EMF-Regulation and standardisation in the European Union - Impact on manufacturers, employers, products and general public

The issue of human exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) has become more important in the recent years. This is partly due to the increasing use of equipment and systems, which produce and radiate electromagnetic fields and partly due to the increased public awareness to health and safety. As a consequence human exposure to electromagnetic fields has become the subject of numerous scientific studies, surveys, and investigations that provide the basis for the assessment of exposure and for the derivation of exposure limits. Due to the relationship of this topic to issues of health and safety, national and international authorities have had to take notice of the issue and pass corresponding legal documents. The paper describes the approach taken by the Council and the Parliament of the European Union which considers both: the exposure of the general public as well as that of employed persons. It also provides an overview of existing exposure limits and regulations in three European countries: Germany, Italy, and United Kingdom.