Source: European Parliament
A t the EU level, Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC[1] sets basic restrictions and reference levels to guide the Member States on ensuring protection of the general public from exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF), in line with the guidelines of the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection adopted in 1998. The Commission regularly mandates independent scientific experts to assess new scientific evidence.
In its most recent Opinion[2], the Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks concluded that there is no moderate or strong level evidence of adverse effects on human health from exposure to electromagnetic fields in the radio frequency range (100 kHz to 300 GHz) at levels below the limits set in the annexes to Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC.
Therefore, there does not appear to be any risk from the development of wireless technologies using these frequencies within the recommended limits, including 5G.
At present time, EU legal acts on EMF aim to ensure a high-level of protection of the general public in line with international standards, but an independent assessment of the impact on climate and the environment is not included.
- [1] Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC of 12 July 1999 on the limitation of exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields (0 Hz to 300 GHz), OJ L 199, 30.7.1999, p. 59 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:31999H0519.
- [2] https://health.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2023-06/scheer_o_044.pdf.