31. 8. 87 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 232/85 
Point 3.4., first paragraph 
Delete from 'which can be extended' (line two) to the end of the paragraph ('. . . of employed persons'). 
Reasons 
Social dialogue is a matter for the parties which are involved in it, and it is they alone who should decide the nature, 
content and scope of their action. Mixing such concepts as social dialogue, collective bargaining and legal reform 
will inevitably create serious confusion. 
Voting: 
For: 38, Against: 73, Abstentions: 8. 
Point 3.4., first and second sentences 
Delete: 'This may in some cases involve amendments to legislation' in the second sentence of the first paragraph and 
change the full stop at the end of the first sentence into a comma. 
Voting: 
For: 32, Against: 64, Abstentions: 16. 
Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the maximum permitted radioactivity levels for 
agricultural products and drinking water (]) 
(87/C 232/23) 
On 25 May 1987 the Commission of the European Communities decided, in accordance with the 
Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, and, in particular, Article 31 thereof, 
to consult the Economic and Social Committee on the maximum permitted radioactivity levels for 
agricultural products and drinking water. 
The Committee decided to appoint Mr Sai'u rapporteur-general for preparing its work on the 
matter. 
At is 247th plenary session (meeting of 2 July 1987), the Economic and Social Committee adopted the 
following opinion by 45 votes to 22, with nine abstentions. 
The Economic and Social Committee approves the Commission's proposals concerning maximum 
permitted radioactivity levels for agricultural products and drinking water. 
But the Committee wishes to qualify its support with the following general and specific 
comments: 
1. General comments 
1.1. The Committee would point out that the 
Commission's proposals must not be considered in isolation. 
(») OJNoC 174, 2. 7. 1987, p. 6. They are part of a permanent system for establishing limits 
for the radioactive contamination of drinking water and 
agricultural products in the case of a nuclear accident put 
forward by the Commission in January 1987 in a draft 
proposal for a Council Regulation, on which the Committee 
has been consulted. 
No C 232/86 Official Journal of the European Communities 31. 8. 87 
In the opinion which it adopted on 13 May 1987, the 
Committee was pleased with the proposal for such a 
permanent system and gave its support in principle to the 
draft proposal for a Regulation presented by the 
Commission (I). 
1.2. The Committee would also point out that it was 
asked, at the time, for an opinion on an incomplete proposal, 
as the Commission had not yet formulated proposals on the 
maximum permitted radioactivity levels for agricultural 
products and drinking water to be adopted; the Committee is 
now being consulted on these proposals, which are to be set 
out in Annex I to the Regulation. 
1.3. The Committee's approval of the Commission's 
proposals must be seen in the light not only of the comments 
in the present opinion but also the remarks and suggestions in 
its opinion of 13 May 1987. 
1.4. The establishment of a permanent system for 
establishing limits for the radioactive contamination of 
drinking water and agricultural products in the case of a 
nuclear accident is part of a standardization of the 
procedures and machinery introduced following the 
Chernobyl nuclear accident in order to protect the health of 
the public and deal with the major problem facing the 
Community: the radioactive contamination of foodstuffs, 
which the Community cannot combat with its own or 
international standards for the marketing of such 
products. 
1.5. The Commission has made some proposals on the 
maximum permitted radioactivity levels for agricultural 
products and drinking water after obtaining the opinion of 
the group of scientific experts referred to in Article 31 of the 
Euratom Treaty (hereinafter called the 'group of experts'). 
The Committee notes that the Commission followed the 
recommendations of the group of experts, except as regards 
nuclides with a half-life greater than 10 days (notably 
caesium 134 and caesium 137) in dairy produce and other 
foodstuffs except minor foodstuffs. 
1.6. The Committee recognizes that the 
recommendations of the group of experts may be considered 
as reasonable from a scientific point of view, and could be 
approved in a normal political context and international 
environment. 
1.7. The Committee notes that in drawing up its 
proposals the Commission took into account that many third 
countries have adopted maximum permitted radioactivity 
levels for these nuclides that are generally lower than those 
recommended by the group of experts. 
(!) OJNoC 180, 8. 7. 1987. 1.8. The Committee feels that the Commission's 
proposals are also designed to maintain public confidence in 
the overall system for protecting against radioactivity while 
complying with the principles on which this system is 
based. 
1.9. These proposals seem likely to achieve a balance by 
fulfilling the need to protect the health and safety of the 
public without jeopardizing the production, processing, 
marketing and distribution of agricultural products. 
1.10. The Committee therefore feels that the 
Commission's proposals are justified from the political, 
commercial and public health point of view. 
2. Specific comments 
2.1. The Committee points out that the proposal for a 
Regulation on which it issued an opinion last May was not 
intended to lay down rigid limits for the radioactive 
contamination of agricultural products and drinking water, 
but to lay down the procedure to be followed in order, not 
only to make the maximum permitted radioactivity levels 
immediately applicable, but also to adapt them, if necessary, 
in the light of the real situation created by an accident or 
other event. 
2.2. The Committee, which at the time supported the 
approach adopted by the Commission, and in view of the 
comments in its opinion, feels that the flexibility of the 
permanent system proposed should be such as to enable a 
large measure of agreement to be reached on the proposed 
maximum permitted radioactivity levels. Faced with often 
contradictory demands, the Commission has chosen a 
middle way. 
2.3. The Committee stresses that the proposals do not in 
any way pre-judge the future development of scientific 
knowledge in this field, especially as regards the effects of 
consuming contaminated foodstuffs. 
2.4. The Committee would emphasize the need for the 
Commission to ensure that the maximum permitted levels 
which are adopted take account of all the new scientific data 
available and that it adapts such levels, it necessary, as 
provided for by the proposal for a Regulation. 
2.5. The Committee reiterates its recommendation made 
in paragraph 3.11 of the opinion it issued on 13 May 1987, 
viz. that the Commission should examine the possibility of 
introducing a system for the labelling or marking of 
contaminated products. It intends to strengthen this 
recommendation and ask the Commission to put forward as 
soon as possible specific proposals on how it is proposed to 
31. 8. 87 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 232/87 
2.7. The Commission's proposals on the establishment of 
a permanent system for establishing limits for the radioactive 
contamination of drinking water and agricultural products in 
the case of a nuclear accident are an innovation at 
international level, a fact which has already been underlined 
by the Committee, and the action taken by the Community 
could serve as a reference on which to base work at 
international level. 
2.8. The Committee considers that all of these proposals 
will help bring about an international consensus based on 
scientific data that are acceptable to all from the political, 
economic and social point of view and fulfil the need to 
protect the health of the public. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alfons MARGOT 
APPENDIX 
The following proposals for amendments were rejected in the course of the deliberations: 
1. Paragraph 1.4 
Add the following text: 
'Furthermore, the system of maximum permitted levels has to be integrated into a system of Community 
legislation on foodstuffs envisaged within the framework of the completion of the internal market and in 
particular with the proposal for a Council Directive on the official inspection of foodstuffs (COM(86) 747 
final) currently under examination by the Committee.' 
Result of the vote: 
Votes for: 17, Votes against: 59, Abstentions: 2. 
2. Paragraph 1.6 
Delete paragraph 1.6 and insert a new paragraph 1.6.a: 
'While the Committee notes with satisfaction that the maximum permitted levels proposed by the Commission 
are in some cases lower than those in many third countries, the proposed levels are considerably higher in other 
cases, specifically in the case of drinking water and liquid foodstuffs, and with this the Committee cannot 
agree.' 
Delete paragraph 1.6 and insert new paragraph 1.6.b: 
'The committee notes that Article 31 of the Euratom Treaty provides that the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee must be obtained on "basic standards" to be laid down for exposures from ionizing 
radiation, but proposes also that a person or persons representing consumer interests be appointed to the group 
of experts, who will draw up a first opinion on the said "basic standards" '. 
Result of the vote: 
Votes for: 21, Votes against: 51, Abstentions: 2. inform consumers in respect of the radioactivity levels in 
foodstuffs which are placed on the market. 
2.6. The Committee emphasizes the need for the 
establishment throughout the community of a network of 
information outlets where consumers can be kept informed 
on request of matters relating to the maximum permitted 
levels for the radioactive contamination of agricultural 
products and drinking water. This network could be based 
on existing consumer advisory centres in countries where 
these exist or on other outlets such as public health stations, 
trade union offices, and churches. Consideration could be 
given to integrating the network into other Community-wide 
information systems such as the envisaged IRIS project. 
Done at Brussels, 2 July 1987.