WRITTEN QUESTION P-2230/01

by Jaime Valdivielso de Cué (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 July 2001)

Subject: Consumer health and protection

On 11 July 2001 the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy heard the details of a scientific study compiled for Parliament's Directorate-General for Research by the Warwick University Department of Physics (United Kingdom) and the German International Institute of Biophysics.

Among other things, the study warns that the radiation emitted by mobile phones and signal-boosting aerials could cause a rare kind of tumour (termed epithelial neuroma) in the periphery of the brain.

What research is the Commission conducting into non-ionising electromagnetic radiation?

What will be done to protect consumer health against radiation from mobile phones and signal-boosting aerials?

Is the Commission one of the international bodies which, as the study reveals, have deliberately ignored the potential danger signs where mobile phone technology is concerned?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(5 September 2001)

The Commission has always paid attention to health risks associated with products put on the market. Community regulations governing radio products in general, and GSM handsets in particular, oblige manufacturers to ensure that they are safe. In particular Article 3.1.a of Directive 1999/5/EC(1) obliges manufacturers to ensure that their products do not have adverse health effects when used for their intended purpose.

The Community has also provided further guidance on the safety levels to be respected. On 12 July 1999 the Council adopted a Recommendation to Member States limiting the exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields from 0Hz to 300Ghz(2). The full respect of the basic restrictions and reference levels included in the Recommendation will 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.

The European standards drafted by the European Committee for electrotechnical standardization (Cenelec) will ensure the compliance of devices put on the market with the Council Recommendation and replace conflicting national standards. The standards covering mobile phones were adopted in January of this year and have been ratified by Cenelec in July. Their references were published in the Official Journal on 26 July 2001(3).

The biological theory proposed by Prof. Hyland is judged very critically by scientific experts and the mechanisms described still need to be demonstrated and replicated in vivo studies.

At present the World Health Organisation clearly states that no health effects were found in the use of GSM phones.

Nevertheless the Commission is following the matter closely and has asked its Tox-Ecotox and Environment Committee to deliver an update of its previous opinion, published in June 1998, on health risks associated to electromagnetic fields regarding new technologic developments and conditions of exposure, which at the time formed the basis of the Council Recommendation.

This will be published during the autumn of 2001 and used, if necessary, to elaborate new Community legislative proposals in the field.

(1) 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 (OJ L 91, 7.4.1999).

(2) 1999/519/EC (OJ L 199, 30.7.1999).

(3) OJ C 208, 26.7.2001.