SCHEER - Public consultation on the Preliminary Opinion on scientific evidence on radiofrequency

Public health community

Following a request from the European Commission, the Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) provided the preliminary Opinion on the need of a revision of the annexes in the Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC and Directive 2013/35/EU, in view of the latest scientific evidence available with regard to radiofrequency (100kHz - 300GHz).

The SCHEER advises positively on the need of a technical revision of the annexes in Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC and Directive 2013/35/EU with regard to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields, because technological advancements and emerging wireless applications, especially in the highest end of the radiofrequency spectrum (millimetre waves), call for the introduction of limits on new dosimetric quantities.

In line with the Stakeholder Dialogue Procedures (Annex V to the Rules of Procedures of the Scientific Committees), the Scientific Committee was seeking feedback from the scientific community and stakeholders on this Preliminary Opinion. 

The response period for this consultation has ended. Thank you for your input.

Final Opinion
on the need of a revision of the annexes in the Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC and Directive 2013/35/EU

The European Commission and its Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) published its final Opinion on the need of a revision of the annexes in the Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC and Directive 2013/35/EU, in view of the latest scientific evidence available with regard to radiofrequency (100kHz - 300GHz).

• Final Opinion
• Publications considered as sources of evidence and their weight

The Opinion calls for a revision based on new technical data and emerging applications that have become available. No moderate or strong evidence could identify potential adverse health effects at exposure levels below the current recommendation, as noted below.

Based on the available scientific evidence, the SCHEER:

• has considered various science-based resources after publication of the SCENIHR Opinion on potential health effects of exposure to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (EMF) in 2015;
• notes that there is uncertain weight of evidence for interaction mechanisms in in vitro studies, involving oxidative balance, genetic and epigenetic effects and calcium signalling that can result in biological effects;
• could not identify moderate or strong level of evidence for adverse health effects resulting from chronic or acute RF EMF exposure from existing technology at levels below the limits set in the annexes of Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC and Directive 2013/35/EU;
• has noted the technical progress achieved since the ICNIRP (1998) exposure guidelines in the areas of computational and experimental exposure assessment and dosimetry, allowing for a more accurate evaluation of human exposure;
• has also noted that new and emerging wireless applications using RF EMF tend to use higher frequencies and lower emitted power in closer vicinity to the human body. However, there are situations where beam focusing or intense pulsed radiation can increase exposure for short times.

The SCHEER acknowledges that the latest (2020) ICNIRP exposure guidelines introduce new dosimetric quantities to protect humans more effectively from emerging technological applications of RF EMF. Therefore, the SCHEER advises positively on the need of a technical revision of the annexes in Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC and Directive 2013/35/EU with regard to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (100 kHz to 300 GHz).

Background

Council Recommendation of 12 July 1999 (hereafter Recommendation) on the limitation of exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields (0 Hz to 300 GHz) sets out basic restrictions and reference levels for the exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields (EMFs). These restrictions and reference levels are based on the guidelines published by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection in 1998 (ICNIRP).

Article 153 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union lays down that the European Parliament and the Council can improve and protect workers' health and safety in the working environment. They can do this by adopting the minimum directive requirements and supporting and complementing the activities of Member States.

ICNIRP released new guidelines for protecting humans exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields in March 2020. While the 1998 guidelines already provide information on protection from EMF exposure in all frequency bands for existing technologies, and all bands currently envisaged for 5G technology, the new guidelines provide additional guidance on a set of issues relevant to the latest developments in 5G technology and cover the range 100 kHz to 300 GHz.

The Commission’s Directorates for Health and Food Safety (SANTE), Communications Networks, Content and Technology (CNECT), Employment (EMPL) and Research and Innovation and Development (RTD), consulted the SCHEER to fulfil their mission to determine if the new ICNIRP guidelines would impact existing EU legislation.

The need for a (technical) revision of the Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC annexes and of the annexes of Directive 2013/35/EU was requested in view of the latest scientific evidence available, particularly the ICNIRP guidelines updated in 2020 regarding radio frequency (100 kHz to 300 GHz).

A public consultation on the preliminary version of the Opinion was open on the Scientific Committees' website from 22 August 2022 until 25 September 2022.  Forty organisations and a number of individuals participated in this public consultation, providing roughly 250 contributions and comments concerning different chapters and subchapters of the Opinion.

The SCHEER carefully considered each comment and reference submitted during the consultation period, and, where appropriate, edited the text or provided further explanations due to this input. The literature was updated with relevant publications sent via public consultation, and the scientific rationale and the Opinion sections were clarified and strengthened.

• Results of the public consultation