EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 78/280

(2004/C 78 E/0281)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3406/03

by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 November 2003)

Subject: Installation and operation of mobile telephone antennae in Chortiatis

Over the last few years it has been noted that in Chortiatis in Thessaloniki and many other regions of Greece mobile telephone antennae have been set up and are operating very close to residential areas and even in close proximity to school buildings and hospitals.

Bearing in mind all the charges made concerning this specific question and the Greek Ombudsman's report on this matter, will the Commission say:

1. What action does it intend to take in response to the above complaints by citizens demanding that preventive measures be taken to limit the threat of exposure to electromagnetic radiation, particularly in view of the advent of third-generation mobile telephony, so as to ensure compliance with the precautionary principle which covers protection not only of the environment, but also of human health?

2. To what extent are the above installations in breach of Article 6 TEU on environmental legislation?

3. What does it intend to do to protect public health if antennae are located less than 300 metres from residential areas?

4. What measures does it intend to take against those responsible for locating antennae in areas where they pose a public health threat, so as to prevent any violation of the precautionary principle and Council recommendation 1999/519/EC (1)?

5. What does it intend to do about authorisations to locate mobile telephone antennae which fail to meet legal requirements and pose a public health risk?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(8 January 2004)

The attention of the honourable MEP is first of all drawn to the replies of the Commission to numerous other questions on this issue. An overview of these questions is given on (http://europa.eu.int/comm/ enterprise/rtte/questions.htm).

In response to the specific questions the following can be added:

1. Based on the best scientific advice available to date, exposures which are below those recommended in Council Recommendation 1999/519/EEC of 12 July 1999 on the limitation of exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields (0 Herz (Hz) to 300 Gigaherz (GHz)) provide for a high protection of safety and health of its citizens against all known effects. For this reason, the Greek authorities should ensure that the public is not exposed above these limits. Measurements of exposure in other Member States have demonstrated that exposure is greatly (a factor of 1 000-100 000) below the recommended values. Only in the close vicinity (i.e. a few meters) of the antenna may the exposure exceed the limits and authorities should in this case prevent access to the public. In most cases this zone is by default not accessible, certainly where antennas are mounted on high masts.

2. Provided that these installations do not expose the public beyond the limits recommended in the above-mentioned Council Recommendation, one must assume there is no breach of Article 6 of the Treaty on the European Union on environmental legislation.

3. The distance between a residential area and an antenna is not a proper indicator of its effect on the overall exposure of the public and scientific evidence does not support the assumption according to which an antenna within 300 metres would have adverse effects on public health. As long as factual exposure remains below the recommended levels, the health of the citizens is to our best knowledge well protected.

4. It is up to Member States to implement Recommendation 1999/519/EEC into national legislation, and to ensure that this is implemented. As set out above, on the basis of current scientific knowledge, the exposure levels set out in the Recommendation are adequate to protect the public.

5. The surveillance of whether mobile telephone antennae do not respect the legal requirements falls under the responsibility of Member States. Under Directive 1999/5/EC (2), a Member State should not allow the putting into service of antennas that would expose the public to levels beyond those set by the Council Recommendation.

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

(2) 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.