EU Radio Equipment Directive Misunderstood: No Bootloader Lock Mandate Found
Recent claims that new European Union regulations force Android device makers to lock bootloaders have sparked widespread confusion in the tech community. However, a closer examination of the actual legal text reveals these claims are largely unfounded, with experts pointing to significant misunderstandings about what the Radio Equipment Directive (RED) actually requires.
The controversy began when reports suggested that EU cybersecurity rules would end bootloader unlocking for Android devices starting August 2025. These reports claimed manufacturers would be required to block unauthorized software installation and implement secure boot verification. However, community analysis of the official regulatory documents tells a different story.
The Radio Equipment Directive does include provisions for software compliance verification, but the actual text is far more nuanced than initial reports suggested. Article 3, section 3(i) of the directive states that radio equipment must ensure software can only be loaded into the radio equipment where the compliance of the combination of the radio equipment and software has been demonstrated.
This requirement focuses on radio compliance rather than general device security. The regulation aims to prevent software that could interfere with radio frequencies or network operations, not to restrict user choice broadly. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 specifically addresses network protection, fraud prevention, and privacy safeguards - but makes no mention of blocking unauthorized software or requiring signed and approved ROMs as some reports claimed.
