Children's smartwatches, GPS trackers, baby monitors and wireless cameras are increasingly common in Cypriot homes, placed in nurseries, worn on children's wrists and connected to parents' phones. A draft set of regulations now out for public consultation proposes a strengthened framework for overseeing the market for radio equipment, the broader category under which all these devices fall.
The draft, titled the Radio Equipment Market Surveillance Regulations of 2026, would replace the existing 2019 regulations and update the oversight framework in line with newer legislation. It covers any product that uses wireless communication, including WiFi, Bluetooth, SIM and GPS, and sets out the checks that can be carried out on the market, the obligations of economic operators, and the actions the competent authority can take when a product is found to be non-compliant or poses a risk.
Withdrawal and recall powers
Under the draft regulations, the competent authority would be able to require economic operators to take corrective measures when a non-compliant product is identified. Depending on the circumstances, those measures could include restricting the product's availability, withdrawing it from the market or recalling it from consumers. This is particularly relevant for devices bought cheaply online, often from foreign platforms, where it is not always straightforward for a parent to verify whether the product carries correct labelling, includes comprehensible instructions, has a responsible importer registered in Cyprus or can be traced in the event of a recall.
A gap in the rules
The draft also references provisions for radio equipment power connectors, noting that no regulation currently exists in this area, indicating that the new framework extends beyond wireless functionality to technical aspects connected with the safe use of devices.
The regulations are due to enter into force on 30 May 2026, with one specific provision taking effect on 1 January 2028. A transitional clause provides that radio equipment already placed on the market before 30 May 2026 will not be affected, provided it complies with the regulations being replaced.
The draft does not name children's smartwatches or baby monitors specifically. It covers the broader category of radio equipment, which encompasses the connected devices now routinely used by families not as accessories but as tools of child safety and monitoring.
