The effect of new European norms on the world EMC market

The European Union has issued an EMC Directive requiring virtually all electrical and electronic products be tested for EMC compliance. This Directive will have an economic effect on manufacturers world-wide and influence standards development at international, national and corporate levels. Although the test requirements are driven by actual events involving public safety, the standards themselves now only require minimum levels of testing. As the EMC field grows and expands, standards need to evolve and become more realistic. The author discusses the driving forces behind the Directive, the Directive itself, the effects of the Directive, EMC test standards and the future.