The 1999/5/EC Directive, drawn for radio and telecommunications equipment, also known, in short, as R&TTE Directive or as 99/05, was adopted on 9 March 1999, then published in the Official Journal on 7 April of the same year. It specifies rules to follow when selling a Radio or Telecom product in the European Community.
The Directive has established a new, comprehensive system to which all Member States have to abide, ending the validity of the previous 98/13 Directive and of the previous specific regulatory systems and national legal rules in force until then. It is estimated that the national approval systems eliminated from R&TTE Directive were covered from approximately 1000 laws / regulations / rules.
The Directive is now recognized as a regulation standard also from States still not Members but in list for membership and from those Countries that are working to be more active in commercial contacts with the Community, In addition, via the R&TTE, working with the regulatory bodies that oversee other major basins in the world market, the Community, was able to establish a system of Mutual Recognition Agreements.

Application area of R&TTE Directive includes all radio communications equipment and terminals for telecommunications systems. The Directive clearly defines the rules to be followed ''to put them on the market'' and to properly put them into operation. Radio communications equipment uses the radio spectrum for their operation (remote door opener systems, cellular phones, radio sets used to transmit and receive broadcasting commercial radio programs).
The second category are included those equipment that, in general, are connected to public telecommunications networks (telephones, switchboards in hotels and modems for personal computers). Original purpose of the Directive was also promotion of a single European market showing absolute free movement of goods in the Community, while making a contribution to a system of sustainable global competitiveness for the industries active in telecommunications and radio. The R&TTE Directive covers only the radio aspects, leaving to EMC 89/366/ECC and LVD 73/23/ECC Directives (previously issued) the management of issues relating to the Electromagnetic Compatibility and Low Voltage Safety.
Nearly ten years after release of R&TTE Directive, it is now possible to positively evaluate the results obtained by implementation. In this period, it has been ensured the correct usability of products, the protection of users and the free movement in the internal market. Furthermore, through the drafting of a significant body of ancillary legal and regulatory documents, based on the Directive itself, it was possible to control and check implementation of R&TTE Directive, with a continuous improvement and clarification. It is important that the European industry sector covered by the R&TTE Directive is still enjoying a situation of competitiveness as it was detectable at date of issuance, with specific areas where there is still a prominent position in the global Market.