Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) regulations of the European Commission

In May 1989 the EEC accepted the directive 89/336/EEC which relates to electromagnetic compatibility (EMC, amended by directives 91/263/EEC, 93/68/EEC and 93/97/EEC). The directive is applied to 'all electrical and electronic appliances together with equipment and installations containing electrical and/or electronic components ('apparatus' in short in the terminology of the directive) liable to cause electromagnetic disturbance or the performance of which is liable to be affected by such disturbance'. The main objective of the EMC directive is to guarantee the free movement of apparatus and to create an acceptable electromagnetic environment in the EEA (European Economic Area) territory. The EEA includes all 15 European Community states, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. In a geophysical context, the directive may or may not define limits to the allowable electromagnetic (EM) field strengths emitted from geophysical apparatus, and on the other hand defines also the limits of EM noise-levels which such apparatus must withstand and still operate properly.