Suppliers

Electrical, electronic and radio products on sale or in use in New Zealand must comply with Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) standards, to minimise the risk of interference to the radio spectrum.

Radiocommunications can be affected by pollution, more commonly referred to as "radio frequency interference" (RFI) or "electromagnetic interference" (EMI). In turn, radio transmissions can also cause electrical and electronic products to malfunction, a response sometimes known as "immunity" or "electromagnetic susceptibility" (EMS).

The mutual interaction of radio and electrical products is known as "electromagnetic compatibility" which is usually abbreviated to EMC.

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) compliance means that an electrical or electronic product has been tested to international standards and is unlikely to cause radio interference.

What is the EMC compliance framework in New Zealand?

A regulatory compliance framework for EMC must carefully balance the need to minimise business compliance costs with the need to effectively protect the radio spectrum resource.

The Radio Spectrum Management (RSM) group achieves this by:

• Encouraging suppliers (being manufacturers, importers, exporters and distributors) of electrical, electronic and radio products to comply with standards by providing information.
• Promoting the development and adoption of international standards.
• Promoting mutual recognition in mandatory compliance with other administrations.
• Conducting audits of products and compliance folders to ensure suppliers meet compliance requirements.
• Enforcing mandatory compliance with standards to the degree necessary to reasonably protect the radio spectrum resource.

Compliance

Radio Spectrum Management (RSM) is responsible for ensuring that compliance requirements are met.

We achieve this by:

• Conducting audits of products and Compliance Folders to ensure suppliers meet compliance requirements
• coordinating follow-up to non-compliance including the issue of Warning Notices and Infringements Notices, or prosecution proceedings as appropriate.
   

RSM's compliance programme is based on:

• Radiocommunication Act 1989
• Radiocommunications Regulations 2001
• Radiocommunications Notices and Codes of Practice prescribed in the New Zealand Gazette.