Imagine trying to orchestrate a symphony where the music keeps changing mid-performance, half the orchestra doesn’t have the updated score, and the conductor is juggling multiple conflicting requests. That’s the reality many notified bodies and testing labs face when certifying connected products under increasingly complex cybersecurity regulations. The Radio Equipment Directive (RED) looms over the industry as a critical baseline, while the adoption of the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) adds a new crescendo of demands.
This symphony of compliance is vital for the IoT ecosystem to flourish. Without it, the market risks descending into discord, with delays in certification, frustrated manufacturers, and, most dangerously, insecure devices flooding global markets.
A Symphony of Challenges
Like an orchestra preparing for a high-stakes performance, notified bodies face multifaceted challenges that demand precision, adaptability, and harmony. But their instruments—disorganized workflows, outdated tools, and fragmented global standards—often leave them out of sync.
1. The RED Directive as the Overture
The RED Directive is the overture to Europe’s IoT regulatory framework. It sets the stage by requiring that connected devices meet essential safety and cybersecurity requirements. Yet, for many notified bodies, keeping pace with its technical documentation, coupled with manufacturers’ varied interpretations, feels like playing from mismatched sheet music.
2. The CRA: A New Movement in the Score
With the CRA being adopted, notified bodies are now expected to navigate even more complex cybersecurity certifications. This “new movement” amplifies demands, requiring real-time assessments of evolving threats and adherence to stricter standards like ETSI EN 303 645. As ENISA emphasizes, failing to prepare for this new directive risks a breakdown in the certification process, akin to losing the rhythm in a symphony.

Objectives of CRA
3. Fragmented Tools and Chaotic Onboarding
The instruments themselves—SharePoint folders, Excel trackers, and email threads—are adding noise instead of harmony. Customer onboarding, often plagued by scattered documentation and unclear processes, creates confusion akin to musicians starting at different tempos. According to a TIC Council report, these inefficiencies slow down compliance timelines, frustrate manufacturers, and limit the scalability of notified bodies.
4. Global Complexity: Playing Multiple Scores
The global stage introduces even more challenges. Each region—Europe, the U.S. with initiatives like the Cyber Trust Mark, and Asia with its emerging cybersecurity schemes—demands its own score. Harmonizing these requirements is akin to performing several symphonies simultaneously, without dropping a single note.

Conducting a Harmonious Future
To turn chaos into a masterful performance, notified bodies must adopt tools and strategies that unify their efforts, streamline processes, and align their work with the ever-evolving regulatory landscape.
1. Digitize and Automate the Orchestra
The first step is modernizing the instruments. By replacing manual, error-prone workflows with centralized compliance platforms, notified bodies can synchronize their operations. These platforms act as a digital conductor, automating repetitive tasks like document reviews and test report generation, ensuring every team member plays their part in time.
2. Simplify the Score for Manufacturers
Structured, intuitive onboarding portals provide manufacturers with a clear roadmap, reducing the back-and-forth caused by unclear requirements. With centralized repositories and instant feedback, manufacturers can quickly align their submissions with the required standards, ensuring the symphony stays on tempo.
3. Prepare for the CRA’s Crescendo
To handle the additional demands of the CRA, notified bodies must invest in ongoing training for their teams. Workshops, industry forums like those hosted by ENISA, and real-time updates on evolving standards will ensure certification teams are ready to adapt their instruments as the score changes.
4. Unify the Global Stage
Global alignment is key to playing in harmony. Platforms that support multiple standards across regions enable notified bodies to offer consistent, scalable services. Collaborative efforts between regulatory bodies, such as ENISA, CISA, and the TIC Council, can help unify disparate frameworks, allowing notified bodies to perform seamlessly on an international scale.
Hitting the Right Notes
The RED Directive and CRA are setting a higher bar for IoT security. For notified bodies, this represents both a challenge and an opportunity. By embracing digitization, simplifying onboarding, and investing in scalable, global solutions, notified bodies can transform their certification processes into a symphony of efficiency and trust.
This isn’t just about meeting regulatory demands—it’s about orchestrating a secure future for IoT. As the TIC Council highlights, trust in certified products is the cornerstone of global market confidence. When notified bodies and testing labs operate like a finely tuned orchestra, the entire IoT ecosystem benefits from a harmonious blend of security, innovation, and market growth.
The time to act is now. The score is written, the baton is raised—are you ready to conduct?
