISM band. This is the primary harmonised standard for all Bluetooth devices. Covers transmit power limits, occupied bandwidth, spectrum mask, and interference avoidance mechanisms.

For 5 GHz Wi-Fi (802.11a/n/ac/ax): EN 301 893 — Broadband Radio Access Networks operating in the 5 GHz band. Includes dynamic frequency selection (DFS) requirements for channels overlapping weather radar frequencies and transmit power control (TPC) requirements. DFS testing requires specialist equipment and longer test campaigns.

For 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and 802.11n/ax at 2.4 GHz: EN 300 328 covers these as well as Bluetooth.

For Zigbee and 802.15.4 at 2.4 GHz: Also covered by EN 300 328.

For LoRa at 868 MHz (EU): EN 300 220 — Short Range Devices, covering equipment in frequency bands 25 MHz to 1000 MHz. Specific sub-bands within this range have different duty cycle and EIRP limits.

For NFC (13.56 MHz): EN 300 330 — Short Range Devices in frequency bands 9 kHz to 25 MHz.

For cellular (LTE/5G): ETSI TS 38.521 for 5G NR and ETSI TS 36.521 for LTE, with harmonised standards under RED derived from these base documents. Cellular equipment typically requires module-level certification from the chipset vendor, but the complete device must comply as a system.

Selection process

## How to identify the correct standard for your product

The standard selection process has four steps: frequency identification, product category classification, OJ citation verification, and standard version confirmation.

First, list all radio transmit and receive frequencies your device uses, including unintentional emissions at harmonics and intermodulation frequencies that fall in regulated bands. A device that primarily operates at 2.4 GHz may also emit at 4.8 GHz and 7.2 GHz harmonics that require evaluation.

Second, classify your product against ETSI's product categories. Some standards apply to specific product types (short range devices, wideband systems, cellular equipment); others apply broadly to frequency bands. Your lab will typically assist with this classification, but understanding the framework yourself prevents surprises.

Third, check the current EU Official Journal citation for your candidate standard. The OJ lists each harmonised standard with its citation date. Standards without an OJ citation are not harmonised and do not give presumption of conformity. Standards with a past-due withdrawal date are no longer valid even if they appear in the OJ list.

Fourth, obtain the current version of the standard — not an outdated edition. ETSI standards are revised periodically, and test houses must test to the version current at the time of testing.

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## Frequently asked questions

### What is the difference between an EN standard and an ETSI TS?

EN standards (European Norms) are harmonised standards adopted by ETSI, CENELEC, or CEN as European standards and published with citations in the EU Official Journal. Compliance with a cited EN standard gives presumption of conformity with the EU regulatory requirements it covers. ETSI Technical Specifications (TS) are not harmonised standards — they provide technical guidance but compliance with them does not automatically satisfy regulatory requirements.

### How do I find which ETSI standards are harmonised under RED?

The European Commission publishes the list of harmonised standards under RED in the EU Official Journal. Search EUR-Lex for the current Implementing Decision citing harmonised standards under Directive 2014/53/EU. ETSI also maintains a list on its website. Always verify against the official OJ publication, as the ETSI list may not reflect the most current OJ update.

### Does my product need to be tested by a Notified Body for ETSI standard compliance?

For most radio products, CE marking under RED allows Module A self-certification — the manufacturer tests against applicable ETSI harmonised standards and issues the Declaration of Conformity. Notified Body involvement is required only when no applicable harmonised standard exists or the standard does not cover all essential requirements, or for certain product categories under specific Annexes of RED.

### Do ETSI standards apply to the UK UKCA?

After Brexit, the UK adopted BS EN versions of ETSI standards as UK Designated Standards under UK Radio Equipment Regulations 2017. The technical content of the standards is identical to the EN versions, but they are designated under UK law rather than EU law. UK Approved Body involvement follows similar rules to EU Notified Body rules for RED.

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Educational resource only. Verify current requirements with qualified compliance professionals before making regulatory decisions.