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Vol. 1987/0012 
  
 
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Conformém ent au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003 
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents 
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In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the openi ng to the public of the historical archives of the European Econom ic 
Community and the European Atomic Energy Communit y (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 
27.9.2003, p. 1), this f ile is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this 
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.  
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom  1. 
Februar 198 3 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen  
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgem einschaft (ABI. L 43 vom  15.2.1983,  
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. Septem ber 2003  
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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
C0MC87) 28 final  
Brussels, 23 January 1987
Proposal for a  
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC)
extending Regulation (EEC) No 1707/86 on the conditions governing  
imports of agricultural products originating  
in third countries following the accident at the 
Chernobyl nuclear power station
(submitted to the Council by the Commission)
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL
on a permanent system for establishing limits for the  
radioactive contamination of drinking water and  
agricultural products in the case of a  
nuclear accident
C0M(87) 28 final

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
1. A draft proposal for a general Regulation laying down a procedure for  
fixing the limits of radioactivity in agricultural products following a  
nuclear accident has been submitted to the Council for information.
2. The limits for radioactivity in imported agricultural products laid down in  
Regulation (EEC) No 1707/36 have now been in force for more than six months and  
the Commission has been monitoring the information supplied by Member States
on levels of radioactivity, both in imported foods and in foods produced  
inside the Community. The Commission has considered the possibility of  
allowing controls to lapse on 1 March 1987. Although it is anticipated  
that levels of radioactivity in agricultural products in next year's crop  
will be well below those found in this year's produce, traditional trade  
flaws would indicate that stored or preserved products from this year's  
crop would continue to be imported into the Community from areas known to  
be affected by the fallout from Chernobyl, at least until the autumn of  
1937.
3. The Commission has consulted both the Article 31 Committee and an  
independent group of high level scientists which it constituted to advise  
it on radiation protection in the Community. In the current state of  
knowledge it would appear that the limits imposed in Regulation (EEC)
No 1707/86 have a sufficient safety margin to ensure an adequate  
protection of health.
4. The possibility of imposing stricter limits has also been  
considered, but the Commission thinks that such a course would not be  
justified on grounds of radiological protection and could result in  
economic damage to operators in the sector, as well as employing more  
resources in control which could be more advantageously used in reducing  
other risks.

5. The Commission therefore considers that the validity of  
Regulation (EEC) No 1707/86 should be extended until 28 February 1988 to  
allow for the disposal of the stored or preserved produce from the 1986  
crop and to give an additional period in which consideration can be given  
to monitoring results before the control requirements lapse.

Proposal for a  
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC)
extending Regulation (EEC) No 17Û7/86
on the conditions governing imports of agricultural products  
originating in third countries following the accident at the  
Chernobyl nuclear power station
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES/
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community/
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission/
1Whereas Council Regulation (EEC) No 1707/86 fixed maximum permitted levels  of 
radioactivity for all agricultural products originating in third  
countries and intended for human consumption, with which imports of the  
products must comply and in connection with which checks are carried out  
by the Member States; whereas that Regulation was extended until  
28 February 1987 by 'Council Regulation (EEC) No 3020/862; -
Whereas the maximum permitted levels of radioactivity laid down by that 
Regulation, have proved to be effective as common arrangements for  
safeguarding the health of consumers/ maintaining trade with third  
countries/ assuring the unified nature of the market and preventing  
deflections of trade following the accident at Chernobyl;
Whereas agricultural products contaminated above the levels permitted  
under that Regulation may still be offered for import into the  
Community following the expiry of Regulation (EEC) No 1.707 786 and whereas  
such a possibility will exist until the stocks of products harvested  
during the period following the accident at Chernobyl are disposed of;
10J No L 146/ 31.5.1986/ p. 88.
20J No L 280, 1.10.1986, p. 79·.

Et'I.CG 'bb 16:54 ERIJb E'GB KI115 Fh/
-  2 -
Whereas it is therefore necessary to continue the present temporary  
controls on imported agricultural products until they can be considered  
as no longer required or until general provisions are put into effect  
based on objective criteria,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
In Article 7 of Regulation (EEC) No 1707/86 ·  '28 February 1987'
is hereby replaced by '2 9 February 1988'..
Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 March 1987.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable  
in all Member States,

rtc. 04 ' y G 15: Ul CCE LUX Kl 167 E'G5E 352-43014511
COMMISSION  
OF THE
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Directorate-Genarale
Employment, Social Affairs and Education
Health and Safety  
Directorate
V/E/1
C O M M U N IC A T IO N  F R O M  T H E  C O M M IS S IO N  T O  T H E  C O U N C IL  
ON A PERMANENT SYSTEM FOR ESTABLISHING LIMITS FOR THE  
RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION OF DRINKING WATER AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS  
IN THE CASE OF A NUCLEAR ACCIDENT
‘ •■'t'r.en! Kv' nr,.,. .  i·;.,».!.-,- i  ,  ,  ■  v q, . , r .13011  T/'-.y· i.ij 3*33/3446

[•EC.  CM CCE LUX KI1S7 DG5E 352-43014511
-  1
1, BACKGROUND
1.1 At Its meeting of 12 May, 1986, following the Chernobyl reactor  
accident, the Council requested the Commission to prepare as soon as  
possible proposals for supplementing the Euratom Basic Safety
Standards for the health protection of the public and workers against  
the dangers of ionizing radiation^. These proposals are to be based on  
the relevant provisions of the Euratom Treaty and prepared on a  
scientific basis for the protection of health and the preservation of  
the unity of the Community Internal market. In its Outline  
Communication to the Council of 13 June2, the Commission noted that it  
had already initiated preparation of a proposal for limits on the  
contamination of agricultural products. The Communication of 20 August  
on the application of Chapter III of the Euratom Treaty, "Health and  
Safety" , noted that the Commission intended to formulate its  
proposals in the form of a draft Council Regulation; the present  
Communication concerns a draft of such a regulation.
1.2 The current Sasic Safety Standards do not stipulate dose Limits  
applicable in cases of accidental exposure. Under the terms of Article  
45 of the present Standards the individual Member States are  
responsible for deciding intervention levels to be used as criteria  
for the initiation of countermeasures with respect to population  
groups liable to receive doses in excess of those limits laid down for  
controllable exposure.
1.3 following the release of radioactive materials to atmosphere in the  
course of the Chernobyl reactor accident on 26 April, 1986, large  
areas of the Community were subject to radioactive deposition over the  
next few weeks; this led to the direct and indirect contamination ofwhicr
agricultural products and urgent consideration of the intervention levels,.
Council Directive 80/836/Euratom (O.J. 246 of 17.9.80) as amended by Council  
Directive 84/467/Euratom (O.J. L 265 of 5.10.84)
C0MC86) 327 final
C0M(86) 434 final
3090/3/86 EN

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- 2 -
should be applied in the marketing of such produce. Had each Member  
State acted independently, considerable trade conflict could have  
resulted since Article 36 of the EEC Treaty allows Member States to  
derogate on health grounds all requirements for the free access of  
Imports.
1 .A Accordingly on 6th May, after consultation with Member States, the  
Commission issued Recommendation 86/156/EEC providing intervention  
levels in the form of radioactive contamination limits for certain  
agricultural products; these limits were designed to deat with the  
immediate hazard which arose from a particular type of radioactive  
material referred to as iodine-131. This hazard being of relatively  
short duration, attention was then turned to the long term risks  
associated with the presence of other radioactive materials.
1.5 Following inconclusive discussions with Member States, urgent advice  
was sought from the Group of Experts appointed by the Scientific and  
Technical Committee to advise the Commission in drawing up the Euratom  
Basic Safety Standards under the terms of Article 31 of the Euratom  
Treaty. On 23rd May this Group recommended a provisional limit of 1000  
becquerels (Bq) for caesium-134 and caesium-137 combined per  
kilogramme of foodstuffs and a working party was set up to consider  
the whole question of limits applicable to radioactive contamination  
of foodstuffs following an accident. The provisional limit was  
specific to the Chernobyl case, in that it took into account the fact  
that all forms of radioactive materials other than those of caesium  
were, following the natural decay of 1od1ne-131, of little relative  
Importance in terms of the risk to health via foodstuffs.
1.6 In its Regulation 1707/86' , adopted under the terms of the EEC Treaty  
on 3Dth May, the Council laid down limits which were in fact lower  
than that recommended by the experts. In so doing. 1t took account of  
factors outside the competence of the Article 31 Group such as the  
limits already imposed by third countries; thus the USA, Sweden and
O.J. L118/28 of 7.5.86
O.J. L146/88 of 31.5.86
3090/3/86 EN

DEC.04 CCE LUX KlIS? DG5E 352-43014511
- 3 -
Canada had all adopted Limits at or around 370 Bq/kg in respect of  
imports o i / % l C o & s a . 1  Accordingly, a limit of 370 Bq/kg was applied  
by the Regulation to milk, milk products and infant foodstuffs and of  
600 Bq/kg to all other foodstuffs* while the Regulation per se applied  
only to imports into the Community"^ it was agreed that no lower Limits  
would be applied by any Member State as regards intra-Community trade.  
The Regulation was valid until 30th September, 1986, and the  
Commission was invited to present forthwith detailed and comprehensive  
proposals, based on the Euratom Treaty and in particular Article 31  
thereof, which would seek to establish a permanent system of  
limitation on foodstuffs contamination following an accident and which  
would complement the Basic Safety Standards.
1.7 The Commission, therefore requested the Article 31 Group to accelerate  
its work in this area and on 3rd September the Group produced its  
recommendations in the form of a report giving the scientific basis  
for a permanent limitation system as described in Chapter ill below.
1.8 However, the system recommended does not invoLve fixed permanent
limits but instead provides for ad hoc limits to be laid down in the  
light of the circumstances resulting from any particular accident* as  
such it requires the creation of a decision making procedure to
establish such limits as a matter of urgency following an accident.  
This approach is entirely in line with that proposed previously in  
relation to other aspects of radiation protection in accident  
situations, in particular, in a report produced by the Group covering  
dose criteria for introducing evacuation, sheltering and the  
distribution of iodine tablets as a prophylactic following a reactor  
accident. Moreover, the same approach has been recommended by the
Pending establishment of this regulation, imports from certain third  
countries had been temporarily suspended under Council Regulation 1388/86  
(O.J. L127/1 of 13.5.86)
"Radiological Protection Criteria for Controlling Doses to the Public in the  
Event of Accidental ReLeases of Radioactive Material", Doc. V/5290/EN,F,  
July 1982.
3090/3/86 EN

L'L1 ..  kM' -ob :  U4 ü.E LIE !  KI1S7 DG5E 352-43014511
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International Commission for Radiological Protection^ for application  
on a wider basis, specifically including the control of contaminated  
foodstuffs.
1.9 In May the Commission had already decided to appoint an ad hoc group  
of independent high Level scientists to advise it on the implications  
of the Chernobyl accident for future Commission work in the field of  
radiological protection in general.
1.10 An extension of the Regulation 1707/86^ was therefore proposed on the  
basis that :
- the Article 31 Group report confirmed that the original  
recommendation of 1000 Bq/kg for caesium-134 and caesium-137  
was indeed conservative on health grounds;
- it would not be appropriate to let all controls lapse;
- that Regulation was not causing undue trade difficulties.
1.11 Council adopted Regulation 3020/86 on 30th September3 extending the
validity of Regulation 1707/86 to 28th February 1987. Moreover, the
Commission undertook to forward proposals for a permanent system no  
later than the end of November 1986. These proposals are the subject  
of the present communication.
2. THE NATURE OF RADIOACTIVITY AND NUCLEAR RADIATION
2.1 To appreciate the scientific problems which have to be resolved in
establishing any system for the control of exposure to nuclear  
radiation it is necessary to have some understanding of the nature of  
radioactivity and nuclear radiation.
ICRP Publication 40, Annals of the ICRP, Vol. 14/2, 1984  
O.J. L 146/88 of 31.5.86  
O.J. L280/79 of 1.10.86
3090/3/86 EN

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2.2 Exposure to nuclear radiation implies the deposition of energy in body
tissues resulting from the absorption, in whole or in part, of  
radiation impinging on the body. It is known that at relatively high  
exposures this deposition of energy can result in cellular damage  
giving rise in the long term to cancer, even although there may be no  
immediate evidence of such damage. Such radiation can arise from
e
natural processes such as take place in the Sun and other stars or
from man-made process such as are induced in nuclear reactors.
Moreover, there exists a category of materials known as radioactive  
materials, which continuously emit nuclear radiation, independent of  
any process in which they may or may not be involved. All chemical  
elements are known to have such radioactive forms which, although
emitting radiation, continue to behave chemically and metabolically in  
the same way as their corresponding non-radioactive, i.e. ’ 'stable",  
forms.
2.3 The emission of nuclear radiation by these materials is an inherent
feature of the process referred to as radioactive decay, whereby the  
materials seek to revert to a stable form; as this process evolves so  
the radioactive content of the material reduces. The rate of reduction  
is characteristic of the particular form of radioactive material  
involved and is expressed in terms of the halflife, the time which is  
required for the radioactive content to be reduced by a factor of two  
and the intensity of radiation emitted to diminish accordingly. The  
half-life of the material may range from a minute,fraction of a second  
to far in excess of millions of years depending on the particular form  
involved. Thus in the terrestrial environment man is continuously  
exposed to radiation from some naturally occuring radioactive  
materials having a halflife so great that they have continued to exist  
ever since the Earth's formation as well as to radiation from outer  
space, "cosmic radiation", from the Sun and other stars. Some  
naturally occuring radioactive materials are even incorporated in the  
human body as a consequence of their chemical and metabolic
properties.
2.4 The rate of emission of radiation by radioactive materials at any  
particular time is measured in becquerels (Bq) and hence radioactive  
concentrations can be expressed as becquerels per kilogram (Bq/kg) of

DEC.04 '86 15:05 CCE LUX KI167 DG5E 352-43014511
-  6 -
the material 1n question. Thus a naturally occuring form of  
radioactive potassium, referred to as potassium-40, is present in our  
bodies at a level of some 70 Bq/kg of tissue; its half-life is in  
excess of one thousand million years and so the radiation which it  
emits does not in practice diminish in a human lifespan.
2.5 Exposure to radiation is measured in sievert ($v) or subunits thereof;  
for present purposes it will be convenient to use the millesievert  
(mSv) which is one thousandth of a sievert. Averaged over the world we  
receive an exposure (or dose) of 2 mSv each year from natural  
radiation; of this about 1.3 mSv originates from naturally occuring  
radioactive materials such as potassium-40 incorporated in human  
tissue. In particular locations exposure from natural radiation may be  
more than ten times the world average value; by comparison, even the  
most exposed members of the public living close to a nuclear power  
station rarely receive an annual dose in excess of 0.02 mSv due to the  
operation of the station,
2.6 It is important to note that the rate of exposure resulting from any  
given amount of radioactive material expressed in becquerel depends  
not only on the Intensity of the radiation but also on its precise  
nature which is itself dependent on the particular form of radioactive  
material involved. Moreover, the total exposure over any given period  
of time will also depend on the rate at which the radiation reduces in  
intensity (i.e. the halflife) and on chemical and biological processes  
which may Lead to the transfer of such material out of the system;  
these aspects are again characteristic of the particular radioactive  
material involved, Hence there is no general relationship between the  
degree of radioactivity as expressed in becquerel and the exposure  
received as expressed in sievert.
2.7 A basic premise of radiological protection is that, even although 1t  
is not possible to demonstrate any differences in the Incidence of  
cancer corresponding to doses of the order of mlllesieverts, it is  
nevertheless assumed that the risk of cancer is in direct proportion  
to the exposure incurred and that the effects at tow doses are masked  
by the incidence of cancer from other causes. This assumption has been  
adopted with the intention of ensuring that any error will be on the
3090/3/86 EN

DEC.04 '86 15:0b CCE LUX KI167 DG5E 352-43014511
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safe side and indeed there are reasons for supposing that the  
relationship actually assumed, based on exposure to much higher doses  
such as were experienced in Japan from atomic weapons, is in practice  
appreciably conservative. The limits for controllable exposure laid  
down in the Euratom Basic Safety Standards are designed to ensure that  
the risk of cancer, even on this pessimistic basis, is negligibly  
small relative to a L  L  the other risks which we experience in everyday  
life.
3. THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ARTICLE 31 GROUP OF EXPERTS
3.1 The principle involved in introducing a flexible exposure control  
system for application in the aftermath of an accident 1s that the  
costs to society and the risks resulting from the introduction of any  
particular countermeasure should not exceed those associated with the  
radiation exposure averted. For each form of countermeasure  
envisaged, therefore, two emergency reference levels of exposure  
(ERLs) are provided for guidance:
“ a Lower level below which action is extremely unlikely to be  
justified on radiological protection grounds and  
" an upper level at which action is almost certain to have been  
attempted on radiological protection grounds.
The actual level at which the countermeasure should be implemented
»
will lie between these two extremes, at a level dependent on the  
particular circumstances resulting from the accident.
3.2 The Article 31 Group of Experts have noted that the actions needed to  
control the distribution and importation of foodstuffs in the  
Community are complex and have considerable social and economic  
consequences. For the first year following an accident they propose
the ERLs recommended by the International Commission for Radiological  
Protection for exposure to radiation from foostuffs1, viz. a lower
ICRP Publication 40, Annals of the ICRP Vol. 14/2, 1984
3090/ /«A - : n

[•EC.04 '86 15:07 CCE LUX Kl 167 DG5E 352-43014511
-  8 -
level of 5 mSv and an upper Level of 50 mSv1,  For subsequent years  
they recommended levels of 1 mSv and 10 mSv since the levels of  
contamination will be lower and there will have been time to organize  
effective and economic means of control should these still be  
necessary. The experts further note that the probability of an  
accident affecting large areas of the Community 1s low enough to allow  
each accident to be considered Independently.
3.3 However, for lesser accidents, levels less than those proposed may  
weLl be appropriate to countermeasures of a much simpler nature than  
those necessary to control foodstuffs on the Community scale.
3.4 Having established exposure criteria it is necessary to derive  
corresponding foodstuffs contamination levels - derived emergency  
reference levels (DERLs). This requires consideration of foodstuffs'  
consumption rates to estimate the likely intake of radioactivity  
resulting from any particular level of contamination. Moreover, as  
stated previously, the relationship between the intake and the dose  
consequently incurred depends on the particular radioactive form  
involved. Finally, the passage through the body of any such form will  
depend on its metabolic behaviour and this will also vary between  
Individuals in general but in particular will vary with age.
3.5 Accordingly the members of the Article 31 working party considered  
nineteen separate radioactive forms (also referred to as  
"radionuclides") and three age groups - the one year old, the ten year  
old and the adult. For each age group they assessed typical annual  
Intakes of five major dietary components, viz. dairy produce, meat,  
fruit and vegetables, cereals, and drinking water. Together these  
give almost 300 different combinations for each of which the  
radioactive concentration (Bq/kg) corresponding to a given dose (mSv)
Consideration of exposure restricted to individual organs, eg. irradiation  
of the thyroid gland by iodine-131, may lead to other criteria; for  
simplicity such cases are not discussed in the present communication but are  
taken into account in the values proposed.

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was calculated. In order to produce a more manageable system the  
radionuclides were then grouped into three categories and the number  
of dietary components was also reduced to three by taking meat, fruit,  
vegetables and cereals into a single category termed "other major  
foodstuffs". For each of the resulting nine combinations the  
contamination levels assigned to a given dose level correspond in  
general to the lowest levels for any nuclide in the category in  
question irrespective of the consumer's age group.
3.6 The working party's report was endorsed by the Article 31 Group which
. 1transmitted its recommendations to the Commission .  There are a
number of points relevant to the Group's recommendations which should  
be noted.
(a) As previously stated the lower reference levels recommended are  
designed to ensure that exposure does not exceed 5 mSv in the  
first year and 1 mSv in subsequent years.
(b) It is assumed that the effect of applying a limit will be to  
ensure that the average contamination Level over any compLete year  
1n produce consumed will not exceed 10£ of that limit. This  
assumption is based on :
- the significant reduction 1n contamination levels 1n the first  
year due to environmental processes and the radioactive decay of  
shorter lived nuclides;
- the fact that not all produce consumed will be contaminated  
even initially to the limit adopted.
Moreover, the 1055 value is judged sufficiently conservative to  
render unnecessary consideration of the additive effects of the  
three foodstuffs categories and the three nuclide categories.
Doc. No.V/2950/86 EN

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(c) There are as yet no internationally recognized data relevant to  
the effects of age on metabolic patterns. The experts have used  
the best data available.
(d) Exceptionally/ the nuclide concentration levels associated with  
"dairy produce" are based, as regards the nuclide category  
containing radionuclides of caesium, not on the lowest nuclide  
value but on caesium-134.  This is justified on the basis of the  
foodstuffs contamination patterns liable to result from reactor  
accidents.
(e) Where the value corresponding to the most hazardous nuclide is  
used its application to all other nuclides in the same category  
will obviously result in a lower dose than that estimated.
3.7 In summary, the Article 31 experts' have endorsed the internationally  
recommended dose criteria. Their calculation of corresponding  
foodstuffs contamination levels contains a number of conservative  
features which they believe justify certain simplifying assumptions.  
While in the short term significant improvements in the data used as a  
basis for the calculation cannot be expected, in the longer term  
revision may be appropriate; to this extent the recommendations are  
provisional.
4. ADVICE OF THE AD HOC GROUP OF INDEPENDENT HIGH LEVEL SCIENTISTS
4.1 As stated in Para. 1.9, the Commission without prejudice to Article 31  
of the Euratom Treaty decided to set up an ad hoc "Committee of High  
Level Independent Scientists" to assess the scientific evidence  
arising from current research in view of recent nuclear incidents, to  
consider the possible implications for the Basic Safety Standards and  
emergency reference levels and to advise the Commission on future  
actions in radiological protection.
4.2 The Basic Standards set, inter alia, limits for the exposure of the  
population which are applicable to such sources of exposure as nuclear  
installations in normal operation. Following an accident, when the  
source is out of control, a system of emergency reference levels
3Û9Û/3/S6 EN

DEC.04 '86 15:09 CCE LUX KI167 DG5E 352-43014511
-  1 1 -
(ERLs) has been recommended by the Article 31 Group of Experts which,  
in order to translate these levels into quantities that can easily be  
used in practice, calculated corresponding derived emergency reference  
levels for radioactive contamination of foodstuffs.
4.3 Concerning the Basic Standards, the Ad hoc Group recommended that they  
should continue to be consistent with the ICRP recommendations. At  
present, the Basic Standards reflect the 1976 and 1980 recommendations  
of ICRP setting the annual .limit of exposure for members of the public  
to 5 mSv. However, in 1984, ICRP observed that an annual dose of 5 mSv  
should only be permissible for some years and the annual dose averaged  
over a lifetime should not exceed 1 mSv. This has not yet been taken  
up in the Basic Standards. However, compliance with the present  
Standards and current operational practice in nuclear power stations  
in the Community result in a dose to members of the public that is far  
below 1 mSv. The Commission's Radiation Protection Research Programme  
contributed to the preparation of the above recommendations.
4.4 For emergency reference levels of dose, ICRP has published upper and  
lower levels of 50 mSv and 5 mSv respectively for the dose received in  
the first year from contaminated foodstuffs and the Article 31 Group  
of Experts have agreed these values (see Para. 3.2). The Ad hoc Group  
endorsed this approach noting that the objective in choosing emergency  
reference levels should be to limit the dose to the most highly  
exposed group of Individuals.%
4.5 For derived emergency reference levels in foodstuffs, no specific  
guidance is available from international organizations and various  
approaches can be envisaged.
4.6 The Article 31 Group applied a doslmetric/metabolic methodology. The  
Ad hoc Group considered this approach reasonable but emphasized the  
need to compare the results with those to be obtained by other more  
comprehensive approaches, particularly dynamic radioecological models,  
as these enable the evolution of foodstuffs contamination to be taken  
into account. The different types of approach are under development  
in the European Community research programme.
3090/3/h" en

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4.7 The calculations of the Article 31 Group of Experts are based upon a
number of assumptions on the extent of food contamination. Ih order  
to confirm the validity of these assumptions, the Ad hoc Group  
recommended detailed examination of particular situations, including  
food habits, which might point to the existence of local problems.  
Should such exist, it may be necessary to Introduce derived emergency  
reference levels 1n terms of annual intakes of particular
radionuclides as well as activity concentrations in foodstuffs for  
controls in the locality concerned.
4.8 The Ad hoc Group also considered at what point in time the foodstuffs
contamination limits subsequent to an accident could be discontinued.  
It concluded that this could occur when the projected dose after
discontinuation of the Community regulations to the most highly
exposed group of individuals, has fallen substantially to something  
less than half of the lower emergency reference level,
5, THE SITUATION OUTMITH THE COMMUNITY
5*1 where values have been adopted in third
countries, they were in most cases lower than those in Council  1
Regulation 1707/36 , particularly in countries not directly affected.  
Only in a few cases were higher values applied and these are believed  
to have coincided with a more complete assessment of the possible  
implications. In several instances the Community values, which were  
themselves influenced by limits previously adopted in third countries,  
subsequently influenced in their turn the values applied in other  
countries.
6. THE COMMISSIONS PROPOSALS
6.1 The Commission's proposals have been prepared to complement the  
present Euratom Basic Safety Standards as requested by Council. The  
Commission is, therefore, consulting the Economic and Social Committee  
in accordance with the procedures set out in Article 31 of the Euratom
O.J, L 146/88 of 31.5.86  
3090/3/86 EN

- 13 -
Treaty. The draft Council Regulation presented in Annex I to the 
present Communication is therefore provisional, pending completion of  
the consultation procedure.
6.2 Article 1 of the draft regulation as attached provides for application  
of the terms of the regulation to drinking water and to any  
agricultural product, which may be placed on the market or exported  
following a nuclear accident or other event leading to their  
significant contamination.
6.3 The Commission endorses the view of the Article 31 Group of Experts  
that it would be inappropriate to fix rigid limits on such  
contamination irrespective of the actual situation resulting from the  
accident or event 1n question. ArtlcLes 2, 3 and 4 therefore provide  
a decision making mechanism whereby limits specific to that situation  
may be set by Commission regulation after consultation with the  
Article 31 Group of Experts on radiological health aspects and  
subsequent request for approval by the Standing Committee for  
Foodstuffs already established by Council Decision 69/114/EEC1.  Should  
the opinion of that Committee differ from the Commission's proposals  
then the Council may Intervene under the standard procedures envisaged  
for Management Committees .  This mechanism may be set in motion by the  
Commission acting on Its own initiative or at the request of a Member  
State.
6.4 Any such regulation may be revised under the terms of Article 5 in  
accordance with the same procedures. In all cases its validity in  
time shall be limited and it shall take account of the Euratom Basic  
Safety Standards as laid down in Euratom Directives 80/8363 andA
84/467 or any amending legislation thereto.
O.J. L 291 of 19.11.69
2 O.J. C 70/6 of 25.3.86
3 O.J. L 246 of 17,9.80
4 O.J. L 265 of 5.10.84
3090/3/86 EN

DEC.04 'B6 15:12 CCE LUX Kl167 DG5E 352-43014511
- 14 -
• ·
6.5 This mechanism will inevitably involve some delay, however minimal,  
before any Commission regulation can be adopted. For this reason,  
Article 2(1)<a) allows for the immediate adoption of a Commission  
regulation incorporating the predetermined maximum permitted levels  
set out in Annex I to the draft for a limited period, pending any  
specific limits imposed in accordance with the aforesaid procedures.  
The choice of predetermined Levels is discussed further below;  
however, it can be noted that the levels distinguish between major  
foodstuffs and minor foodstuffs, as defined in Annex II to the draft,  
in accordance with the advice of the Article 31 Group of Experts.  
Article 6 provides for revision of the values set out in Annex I.
6.6 Article 7 covers compliance by Member States with any Commission
regulation adopted pursuant to the above provisions Insofar as this is  
not already provided for by Article 38 of the Euratom Treaty. Article  
8 deals with the application of the Council regulation, including  
revisions to Annex II.
6.7 In selecting the levels to be set out in Annex I to the draft
regulation, the Commission will take the following factors Into
account :
~ the derived reference levels for agricultural products contamination  
proposed by the Article 31 Group of Experts;
- the need to set limits appropriate to as wide a range of potential  
accidents as possible;
- the need to bear in mind the wide range of dietary patterns within  
the Community;
- the fact that, as demonstrated following the Chernobyl accident,
public concern about the dangers from radiation exposure and the  
consequent willingness to incur costs to minimize that danger have  
resulted in greater weight being attached to this aspect of the
principle that all exposure be maintained at a level as low as
reasonably achievable.
3090/3/86 EN

- the need to err on the side of caution taking into account present  
limitations to scientific knowledge.
6.8 The proposed draft Council regulation is wholely innovative; so far as  
is known there is no equivalent national scheme set out in law and  
there is certainly no such international scheme even although the  
principle of laying down intervention levels specific to the  
circumstances resulting from a particular accident is widely  
recognized. It has already been seen that the Community was itself  
influenced by limits established in other countries when Council  
Regulation 1707/86 was adopted; subsequently the Community limits  
influenced further countries in turn but the effect could have been  
greater if the Community levels had been determined in advance and  
could thus have gained wider international recognition.
6.9 Since Chernobyl the whole question of radiological foodstuffs  
standards has been on the world stage. Such matters will be the  
subject of discussion in the forthcoming months in other international  
fora such as WHO, IAEA, UNSCEAR and OECD/NEA. In view of the wide  
constitutional competence and the long-standing experience of the  
Commission in radiological protection matters, it is in a position to  
chart a course at international level. In adopting the draft  
regulation the Community wouLd be able to offer it as a model to the  
other international organizations.
5.10 The Commission .is conscious of the fact that the regulation ofagricultural
contaminated^products only addresses an aspect of the problems that  
Member States may be faced with after a nuclear accident. The present  
Directive 80/836/EURATOM places the responsibility on the M ember  
States for fixing intervention levels for a range of actions to meet  
different situations. Such actions might include recommendations for  
sheltering, closure of schools, animal husbandry and administration of  
iodine tablets. The Commission in 1982 issued guidelines for the
implementation of such measures and will be reviewing these in the  
light of the experience gained in the aftermath of Chernobyl. This  
proposal should be seen as constituting one element of emergency  
provisions within the context of uniform safety standards.
3090/3/86 EN

DEC.04 '86 15:18 CCE LUX Kl167 DG5E 352-43014511
COMMISSION  
OF THE
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Directorate-General
Employment, Scolpi Affairs and Education
ANNEX I
t
PROPOSAL 
FOR A
COUNCIL REGULATION (EURATOM)
LAYING DOWN MAXIMUM PERMITTED RADIOACTIVITY LEVELS
FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS AND DRINKING WATER

t* .Ü4 bo iz?: ib CLL LUX Kil' . ; '  Ubbt- 2 -
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy  
Community, and 1n particular Article 31 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, drawn up after  
obtaining the opinion of a group of experts appointed by the Scientific  
and Technical Committee,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,
f_ Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee, 7
Whereas Article 2(b) of the Euratom Treaty requires that the Community  
shall establish uniform safety standards to protect the health of  
workers and of the general public and ensure that they are applied, as  
further set out in TitleTwo , chapter III of the Treaty;
A
Whereas, on 2 February 1959, the Council adopted D irectives.,  
laying down basic safety standards, the text of.which was replaced by that  
of Counci l Directive 80/836/ Euratom^, as amended  by Directive 84/467/ Euratom"^,  and 
whereas Article 45 of that Directive requires Member States to stipulate  
intervention levels in the event of accidents;
Whereas, following the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power-station  
on 26 April 1986, considerable quantities of radioactive materials were  
released into the atmosphere, contaminating agricultural, products in
several European countries to levels signlficarit from the health
point of view;
Whereas the Community adopted provisional measures, and in particular  
Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1707/86 , to ensure that certain
agricultural products are only introduced into the Community according
10J No 11, 20.2.1959, p.221/59  
2. ,OJ No. L246/1, 17.9.80
3 0J No. L265/4, 5.10.84  
40J No. L146/88, 31.5.86
3090/3/86 EN

ob io:c'D "  CtE” LUX Kl 157' DG5E 352-43014511
- 3 -
to common arrangements which safeguard the health of the population  
while maintaining the unified nature of the market and preventing  
deflections of trade;
Whereas the need arises to set up a more permanent system allowing the  
Community,, in cases of nuclear accidents or other events leading to a  
significant radioactive contamination of agricultural products or  
drinking water, to fix maximum permitted levels of radioactive  
contamination in order to protect the population;
Whereas, on the basis of current data available in the field of  
radiation protection, derived reference levels can be established and  
serve as a basis for the fixing of maximum permitted radioactivity  
levels which can be applied immediately in the case of such an accident  
or other event resulting 1n significant radioactive contamination of  
agricultural products or drinking water;
Whereas the Commission will be informed of a nuclear accident or of  
unusually high levels of radioactivity according to the Council Decision  
on a Community system of rapid exchange of Information and whenever the  
action levels laid down in this Decision are reached in food, drinking  
water, air or surface waters, will take the necessary steps as envisaged  
in Article 2 (l) (a) of this Regulation;
Whereas, however, it is necessary in such situations to take due
account of the particular conditions applying and, therefore, to  
establish a procedure allowing the rapid adaptation of maximum permitted  
levels appropriate to the circumstances of any particular nuclear  
accident or other event leading to a significant contamination of agricultural  
products or drinking water;
Whereas the adoption of a Regulation fixing maximum permitted levels  
would also preserve the unity of the Common Market, prevent deflections  
of trade within the Community and preclude any national prohibitions or  
restrictions within the meaning of Article 36 of the EEC Treaty;
3090/3/86 EN

· "  4 “
Whereas, in order to facilitate the adoption of maximum permitted  
levels, procedures should be provided for allowing on the one hand the  
consultation of the Group of Experts referred to in Article 31 of the  
Euratom Treaty and establishing, on the other hand, close cooperation  
between Member States and the Commission within a management committee*
Whereas it is desirable that this management committee should be
available in cases of urgency and whereas the Standing Committee for  
Fooustuffs set up by Council Decision 69/414/EEC^ would be the
appropriate body;
Whereas compliance with the maximum permitted levels will have to be the  
subject of appropriate checks;
Whereas to ensure compliance with regulations the Commission may  
issue a Directive under Article 38 of the Treaty;
Whereas, in order to supplement, clarify or adjust, as necessary, the  
measures provided for by this Regulation, a simplified procedure should  
be established/·
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
50J No. L 291 19.11.69, p.9
3090/3/86 EN

DEL.kM 'bb 15:il CLE LUX Kl167 DG5E 352-43014511
- 5 -
ARTICLE 1
(1) This Regulation lays down the procedure for determining the maximum
permitted Levels of radioactive contamination of drinking water and of  
agricultural products which may be placed on
the market or exported following a nuclear accident or any other event  
which has led to significant contamination of agricultural products or  
drinking water.
(2) Agricultural products are products fit for human or animal consumption
either immediately or after processing.
ARTICLE 2
C1) In the case of a nuclear accident or any other event within the
meaning of Article 1, the Commission/ at the request of a Member State or  
on its own initiative
(a) shall immediately adopt a Regulation rendering applicable the  
maximum permitted levels laid down in Annex I, and/or
(b) shaLl, if the circumstances so require/ adopt a Regulation
adapting the maximum permitted levels defined in Annex I to the
particular circumstances of the case in accordance with Articles 3  
and 4.
(2) In adopting the Regulation referred to in paragraph 1(b) the
Commission shall take into account the basic standards Laid down in
accordance with Articles 30 and 31 of the Euratom Treaty and in
particular shall apply the principle that all exposures shall be kept
as low as reasonably achievable, taking economic and social factors
into account.
3090/3/86 EN

A R T I C L E  3
(1) The Regulation referred to in Article 2 (1)(b) shall be drawn up by  
the Commission after it has obtained the opinion of the Group of  
Experts referred to in Article 31 of the Euratom Treaty (herein­
after called "the Group of Experts").
(2) Woen seeking the opinion of the Group of Experts, the Commission may  
set a time limit within which such opinion shall be given. No vote  
shall be taken. However, any member of the Group of Experts may demand  
that his or her views be set down in the minutes.
ARTICLE 4
(1) The Commission shall submit to the Standing Committee
for Foodstuffs (hereinafter called "the
Committee,") a draft of the Regulation referred to in Article 2  
(1)(b)»
(2) The Committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft within a time  
limit which tt\e chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the  
matter. The opinion shall be delivered by the majority laid down in  
Article 118(2) of the Euratom Treaty. The votes of the  
representatives of the Member States within the Committee shall be  
weighted in the manner set out in that Article. The chairman shall  
not vote.
(3) The Commission shall adopt the Regulation which shall apply  
immediately, However, if the Regulation is not in accordance with the  
opinion of the Committee, it shall forthwith be communicated by the  
Commission to the Council. In that event the Commission may defer  
application of the Regulation which it has decided upon for not more  
than 15 days from the date of such communication.
The Council, acting by a qualified majority, may take a different  
decision within one month.
3090/3/86 EN

DEL..U4 '86 15:22. CCE LUX Kl 167 DG5E 352-42014511
ARTICLE 5
Any Regulation as referred to in Article 2 shall be limited in time. it may  
be revised at the request of a Member State or on the initiative of the  
Commission in accordance with the procedure laid down in Articles 3 and 4.
ARTICLE 6
(1) At the request of a Member State or the Commission, the maximum  
permitted levels laid down in Annex I may be revised or supplemented,  
in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 31 of the  
Euratom Treaty.
(2) In order to ensure that the maximum permitted levels laid down in  
Annex I take account of any new scientific data becoming available,  
the Commission shall, from time to time, seek the opinion of the Group  
of Experts ■
ARTICLE 7
I
(1) Member States shall ensure that agricultural products not in  
compliance with the maximum permitted levels laid down in any  
Regulation adopted in accordance with Article 2 shall not be placed on  
the market or exported. For the purposes of applying this Regulation  
agricultural products imported from third countries shall be  
considered to be placed on the market when they are introduced into  
the customs territory of the Community, other than under a customs  
transit procedure.
(2) Each Member State shall provide the Commission with all information  
concerning the application of this. Regulation, in particular cases of  
non-compliance with the maximum permitted levels. The Commission  
shall communicate such,information to the other-Member States.
3090/3/86 EN

DEC.04 '86 15:23 CCE LUX KI167 DG5E 352-43014511- 8 -
ARTICLE 8
(
The arrangements for applying this Regulation and any amendments to be  
made to the list of minor foodstuffs contained in Annex II '  
shall be -  .  adopted in accordance with the procedure provided for
in Article 4.
ARTICLE 9
This Regulation shall enter into force on ... day following its
pu
blication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable  
in all Member States.
3090/3/86 EN

•U4 '86 18:26.. CCE LUX KI167 DG5E 352-43014511- 9 -
ANNEX I
MAXIMUM PERMITTED LEVELS FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS  
(Bq/kg or Bg/L consumption)
Dairy Drinking Water and Other Foodstuffs Agricultural Products
1 2produr? Liquid foodstuffs except minor fit only for
foodstuffs’ ^  animal nutrition
Dairy produce is defined as milk falling within headings No. 04.01 and  
No. 04.02 of Common Customs Tariff and those foodstuffs intended for the  
special feeding of infants during the first four to six months of life,  
which meet, in themselves, the nutritional requirements of this category  
of person and are put up for retail sale in packages which are clearly  
identified and labelled "food preparation for infants".
Liquid foodstuffs as defined by Chapter 22 of the Common Customs Tariff
Minor foodstuffs are those foodstuffs listed in Annex II. For these a  
level of contamination ten tiroes that quoted 1n this column may be  
allowed.
3090/3/86 EN

DEC.04 '86 15:£4 CCE LUX Kl167 DG5E 352-43014511
- 10 -
MINOR FOODSTUFFSANNEX II
Common Customs  
Tariff 
Heading No.Description
07.01 Vegetables, fresh or chilled:  
0. Capers
07.03 Vegetables provisionally preserved in brine, in  
sulphur water or in other preservative solutions  
but not specially prepared for immediate  
consumption:
B. Capers
Ch. 09 Coffee, tea, mate and spices
3090/3/86 EN

Appendix I
Limit values to be fixed in conjunction with the Article  
31 Regulation
A close examination of the methodology used by the  
Article 31 Group of Experts as endorsed by the Ad hoc  
Group of Independent High Level Scientists suggests the  
following conclusions :
- the category "other major foodstuffs" includes meat,  
cereals, vetables and fruit. Commission services have  
recalculated the figures put forward by the Article 31  
Group taking into account the fact that the combination  
of these three groups of foodstuffs, which form the  
major part of the diet, implies a higher rate of total  
consumption and, therefore, an increased total intake  
of radioactive contamination, relative to that from any  
one of the componenet groups considered independently.  
The members of the Article 31 Working Group have  
confirmed the validity of these changes.
- dairy produce is considered separately due, in part, to  
the importance of any contamination with isotopes of  
iodine in the immediate aftermath of any accident. As  
concerns contamination with all other nuclides, notably  
caesium, the level for dairy produce is higher than for  
"all other foodstuffs" reflecting the relative  
contribution to the diet, as referred to in the  
previous paragraph and because its contamination value  
has been set independently of the others.
- prudence suggests that the levels to be fixed in  
Annex I of the Article 31 regulation should be no  
higher than those recommended by the Article 31 Group  
as corresponding to an exposure of 1 mSv;
- the matter of animal feedingstuffs is receiving further  
consideration prior to the inclusion of type specific  
values.
With the exception of animal feedingstuffs,  the  
scientific evidence currently available suggests the  
levels set out in the attached table. These will be  
subject to amendment as further analyses become available  
and text for the proposed regulation will provide an  
ongoing mechanism for this.

MAXIMUM PERMITTED. LEVELS FQR^'OODSTUFFS CBq/kg or Bg/l consuiaption)
Isotopes of iodine  
and strontium,  
notably 1-131, Sr-90
Alpha emitting .  
isotope* of plutonium  
and traniolutonium  
elements, notably  
Pu-239, Am-241
ALL other nuclides of  
half-life greater than  
10 days, notably  
Cs-134, Cs-13?Dairy,^
produce
500
20
4000Drinking Water an cj  
Liquid foodstuffs
400
10Other
foodstuff*  
except minor  
foodstuffs'3
1000
30
700 2000
Dairy produce is defined as milk falling within heading* No. 04.01 and  
No. 04.02 of Common Customs Tariff and those foodstuff* intended for the  
special feeding of infants during the first four to six months of life,  
which meet, in themselves, the nutritional requirements of this category  
of person and are put up for retail sale in packages which ere clearly  
identified and labelled "food preparation for infants".
Liquid foodstuffs as defined by Chapter 22 of the Common Customs Tariff
Minor foodstuffs are those foodstuffs listed in Annex II to the draft regulatie·  
For these a level of contamination ten times that quoted in this column may be  
allowed.
Within each group of nuclides the values relate to the total activity of  
all the nuclides in the group.
All maximum permitted levels are independent of each other.
3090/2/86 EN

5:14 c':e LUI' i:ll67 DG5E 352-4
*
Appendix II
M A X I M U M  P E R M IT T E D  R A DIO A C T IV ITY  L E V E L S  IN  FO O D ST U FFS,  
A PPL IE D  O U T SID E  T H E  E C , F O L L O W IN G  A N  A C C ID E N T
3090/3/86 EN
-.1 It..:' 'v'd-fii:;, h.,iei«i Ju Kiiihtieig, L4920 LC-XEM BUUUC I'e'.epl'one: 4301 5  Telex. CO M  EUR LU 3433/3446

Dl' I  .  U4 1?:15 CCE LU;·: Kl 167 D65E 353-43014511 4
-  1 -
1. GENERAL REFERENCE LEVELS
1.1 International Levels
Prior to the Chernobyl accident there were no known international  
levels for radioactive contamination of foodstuffs.
The International Commission on Radiotogical Protection (I.C.R.P.)  
in its 1984 Publication No AC gave guidance on dose reference levels.  
For control of foodstuffs it proposes for the first year a lower  
dose level of S mSv and an upper level of 50 mSv irrespective of  
exposure by other pathways; below the lower level the introduction  
of countermeasures would not be warranted; above the upper level  
this introduction is almost certain. I.C.R.P. did not attempt to  
translate these into food contamination levels.
It is only since Chernobyl that the following international  
organisations WHO  
IAEA 
UNSCEAR 
NEA/OECD
all declared their intention to develop guidance in this field.
1.2 National levels
Equally at national level there were no known regulations laying down  
either reference levels or limits for foodstuffs contamination except  
in the USA. (In at least one E.C, case (the ÜK) derived reference  
levels had been published but these had no statutary force.)
In the U.S.A. the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had issued  
protective action guidelines in the Federal Register of 22/10/82.
The basis was that protective action should be taken whenever the  
projected dose to the thyroid reached 15 mSv or that to the whole  
body, bone marrow or any critical organ 5 mSv.
5090/3/86 EN

O b  15:15 CCE LLt: 1,1167 DG5E 352-43014511
-  2 -
LEVELS APPLIED AFTER THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT (all values in Bq/kg or Bq/1)
2.1 International levels
WHO
The level of 2000 Bq/1 for lodine-131 in milk as previously derived by  
the UK NRPB was adopted as a recommended limit.
2.2 National Levels
2.2.1 EFTA COUNTRIES
a) AUSTRIA
before 30/5/86
Cs-137 in milk 74
in fruit + vegetables 111
in babyfood 11
after 31/5/86
Cs-134 i -  Cs-137 in cheese 370
after 3/6/86
Cs-134 + Ca-137 in pork and poultry 185
in other meat (+ game) 555
after 6/6/86
Cs-134 4 cs-137 in cheese and honey 592
in white cheese 185
after 18/9/86
C s - 1 3 4  + C s - 1 3 7  in nuts 592
b) FINLAND
before 30/5/86 1-131 in inilk 2000
after 30/5/86 Cs-137 in food 1000
c) NORWAY
1000before 18/6/86 1-131
Cs-134 + Cs-137 300
after 18/6/86 E.C.-levels
d) SWEDEN
since 16/5/1986 1-131 2000
Cs-137 300
3090/3/86 EN

DEC. CM ’bS 15:16 CCE LU.X KI167 DG5E 352-43014511
e) SWITZERLAND
since 8/9/1966 E.C. levels
2.2.2 OTHER COUNTRIES
a) AUSTRALIA
Regulation of 2/7/86 Cs-134 + Cs-137 in imported food: 100
(If higher, the food is examined by the commonwealth Department  
of Health prior to permission for import.)
b) BRAZIL
Milk 370
c) CANADA,  28/7/B6
1-131 in milk + drinking water 10
in manufactured dairy products 40
in all other foods 70
Cs-134 in milk + drinking water 50
in manufactured dairy products 100  
in all other foods 300
Cs-137 idem as for Cs-134
d) ISRAEL,  29/6/86
products imported from Western Europe  
Cs-134 + C s - 1 3 7  :  babyfood >  3 7 0
other food 600
Eastern Europe
all food :  beta-gamma 250
alpha 25
e) KUWAIT,  Regulation of 8/7/86, valid to 3lst Oct. 1986
Cs-137 equivalent :  water 3.7
milk 18.5
meat i
)  93fruit + vegetable 5  
grain products j
fodder 279
"Equivalent" allows for all other gamma emitters and for  
stronciun-90 to be taken into account on an equivalent dose basi’
■•non/t/Rr cjij

[01.04 '86 15:17 CCE LU;' 01167 DG5E 302-40014711
- 4 -
f) MALAYSIA
Food CategoryCs-134 Cs-137 Cs-134 +
Cs-137
Milk, milk products and  
mineral water
Fruit and vegetables
Meat, meat products and  
seafoods
Cereals incl. flour120
216
360
16860
100
180
04180
324
540
252
q) PHILIPPINES
Limits imposed on Cs-137 alone*subsequently extended to Cs-134
and Cs-137 combined·
Powdered whole or skimmed milk 22.2
Processed liquid milk 14.8
Cheese 33.3
Wheat, barley 5.6
Rice 7,5
Seafood 27.8
Meat except lamb 6
Lamb 450
Apples It 5
From 1st October
Milk .  liquid 15
.  butter and curds 33
.  powders, cream, infant formulae 22
Preserved fruits including
purées, jam6, raisins etc. 8
Vegetable products including 
purées, flakes, powders,
starch and hydrolysates 22
Meat products including  
pastes, corned beef, ham,
pork and sausages 6
*  Separate limits were imposed on strontium-90
3090/3/36 EN

ECl.04 '8b 15:17 CCE LUX KlibT DGSE 352-43014511
- 5 -
h ) SINGAPORE
"Zero" contamination limit on all foodstuffs. In effect this is  
interpreted as meaning below the limit of detection which is cf  
the order of 10 Bq/kg and may depend on the foodstuff concerned;  
in practice a consignment as low os 7 Bq/kg has been rejected.
i) USA
Pood and Drug .Administration,  May 1986
Monitoring levels for import of foodstuffs
1-131 in infant foods 55.5
in other foods 296
Cs-134 + Cs-137 in all food 370
Dept, of A griculture
<Food and Safety Inspection Service), June 1986
Cs-134 + Cs-137 in meat and poultry 2800  
Since 1st November 1986 370
3090/3/86 EN

A p p en dix III
COMMISSION O F THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
M®

COMMISSION  
OF THE
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
DIRECTORATE'OeNERAL  
FOR EMPLOYMENT, SOCIAL AFFAIRS  
AND EDUCATION..Brussels. ..4..Sepfceraber.T98&·
V/
E.
DERIVED REFERENCE LEVELS AS A BASIS FOR
THE CONTROL OF FOODSTUFFS FOLLOWING A NUCLEAR ACCIDENT
A RECOMMENDATION PROM THE GROUP OF EXPERTS  
SET UP undeT IrtTclT ^i of the euratom TREATY <*)
Basic policy
The radioLogical control of foodstuffs following an accidental reLease  
radioactive material to the environment poses two very different sets of  
problems. The first, and most urgent, concerns the use of food produced, an  
sometimes consumed, in the area near the accident. Decisions are needed wit  
a day or two of the release so that the affected are® can be defined and  
alternative food supplies provided. The second set of problems relates to t 
long-term widespread distribution of food from the local area and also from  
Urger, more widely dispersed areas where immediate control is not necessary  
but where measurable contamination exists. In the context of the Community,  
the emphasis is on this second set of problems and on the movement of food  
between Member States and between the Community and other countries.
i
On the conventional and prudent assumption that any radiation dose to m  
causes some increase in the risk of long-term consequences, the consumption .  
food contaminated at any level implies some risk. There is thus no way in  
which decisions about the control of food can be taken solely on considerate  
of risks to health. Although any decision by the competent authorities must  
based on a balance between the magnitude of these risks and the costs in mor  
resources, and social disruption of any protective action, it is fundamental  
to maintain public confidence in the overall system of radiological protect!  
under which the public is legitimately exposed to radiation as a result of  
the widespread beneficial uses of radiation and radioactive materials.
<*) adopted by a majority of experts - Mr. Kayser (L), Mr. Felder (l) 
and Mrs. Campos Venuti <I) dissenting.
Telephone: Telex: Telegrtphie »meet:
Telepnorvo exchange: 235 1111 COMSU 8 Z1877 COM EUR Brussel!
DifSCI Une Î35PnvteløMl tamme:  
Rue Pb IS  tel 200  
B-1049 3 r u u t:*

- 2 -
This confidence can be strengthened if the reaction to an accident is seer 1  
be appropriate.
Reference levels (RL)
It is not appropriate to set firm Limits in dealing with emergency  
situations because an emergency is rarely, if ever, susceptible to rigid  
limitation. It is, however, very useful to establish reference levels which  
are based upon and respect the principles of the Sasic Safety ;tandards and  
below which action is likely to be inappropriate and above which that  
'  intervention ought to be taken, or at least seriously considered. The
reference level must be related to the severity and complexity at the  
intervention action - simple actions, with few social consequences, are  
appropriate at low levels of radiation exposure; complex actions require  
high levels of exposure before they can be justified, in this report, the  
Group of Experts has considered those actions needed to control the  
distribution and importation of foodstuffs in the Community. This type of  
action is complex and has considerable social and economic implications and  
needs a significant Level of exposure fo r justification. Simple action  
locally may well be appropriate at Lower levels of exposure.
Several international organisations, including IAEA, WHO and XCRP, are  
re-considering the problem of recommending RLs of dose for deciding on  
action related to the distribution of food. It will be some time, probably  
several years, before the complex problems can be resolved.
In principle, the selected RLs should relate to the lifetime dose  
likely to be accumulated from the continued consumption of food. The  
relationship between this lifetime dose and the continuing concentration in  
food is extremely complex and is the main reason why no early advice based  
on total accumated dose is likely to be forthcoming.
Meanwhile, it is possible to establish interim values of reference  
levels of dose on the basis of the doses received in single years. It is  
on this basis that the present advice has been prepared by the Group of  
| Experts.
f .The Group of Experts has concluded that the probability of an accident  
affecting large areas of the Community is low enough to allow each accident  
to be considered on its own. The reference levels can thus be the same

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for all accidents. On that basis,, the Group of Experts recommends the  
adoption of two reference levels of dose as indicated in Reference 1 - a  
lower RL below which action is extremely unlikely to be justified on  
radiological protection grounds and an upper RL at which action is almost  
certain to have been attempted on radiological protection grounds« Between  
the two levels there is scope for judgement.
For the first year after an accident, the Group of Experts recommends  
a lower RL for the committed effective dose equivalent to the age of  
70 years resulting from the consumption of foodstuffs of 5 mSv. The upper  
RL should be 50 mSv. For the special case of iodine isotopes which deliver  
almost all their dose to the thyroid, an additional lower RL of 50 mSv to  
the thyroid is recommended, with a corresponding upper RL of 500 mSv  
(Reference 2). In all cases, the figures relate to the committed dose  
resulting from intake of food over the year in question. For subsequent  
years, the levels of contamination will be lower and there will have been  
time to organise effective and economic means of control should these still  
be necessary. The Group recommends a reduction in the two RLs for effective  
dose equivalent for subsequent years by a factor of 5. Because the relevant  
iodine isotopes all have short half-lives, no RLs for the thyroid are needed  
in these Later years.
Derived Reference Levels (DRL>
The practical control of foodstuffs must"depend on the measurement or  
prediction of the concentration of radioactive materials in the food; it  
cannot be achieved by direct estimation of the dose to the consumers. It is  
therefore necessary to derive practical values of concentration from the  
RLs of dose. The values used in the vicinity of an accident for controlling  
the situation in the first few weeks after an accident have been called  
Derived Emergency Reference Levels CDERL). For the long-term control of the 
trade in foodstuffs the term Derived Reference Level (DRL> has been used  
in this report. It Is not a limit and certainly not a "tolerance limit" or  
a "tolerance level", nor should it be directly used in regulations. It is  
a guide for administrative action .for the competent authorities in the  
process of optimisation.

- 4 -
The estimation of DRLs in foodstuffs poses substantial problems  
because the different routes by which different nuclides reach the food,  
combined with the different distribution systems for different foodstuffs  
and the differences in diet with age and location, lead to very complex  
links between the activity in a single foodstuff and the total dose to an  
individual resulting from the consumption of food. In principle, each  
foodstuff should have a different DRL for each nuclide and a calculation  
should be carried out on each occasion and for each location, depending on  
the activity level in all the relevant foodstuffs for all the relevant  
nuclides. This may well be possible in the immediate area of an accident  
where the situation can be closely defined, but it is not feasible as a  
basis for Community action.
The Group of Experts has therefore established interim proposals for  
the major components of diet for three classes of radionuclides. The  
values are shown in Table 1. They have been established on the basis of  
typical patterns of diet in the Community. The contamination of foodstuffs  
after an accident will vary with time and with location. It will be  
impossible for an individual to consume food all of which is contaminated  
at the DRL for a whole year. The Group judged that it would be sufficiently  
conservative to assume that an individual's intake would be equivalent to th.· 
consumption of 10% of the relevant dietary component, uniformly contaminated  
to the full value of the DRL, for the whole of one year. This factor was  
included in the computations and provides the conservatism needed to make it  
unnecessary to consider the separate foodstuffs jointly. They can be treated  
independently.
#
The tabulated values have thus been established on the basis that each  
food group and each group of nuclides can be treated quite separately from  
all the others - no allowance need be made for the existence of several  
contaminated foodstuffs or of nuclides in more than one group.
Monitoring and enforcement
Before making any decisions on DRLs, the Community will have to consider  
the basis on which Member States will measure the contamination of foodstuffi-  
and how the movement of food will be controlled. Any procedure would have

- 5 -
to be continued until it could reasonably be concluded that foodstuffs from  
the whole Community and from other supplying countries could confidently  
be predicted to be below the relevant DRLs.  The lower the value of DRL  
adopted, the longer would be the duration of these controls, the greater  
their complexity, and the greater the cost to Member States and to individua  
food producers.

TABLE 1
GENERAL DERIVED REFERENCE LEVELS <1)
AS A BASIS FOR THE CONTROL OF FOODSTUFFS FOLLOWING AN ACCIDENT
(Bq/kg)
Isotopes of iodine and strontium^
Notably 1-131, Sr-90
Dairy produce Other major foodstuffs^  Drinking water
1st year Later years 1st year la ter years 1st year Later years
700 500 7 000 3 000 500 400
Alpha emitting Isotopes of plutonium and transplutonium elements^
Notably Pu-239, Aa-241 ---------------  -------- ”----------
Da
iry produce Other major foodstuffs^  Drinkingwater
y e a r L a t e r  years 1st year Later years 1st year Later years
80 20 400 80 60 10
All other nuclides of half-11  fa greater than 10 d a y s ^
Notably Cs-134, Cs-13? 7 ,
Oalry produce Other major foodstuffs^ 3*  Drinking water  
1st year Later years 1st'Tear Later years 1st year Later years
20 000 4 000 30 000 5 000 3 000 700
N O T E S
(1) All the O R L s are based on the lower discussed 1n the t e s t , namely, a  
committed effe c tiv e  dose equivalent of 5 m S v 1n the fir s t year and 1 m $v in  
later years and a committed dose equivalent to the thyroid of 50 ® $v in the  
first year. Values based on the higher E R L  would be 10 times greater.
(2) Within each group of nuclides the values relate to the total a ctivity of  
all the nuclides 1n the group. Each group can then be treated as completely
Independent of the other groups.
(3) The values relate to any major foodstuff, such as meat, vegetables, or  
cereals, and have been calculated for the most restrictive foodstuff. The 
contribution from other foodstuffs will not be sufficient to require any  
further adjustment. For minor foodstuffs, eg. those with an annual consumption  
of less than about lo kg, values of lo times those for major foodstuffs will  
be appropriate, it is not to be expected that restrictions will be needed on  
items such as spices and condiments.

References
1. Commission of the European Communities. Radiological pro tectio n  
c r i te r ia  for c o n tro llin g  doses to the public in the event of accidental 
releases of rad ioactive m a terial, V/S290/82 EN. CEC, Luxembourg, 1982.
2, In te rn a tio n a l Commission on Radiological P ro tec tio n . P ublication 40. 
Protection of the Public in the Event ©f Major Radiation Accidents;  
Principles for Planning
Annals of the ICHP, Voluas© 14 No. 2 1984.