Manufacturers producing wireless devices and smart hardware for EU export take note: Starting August 1, 2025, the EU officially updated supporting rules for the RED Directive on radio equipment, introducing mandatory cybersecurity thresholds. All connected wireless products sold in the EU must hold an EN18031 certification to be listed for sale. Products without valid certification will face immediate delisting, sales bans and recalls. Many manufacturers remain unaware of the specifics of this new regulation and risk losing overseas orders due to compliance gaps.
I. What Is EN18031 Certification?
EN18031 is a universal EU cybersecurity standard jointly developed by two major European standardization bodies. It is split into three sub-standards based on product usage scenarios, covering most wireless devices for export:
1、EN18031-1: General connected devices including smart home appliances, routers and surveillance cameras
2、EN18031-2: Devices processing personal privacy data such as smartwatches and children’s smart toys
3、EN18031-3: Financial transaction terminals including POS machines and digital wallets
The full set of standards establishes testing requirements centered on three core pillars: network defense, privacy protection and fraud prevention. Simply put, the certification proves that products are free from risks such as data leakage, malicious intrusion and information tampering, meeting EU consumer protection requirements. For multiple models under the same brand with identical hardware, firmware and security protection solutions, manufacturers may apply for series certification to drastically cut time and costs for repeated testing.
II. Complete EN18031 Certification Process for Enterprises
Products holding older CE-RED certificates do not require full retesting and can complete compliance updates via a supplementary testing channel:
1. Select a cooperating laboratory with official testing qualifications, submit prototypes, original CE certificates, product design specifications and other documents to initiate the project.
2. The laboratory conducts special testing on security items including encrypted communication, data protection and emergency recovery.
3. If security vulnerabilities are identified during testing, the laboratory provides targeted rectification solutions to help enterprises optimize hardware and software design.
4. After rectification and successful retesting, an official certification report is issued, completing the EU market access qualification update.
III. Core Value of Obtaining EN18031 Certification
First, it mitigates operational risks. Compliance certification is a prerequisite for product circulation within the EU, fully eliminating losses from delisting, fines and product returns.
Second, it boosts brand competitiveness. The security certification label serves as a key purchasing factor for overseas consumers, helping build customer trust more easily.
Third, it pushes enterprises to improve underlying product security design, fundamentally reducing after-sales disputes arising from data leaks and cyberattacks, and lowering long-term risks of negative brand public opinion.
Cybersecurity compliance has become a global megatrend in the IoT market. Enterprises that complete EN18031 certification in advance can secure a stable foothold in the EU market and avoid delayed order deliveries caused by last-minute compliance rectification.
