Limit values

To define the exposure limits, a number of international commissions regularly assess the state of knowledge in science regarding electromagnetic fields and their possible effects on humans and the environment. This is published in summary reports. In many countries there are also national advisory bodies with a similar function. The scientific assessment leads to recommendations to governments, which set the limits.

The currently applied limits were in large part developed by the following organizations:

• International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP)
• Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers/International Committee on Electromagnetic Safety (IEEE/ICES)
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
• European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC)

Apart from these international organizations, national standardization committees and authorities take part in the development and setting of the limits. The World Health Organization (WHO) refers in its respective recommendations (Link) to the ICNIRP. Also the European Commission and the German Commission on Radiological Protection (SSK) largely use the recommendations of ICNIRP and WHO as guidance.

A collection of reports and statements of international authorities are provided by the GSM Association (GSMA). Laws, recommendations, and guidelines in this field can be found in the EMF-Portal by restricting the literature search to this topic.