Regulatory compliance, a manufacturer's perspective

With the implementation of the EMC Directive and similar regulations following in other countries, regulatory compliance became one of the major milestones in product development and marketing for most manufacturers. Many papers have been published about the technical and/or legal requirements. Others have focused on compliance methods and design techniques. A manufacturer has to consider a multitude of issues, when it comes to regulatory compliance however. Interpretation of standards, keeping abreast of changes in regulatory environment, setting up test and continued compliance plans, certifications, cost considerations are only a few of these issues. This paper tries to draw a more comprehensive picture of regulatory compliance from a global manufacturer's perspective.