WRITTEN QUESTION No. 81/98 by Patricia McKENNA to the Commission. Non-ionising radiation
Date: 1998-01-30
Institutions: European Parliament, MCKENNA
Subjects: EU programme, World Health Organisation, consumer protection, electromagnetic interference, health risk, public health, radio telecommunications, research programme, scientific research, telephone

17. 7. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 223/105

As the Commission is well aware of the different problems related to baby walkers, it has taken action in order to
address potential deficiencies. After agreement by the Member States, the Commission issued a mandate to the
European  standardisation  organisations  for  the  drafting  of  a  European  standard  to  take  into  consideration  all
potential  safety  aspects.  Another  action  taken  is  the  financing  of  the  study  mentioned  by  the  Honourable
Member, which will improve the knowledge of different safety dangers and will provide important data for the
standardisation work.

To  assure  that  the  safety  of  consumers  and  other  consumer  interests  are  fully  taken  into  account  in  the
standardisation process, the Commission supports the functioning of ANEC, the European association dealing
with co-ordination and representation of consumers into standardisation.

The Commission will continue to follow this issue closely.

(98/C 223/133)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0081/98

by Patricia McKenna (V) to the Commission

(30 January 1998)

Subject: Non-ionising radiation

In June 1996 the European Commission published a study called (cid:145)Non-ionising radiation: sources, exposure and
health effects(cid:146).

Can the Commission give details of any work it has conducted on non-ionising radiation since this report was
published? Has it published any other reports relating to this topic since then?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(12 March 1998)

Since  publication  of  the  comprehensive  review  document  on  non-ionising  radiation,  a  group  of  experts  has
provided advice to the Commission on further research into possible health effects of mobile phones. This has
been  taken  into  account  in  the  Commission(cid:146)s  proposal  for  the  fifth  framework  programme  on  research.  The
experts(cid:146) proposal was made available, and sent to interested Members of the Parliament. A copy is sent direct to
the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

The Commission participates in the World health organisation (WHO) project on electro-magnetic field research
which intends to produce an environmental health criteria document on health hazard assessment. Community
research is, at present, co-ordinated under the COST programme.

The Commission, finally, has work in hand to propose in due course a Council recommendation that is intended
to be of guidance for Member States which wish to take initiatives for the health protection of the general public.

(98/C 223/134)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0083/98

by Carlos Robles Piquer (PPE) to the Council

(30 January 1998)

Subject: Fair trial for those accused of the attack on Pan Am flight 103

The US State Department has just taken out full page advertisements offering up to US$ 4 million for information
leading to the arrest of Lamen Khalifa Fhimah and Abdel Basset Al-Megrahi, both of Libyan citizenship, who are
accused of having carried out the brutal act which cost the lives of 270 people on Pan Am flight 103 and on
British soil on 21 December 1988.