This paper outlines an approach for specifying emissions performance at the component level. The objective is to move towards an industry specification for radiated emissions from large integrated circuits in order to facilitate cost effective system design for EMI compliance. Simple models of the mechanisms of direct chip radiation are provided based on the physical and electrical structure of large integrated circuits. These models lead to simple algorithms for estimating the total IC radiation based on IC design parameters. These models can be related to proposed emissions limits based on the desired application of the IC. Finally a measurement methodology is described which permits evaluation of the IC's relative to the limits and provides the information required to make detailed simulation models.