ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Non-US Electrical Systems & Trades AFCI: to what sort of IEC device is it comparable?

I stumbled over a question out of the general discussion forum:

It is asked whether AFCIs are in use outside North America and I must confess, that I have no idea how this device works internally and why I have never heard about its idea so far or any comparable device in EC.

Any idea, is it a successful marketing trick or would it be a progress in safety with us to detect "arcing"? Or is it a North Am specific topic?