WRITTEN QUESTION E-2792/01

by Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne (ELDR) to the Commission

(9 October 2001)

Subject: Health implications of mobile phone masts

Does the Commission have any plans to look into the health implications of siting mobile telephone masts in highly populated residential areas?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(22 January 2002)

The positioning of mobile phone masts is first and above all a matter between the mobile operators and local, regional and state authorities. The procedures in use and criteria applied vary largely across Member States and may include considerations on the possible health effects of electromagnetic radiation, the need to protect the environment, the need to respect town planning rules etc.

At Community level, Directive 97/33/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 1997 on interconnection in telecommunications with regard to ensuring universal service and interoperability though application of the principles of Open Network Provision (ONP)(1) stipulates that where facility sharing can be of benefit for town planning, environmental, economic or other reasons, Member States and national regulatory authorities may impose sharing arrangements and intervene to resolve disputes between commercial parties. This provision is expected to be carried over into the new telecommunications regulatory framework that is currently under discussion in the Council and the Parliament.

Community legislation governing radio products (including mobile telephone masts) obliges manufacturers to ensure that they are safe. In particular article 3.1. a of 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(2) (the R & TTE Directive) obliges manufacturers to ensure, that their products do not affect the health when used for their intended purpose. Article 7.2 of that same Directive explicitly enables national authorities to impose restrictions on the use of radio products, e.g. by prescribing minimum distances from the public, so as to ensure that telephone masts are appropriately installed.

The Community has further provided guidance on the safety levels to be respected. On 12 July 1999 the Council adopted Recommendation 1999/519/EC(3) to Member States limiting the exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields from 0Hz to 300Ghz. The full respect of the basic restrictions and reference levels included in the Recommendation ensure users a high level of protection against acute and long-term effects of non-ionising radiation emitted by such devices. The limits recommended include a safety factor of 50 to cover possible long-term effects in the whole frequency range. Member States, in accordance with the EC Treaty, may provide for a higher level of protection than set out in this Recommendation. The limits were confirmed by the Commission Scientific Committee on Toxicology-Ecotoxicology and the Environment in its new opinion on health risks associated with exposure to electromagnetic fields published on the 30th of October, stating that: the additional information that has become available on carcinogenic and other non-thermal effects of radiofrequency and microwave frequencies in the last years does not justify a revision of exposure limits set by the Commission on the basis of the 1998 opinion of the Scientific Steering Committee

Furthermore, European standards drafted by European Committee for Electro-technical Standardisation (Cenelec) will, as requested by the Commission, ensure the compliance of devices put on the market with the limits set up in the Council Recommendation. These standards will be recognised under Directive 1999/5/EC and replace national conflicting standards.

The Commission is providing some 12,8 million to support research programmes (with a total value of over 32,5 million) on the potential influence of electromagnetic fields (EMF) on human health. This research includes one specific project which covers aspects of possible health effects that might arise from mobile phone base stations. This four year project has not yet reached half way but, as with other EMF related research projects, co-ordination arrangements within the Commission have recently been revised to ensure that research results will be widely disseminated as soon as they become available.

(1) OJ L 199, 26.7.1997.

(2) OJ L 91, 7.4.1999.

(3) OJ L 199, 30.7.1999.