As Europe rapidly advances toward the widespread adoption of 5G technology, many people wonder whether this new technology is increasing our everyday exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF‑EMFs). The second policy brief from the EMF and Health Cluster (CLUE‑H) tackles this question and brings together evidence gathered from four Horizon Europe projects: ETAIN, GOLIAT, SEAWave, and NextGEM.
Across more than ten European countries, researchers carried out large-scale measurement campaigns in real environments: city centres, rural areas, public transport, shopping centres, events and more. They looked at different types of exposure:
- Environmental “background” exposure from base stations (called downlink).
- Extra downlink exposure when users generate high traffic and attract focused beams.
- Uplink exposure from people’s own devices when calling, streaming or uploading.
- Involuntary exposure from other people’s nearby devices in crowded places.
NextGEM focused in particular on measurements in both sub‑6 GHz (FR1) and millimetre-wave (FR2) bands, using body‑worn sensors and advanced analysis tools in realistic 5G scenarios.
What do the data say about 5G?
The results are consistent across the CLUE‑H projects:
- Environmental RF‑EMF levels are substantially below the limits set in European recommendations and ICNIRP guidelines.
- Large-scale measurements have not found noticeable increases in environmental exposure linked specifically to the introduction of 5G in FR1.
- Deployment of 5G in FR2 (mmWave) is still limited in Europe, and measured levels in the studied sites are also well below international limits.
The research confirms that a large share of a person’s total daily exposure comes from how long they use the phone and how close it is to the body. In areas with better network quality, phones can transmit with lower power, which reduces this personal component of exposure.
Perception vs. measurement
CLUE‑H surveyed people in ten countries about how they perceive RF‑EMF exposure. Most respondents believe that 5G increases their daily exposure and that 5G video calls cause more exposure than the same activity over 4G or Wi‑Fi. This perceived increase is stronger in some countries than in others.
However, the measurement campaigns show a different picture: while exposure patterns are becoming more dynamic with technologies like beamforming and massive MIMO, overall levels remain low and within existing safety limits. This gap between perception and measurement underlines the need for clear, transparent communication about how exposure is assessed and regulated.
NextGEM will continue contributing data, tools and expertise to this joint effort, helping to ensure that future wireless networks are designed and deployed with both performance and health protection in mind.
Read the whole policy brief
More news
- Release of the NIKH
- NextGEM participated in the Clue-H Workshop on 5G ethics
- Does EMF exposure pose a risk to human health? Exploring three NextGEM studies
