Brussels hosted last 14-15 December the 54th meeting of CENELEC Technical Committee 210 (CLC/TC210), chaired by John Davies with Nyomee Hla-Shwe Tun as secretary. The meeting agenda (document TC210/Sec0964/DA-B) and minutes of the previous meeting (document TC210/Sec0939/RM) were approved.
A decision was made to contact the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) – Group for Electromagnetic Capability and Radio Spectrum Matters (EMC/ERM) regarding possible expansion of the scope of standard EN50498 on electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) for auto sector equipment regulated by regulation 10 of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe to include the Radio Directive (RED), namely taking into account car radios.
Approval is awaited of the respective new work item proposal in order to move forward with work on standard EN50561-4 concerning powerline communications (PLC) with multiple input multiple output technology. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is accompanying this PLC technology along with ETSI. Standard EN50561-2 (PLC access) is dependent on EN50529-3; the management system is at issue. It was decided that working group 11 (WG11) would request collaboration from ETSI EMC/ERM and CLC/TC205.
The Administrative Cooperation Group in the scope of the Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMC ADCO) has proposed extending trials up to 6 GHz (at minimum), as this requisite is already fulfilled by all TC210 standards eventually attaining a scope of up to 400 GHz (EN55011, for example, goes up to 18 GHz). It will be up to the respective committees, bearing in mind the characteristics of the products in question, to limit case-by-case the band to effectively test (it makes no sense, for example, to test an electric toaster up to 6 GHz). A decision was made to query EMC ADCO about its interest in formalising a connection in this respect.
Bernd Sisolefsky gave his last presentation (before retirement) about the work he initiated on EMC standardisation of wireless power transfer (WPT) technology, in which there is evident concern about protection of radio reception, coexistence with other technologies and interoperability among different manufacturers. This technology falls under the RED or EMC Directive depending on whether or not there is data transfer via the WPT portal, though it only pertains to the RED if there is radio communication in separate channel. Attention was called to the need to have an identical type approval system based on either ETSI standards or CENELEC standards.
There are currently no concerns about electromagnetic fields vis-à-vis the health sector. No cases of interference caused by WPT already in operation have been reported.
There is an impression of lack of knowledge in the European Commission (EC) about the 80/80 rule of the International Special Committee on Radio Interference (CISPR). Major efforts are being undertaken at International Electrotechnical Commission/CISPR level to meet its requirements.
The EC’s legal requirements with respect to annexes ZZ and ZA continue to require further explanation, given that the idea that the essential EMC requisite of the RED can be fulfilled without invoking the CENELEC’s EMC standards is considered not to make sense. This problem also affects standards in the scope of the Safety Directive.
The next meeting will be held in the Dutch city of Delft on 9-10 May 2017. The following one is planned for 13-14 December 2017 in Brussels.
