Declaration of Conformity translation requirements — every EU language explained
Separate declaration language, accompanying user information and authority requests; verify the applicable act and target Member State before translating.
By Vladimír VicianUpdated
Language requirements depend on the applicable product legislation and the Member State where the product is placed or made available. A universal instruction to translate every declaration into all 24 EU languages is inaccurate. Build a product-and-market register that distinguishes the declaration, instructions, safety information and authority-requested technical documentation.
Locate the actual language provision
RED Article 18(2) requires the EU declaration to be translated into the language or languages required by the Member State concerned. CRA Article 28(2), not Article 27, contains the declaration language rule. MDR Article 19(1) addresses its declaration language requirement; Article 10(11) addresses information accompanying the device.
Member States can have more than one official language and product-specific rules. Do not assume the language of a company's head office, the customer's preferred English or a single national-language label settles every obligation. Confirm the applicable national requirement for each intended market and user group.
Separate the declaration from instructions
Under RED Article 10(8), instructions and safety information must be understandable to consumers and other end users in a language determined by the Member State concerned. Article 10(9) separately requires the equipment to be accompanied by the full declaration or the simplified form. Under the simplified route, Annex VII requires the exact internet address where the full declaration can be obtained.
A translated webpage alone is not a universal substitute for every accompanying document. Check the permitted delivery mechanism under each applicable act. Likewise, keeping an English technical file internally does not settle the language in which an authority may request information.
Build a controlled translation workflow
- Identify the product configuration, applicable acts and markets.
- Record the required languages and the provision supporting each conclusion.
- Prepare the master declaration with actual legislation, dated specifications and evidence.
- Translate the required versions and review legal terminology against official language versions.
- Check that product IDs, manufacturer details, standard references, certificates and dates remain identical where appropriate.
- Verify the packaging, accompanying documents and online full-declaration address on the released product.
- Retain each issued language version and the covered product/release range.
These are suggested operational steps, not a new statutory approval procedure. A single multilingual booklet can simplify distribution, but its coverage should follow actual markets and legal requirements rather than an assumed EU-wide translation quota.
Review the parts that can change the legal meaning
Machine translation can assist drafting but does not establish that the issued version is correct. Errors in the responsibility statement, directive number, product identity or notified-body information can change the meaning. Use a competent language and regulatory reviewer for the actual document.
Do not invent a universal obligation to use a sworn translator or a universal right to rely on an unreviewed machine translation. Check the relevant procedure and national requirements. Current translation prices need actual quotations; this guide does not provide a verified market-price sample.
Online declarations and version control
For RED's simplified declaration, test the exact printed internet address and keep the full declaration accessible. Check the actual CRA declaration and accompanying-information provisions separately when planning an in-scope product's 2027 release. CRA manufacturer reporting already applies from September 2026; that date does not activate every future product-documentation provision.
When a declaration is revised, preserve earlier issued versions and identify the units or configurations they cover. Do not silently replace a historic signed document through a permanent URL without keeping its issuance record and applicable versions traceable. Cenitia can assist with working drafts and records within its supported scope; translations and changes still require human review.
Primary references
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Must every declaration be translated into all 24 EU languages?
No. Check the applicable act and the language or languages required by each target Member State. A multilingual booklet can be useful for broad distribution, but it does not create a universal 24-language legal requirement.
Can a webpage replace the declaration supplied with radio equipment?
RED permits a full declaration or the Annex VII simplified declaration accompanying the equipment. The simplified declaration must give the exact internet address for the full text. A webpage alone is not an unconditional replacement for all accompanying information.
Is a certified translator always required?
Do not assume a universal certified-translator requirement. Verify the applicable procedure and national rules, and have the issued translation competently reviewed for legal meaning, product identity and unchanged references.
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Free tools & references
- EU Directive SelectorDescribe your product and find which EU directives and regulations apply.Open tool →
- Do I need a Notified Body?Find out, per regulation, whether a Notified Body is required.Open tool →
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