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How are antennas regulated outside the US?

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Globally, spectrum is allocated by the ITU Radio Regulations, a treaty updated at World Radiocommunication Conferences.[1] In the European Union, radio equipment must meet the essential requirements of the Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU, usually demonstrated with ETSI harmonised standards such as EN 300 328 (2.4 GHz wideband) and EN 300 220 (25–1000 MHz short-range devices), which specify EIRP or ERP, spectrum access and receiver requirements.[2][3][4]

How do EU rules treat antennas?

Limits are generally stated as radiated power (EIRP or ERP) for the equipment with its intended antennas, so the manufacturer must account for antenna gain. Equipment with interchangeable antennas is assessed with the highest-gain antenna supplied or specified.[3][2]

What role does the ITU play?

The ITU Radio Regulations divide the world into three regions and allocate frequency bands to services; ITU-R recommendations provide propagation models and technical standards that national regulators reference.[1][5]

What about other countries?

Canada (ISED), Japan (MIC), China (MIIT), Korea, India and others have their own certification regimes and limits, often similar in structure to FCC or ETSI rules. Product designers check each target market’s current rules.[1]

Frequently asked questions

Is EN 300 328 mandatory?

It is a harmonised standard; using it gives a presumption of conformity with the RED.

What is a WRC?

A World Radiocommunication Conference that revises the Radio Regulations.

Are LoRa limits the same worldwide?

No; regional parameters differ by country and region.

References

Online sources accessed October 21, 2026; printed works cited by edition. See all sources.

  1. “Radio Regulations”. International Telecommunication Union. 2024 edition.
  2. “Directive 2014/53/EU (Radio Equipment Directive)”. European Parliament and Council of the European Union. 2014.
  3. “ETSI EN 300 328: Wideband transmission systems operating in the 2.4 GHz band”. ETSI. current version.
  4. “ETSI EN 300 220: Short Range Devices operating in the frequency range 25 MHz to 1 000 MHz”. ETSI. current version.
  5. “Recommendation ITU-R P.525: Calculation of free-space attenuation”. ITU-R. current edition.
Categories: Regulations and safety