EMF and the CE Marking of Electrical Products

The European Council Recommendation to limit human exposure to electromagnetic fields and the development of applicable standards have implications for the manufacturer affixing CE marking to electrical products.

The Low Voltage Directive (LVD) and, by reference, the Radio Equipment and Telecommunications Terminal Directive (RTTED), require people and domestic animals to be protected from the adverse effects of radiation but they do not contain any limit values. For protection from electromagnetic fields (EMF) in the range 0Hz to 300GHz, the requirements for exposure are contained within European Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC. Following the publication of the Recommendation and the issuing of Mandate M/305 to the European Standards Organisations, a number of standards have been developed for use in conjunction with 1999/519/EC and which can be used to demonstrate conformity with the safety objectives of the LVD and the Essential Requirements of the RTTED.

Where no relevant product-specific EMF standard exists, compliance shall be determined by use of one of the following generic standards:
¡õ EN50392:2004 (0Hz ¨C 300GHz), a generic standard that provides basic limits or reference levels on exposure to electromagnetic fields and induced and contact current.
¡õ EN50371:2002 (10MHz ¨C 300GHz) establishes a suitable standard to demonstrate the compliance of low power electronic and electrical apparatus.
A product-specific standard, EN50366:2003 has been developed to establish methods for evaluation and measurement of electromagnetic fields relevant to household and similar electrical appliances and was listed in the official journal of the European Union on 29.04.2004. It can therefore be concluded that products falling within the scope of EN50366 should be evaluated against this standard, before a declaration of conformity to the LVD based on conformity with harmonised standards can be made by a manufacturer.

Where manufacturers use conformity with EN50366 to support such a declaration, then they will need to demonstrate compliance with that standard with effect from 1 February 2006, the date of withdrawal of the previous standard, in order to demonstrate ongoing compliance with the LVD.

Evaluation of Conformity to EMF Standards
The European Certification Bodies and Manufacturers¡¯ Associations are working together to develop a three-level common approach to evaluate the conformity of apparatus with the relevant standard. The proposed common approach has yet to be finalised but will be based upon a combination of evaluation by experts and comparison with similar products that have been tested and found to conform with the EMF limit. If conformity is uncertain then testing within the procedures of the relevant generic or product-specific standard will be required.

Further details available from ASTA BEAB.