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EMC directive (89/336/EEC) One of the EU directives that FSC complies with is the EMC directive, or Council Directive 89/336/EEC of 3 May 1989 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to electromagnetic compatibility as it is officially called. It "applies to apparatus liable to cause electromagnetic disturbance or the performance of which is liable to be affected by such disturbance" (Article 2). The EMC directive defines protection requirements and inspection procedures relating to electromagnetic compatibility for a wide range of electric and electronic items. Within the context of the EMC directive, 'apparatus' means all electrical and electronic appliances together with equipment and installations containing electrical and/or electronic components. 'Electromagnetic disturbance' means any electromagnetic phenomenon which may degrade the performance of a device, unit of equipment or system. An electromagnetic disturbance may be electromagnetic noise, an unwanted signal or a change in the propagation medium itself. 'Electromagnetic compatibility' is the ability of a device, unit of equipment or system to function satisfactorily in its electromagnetic environment without introducing intolerable electromagnetic disturbances to anything in that environment. There are two sides to electromagnetic compatibility: emission and immunity. These two essential requirements are set forth in Article 4, which states that an apparatus must be constructed so that: (a) the electromagnetic disturbance it generates does not exceed a level allowing radio and telecommunications equipment and other apparatus to operate as intended; (b) the apparatus has an adequate level of intrinsic immunity of electromagnetic disturbance to enable it to operate as intended. The EMC directive was originally published in the Official Journal of the European Communities on May 23, 1989. The directive became effective on January 1, 1992, with a four-year transitional period. During the transitional period, a manufacturer can choose to meet existing national laws (of the country of installation) or comply with the EMC directive (demonstrated by the CE marking and Declaration of Conformity). The transitional period ended on December 31, 1995, which meant that as of January 1, 1996 compliance with the EMC directive became mandatory (a legal requirement). All electronic products may now only be marketed in the European Union if they meet the requirements laid down in the EMC directive. This also applies to FSC system cabinets.