To establish a network for performing health risk assessment of electromagnetic fields (EMF) exposure. This network will make use of the risk analysis of the completed project EMF-NET CA (EC FP6).

EMF diffusion is such that possible health consequences of EMF exposure can generate a domino effect, involving both directly and indirectly the whole society. The establishment of the most appropriate health risk assessment process on EMF, as proposed by EFHRAN, is not only desirable but essential at the European level and should not be delayed anymore. The effort is too important to be managed well at the level of individual countries, since it cannot have the full set of highly specialised experts or infrastructure needed. Further, only supranational authorities, such as EC, can develop recommendations needed by Member States.

EFHRAN will implement the following tasks: i) Risk analysis and hazard identification, that will consist in complementing the existing EMF-NET risk analysis; ii) Exposure assessment estimation, i.e. how much and how long people in Europe are exposed to EMF; iii) Dose-response assessments, to estimate the amount of EMF exposure that is likely to result in a particular health effect; iv) Risk characterization, to characterize the risk for the population; v) Give input to risk management and communication, by identifying priority areas where intervention/communication is needed. Specific conditions of sensitive and vulnerable groups will be considered.

EFHRAN is expected to provide EC and the EU with a health risk assessment process on EMF exposure that will allow these bodies to react to the concerns in full understanding of the scientific issues. EFHRAN is also expected to provide input for future risk management steps. The established network is an added value for EC, being an infrastructure capable to provide the needed future updated assessments.