In the first half of this year, the National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM) verified over 700.000 radio equipment and devices intended to be put in use in Romania, coming from outside the EU space. Following these control actions, ANCOM prevented over 50.000 non-compliant products from entering the Romanian market, as they could interfere with communications.
ANCOM control actions at Romania's boarders
In the first semester of 2025, ANCOM verified 702,430 products in the category of radio equipment and devices from the point of view of electromagnetic compatibility.
These include various types of radio equipment and devices, such as UHF transmitters and receivers, FM modulators, WI-FI surveillance cameras, WI-FI video doorbells, wireless headphones, smartwatches, mobile phones, wireless routers, wireless repeaters, LTE modems, switches, IP cameras, USB hubs, Bluetooth adapters, LED strip sources, DECT phones, car amplifiers, portable vacuum cleaners, etc.
Following the verification of 538.710 products, with a market value of approximately 47 million Lei, no non-compliances were found by ANCOM's experts. These products were allowed to be released into free circulation.
50,616 products, with a total market value exceeding 2.7 million Lei, were identified as non-compliant. In these cases, ANCOM decided to prohibit their entry into the Romanian market.
At the same time, preliminary investigations showed that over 100,000 products of the verified products in the first half of the year fell outside ANCOM's sphere of competence.
Risks associated with radio equipment and devices from outside the EU
Radio equipment and devices from outside the EU space, such as those from North America or Asia, for example, operates on frequency bands allocated in Romania to other services, such as mobile communications. When such a device is operated in Romania, it can cause harmful interferences that seriously disrupt mobile services: the numbers of users able to access mobile phone or internet services in the affected areas decreases significantly, calls may become impossible, and ongoing calls may be dropped.
All radio equipment operated within the EU must comply with the following basic essential requirements:
- protection of health and safety of users and other persons;
- electromagnetic compatibility protection, i.e. the ability to operate without disturbing other nearby equipment;
- efficient use of radio spectrum, in order to avoid harmful interference, i.e. interference that seriously and repeatedly impairs, obstructs or interrupts a radiocommunication service.
Applicable legislation
Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on market surveillance and compliance of products and amending Directive 2004/42/EC and Regulations (EC) No 765/2008 and (EU) No 305/2011 provides that ANCOM, as the relevant authority for market surveillance of radio equipment and electromagnetic compatibility in Romania, must verify, upon request from responsible authorities, imported goods from outside the European Union that contain such equipment.
Furthermore, in accordance with the provisions of the Market Surveillance Strategy in the field of radio equipment and electromagnetic compatibility (Directives 2014/53/EU and 2014/30/EU), ANCOM has established a list of products subject to market surveillance and control activities for 2025 (administrative and technical laboratory verification). These include, for example, mobile phones, wireless security systems (alarms, radio-controlled locks, surveillance cameras, etc), air conditioning equipment without radio modules, and LED lighting devices (including LED streetlights).
To fulfill its responsibilities regarding market surveillance of radio equipment (RED) and electrical/electronic equipment from the perspective of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), ANCOM verifies whether the equipment placed on the market complies with essential requirements set out in EU and national legislation, including the requirements regarding the efficient use of radio frequencies and the prevention of interference. During these control actions, ANCOM may collect equipment for specialized laboratory testing (LICETER), request technical compliance documentation and, in case of non-compliance, take measures such as banning sales, withdrawing products from the market, or applying sanctions.