Electromagnetic Fields (EMF)
The latest - and workable - version of the Directive on minimum health and safety requirements regarding exposure of workers to electromagnetic fields (EMF) was finally agreed upon, after nine years.
Latest news: agreement on EMF Directive (March 2013)
Agreement between the European Council and the Parliament on the
EMF directive was reached on 26 March 2013 under the Irish
Presidency. Read the official Press
Release issued on 26th March.
The transposition of the Directive into national law by the
Member States will have to be done by latest July 2016. The
directive will be adopted in the EP in May or June and then
officially rubber stamped by the Council.
According to the information we have there should not be
any issues for the chlor-alkali industry. We will
keep you informed on this page.
Better protection for exposed EU
workers
New rules to improve the safety of workers
most exposed to electromagnetic fields with protective measures and
new maximum exposure limits have been approved in the EP Social
Affairs and Employment Committee.
The EP Employment Committee voted on
compromise amendments to the EMF Directive (the draft resolution
was adopted by 36 votes to 2, with 0 abstentions) on Thursday 6
December 2012. The directive addresses the short-term impact
on health but not the long-term effects. However, the Employment
and Social Affairs Committee called on the Commission and the
member states to speed up research and the compilation of data on
the long-term impact of exposure to electromagnetic fields and to
table new legislation tackling the long-term health effects as soon
as conclusive scientific proof is
available.
Euro Chlor did not have any major issues with
this proposal, but some technical modifications/clarifications
still needed to be done. Euro Chlor had therefore signed up to a
joint paper with CEEMET and Automotive, Broadcast, Welding and
Electricity industry sectors which will be used during the informal
negotiations between the EP and Council which will now
start. Euro Chlor has closely monitored the
developments in the European Parliament and Council leading
up to the final adoption in 2013.
History
The Commission's proposal (adopted in June 2011) was generally
acceptable to Euro Chlor. The Directive had to be adopted by
the Council and European Parliament by April 2012 at the latest.
However, end of 2011, it was clear that the Council was unable to
reach an agreement, and thus the application of the directive was
again postponed.
The Council had then reached a preliminary agreement on the
technical annexes. The limits were stricter than the
Commission's proposal but nevertheless still acceptable to our
industry.
More information:
Contact:
- Caroline Andersson, Senior Counsellor,
tel. +32 2 676 72 48
- Jean-Pol Debelle, Technical Director, tel. +32 2
676 73 36
Last update: 04/2013
