Today the German Bundestag adopted the new provisions for electromagnetic fields and the telecommunications proof procedure. The new ordinance can therefore enter into force in July. This legislation also contains provisions on precautionary health protection.
The amended ordinance on electromagnetic fields and the telecommunications proof procedure (26th BImSchV) contains the measures adopted by the Bundesrat on 3 May 2013.
The aim of the ordinance is health protection and taking precautions against possible health risks from electrical, magnetic or electromagnetic fields. The new provisions comprise, for instance, limit values for electromagnetic fields generated by mobile communications antennas. They also cover other uses of electric energy that are associated with low-frequency electrical or magnetic fields such as the transmission of electricity.
The 26th BImSchV has not been amended since it entered into force in early 1997. The amendment brings the ordinance up to the current scientific state of the art. For example, the ordinance now includes provisions on high-voltage direct current facilities (HVDC facilities) - a new technology which is used for electricity grid expansion and for which there had previously been no provisions. Other important amendments include the provisions on precautionary health protection. New electricity lines may no longer pass over residential buildings, and electrical or magnetic fields have to be minimised for electricity grid expansion. In contrast to earlier legislation, these provisions not only cover commercial radio-communication systems but also private and governmental installations.