Understand the Radio Equipment Directive (RED)

This article explains the European Union’s Radio Equipment Directive (RED), why it was updated, and how these changes impact Multi-Function Devices (MFDs) and printers running PaperCut software.

What is the Radio Equipment Directive?

The Radio Equipment Directive (2014/53/EU), or RED, is an EU regulation that sets the rules for selling radio equipment in the European market. This directive covers all devices with radio functionality that actively initiate data exchange with the internet or enable communication between devices, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. This means that printers, MFDs, and mobile devices fall under this regulation.

When and why it was introduced

The RED has been regulating the placement of radio equipment on the EU internal market since 2014 to ensure safety, electromagnetic compatibility, and the efficient use of the radio spectrum.

However, in response to increasing cyber threats, the directive was extended to include specific cybersecurity requirements. These new mandatory cybersecurity requirements apply to all affected devices placed on the EU, UK, and EFTA markets from 1 August 2025. The updated directive aims to:

• ensure network security
• protect personal data and privacy
• safeguard against misuse and fraudulent activity.

How RED affects devices with PaperCut

Starting 1 August 2025, manufacturers must build cybersecurity protections directly into their devices to comply with RED. This means MFDs and printers will likely ship with stricter security configurations enabled by default.

When you use PaperCut in an environment with RED-compliant devices, keep these points in mind:

• Encrypted communication: Devices will require encrypted data transfer to make personal information unreadable to unauthorized parties. Ensure your PaperCut application servers and MFDs are configured to use secure protocols.
• Driver and application compatibility: If compatibility with an existing printing environment is compromised by these new strict device settings, you might need to install printer drivers or applications that specifically support RED configurations.
• Legacy mode: If printing performance is reduced or compatibility fails, you might need to enable a legacy mode on the printer to restore function with older network setups.

Configure manufacturer devices with RED firmware

We are seeing printers and MFDs from various manufacturers shipping with RED-specific firmware installed. To configure your device, refer to the MFD’s embedded manual.

If you have the RED firmware, and need troubleshooting advice, see:

• Troubleshooting Sharp BP devices with RED (v5) firmware

Check back for updates as we add more manufacturer guides: