If you’re working on EU RED (Radio Equipment Directive) cybersecurity compliance, you’ll comply with the EN 18031 standards. This article explains how to obtain these standards and how to navigate the European standards system.
What Are EN 18031 Standards?
EN 18031 standards are published by CEN (European Committee for Standardization) and CENELEC (European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization). These are harmonized standards for the Radio Equipment Directive (RED).
What does “harmonized standard” mean? It means that if your product meets the requirements in EN 18031, European regulators will presume that you’ve also met the legal requirements in the RED. This is called presumption of conformity. In practical terms: following EN 18031 is your proof that you comply with the law. You don’t have to prove compliance with the RED directly - meeting EN 18031 is accepted as evidence.
The EN 18031 standard has three parts:
- EN 18031-1: Applies to radio equipment with Internet connectivity including routers and gateways
- EN 18031-2: Applies to radio equipment processing data, specifically Internet connected radio equipment and wearable radio equipment
- EN 18031-3: Applies to radio equipment processing virtual money or monetary value
Which parts apply to your product depends on its functionality.
Check which standards apply to you
How to Get EN 18031 Standards
You have three main options to access EN 18031 standards. We’ll cover each one.
Option 1: Free Access for Registered Users
Important: Harmonized standards are available for free for registered users of EU national standards bodies. EU requires that harmonized standards be freely accessible.
Here’s how to access them for free:
- Go to your country’s National Standards Body (NSB) website (see list below)
- Create a free account (registration required)
- Search for “EN 18031-1”, “EN 18031-2”, and “EN 18031-3” (depending on which apply to your product)
- Access the standards online through your registered account
Limitations:
- Usually view-only (no download option in many cases)
- Printing may be restricted
- The interface can be awkward to navigate
- The process seems intentionally complex
Option 2: Purchase from EU National Standards Bodies
Each EU member state has a National Standards Body (NSB) that also sells copies of European standards. If you need a downloadable PDF or printed copy, you’ll need to purchase it.
How to purchase:
- Visit your country’s NSB website
- Search for the EN 18031 parts you need (EN 18031-1, -2, and/or -3)
- Purchase in digital or physical format
Common National Standards Bodies:
- Germany: DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung) - www.din.de
- France: AFNOR (Association française de normalisation) - www.afnor.org
- UK: BSI (British Standards Institution) - www.bsigroup.com
- Spain: UNE (Asociación Española de Normalización) - www.une.org
- Italy: UNI (Ente Nazionale Italiano di Unificazione) - www.uni.com
- Netherlands: NEN (Nederlands Normalisatie-instituut) - www.nen.nl
The same standard can cost different amounts depending on which country’s version you’re buying. The technical content is identical - only the price and cover page differ. So if you’re purchasing, check prices from multiple sources.
What you get when you purchase:
- PDF download (most common)
- Printed paper copy (if you prefer)
Option 3: Other Standards Vendors
You can also buy standards from other vendors. Several online sites sell standards, including the American National Standards Institute.
Common vendors:
- United States: ANSI (American National Standards Institute) - webstore.ansi.org
You Don’t Need to Be a Standards Expert
Standards are written in standards language. They’re formal, detailed, and often hard to translate into actual engineering work. You need to understand the requirements, but you don’t need to become a standards expert.
Easynorm translates EN 18031 into the language of embedded systems engineers. Instead of parsing formal standards text, you get requirements written for people who build products. You can still reference the standards if you want, but you don’t have to.
What this means:
- Requirements in engineering terms, not compliance jargon
- Clear guidance on what applies to your specific product
- Step-by-step assessment process
- Documentation that meets RED requirements
You focus on building compliant products. We handle the standards interpretation.
Summary
To get EN 18031 standards:
- Register for free online access at your EU national standards body
- Purchase PDF copies if you need offline access
- Get the parts that apply to your product (EN 18031-1, -2, and/or -3)
What you get:
- Technical requirements for RED compliance
- Presumption of conformity (proof you meet the law), when met
- Testing procedures