WRITTEN QUESTION E-1376/02

by Michael Cashman (PSE) to the Commission

(14 May 2002)

Subject: Electromagnetic fields

Can the Commission confirm that the European standard of compliance on base stations is expected to be published by July 2002 and give assurances as to whether this timetable will be met? Could the Commission reiterate that the standard will define the conditions for putting antennas into service, taking into account other existing installations and their emissions?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(28 June 2002)

Directive 1999/5/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 1999 on radio equipment and telecommunications terminal equipment and the mutual recognition of their conformity(1) (hereafter R & TTE Directive) governing radio equipment (including mobile telephone masts) obliges manufacturers to ensure that they are safe.

In particular, Article 3.1.a of the Directive provides a general obligation for manufacturers to protect the health of the user and of any other person from risks arising from radio equipment when used for their intended purpose. Article 7.2 of the same Directive enables national authorities to impose restrictions on the intended use of radio equipment for the purpose of protecting public health. This may include the observation of minimum distances between telephone masts and the public.

Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC of 12 July 1999(2) provides guidance on the safety levels to be respected. This recommendation invites Member States to limit the exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields between 0 Hz and 300 GHz to certain levels. The basic restrictions and reference levels included in the Recommendation aim to ensure users are provided with a high level of protection against potential acute and long-term that effects of non-ionising radiation emitted by radio equipment.

The Commission mandated the European Standardisation Organisations (mandate M/305) to ensure that devices, which are placed on the market and/or put into service, comply with the R & TTE Directive. European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation (Cenelec) has responded to this request and has a number of standards relating to base stations in its work programme.

In particular, Cenelec is developing the following standards:

- Harmonised standards covering the placing on the market of base station products. These standards ensure that the requirements on these products are harmonised within the Community. They ensure that, when installed in isolation, a base station will, in the safety zone declared by the manufacturer, not expose the public (or workers) to levels above those recommended by the Council or otherwise regulated. A positive vote on this standard was finalised on 24 May 2002.

- A harmonised standard covering the putting into service of base stations when there are also other sources of exposure. This standard will enable the network operator to determine how the safety zone around a base station should be extended as a result of these other sources. The technical draft on this standard will be completed in September 2002, after which the adoption process will take about six months;

- A harmonised standard on the in-situ measurement of exposure levels. This standard, for which the technical work is to be completed before the end of 2002, will provide for a harmonised method to measure real-life exposure in the field. Its main use will be for public authorities to provide an accurate response to citizens who are concerned about levels of exposure in their houses, workplaces etc.

- The attention of the Honourable Member is further drawn to the request of the Commission to the Scientific Committee on Toxicity, Eco-toxicity and the Environment to provide an opinion on the matter in which it confirmed the limits recommended by the Council. The text of that opinion is available on the Europa website(3).

(1) OJ L 91, 7.4.1999.

(2) OJ L 199, 30.7.1999.

(3) Implementation Report on the Council Recommendation limiting the public exposure to electromagnetic fields (0 Hz to 300 GHz) see http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sc/sct/outcome_en.html.