Choosing the Right EMC Standard Before You start!

Any electronic product must be compliant with the appropriate EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) therefore the designer engineer should select the right EMC standard right at the beginning. This increases your chances that your product will pass EMC testing and be legally placed on the market in regions like the UK, EU, and US.

Different product types require different standards - and the earlier you identify which ones apply to your product, the more efficient your development process will be. Using this guide, you can determine which product category your product belongs to.

The following are common product categories and what they cover:

Radio (EMC)

Products with built-in radios, like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or mobile communications, must meet specific EMC requirements to ensure they don’t interfere with other wireless devices.

EN 301 489-1

Electromagnetic compatibility and Radio spectrum Matters (ERM); ElectroMagnetic Compatibility (EMC) standard for radio equipment and services; Part 3: Specific conditions for Short-Range Devices (SRD) operating

EN 301 489-3

Electromagnetic compatibility and Radio spectrum Matters (ERM); ElectroMagnetic Compatibility (EMC) standard for radio equipment and services; Part 3: Specific conditions for Short-Range Devices (SRD) operating

EN 301 489-12

ElectroMagnetic Compatibility (EMC) standard for radio equipment and services; Part 12: Specific conditions for Very Small Aperture Terminal, Satellite Interactive Earth Stations operated in the frequency ranges

EN 301 489-17

ElectroMagnetic Compatibility (EMC) standard for radio equipment and services; Part 17: Specific conditions for Broadband Data Transmission Systems; Harmonised Standard for ElectroMagnetic Compatibility

EN 301 489-52

ElectroMagnetic Compatibility (EMC) standard for radio equipment and services; Part 52: Specific conditions for Cellular Communication User Equipment (UE) radio and ancillary equipment; Harmonised Standard for

Radio (Verification)

In addition to EMC, this applies to radio performance. You should perform this test when you don't use a prequalified module. Design phases this way are usually expensive, but if you're doing high volume, it's probably the best method.

EN 300 220-1

Short Range Devices (SRD) operating in the frequency range 25 MHz to 1 000 MHz; Part 1: Technical characteristics and methods of measurement

EN 300 328

Wideband transmission systems; Data transmission equipment operating in the 2.5 GHz band

EN 300 330-1

Electromagnetic compatibility and radio spectrum matters (ERM); short range devices (SRD); radio equipment in the frequency range 9 kHz to 25 MHz and inductive loop systems in the frequency range 9 kHz to 30

EN 300 330-2

Electromagnetic compatibility and Radio spectrum Matters (ERM); Short Range Devices (SRD); Radio equipment in the frequency range 9 kHz to 25 MHz and inductive loop systems in the frequency range 9 kHz to 30

EN 300 440-2

Electromagnetic compatibility and Radio spectrum Matters (ERM); Short range devices; Radio equipment to be used in the 1 GHz to 40 GHz frequency range; Part 2: Harmonized EN covering the essential

EN 301 428

Satellite Earth Stations and Systems (SES); Harmonised Standard for Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT); Transmit-only, transmit/receive or receive-only satellite earth stations operating in the 11/12/14 GHz

EN 301 511

Global System for Mobile communications (GSM); Mobile stations (MS) equipment; harmonised standard covering the essential requirements of article 3.2 of Directive 2014/53/EU

EN 301 893

Broadband Radio Access Networks (BRAN); 5 GHz high performance RLAN; Harmonized EN covering the essential requirements of article 3.2 of the R&TTE Directive

EN 301 908

IMT cellular networks; Harmonised Standard for access to radio spectrum; Part 23: Active Antenna System (AAS) Base Station (BS); Release 15

EN 301 908-1

IMT cellular networks; Harmonised Standard for access to radio spectrum; Part 1: Introduction and common requirements Release 15

EN 302 065-2

Short Range Devices (SRD) using Ultra Wide Band technology (UWB); Harmonised Standard covering the essential requirements of article 3.2 of the Directive 2014/53/EU; Part 2: Requirements for UWB location

Mains Harmonics

Covers how your product affects the quality of power on the mains supply. Products drawing power in a “choppy” or non-linear way can distort the mains and need to be tested against harmonics limits.

EN IEC 61000-3-11 (IEC 61000-3-11)

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Part 3-11: Limits - Limitation of voltage changes, voltage fluctuations and flicker in public low-voltage supply systems - Equipment with rated current ≤ 75 A and subject to

EN IEC 61000-3-12 (IEC 61000-3-12)

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) Part 3-12: Limits - Limits for harmonic currents produced by equipment connected to public low-voltage systems with input current > 16 A and ≤ 75 A per phase

EN IEC 61000-3-2 (IEC 61000-3-2)

EMC Limits for harmonic current emissions (equipment input current ≤ 16 A per phase)

Flicker

Looks at short-term variations in current draw that can cause visible flicker in lighting systems. Standards here protect against annoying or even harmful lighting disturbances.

EN 61000-3-3 (IEC 61000-3-3)

EMC Limitation of voltage changes, voltage fluctuations and flicker in public low-voltage supply systems, for equipment with rated current ≤ 16 A per phase andnot subject to conditional connection

Multimedia

Includes TVs, audio equipment, PCs, monitors, and similar devices.

Emissions

EN 55032 (CISPR 32)

Electromagnetic compatibility of multimedia equipment - Emission requirements (CISPR 32 + CISPR 32)

Immunity

EN 55035 (CISPR 35)

Electromagnetic compatibility of multimedia equipment - Immunity requirements

Generic

For products that don't clearly fit into a specific standard. There are separate generic standards for residential and industrial environments. A good starting point if no product-specific standard applies.

Emissions

EN 61000-6-3 (IEC 61000-6-3)

Emission standard for equipment in residential, commercial and light industrial environments

EN 61000-6-4 (IEC 61000-6-4)

Emission standard for industrial environments

EN 61000-6-8 (IEC 61000-6-8)

Emission standard for professional equipment in commercial and light industrial

Immunity

EN 61000-6-1 (IEC 61000-6-1)

Immunity standard for residential, commercial and light-industrial environments

EN 61000-6-2 (IEC 61000-6-2)

Immunity standard for industrial environments

EN 61000-6-5 (IEC 61000-6-5)

Immunity standard for equipment used in power station and substation environment

Laboratory

Applies to lab instruments and test equipment. Covers EMC for precision equipment often used in controlled environments.

EN IEC 61326-1 (IEC 61326-1)

Electrical equipment for measurement, control and laboratory use

EN IEC 61326-2-1 (IEC 61326-2-1)

Electrical equipment for measurement, control and laboratory use. Test configurations, operational conditions and performance criteria for sensitive test and measurement equipment or EMC unprotected

EN IEC 61326-2-3 (IEC 61326-2-3)

Electrical equipment for measurement, control and laboratory use. Test configurations, operational conditions and performance criteria for transducer with integrated or remote signal conditioning

EN IEC 61326-2-6 (IEC 61326-2-6)

Electrical equipment for measurement, control and laboratory use. In vitro diagnostic (IVD) medical equipment

Lift

Standards for elevator (lift) control systems and motor drives. Ensures the electronics used in lifts operate reliably and safely under electromagnetic interference.

EN 12015

Product family standard for lifts, escalators and moving walks. Emission

Standards:

EN 12016

Product family standard for lifts, escalators and moving walks. Immunity

Alarm & accessory systems

Applies to security alarm systems (intruder alarms, fire alarms, etc.). EMC compliance ensures they continue to function correctly even in the presence of interference.

Emissions:

EN 61000-6-3

Componets of fire, intruder, hold up, cctv, access control and social alarm systems

EN 61000-6-3

Electronic access and control systems

EN 61000-6-3

Electronic access and control systems based on Web services

Immunity:

EN 50130-4

Componets of fire, intruder, hold up, cctv, access control and social alarm systems

EN 60839-11-1

Electronic access and control systems

EN 60839-11-32

Electronic access and control systems based on Web services

Hearing Aids

Ensures hearing aids are not affected by nearby electronic devices and also do not cause interference to other systems.

EN 60118-13 (IEC 60118-13)

Electroacoustics - Hearing aids - Immunity to mobile digital wireless devices

Medical

Strict EMC requirements for medical equipment to prevent malfunction that could endanger patient safety. These standards are more rigorous than for general devices.

EN 60601-1-2 (IEC 60601-1-2)

Medical electrical equipment - basic safety and essential performance.

Household

Applies to typical domestic appliances: vacuum cleaners, washing machines, kettles, etc. Ensures that everyday appliances don’t interfere with each other.

Emissions:

EN IEC 55014-1 (CISPR 14-1)

Emissions standard for household appliances for electric tools and similar apparatus

Immunity

EN IEC 55014-2 (CISPR 14-2)

Immunity standard for household appliances for electric tools and similar apparatus

Harmonics and interharmonics

EN 60730-1 (IEC 60730-1)

Automatic electrical controls

Emissions and Immunity

EN 60730-2-5 (IEC 60730-2-5)

Automatic electrical controls - electrical burner control systems

EN 60335-1 (IEC 60335-1)

Household and similar electrical appliances Safety Part 1 - General requirements

Railway

EMC standards for equipment used on trains or near railway infrastructure. Covers emissions and immunity to ensure train systems operate safely.

Emissions:

EN 50121-2

Emissions of the whole railway system

Immunity:

EN 50121-3-1

Rolling stock. Train and complete vehicle

EN 50121-3-2

Rolling stock. Apparatus

EN 50121-4

Signalling and telecommunications apparatus

EN 50121-5

Fixed power supply installations and apparatus

Lighting Luminaires

Covers EMC for lamps, LEDs, and their drivers or ballasts. Ensures lighting does not cause radio interference or get affected by other sources.

Emissions:

EN 55015 (CISPR 15)

Limits and methods of measurement of radio disturbance characteristics of electrical lighting and similar equipment

Immunity:

EN 61547 (IEC 61547)

Equipment for general lighting purposes

Alarm Gases & Automatic Burners

For gas detection systems and automated burners (like in boilers). EMC standards ensure these safety-critical devices work correctly in the presence of electrical noise.

Emissions and Immunity:

EN 50270

Electrical apparatus for the detection and measurement of combustible gases, toxic gases or oxygen

Automotive

Applies to electronics used in vehicles, including engine control units, infotainment, and safety systems. Automotive EMC is a specialised area due to the harsh electrical environment.

UN Regulation No. 10.06

Uniform provisions concerning the approval of: Vehicles with regards to EMC

ISM (Industrial, Scientific, Medical)

e.g. if you are designing product that needs to be used in one of any of the above industries/

Emissions:

EN 55011 (CISPR 11)

Industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) equipment

Electricity Metering Equipment

Includes smart meters and electricity usage monitors. Standards ensure they communicate reliably and are not affected by household interference.

N 50470-1

Electricity metering equipment

Arc Welding

Welding equipment generates strong electromagnetic fields. EMC standards in this category ensure these emissions are controlled and safe.

Emissions and Immunity:

EN 60974-10 (IEC 60974-10)

Arc Welding Equipment

Traffic Signal

Applies to roadside electronics like traffic lights and signs. Ensures they remain visible and functional in high-interference environments.

EN 50293

Road traffic signal systems

Maritime

EMC requirements for ships, boat electronics, and communications. Maritime environments have unique challenges due to large metal structures and strong RF sources.

EN 60945 (IEC 60945)

Maritime navigation and radio communication equipment and systems

PowerDrive

Covers motor drives and variable speed drives. These can produce a lot of electrical noise, so strict EMC controls are needed.

EN 61800-3 (IEC 61800-3)

Adjustable speed electrical power drive systems - Part 3: EMC and specific test methods for PDS and machine tools

Switchgear – Proximity Switches

For industrial control systems like contactors, relays, and proximity sensors. EMC testing ensures accurate and safe switching under noisy conditions.

EN 60947-5-2 (IEC 60947-5-2)

Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear - Control circuit devices and switching elements. Proximity switches

RCD (Residual Current Devices)

Applies to protective devices that trip on leakage current. They must not be falsely triggered by EMC interference and must also not cause emissions themselves.

EN 61543 (IEC 61543)

Residual current-operated protective devices (RCDs) for household and similar use EMC

Low Voltage Power Supply

External and internal power supplies (AC-DC and DC-DC converters). EMC standards control emissions and immunity, especially important for switch-mode power supplies.

EN 62040-2 (IEC 62040-2)

Emissions and immunity standard for uninterruptible power systems (UPS)

Basic Immunity Standa

ESD

EN 61000-4-2 (IEC 61000-4-2)

EMC Electrostatic discharge immunity test

Radiated Immunity

EN 61000-4-3 (IEC 61000-4-3)

EMC radiated, radio-frequency, electromagnetic field immunity test

Fast Transient

EN 61000-4-4 (IEC 61000-4-4)

EMC Electrical fast transient / burst immunity test

Surge

EN 61000-4-5 (IEC 61000-4-5)

EMC Surge immunity test

Conducted Immunity

EN 61000-4-6 (IEC 61000-4-6)

EMC Immunity to conducted disturbances, induced by radio-frequency fields

Magnetic Immunity

EN 61000-4-8 (IEC 61000-4-8)

EMC power frequency magnetic field immunity test

Proximity Magnetic Immunity

EN 61000-4-39 (IEC 61000-4-39)

Radiated fields in close proximity

Magnetic Field Immunity

EN 61000-4-9 (IEC 61000-4-9)

Impulse magnetic field

Damped Oscillatory Magnetic Field

EN 61000-4-10 (IEC 61000-4-10)

Damped Oscillatory magnetic field

Voltage Dips and Interrups

EN 61000-4-11 (IEC 61000-4-11)

EMC Voltage dips, short interruptions and voltage variations immunity tests for equipment with input current up to 16 A per phase

EN 61000-4-34 (IEC 61000-4-34)

Voltage dips, short interruptions and voltage variations for equipment with mains current more than 16A per phase

Harmonics and Interharmonics

EN 61000-4-13 (IEC 61000-4-13)

Harmonics and interharmonics including mains signalling at AC power port, low frequency

EN 61000-4-20 (IEC 61000-4-20)

Transverse electromagnetic (TEM) waveguides

Emission Basic Standard

These define the base methods for measuring radiated and conducted emissions. Used when a full product standard refers to them, or in custom testing setups.

EN 55011 (CISPR 11)

Industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) equipment

EN 55012 (CISPR 12)

Vehicle, boats and internal combustion enginges. Radio disturbance characteristics. Measurement for the protection of off-board receivers

EN 55025 (CISPR 25)

Vehicle, boats and internal combustion enginges. Radio disturbance characteristics. Measurement for the protection of on-board receivers

EN 55032 (CISPR 32)

Electromagnetic compatibility of multimedia equipment - Emission requirements (CISPR 32 + CISPR 32)

EN 61000-3-2 (IEC 61000-3-2)

Limits for harmonic current emissions (equipment input current ≤16 A per phase

EN 61000-3-3 (IEC 61000-3-3)

Limitation of voltage changes, voltage fluctuations and flicker in public low-voltage supply systems, for equipment with rated current ≤16 A per phase and not subect to conditional connection

EN 61000-3-11 (IEC 61000-3-11)

Limitation of voltage changes, voltage fluctuations and flicker in public low-voltage supply systems. Equipment with rated current ≤75 A and subject to conditional connection

EN 61000-3-12 (IEC 61000-3-12)

Limits for harmonic currents produced by equipment connected to public low-voltage systems with input current >16 A and ≤75 A per phase