Independent information resource Product security · EU CRA
Field notes / Article

How to scope a software product under the CRA

An editorial guide to product boundaries, components and remote functions.

IN BRIEF

Software can be a product with digital elements. The practical starting point is to define the marketed product and test the legal scope criteria, not to treat every software project identically.

01 / 03

Define what is supplied

Record the application, separately marketed components and any remote data-processing solution that is necessary for a product function. Identify the party marketing it under its name.

02 / 03

Trace connections and market activity

Review intended and reasonably foreseeable data connections, EU market availability and commercial activity. Open-source distribution and sectoral exclusions require their own analysis.

03 / 03

Carry the boundary into implementation

Use the product definition consistently for risk assessment, components, vulnerability handling and technical documentation.

REFERENCE DESK

Official sources

Read the full legal text and Commission material for precise wording, qualifications and updates.

Editorial review: 26 September 2026. Regulatory material can change; follow the official sources for current guidance.