7. 5. 79 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 114/23 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive (Euratom) amending the Directive of 
1 June 1976 laying down the revised basic safety standards for the health protection of the 
general public and workers against the dangers of ionizing radiation 
The text.referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 147 of 22 June 1978, page 11. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 7 June 1978 the Commission referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic 
and Social Committee in accordance with Article 31 of the Treaty establishing the European 
Atomic Energy Community. 
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 161st 
plenary session held in Brussels on 12 and 13 July 1978. 
The full text of the opinion is as follows: 
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Atomic Energy Community, and in particular Article 31 
thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Commission 
of the European Communities on 7 June 1978 for an 
opinion, 
Having regard to the decision taken by its Bureau on 
19 June 1978 instructing the Section for Energy and 
Nuclear Questions to draw up an opinion and a report 
on the matter, 
Having regard to the opinion issued by the Section for 
Energy and Nuclear Questions at its 41st meeting held 
on 30 June 1978, -
Having regard to the discussions at its 161st plenary 
session of 12 and 13 July 1978, 
Having regard to the oral report submitted by the 
rapporteur, Mr P. Nielsen, 
Whereas the basic safety standards for the protection of 
the general public and workers against the dangers of 
ionizing radiation were first adopted by the European 
Atomic Energy Community in 1959 (x); 
(*) OJNo 11,20.2. 1959. Whereas they were amended in 1962 (2) and again in 
1966 (3); 
Whereas the Commission, on 26 July 1972, made a 
series of proposals for updating the basic standards; 
Whereas the Committee gave its opinion on the above 
proposals on 24 May 1973 in which it took a 
favourable view of the changes, while suggesting a 
number of improvements; 
Whereas in the light of the various comments received, 
the Commission revised its draft on 22 November 
1973 (4); 
Whereas the Council finally adopted the revisions in a 
Directive on 1 June 1976 (5); 
Whereas it is necessary to bring into operation a 
Community nuclear safety code laying down minimum 
safety rules; 
Whereas the basic standards laid down under the 
Euratom Treaty are an important means of achieving 
this aim; 
Whereas the Commission points out that the basic 
safety standards will have to be revised again in order to 
(2) OJNo 57, 9. 7. 1962. 
(3) OJNo 216, 26. 11. 1966. 
(4) OJ No C 78, 5. 7. 1974. 
(s) OJ No L 187, 12. 7. 1976. 
No C 114/24 Official Journal of the European Communities 7. 5. 79 
with a view to incorporating the latest data in the 
current revision. However it points out that if the 1976 
revisions are not made legally binding on the Member 
States before 1980, the Community's basic standards 
will, legally speaking, continue to be those of the 
previous revisions made in 1966. 
3. In the field of radiological protection, the 
Committee would stress the importance of progressively 
updating Community standards to take account of 
development in international research. The Committee 
therefore believes that the basic safety standards 
adopted on 1 June 1976 should be brought into effect 
as soon as possible. 
4. The Committee very reluctantly approves the 
Commission's proposal, and deplores the fact that the 
Council Directive on health protection of the general 
public and workers has not been implemented on 
schedule. The Committee therefore endorses the 
proposed extension of the deadline on the condition 
that the Commission presents the Committee with a 
proposal commensurate with the new ICRP figure and 
asks it for its opinion thereon as soon as possible — 
and at any rate before the end of this year — and does 
all the groundwork to ensure that the Council can 
adopt the new Directive now in the drafting stage by 
mid-1979. The Committee is acting on the assumption 
that all Member States ought to be able to incorporate 
the 1976 Directive and the Directive now in preparation 
in their national legislation within the two-year 
extension. 
5. The Committee reiterates, however, that use should 
be made of this interval to adopt the changes proposed 
by ICRP. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Basil de FERRANTI 
ANNEX 
to the Economic and Social Committee's opinion 
During the Committee's discussions, section 4 of the opinion was amended by 36 votes to six, with 
three abstentions. The original version of section 4 read: 
'4. It accordingly disapproves the Commission's proposal to extend the time limit for compliance 
with these standards for two years beyond 12 July 1978. The Committee would however reluctantly 
accept a prolongation for one year.' take account of the latest recommendations of the 
International Commission on Radiological Protection 
(ICRP) and to keep in step with similar revisions to be 
carried out by the other international organizations 
concerned; 
Whereas under the Directive of 1 June 1976, the 
Member States would normally have to bring their 
legislation into line with the basic safety standards 
by 12 July 1978; 
Whereas the Commission considers it advisable to 
extend the time limit for compliance with the 1976 
Directive by two years (i.e. until 12 July 1980), 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
by 37 votes to one with five abstentions: 
1. The Committee points out that nearly six years have 
passed since the Commission issued its original 
proposals, on which the Directive of 1 June 1976 is 
based. Almost four years elapsed between the 
publication of the proposals by the Commission and, 
their adoption by the Council. The Directive 
furthermore gave the Member States two years until 
12 July 1978 in which to bring their legislation into 
line. The Committee considers that the Member States 
have thus had sufficient time in which to prepare and 
implement changes in their legislation. It notes that five 
Member States have in fact already done so. 
2. Judging by past experience, the Committee also 
fears that it could be some considerable time before the 
latest data of the ICRP are finally adopted by Euratom. 
It insists on this being done in the next few months, 
Done at Brussels, 12 July 1978.