A method is provided for controlling an electromagnetic actuator having an electromagnet including a magnetic core presenting a pole face and an electromagnet coil wound around the magnetic core, a return spring and an armature connected to an actuation mechanism and movable toward the pole face by a magnetic force of the electromagnet against the force of the return spring. The method includes: detecting a time behavior and/or value of current and/or voltage present at the electromagnet coil during a time period when the armature does not move relative to the electromagnet, and deriving a value corresponding to the actual ohmic resistance and/or inductance of the electromagnet coil from the detected time behavior and/or value from the detecting step for compensating changes in the ohmic resistance of the electromagnet coil.