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USB chargers entering the European market need CE certification covering LVD safety (EN 62368-1), EMC (EN 55032/55035), and ERP efficiency (EU 2019/1782). For USB-C PD chargers, Amazon EU now requests USB-IF certification as a commercial requirement — making it a de facto prerequisite. The EMC compliance for USB chargers, particularly GaN-based ones operating at 300 kHz-1 MHz switching frequencies, requires closer attention to conducted and radiated emissions than traditional silicon chargers. This guide covers the certification requirements, documentation, and practical compliance steps.

CE Certification for USB Chargers — The Three Pillars

• LVD Safety — EN 62368-1: Primary-secondary reinforced insulation (3000 VAC), leakage current limits, temperature rise. Special attention to USB-C PD chargers: OVP must be hardware-independent from the PD protocol controller.
• EMC — EN 55032 (Class B) + EN 55035: GaN chargers with higher switching frequencies produce different EMI profiles — broadband emissions may require additional common-mode filtering. Pre-scan during prototype phase identifies potential EMI issues before formal testing.
• ERP Efficiency — EU 2019/1782: No-load power ≤ 0.1W (≤49W rated) or ≤ 0.21W (>49W), average active-mode efficiency at 25/50/75/100% load points.
• USB-IF PD (commercial requirement): Not legally mandated, but enforced by Amazon EU for USB-C PD chargers claiming PD compliance. Test interoperability with USB-IF approved test equipment.

EMC Specifics — Why GaN Needs Different Filtering

GaN FETs switch at 300 kHz-1 MHz with sub-10 ns rise times — creating dv/dt rates of 50-100 V/ns at the switching node. This generates broadband common-mode noise extending into the 30-100 MHz range. The standard EMI filter topology (C-L-C pi filter) used for 65-130 kHz silicon chargers may be inadequate for GaN — a two-stage common-mode choke plus additional Y-capacitance is often needed. However, increasing Y-capacitance raises earth leakage current — the 0.25 mA limit for Class II equipment must be respected. This is the central EMC-vs-safety trade-off in GaN charger design. GaN charger EMC filter design and CE compliance support.

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