The invention relates to an inductive surface element that enables the propagation conditions of electromagnetic radiation to be modified. The inductive surface element includes a base plate (1) and secondary plates (2) which are arranged perpendicularly to the base plate. A surface wave is produced by the inductive surface element from an electromagnetic wave that has a free-space propagation mode, when the electric field of the free-space propagation wave is not parallel to the base plate, and when the inductive surface element is arranged close to the ground with the base plate parallel to the surface of the ground.