Belgium Reviews iPhone 12 Health Risks After France Sales Ban

Belgian regulators are looking into the matter and will eventually review all smartphone models on the market.

An Apple iPhone 12 in a mobile phone store in Nantes, France, on Sept. 13, 2023. Stephane Mahe/Reuters

Belgium said it would assess Apple’s iPhone 12 for potential health risks, after France halted sales of the phone over excess radiation.

France’s National Frequencies Agency (ANFR), which monitors public exposure to electromagnetic waves, notified other EU members about its findings on Sept 12.

French regulators called for the removal of the iPhone 12 from stores in the country and for already purchased models to be updated, after the same model passed ANFR radiation tests in 2021.

This time, the agency found that the specific absorption rate (SAR) of electromagnetic waves in the device exceeded legal health limits.

According to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, the SAR measures a body’s exposure to radiation sources, such as a cellphone.

Apple made about $95 billion in revenue from European countries in 2022, making the bloc its second largest earner behind the Americas.

Estimates suggest that the phone maker sold more than 50 million iPhones in Europe last year.

iPhone Model Exceeds Radiation Limits

The iPhone 12 is no longer directly available for purchase from Apple in France and other European countries, but it can still be bought from third parties such as Amazon France.

ANFR has given the U.S. tech giant two weeks to respond to its probe, which the company has disputed, arguing that the model is up to global radiation standards.

Apple said in a press release that iPhone 12 models A2341 in the United States, A2406 for Canada and Japan, and A2408 for China’s mainland, Hong Kong, and Macao met applicable limits after tests.

However, the company did not mention iPhone 12 model A2407, which is available in Europe and other regions.

The company said that the iPhone 12, which was launched in 2020, had passed certification from multiple international bodies and was compliant with radiation standards.

iPhone 12 phones are seen at the new Apple Store on Broadway in downtown Los Angeles, California, on June 24, 2021. Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

French regulators have an official SAR limit of four watts per kilogram for handheld devices, but the iPhone 12 exceeds 5.74 watts per kilogram of SAR.

French digital economy minister Jean-Noël Barrot told the Le Parisien that the issue should be fixable with software updates, but there would be no choice but to call for a total iPhone 12 recall if that approach proves unsuccessful.

Over the past two decades, researchers have conducted a vast number of studies to assess the health risk of mobile phones, but so far authorities such as the World Health Organization (WHO) said there were no adverse health effects from their use.

“To date, no adverse health effects have been established as being caused by mobile phone use,” said the WHO on its website.

The Epoch Times has contacted Apple for comment.

Belgium to Continue Safety Review

Belgium’s state secretary for digitalization, Mathieu Michel, said that Belgian regulators are looking into the matter and would eventually review all smartphone models on the market.

“It is my responsibility to react and ensure that all citizens of the kingdom are safe and protected from any potential danger. Health is an issue that should never be neglected,” Mr. Michel said.

“We immediately asked the IBPT [Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications] for confirmation, or at least an analysis, and this is currently under way,” he said.

The Belgian official said that European safety standards were extremely meticulous and there were no immediate safety concerns.

“So that’s why today it’s obviously a limit which is being crossed [according to the French regulator] and that’s not acceptable, but in terms of health and safety, I don’t think there’s any reason to think that we’re all going to turn into little green men.”

Other EU States Investigate

Meanwhile, the European Commission stated that it would wait for feedback from other EU countries before deciding on any action.

The Netherlands and Germany said they were also looking into the issue and would provide comments in three months, while the Italian government said it has no plans to take any action.

The Dutch digital infrastructure agency (RDI), which reviewed the French tests, said it concurred with the results and that radiation levels had been exceeded.

The RDI will ask Apple for an explanation about the test results, but added there was “no acute safety risk” at this time.

German authorities warned that the investigation could lead to continent-wide ban beyond Germany, depending on further studies.

The UK has not announced any moves following the French ban, but noted the phone met radiation safety standards when it was released.

ANACOM, Portugal’s telecommunications regulator, said it was reviewing all developments in coordination with France and expects Apple to correct the situation, or Brussels will order EU member states “to adopt proportional measures.”

Analysts still say there are few safety risks with the iPhone 12, as official regulation limits were set well below harmful radiation levels.

Reuters contributed to this report.