Sourcing from China
Importing EV Chargers into the EU and UK: Documents, Marking and Rules
CE and UKCA for EV chargers: LVD, EMC, RED cybersecurity, RoHS, WEEE, the EU economic operator, AFIR, MID and UK charge point regulations.
- Prepared by
- VULTAE Engineering Team
- Published
- Reading time
- 5 min
- Sources
- 10 references
Key takeaways
- 1A charger placed on the EU market needs a CE declaration covering the Low Voltage and EMC directives (or the Radio Equipment Directive if it has Wi-Fi, cellular, Bluetooth or RFID), RoHS, and WEEE producer registration — backed by test reports to EN IEC 61851-1 and EN IEC 61851-21-2.
- 2Since 1 August 2025, internet-connected radio equipment must also meet the RED cybersecurity requirements (Delegated Regulation 2022/30, standards EN 18031). Chargers with Wi-Fi or 4G generally fall in scope — check this before you import.
- 3Every CE-marked charger needs an economic operator established in the EU — the importer, an authorised representative or a fulfilment service provider — named on the product or its documents.
- 4Great Britain accepts CE or UKCA marking; private chargers must meet the Smart Charge Points Regulations 2021, and public chargers the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023. Public chargers in the EU must meet AFIR.
Contents
Short answer: to import EV chargers into the EU you need a valid CE declaration (Low Voltage and EMC directives, or the Radio Equipment Directive when the charger has a radio module), RoHS compliance, WEEE registration, an EU-based economic operator named on the product, and — since August 2025 — the RED cybersecurity requirements for internet-connected chargers. Public chargers must also meet AFIR, and billing meters may need MID or national approval. In Great Britain, CE or UKCA is accepted, and chargers must meet the Smart Charge Points Regulations 2021 (private) or the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 (public).
EU: what a charger needs before it is placed on the market
| Requirement | Applies to | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU | All mains chargers (if no radio) | Safety test report to EN IEC 61851-1 (and EN IEC 61851-23 for DC), EN IEC 62196 for connectors |
| EMC Directive 2014/30/EU | All chargers (if no radio) | EMC test report to EN IEC 61851-21-2 |
| Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU | Chargers with Wi-Fi, cellular, Bluetooth, RFID | Covers safety and EMC plus radio tests for each module |
| RED Delegated Regulation 2022/30 | Internet-connected radio equipment, from 1 August 2025 | Cybersecurity assessment, e.g. to EN 18031-1/-2/-3 |
| RoHS 2011/65/EU | All | Restricted substances declaration and evidence |
| WEEE 2012/19/EU | All | Producer registration in each country of sale |
| Economic operator (Reg. 2019/1020, Art. 4) | All CE-marked chargers | EU-based importer, authorised representative or fulfilment service provider named with the product |
| Labelling | All | CE mark, manufacturer and importer names and addresses, model and serial, ratings |
| Technical file and EU declaration of conformity | All | Kept for 10 years and available to market surveillance authorities |
EU: extra rules for public and billing chargers
| Rule | Who it affects | Key points for the hardware |
|---|---|---|
| AFIR (Regulation (EU) 2023/1804) | Publicly accessible charging points | Ad-hoc payment without a contract; card reader or contactless terminal on new points of 50 kW and above; price per kWh displayed at points of 50 kW and above; digitally connected and smart-charging capable new points |
| MID (2014/32/EU) and national metrology rules | Chargers whose meter is used for billing, where national law requires it | Approved meter and, in Germany, Eichrecht-compliant metering with signed meter values |
| Accessibility and data | Public operators | Static and dynamic data made available; national rules may add accessibility requirements |
Great Britain: CE or UKCA, plus charger-specific regulations
| Requirement | Applies to | Key points |
|---|---|---|
| UKCA or CE marking | All chargers placed on the GB market | CE recognised indefinitely for products under the electrical equipment safety, EMC and radio equipment regulations; importer name and address on the product or documents |
| Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021 | Private (home and workplace) charge points sold in GB | Smart functionality, default charging outside peak hours, randomised delay, measuring system, security requirements consistent with ETSI EN 303 645 |
| PSTI Regulations 2023 | Connectable consumer products | Charge points covered by the Smart Charge Points Regulations are excepted |
| Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 | Public charge points | Contactless payment on new public points of 8 kW and above and on rapid points; 99 % average reliability for rapid networks; 24/7 helpline; open data |
| BS 7671 and PEN fault protection | Installation | Charge points on PME supplies need protection against an open PEN fault — built in or provided by the installation |
Northern Ireland follows EU product rules, so chargers sold there need CE (or CE + UKNI where applicable).
Customs and taxes
- EORI number for the importer in the EU or GB.
- Commodity code: DC chargers are usually classified as static converters (8504.40) and AC charging stations as control and distribution equipment (8537.10), but confirm in TARIC (EU) or the UK Trade Tariff and consider a binding tariff information decision for large imports.
- Duty and trade measures: check TARIC or the UK Trade Tariff for the duty rate and any trade-defence measures on your exact code.
- Import VAT at the rate of the country of import, normally recoverable by a VAT-registered business.
A practical document checklist for your first shipment
- EU declaration of conformity (and UK declaration if using UKCA) listing the directives and standards.
- Test reports: safety, EMC, radio (if applicable), RED cybersecurity (if applicable).
- RoHS declaration.
- Labels showing CE / UKCA, manufacturer, EU / UK importer, model, serial and ratings.
- User manual and installation instructions in the language(s) of the country of sale.
- WEEE registration number in each country of sale.
- For public chargers: AFIR features confirmed (payment, price display, connectivity); MID or Eichrecht documentation where billing law requires it.
IEC versions from VULTAE
Our IEC models — VT-HW wallboxes, VT-CW and VT-CP dual-port chargers, VT-DW, VT-DFC and VT-DF DC chargers — are supplied with CE, UKCA and TÜV certification. The VT-HW wallbox has Type A 30 mA residual-current protection with 6 mA DC fault detection and a PEN fault protection option for the UK; the VT-CP pedestal is available with a MID-certified meter on request. We send the declarations and test reports for the exact model you order. See our Europe and UK standards guide for the technical requirements.
Questions buyers ask
- What certification does an EV charger need in the EU?
- CE marking under the Low Voltage Directive and EMC Directive — or the Radio Equipment Directive if the charger contains a radio module — plus RoHS. In practice this means test reports to EN IEC 61851-1 (and 61851-23 for DC), EN IEC 61851-21-2 for EMC, an EU declaration of conformity, a technical file and correct labelling. Billing meters may need MID approval and national rules such as Germany’s Eichrecht.
- Does the RED cybersecurity regulation apply to EV chargers?
- Chargers with Wi-Fi, cellular or other radio modules that can connect to the internet generally count as internet-connected radio equipment, so the RED Delegated Regulation 2022/30 has applied to them since 1 August 2025. The harmonised standards are EN 18031-1, -2 and -3. Confirm scope and the assessment route with your test lab.
- Can I sell CE-marked chargers in the UK?
- In Great Britain, yes — the UK government extended recognition of CE marking indefinitely for products under the low-voltage, EMC and radio equipment regulations, among others. Chargers must still meet the Smart Charge Points Regulations 2021 (private chargers) or the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 (public chargers). Northern Ireland follows EU rules.
- Who is the EU economic operator for imported chargers?
- Under Regulation (EU) 2019/1020, CE-marked products covered by directives such as the LVD, EMC Directive and RED need an economic operator established in the EU — the manufacturer if based in the EU, the importer, an authorised representative or a fulfilment service provider. Its name and contact details must accompany the product.
- Do I need to register for WEEE when importing chargers?
- Yes, in most cases. The producer — usually the importer for products made outside the EU — must register in each member state where it places electrical equipment on the market and finance collection and recycling. The UK has its own WEEE regime.
References
- [1]Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU. EUR-Lex.
- [2]EMC Directive 2014/30/EU. EUR-Lex.
- [3]Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU. EUR-Lex.
- [4]Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 (RED cybersecurity). EUR-Lex.
- [5]Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 on market surveillance and compliance of products. EUR-Lex.
- [6]Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 on alternative fuels infrastructure (AFIR). EUR-Lex.
- [7]Regulations: electric vehicle smart charge points. GOV.UK.
- [8]Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 guidance. GOV.UK.
- [9]PSTI Regulations 2023, Schedule 3 paragraph 2 (charge points excepted). legislation.gov.uk.
- [10]United Kingdom extends CE mark recognition. International Trade Administration.
