Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulatory Year in Review

This blog was originally posted on 8th April, 2026. Further regulatory developments may have occurred after publication. To keep up-to-date with the latest compliance news, sign up to our newsletter.

AUTHORED BY AARON GREEN, SENIOR REGULATORY COMPLIANCE CONSULTANT, COMPLIANCE & RISKS

Key Insight

During 2025, the global landscape for Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) shifted toward greater alignment with international benchmarks and updated technical specifications. Key regions including the EU, Vietnam, and Saudi Arabia introduced new regulations and standard updates affecting telecommunications, lighting, and electrical equipment to harmonize national standards with global procedures.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• European Union
• Vietnam
• Saudi Arabia
• Azerbaijan
• South Korea
• Morocco
• Australia
• Conclusion
• Frequently Asked Questions

Introduction

The global regulatory landscape for Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) is evolving to keep up with changes in telecommunication technology and better harmonisation across international standards and procedures. These updates reflect a growing international commitment to aligning national standards with international benchmarks.

European Union

The EU has issued two updates to the published list of harmonised standards covering EMC specifications for radio equipment. One significant change is the restriction placed on the presumption of conformity with regard to performance criteria and emissions below 9 kHz. The Commission has determined that the performance criteria are not defined with sufficient objectivity to be included in the standard. Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/893 of 14 May 2025 includes the following updates.

Updated Standards

• EN 301 489-12 V3.2.1: EMC standard Very Small Aperture Terminal, Satellite Interactive Earth Stations operated in the frequency ranges between 4 GHz and 30 GHz in the Fixed Satellite Service (FSS); Harmonised Standard for Electromagnetic Compatibility
• EN 301 489-20 V2.2.1: EMC standard Mobile Earth Stations (MES) used in the Mobile Satellite Services (MSS);
• EN 301 489-52 V1.2.1: EMC standard for Cellular Communication User Equipment (UE) radio and ancillary equipment

New Additions

• EN 301 489-52 V1.3.1: EMC standard for Cellular Communication User Equipment (UE) radio and ancillary equipment; Harmonised Standard for Electromagnetic Compatibility
• EN 301 489-3 V2.3.2: EMC standard for Short Range Devices (SRD) operating on frequencies between 9 kHz and 246 GHz;
• EN 301 489-17 V3.3.1: EMC standard for Broadband and Wideband Data Transmission Systems;
• EN 301 489-19 V2.2.1: EMC standard for Receive Only Mobile Earth Stations (ROMES) operating in the 1,5 GHz band providing data communications and GNSS receivers operating in the RNSS band providing positioning, navigation, and timing data;
• EN 301 489-54 V1.1.1: EMC standard for fixed ground based aeronautical and meteorological radars.

Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1741 of 13 August 2025 adds the following standard:

• EN 301 489-28 V2.1.1: EMC standard for wireless digital video links

Vietnam

Vietnam issued two new EMC regulations.

Circular 52/2025/TT-BKHCN, which entered into force on 15 February 2026, incorporated ETSI EN 301 489-52 V1.3.1 (2024-11) covering EMC requirements into the technical specifications for mobile terminals and ancillary equipment for digital cellular telecommunication systems.

Circular 56/2025/TT-BKHCN, which will enter into force on 1 June 2026, introduces EMC requirements for LED Lighting Products. Designated as QCVN 19:2025/BKHCN, the technical regulation outlines safety, EMC, and management requirements for LED lighting products including integrated LED-lamp, double-capped retrofit LED lamp, luminaire, LED luminaire, general purpose LED luminaire, and various types of LED luminaires (fixed, recessed, portable, downlight, spotlight, suspended, table lamp, floor lamp). Conformity will be demonstrated by declaration of conformity and application of a conformity mark.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia notified the WTO of a draft Technical Regulation in July 2025, to update the EMC requirements for electrical equipment, not including telecommunications and medical equipment, in order to align the conformity procedures with the recently issued Saudi Product Safety Law Royal Decree No. M/36 of 2024. Manufacturers are required to maintain a complete technical file containing all necessary documents that demonstrate product compliance with technical regulations. They must also issue a declaration confirming that the product meets all applicable regulatory requirements.

Once approved, this Technical Regulation will come into force 180 days after its publication in the Saudi Official Gazette. It will repeal the previous Regulation issued in November 2023. Certificates of conformity issued before the date of entry into force will remain valid until their expiry date. A 365 day grace period will be granted to economic operators to provide them with an opportunity to comply with this Regulation.

The Saudi Arabian Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) issued a draft Circular that contains a list of standards related to the application of the draft Technical Regulation for Electromagnetic Compatibility. The list contains 84 standards, including:

• SASO GSO IEC 60255-26: Measuring relays and protection equipment – Part 26: Electromagnetic compatibility requirement.
• SASO IEC 61547: Equipment for general lighting purposes – EMC immunity requirements.
• SASO CISPR 32: Electromagnetic compatibility of multimedia equipment – Emission requirements.

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan proposed a technical regulation on 2 October 2025, on EMC-related conformity assessment procedures for technical devices, including home appliances, tools, lighting equipment and machinery. Technical devices that comply with the electromagnetic compatibility requirements of this technical regulation and whose conformity has been assessed in accordance with the method specified in Part 9 of this technical regulation must be marked with a conformity mark before it is placed on the market. The conformity mark must be affixed directly to the product, if this is not possible it should be applied to the packaging. Radio and telecommunications products are excluded from coverage as they are subject to separate requirements.

South Korea

On 11 July 2025, South Korea published Announcement No. 2025-50, which updates national standards (KS) in the field of electromagnetic compatibility.

Key Revisions to National Standards

• Harmonization: Incorporating national standards harmonized with international standards (Article 3, Paragraph 21; Article 4, Paragraph 11, Subparagraphs 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 15; Article 4, Paragraphs 17 and 18).
• Corrections: Correcting errors in the year designations of standard titles (Article 4, Paragraph 3, Subparagraphs 3 and 4; Article 4, Paragraphs 13 and 19).
• Clarification: Clarifying the basis for Annexes 1 and 2 (Article 4, Paragraph 3, Subparagraph 2; Article 4, Paragraph 9).

Proposed ICT Sector Standards

On 1 September 2025, the South Korean Radio Research Agency (RRA) proposed a draft announcement regarding the establishment and revision of Korean Industrial Standards (KS) in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector.

Established Standards:

• KS C IEC 61000-4-41: EMC Broadband Radiated Immunity Test
• KS C IEC 61000-5-6: EMC Mitigation of External Electromagnetic (EM) Effects, including output EMP transients.

Revised Standards:

• KS R ISO 11451-1: Road Vehicles — Whole vehicle Test Methods for Electrical Disturbances from Narrowband Electromagnetic Energy
• KS R ISO 11452-1: Road Vehicles — Component Test Methods for Electrical Disturbances from Narrowband Electromagnetic Energy
• KS C IEC 61000-4-12: Ring Wave Immunity Test
• KS C IEC 61000-4-16: Conducted and Common-Mode Disturbance Immunity Tests in the Frequency Range 0 Hz–150 kHz
• KS C IEC 61000-4-20: Emission and Immunity Tests in Transverse Electromagnetic (TEM) Waveguides
• KS C IEC 61000-2-10: Conducted Disturbances
• KS C IEC 61000-4-24: Testing and Measurement Techniques — Testing of HEMP Conducted Disturbance Protection Equipment

Morocco

On 4 March 2025, the Moroccan Standards Institute (IMANOR) launched a public consultation informing interested parties that it intends to adopt the following draft standards related to electromagnetic compatibility:

• PNM 06.0.531: Low voltage cables with electromagnetic shielding: Requirements and test methods;
• PNM IEC TS 62153-4-1: Metallic communication cable test methods – Part 4-1: Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) – Introduction to electromagnetic screening measurements;
• PNM IEC 62493: Assessment of lighting equipment related to human exposure to electromagnetic fields (Revised NM EN 62493:2015);
• PNM IEC 62232: Determination of RF field strength, power density and SAR in the vicinity of base stations for the purpose of evaluating human exposure (Revised NM EN 50383:2015);
• PNM IEC/IEEE 62209-1528: Measurement procedure for the assessment of specific absorption rate of human exposure to radio frequency fields from hand-held and body-worn wireless communication devices – Human models, instrumentation and procedures (Frequency range of 4 MHz to 10 GHz) (Revised NM EN 62209-1:2015 ; NM EN 62209-2:2015).

Australia

On 8 September 2025, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) opened a consultation on their proposal to give exemptions in the General Equipment Rules to Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) members, so as to facilitate regulatory neutrality and promote electric vehicle trade in the country. ACMA’s intention is to expand electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) exemptions for vehicles and their devices falling under the EVC code. Vehicles and their devices would still be required to maintain compliance with EME standards and the EVC code. ACMA currently provides similar exemptions for members of other vehicle manufacturer group members, so this exemption would place electric vehicle manufacturers on similar footing.

Conclusion

While the global landscape for EMC regulations has been relatively stable since the transition to CISPR 32 and 35, the past year has seen a continuing evolution in conformity assessment procedures and updated technical specifications.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What major change did the European Union implement regarding EMC performance criteria?
   The EU restricted the presumption of conformity for performance criteria and emissions below 9 kHz. The Commission determined that these criteria were not defined with sufficient objectivity for inclusion in the standards.
2. When do the new EMC regulations for Vietnam take effect?
   Circular 52/2025/TT-BKHCN for mobile terminals entered into force on 15 February 2026. Circular 56/2025/TT-BKHCN for LED lighting products is scheduled to enter into force on 1 June 2026.
3. What is the grace period for manufacturers to comply with Saudi Arabia’s new EMC Technical Regulation?
   Once the Technical Regulation is approved and published, economic operators will be granted a 365-day grace period to comply.
4. Which products are excluded from Azerbaijan’s proposed EMC conformity assessment procedures?
   Radio and telecommunications products are excluded from Azerbaijan’s proposed regulation as they are subject to separate requirements.
5. Why is Australia proposing EMC exemptions for Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) members?
   The proposal aims to facilitate regulatory neutrality and promote electric vehicle trade, placing EV manufacturers on a similar footing to members of other vehicle manufacturer groups who already receive similar exemptions.

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