R&TTE CA Issues Guidance for Notified Bodies

The Radio and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment Compliance Association (R&TTE CA) has issued a guidance document for notified bodies. The document provides guidance on the format and content of notified body opinions on technical construction files (TCF). Annex IV of Directive 1999/5/EC allows for notified bodies to give such opinions, but according to the guidance, some opinions have been found to be misleading.

The guidance includes a table that sets out minimum criteria for a notified body opinion. According to the guidance, a notified body is “free to choose its own format and may include additional information.” Other information can include the manufacturer’s details, conformity assessment procedure, reference standards, intended purpose, or other remarks and observations.

“The idea is not simply to set a minimum threshold for notified bodies, but to help parties using the services of a notified body to know what they should be getting for their money,” says Barry Cartman, secretary of R&TTE CA and president of Cartman dot ORG Ltd. (Weybridge, Surrey, UK).

The minimum criteria specified in the guidance include the following:

• Title: “Directive 1999/5/EC—Notified Body Statement of Opinion” or similar text using the word opinion and avoiding use of words such as certificate and declaration.

• Notified body details: Name, address, logo, and notified body number.

• Opinion number: Unique number of the opinion and, if applicable, a revision or copy of the number.

• Date: Date of issue.

• Applicant details: Name and address of the party seeking the opinion.

• Scope of opinion: Whether the opinion is in respect of health and safety (Article 3.1a), EMC (Article 3.1b), radio spectrum use (Article 3.2), or special features (Article 3.3a–f).

• Identification of apparatus: The minimum information from the following list such that a third party would be able to uniquely identify the item in question: Description of apparatus, including brand or trade name, model or type designation, or software revision; Serial number if opinion was based on test or examination of a specific physical sample; Reference of any build status or design documentation taken into account; For TTE, network interface compatibility; For radio equipment (as appropriate): frequency bands and range or transmit power and power range.

• TCF identification: Unique identification of the documentation taken into consideration, irrespective of the actual physical format of the TCF.

• Opinion text: The text stating whether the apparatus complies.

• Authorized signatory: Signature block including printed name of the signatory.

R&TTE CA provides a forum for the compliance of radio equipment and telecommunications terminal equipment with technical standards. Membership is open to any testing, manufacturing, or other organization. For further information, contact Cartman at barry@cartman.org.uk.