BNetzA takes action against non-compliant devices In 2019, BNetA, the German Federal Network Agency, blocked 4.5 million unsafe products that can cause radio interference or electromagnetic incompatibilities A translation of a DARC post reads: The Federal Network Agency has banned the sale of around 3.5 million products in online market surveillance. These devices can cause radio interference or electromagnetic incompatibilities and must not be sold in the EU. In 2019, the authority issued a further around 600,000 products with sales bans or corrective measures for economic operators in Germany. In addition, the import of almost 400,000 non-compliant products to Germany was prohibited. In 2019, the Bundesnetzagentur's investigations were once again aimed at individual online retailers who offered large numbers on the Internet. This enabled providers of so-called mini spy detectors - also known as bug finders - to be identified. The devices offered in millions of pieces were particularly noticeable due to formal defects, such as a lack of CE marking or a missing German operating manual. Devices that do not bear the CE mark are not intended for the European market and can pose a risk to consumers. Among the total of 3.5 million non-compliant devices were, among other things, more than 600,000 Bluetooth speakers and almost 500,000 jamming transmitters, the sale and distribution of which is not permitted in Europe because communication services (e.g. mobile radio or GPS Navigation services) and emergency calls can be prevented. Such devices are often used illegally to carry out crimes. Consumers are ordering more and more products online directly from third countries. Therefore, the Federal Network Agency works closely with customs. Customs reported a total of 13,000 suspicious shipments to the Federal Network Agency in 2019. In more than 90% of the cases, the products were not released for the German market. A total of around 400,000 products were affected. The number of device types in German retail verified by the Federal Network Agency was over 5,400 in 2019. The authority has issued a total of 59 sales bans and 721 formal letters to remedy formal defects for non-compliant products. Around 600,000 products were affected. Source DARC https://darc.de/ http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/january/bnetza-takes-action-against-non-compliant-devices.htm Southgate News is now on ShortWaveRadio We now have a regular Sunday morning news broadcast on ShortWaveRadio.de So tune in every Sunday at 10am UTC on 3975 kHz, The programme is repeated at 14:00 UTC on 6160 kHz and again at 16:00 UTC on 3975 kHz
And in other news back in the good old US 0f A, the FCC just approved all of the 4.5 million blocked devices from the German list as being OK for sale and they can now be purchased at Costco, Walmart, Amazon and other Amerikan retailers.
Yeah, the ban will just mean the exporters will get creative, using a new company name not tied to the devices, and listing them on paperwork as toys or samples. Unless they inspect *every* incoming package, they'll likely only catch 10% or less of the ones coming into the country.
"This enabled providers of so-called mini spy detectors - also known as bug finders - to be identified." Is anyone else curious about why a 'detector' would be affected by this? Is it only because the device didn't have the correct CE label on it? Or, is it more likely that those 'bug detector' units are actually transmitters, Non-Linear Junction Detectors (NLJD) ?
Likely a compliance issue. Also likely that its vendor did not provide enough 'frequency grease' to the approving agency.
Good old German efficiency. I hope the U.K Government import agency is watching out for this load of rubbish and it doe's not land up on our shores
Good for the Germans! The FCC has taken action against cell phone blockers here, but I can't think of too many other products except some Baofengs. Unfortunately, they don't seem to go after the retailers of this and other garbage, which would really help. I'd like to see the big online retailers pay heavy fines for facilitating the importation and commerce of prohibited items and profiting from it (could RICO be used?). Once they got stung they would police their own offerings and their "marketplaces" which are riddled with junk. But those retailers probably have the private phone numbers for numerous Senators and Congressmen who, very coincidentally of course, would strenuously object to "heavy handed regulation". Oh well, one can dream...
