Navigation and service

Go to:

Comparison of European policies of low frequency (power frequency for high-voltage power lines) electric and magnetic fields

Glossary Entry Electric field

Force field forming between electrically charged bodies. According to the size of its electric charge a force acts on a body in the electric field. The measure for strength and direction of this force is the electric field strength E given in Volt per metre (V/m).

Glossary EntryMagnetic field

Force field caused among others by moving electric charges. Magnetic fields occur in the vicinity of conductors flown through by current and in the vicinity of permanent magnets. In case of permanent magnets currents caused by the moving electrons inside the atom are the source of the magnetic field. The magnetic field strength H marks strength and direction of the magnetic field, its measure is ampere per metre (A/m). Besides the magnetic field strength also the magnetic flux density B describes the strength of the magnetic field, the measure is tesla (T). 1 T = 1 Vs/m2, the measure microtesla (µT) is common. The following applies to the conversion of magnetic flux density into magnetic field strength in the air or in biological tissue: 1 µT corresponds to 0.8 A/m.

In 1999, the Council of the European Union published the Recommendation on the limitation of exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields (0 Hz to 300 GHz) (1999/519/EC). This recommendation is based on the Guidelines for limiting exposure to time-varying electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields (up to 300 GHz) of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).

According to this recommendation the reference values for high-voltage power lines (50 Hertz) are

ICNIRP has changed the Guidelines in 2010 and recommends a reference value of 200 µT for magnetic fields at the frequency 50 Hz. However, the EU Council Recommendation was not changed, the reference value of 100 µT is still valid.

The countries within the European Union as well as countries neighbouring the EU handle the "Recommendation" in different ways. The following tables illustrate the different approaches.

Group 1

The "Recommendation" is implemented in national regulations. The reference values defined by the European Union are obligatory. Some European countries postulate additional restrictions.

Group 1
CountryReference value
50 Hz electric field (kV/m)		Reference value
50 Hz magnetic field (µT)		Implementation / regulations
Estonia5100Reference values according to EU Council Recommendation
Greece5100Reference values according to EU Council Recommendation
Austria5100Reference values according to EU Council Recommendation
(implemented in ÖNORM (Prestandard) S1119)
Portugal5100Reference values according to EU Council Recommendation
Romania5100Reference values according to EU Council Recommendation
Slovakia5100Reference values according to EU Council Recommendation
Czech Republic5100Reference values according to EU Council Recommendation
Hungary5100Reference values according to EU Council Recommendation

Cyprus5100Reference values according to EU Council Recommendation

Additional limitations
Germany5100

The 26th Ordinance for the implementation of the Federal Immission Protection Act applies (reference values according to EU Council Recommendation)

For certain power supply and railway installations, it applies that

  • reference values must not be exceeded under maximum load
  • short-term (5 per cent of the day) and small-scale exceedances by twice the reference value, remain out of consideration

Precautionary measures:
Emissions are to be minimised.

No exceedance of reference values in the vicinity of

  • flats,
  • hospitals, schools,
  • kindergartens,
  • day nurseries,
  • playgrounds or similar institutions

When constructing new maximum voltage transmission lines (>220 kV, 50 Hz): no construction of power lines over buildings and parts of buildings designed for permanent stay.

Belgium (Brussels)5100
  • short-term oversteppings up to 1000 µT allowed
  • new transformer stations: guidance value 0.4 µT
  • limit value for flats, kindergartens, schools, hospitals: 10 µT
Belgium10
  • for places with sensible use and/or new installations
Belgium (Wallonia)

5

7

10

-
  • residential areas
  • roads
  • other places
Belgium (Flanders)

0.2 - 10

  • indoors
Finland5100

Reference values according to EU Council Recommendation

  • keep electric and magnetic fields near humans as low as possible
  • short-term oversteppings up to 15 kV/m and 500 µT allowed
France5100Reference values according to EU Council Recommendation
Apply only to new or, respectively, modified installations
Croatia

5

2

100

40

Reference values according to EU Council Recommendation

  • for places with sensible use and/or new installations
Luxembourg

5

-

100

1

Reference values according to EU Council Recommendation

  • for places with sensible use and/or new installations

  • regulations related to the distance of new installations:

    • for 65 kilovolt power lines at least 20 metres,
    • for 100 or, respectively, 220 kilovolt power lines at least 30 metres
San Marino

5

-

100

0.4

Reference values according to EU Council Recommendation

  • 24 h precautionary value

Group 2

The Recommendation of the Council of the European Union is not implemented. There are either higher limits in comparison to the reference values recommended by the European Union, only recommendations or other regulations or no regulations.

Group 2
CountryReference value
50 Hz electric field (kV/m)		Reference value
50 Hz magnetic field (µT)		Implementation / regulations
Bulgaria--

No legal regulations

  • Regulations related to the distance of lines in residential development areas depend on respective operating voltages
Great Britain--

No legal regulations

  • The National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) recomended 5 kV/m for the electrical field and 100 µT for the magnetic field
  • Protection of the public against shocks by a reference value of 5 kV/m
Ireland--No legal regulations
Iceland--No legal regulations
Latvia--No legal regulations
Malta--No legal regulations
Monaco --No legal regulations
Norway5200

Legal regulations based on the actual guidelines of ICNIRP

Sweden5100

No legal regulations

Recommendations of the Swedish radiation protection authority correspond to EU Council Recommendation

Spain--

No legal regulations

  • prohibition of the installation of new high-voltage lines in the vicinity of residential development areas, schools and public places.

Group 3

National regulations are stricter in respect to the EU Council Recommendation. They rely on the precautionary principle or they were applied due to requirements of the public for stricter regulations.

Group 3
CountryReference value
50 Hz electric field (kV/m)		Reference value
50 Hz magnetic field (µT)		Implementation / regulations
Denmark--

No legal regulations

  • utilities measure magnetic fields at new installations: The annual average is not supposed to exceed 0.4 µT
  • no kindergartens or new buildings in the vicinity of a high-voltage line
Italy5100

Decree of 8 July 2003 (electric and magnetic fields of power lines):

  • intervention level/threshold value 10 µT for existing installations at playgrounds, flats, schools and areas where people stay 4 hours per day or more.
  • quality objective = 3 µT for new lines and for plannings.
  • more stringent guidelines in three regions: 0.2 µT

Liechtenstein

5100

Environmental Protection Act of 29 May 2008 (or, respectively, the version amended in 2010)

Ordinance on protection against non-ionising radiation of 9 December 2008
Reference values according to EU Council Recommendation

  • a distinction is made between old installations (built before 2010) and new ones. Old installations also have to comply with reference values or be refurbished within five years
-1
  • installation reference value for places with sensible use and/or new installations
  • to be exceeded by not more than 1.5 times on a maximum of five days a year
  • systematic and periodic exceedances are not permitted
  • sensitive areas must be declared separately
Lithuania

0.5

1

20

40

  • in flats, public buildings and offices
  • outside, the field strength must not be more than twofold higher

Netherlands

8120

Recommendation of the "Gezondheitsraad" for limitation of exposure to low frequency fields

-0.4

Recommendation of the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment from 2005 regarding high voltage power lines (reinforced in 2008):

  • at places where children stay for long time 0.4 µT must not be exceeded
  • for existing lines this regulation does not apply

Poland

175

Reference values different from EU Council Recommendation:

  • for flats
1075
  • public areas

Switzerland

5100

Act on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection Act (NISV from 1st February 2000) immission limits identical to EU Council Recommendation

  • distinction between new and old installations
-1
  • precautionary limit values for places with sensible use and/or new installations: Installations built after 1st February 2000 are termed "new" and have precautionary emission limits (installation limits)
Serbia240Reference values lower than EU Council Recommendation:
Slovenia

0.5

10

  • new and modified installations in the vicinity of flats, schools, kindergartens, hospitals, sanatoriums, playgrounds, parks, areas for recreation, public buildings and places of excursions

10100
  • public areas

To the topic

State of 2023.12.06

How do you rate this article?

Site information and functions

© Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz