1. Asia

China: EV charging equipment to require CCC certification

To further strengthen product quality and safety supervision, from 1 March 2025 certification bodies will begin accepting mandatory product certification (CCC) applications for electric vehicle supply equipment, including but not limited to fixed charging piles, mobile charging facilities and on-board charging equipment. From 1 August 2026, EV supply equipment without a CCC certificate and certification mark may not be manufactured, sold, imported or used in other business activities. All such products must therefore undergo rigorous testing and assessment to confirm compliance with national safety standards before entering the market.

China: certification standard for cord sets changed

The new national standard GB/T 15934-2024, Electrical accessories: cord sets and interconnection cord sets, consolidates and revises two earlier standards, GB/T 15934-2008 and GB/T 26219-2010 on Y-type cord sets and Y-type interconnection cord sets. It takes effect on 1 October 2025.

Korea: MSIT revises the national frequency allocation table

Following the frequency allocations of the ITU World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 held in November 2023 and domestic frequency demand, Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT has supplemented other operational defects in the rules.

Indonesia: plan to open 5925-6425 MHz and WPT bands

On 17 December 2024 Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs proposed amending Ministerial Regulation No. 2 of 2023 on communication and information technology to improve equipment efficiency and accelerate internet connection speeds. The revision focuses on newly opened bands, including 5925-6425 MHz for RLAN devices and 315-405 kHz and 1700-1800 kHz for short range devices, mainly for wireless power transmission.

2. Europe

EU: six substances to be added to the SVHC list in January 2025

On 16 December 2024 the European Chemicals Agency announced on its website that six substances are planned to be formally added to the SVHC list in January 2025, bringing the candidate list to 248 entries.

EU: General Product Safety Regulation takes effect

The EU General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 became mandatory on 13 December 2024, replacing the old General Product Safety Directive 2001/95/EC. Businesses must carry out a full risk assessment of their products, identify potential safety hazards and ensure compliance with the relevant safety standards and regulations. Before placing a product on the EU market the manufacturer must conduct an internal risk analysis of all relevant aspects of the product, in particular its physical, mechanical and chemical characteristics. The regulation applies to non-food consumer products sold in the EU and Northern Ireland, including electronics, clothing, toys, furniture, household appliances and food contact materials such as straws, cups, napkins and food packaging.

EU: draft code of practice for AI providers published

The EU has issued a draft code of practice for providers of general purpose AI models with systemic risk. The draft was developed through four working groups and focuses on transparency, risk identification, technical mitigation and governance.

3. North America

United States: California Proposition 65 short-form warning rules amended

On 6 December 2024 the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment published the amended text of the Proposition 65 regulation. Key changes include new options for the warning word: in addition to the existing Warning, companies may use CA WARNING or CALIFORNIA WARNING; short-form warnings must name the chemical for which the relative toxicity is claimed; and warning requirements are added for two special product categories, motor vehicle parts and recreational vessel parts.

United States: FCC improves public safety communications in the 4.9 GHz band

The FCC has strengthened the nationwide band coordination approach established in its Seventh Report and Order FCC 23-3, which adopts a nationwide band manager framework to coordinate 4.9 GHz operations, optimise public safety use and promote integration of the latest commercial technologies including 5G for the benefit of public safety users.

Mexico: digital telecommunications agency to take over from IFETEL

On 3 December 2024 IFETEL issued a press release setting out its position on the congressional decision to dissolve the institute. Resources currently provided to the national digital strategy will transfer to the new agency no later than 31 December 2024 so that it can begin operating on 1 January 2025.

Canada: ISED opens consultation on SRSP-511 Issue 3

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada has opened a public consultation on SRSP-511 Issue 3, the technical requirements for land mobile radio service operating in the 768-776 MHz and 798-806 MHz bands. Issue 3 sets out the minimum technical requirements for efficient spectrum use by land mobile, aeronautical mobile and fixed point to point systems in these public safety bands.

4. South America

Argentina: bands allocated to the fixed satellite service

ENACOM has allocated 71-76 GHz and 81-86 GHz to the fixed satellite service, including allocation of 71-76 GHz to the primary category of the fixed satellite service for space to earth and 81-86 GHz for earth to space.

Bolivia: ATT extends certificate validity

The Bolivian Authority for Telecommunications and Transport has issued a new regulatory administrative resolution, ATT-DJ-RAR-TL LP 539/2024, governing registration and approval of telecommunications and ICT equipment. Finalised on 6 November 2024 and published in early December, it replaces the earlier regulation ATT-DJ-RAR-TL LP 443/2023 in force since 28 September 2023. Certificates issued under the new resolution are valid for 10 years instead of the previous 5.

5. Africa

Morocco: Portnet platform officially launched

Portnet is a new online system designed to simplify and digitise the certificate of conformity application process. The platform receives all importer requests for certificates of conformity, and all related documents must also be processed through it. According to the latest notice from the Moroccan Ministry of Industry, from 2 December 2024 all Moroccan certificates of conformity must be applied for through the government-mandated Portnet platform, and applications may only be initiated by importers.

Egypt: NTRA launches eSIM

After four mobile operators completed all technical tests required to operate the service, Egypt's National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority has launched eSIM technology in the Egyptian market. ADFCA has also contracted Sci-Shield to build and operate the data centre for embedded chips.