WRITTEN QUESTION E-2900/02

by Hiltrud Breyer (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(16 October 2002)

Subject: EU limits and reference values for electromagnetic fields

Fears amongst the general public regarding health hazards arising from exposure to electromagnetic fields have again increased of late, partly because of public statements of opinion by recognised scientific experts or institutions. They have pointed out on numerous occasions that there is strong cause for concern about the non-thermal effects of pulsed immissions, as there is almost certainly a relationship between them and long-term effects on health, such as leukaemia and cancer.

Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC(1) of 12 July 1999 quotes reference levels between 2 W/m2 and 10 W/m2 for 10 MHz to 300 GHz; these values are based on the guideline values published by the ICNIRP, which however are concerned solely with the thermal effects of high-frequency fields. The limits which scientists and experts are calling for in the light of the above risks range from 0,00001 to 0,01 W/m2.

Other problematic aspects are the large divergences in national limits within the EU emissions are not confined within national borders! and the rapid increase in the number of mobile phone users and the relevant transmitters and receivers.

Bearing in mind the Community's duty to make a contribution to the attainment of a high level of health protection, would it not accord with the precautionary principle, which the EU espouses, and would it not moreover make sense in the light of the priority assigned to a fair single European market, to:

1. convert the Council recommendation into a binding rule,

2. at the same time thoroughly review the existing limits and reference levels for electrical, magnetic and electromagnetic fields, and

3. in particular, seek to make reductions in them?

(1) OJ L 199, 30.7.1999, p. 59.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(13 November 2002)

On 12 July 1999 the Council adopted Recommendation 1999/519/EC to Member States limiting the exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields (from 0Hz to 300Ghz). The full adherence to the basic restrictions and reference levels included in the Recommendation ensures users a high level of protection against acute and long-term effects of non-ionising radiation for the whole spectrum and not only high frequencies.

The limits recommended include a safety factor to cover possible long-term effects in the whole frequency range and therefore are not exclusively limited to thermal acute effects.

The Commission mandated the European standardisation organisations to draft harmonised european standards ensuring that products don't expose the public to limits beyond those recommended by the Council. These standards will be given legal effect within the framework 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(1), which obliges manufacturers to ensure that their products do not give rise to adverse effects on health when used for their intended purpose and will de facto enforce the Council Recommendation limits. Conflicting national standards will have to be withdrawn as soon as those standards will have been published in the Official Journal.

The Commission is following closely any new scientific results in the domain to react if necessary to any new scientific evidence not taken to date into consideration. Under the Fifth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development, the Commission is also funding a

number (eight) of important studies in the field, the results of which will be out in 2003-2005. The opinion of the Commission's Scientific Committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment on health effects associated with exposure to electromagnetic fields published on 30 October 2001 has confirmed the validity of the Council Recommendation limits for radio frequencies and microwaves. Please note that this opinion is shared by reports, which were developed independently by various Member States.

(1) OJ L 91, 7.4.1999.