Since the objective of this Directive, namely to ensure that radio equipment made available on the market fulfils requirements providing a high level of protection of health and safety, adequate level of electromagnetic compatibility and an effective and efficient use of radio spectrum so as to avoid harmful interference while guaranteeing the proper functioning of the internal market, cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States but can rather, by reason of its scale and effects, be better achieved at Union level, the Union may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty ...[+++] on European Union.

Pursuant to Directive 1999/5/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 1999 on radio equipment and telecommunications terminal equipment and the mutual recognition of their conformity (the RTTE Directive) within such categories manufacturers should ensure that short-range devices effectively avoid harmful interference to other short-range devices.

The EU’s 5-year radio spectrum policy programme defines the strategic planning and harmonisation of the use of spectrum for areas of the EU’s internal market that use spectrum, such as electronic communications, research and space, transport, energy and audiovisual policies, as access to radio spectrum is essential for a vast range of activities from wireless communications and broadcasting and short-range devices, through to transport, public safety and space applications.

The EU’s 5-year radio spectrum policy programme defines the strategic planning and harmonisation of the use of spectrum for areas of the EU’s internal market that use spectrum, such as electronic communications, research and space, transport, energy and audiovisual policies, as access to radio spectrum is essential for a vast range of activities from wireless communications and broadcasting and short-range devices, through to transport, public safety and space applications.

Commission Decision 2006/771/EC (2) harmonises the technical conditions for use of spectrum for a wide variety of short-range devices, including applications such as alarms, local communications equipment, door openers and medical implants.

Short-range devices are typically mass-market and/or portable products which can easily be taken and used across borders; differences in spectrum access conditions therefore prevent their free movement, increase their production costs and create risks of harmful interference with other radio applications and services.