Method for determining a relative speed of parts of an electromagnetic eddy current brake movable in relation to one another along a relative movement path, in particular of a linear motor used as eddy current brake, by means of this eddy current brake, said eddy current brake comprising an induction portion with at least one electric conductor which is part of an electric circuit which can be interrupted or closed by at least one switch, and a magnetic field portion movable in relation to the induction portion with at least one magnet arrangement for providing a magnetic field originating from said magnetic field portion, wherein at said eddy current brake an effect of a deceleration can be switched on or switched off by actuating the at least one switch, wherein the method comprises the following steps: - detecting an electric parameter induced by the magnetic field portion in the induction portion over a time period during an induction generated in the induction portion due to the relative movement of the induction portion and the magnetic field portion, - selecting at least two chronological characteristic positions or values (38a, 38b, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48) of the electric parameter, such as for example zero-crossings at rising edge, zero-crossings at falling edge, turning points in the rising edge, turning points in the falling edge, local maxima (44/46), local minima and the like, - for at least two selected characteristic positions or values (38a1/38a2, 38b1/38b2, 40/42, 44/46, 44/48, 48/46): determining the time lag between the latter, - for the at least two selected characteristic positions or values, the time lag of which has been determined: determining the physical distance along the relative movement path travelled by the magnetic field portion in relation to the induction portion between the occurrence of the at least two selected characteristic positions or values (38a1/38a2, 38b1/38b2, 40/42, 44/46, 44/48, 48/46), and - determining the relative speed from the determined physical distance and the determined time lag between the at least two selected characteristic positions or values (38a1/38a2, 38b1/38b2, 40/42, 44/46, 44/48, 48/46), - operating the eddy current brake depending on the relative speed determined on the basis of the detected induced electric parameter for modifying the relative speed. - detecting an electric parameter induced by the magnetic field portion in the induction portion over a time period during an induction generated in the induction portion due to the relative movement of the induction portion and the magnetic field portion, - selecting at least two chronological characteristic positions or values (38a, 38b, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48) of the electric parameter, such as for example zero-crossings at rising edge, zero-crossings at falling edge, turning points in the rising edge, turning points in the falling edge, local maxima (44/46), local minima and the like, - for at least two selected characteristic positions or values (38a1/38a2, 38b1/38b2, 40/42, 44/46, 44/48, 48/46): determining the time lag between the latter, - for the at least two selected characteristic positions or values, the time lag of which has been determined: determining the physical distance along the relative movement path travelled by the magnetic field portion in relation to the induction portion between the occurrence of the at least two selected characteristic positions or values (38a1/38a2, 38b1/38b2, 40/42, 44/46, 44/48, 48/46), and - determining the relative speed from the determined physical distance and the determined time lag between the at least two selected characteristic positions or values (38a1/38a2, 38b1/38b2, 40/42, 44/46, 44/48, 48/46), - operating the eddy current brake depending on the relative speed determined on the basis of the detected induced electric parameter for modifying the relative speed.