WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1102/98 by Mihail PAPAYANNAKIS to the Commission. Radar installation at Thessaloniki airport
Date: 1998-04-08
Institutions: European Parliament, PAPAYANNAKIS
Subjects: Macedonia, air traffic, air traffic control, airport, electro-magnetic equipment, electromagnetic interference, environmental protection, impact study, public health, traffic regulations

C 50/10

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

22.2.1999

Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission

(25 June 1998)

The representation of the Commission in Austria supported a series in the Austrian newspaper Der Standard, a
high quality daily for opinion leaders, on the issue of the enlargement of the Community.

The series consisted of ten full pages plus two interviews of a member of the Commission and an interview of the
Head of the representation of the Commission in Austria.

The support consisted of a financial contribution of ATS 660 000 (including advertisement tax and VAT). This
contribution amounted to 50 % of the total costs of the newspaper for the series.

The representation supported the series as a contribution to the debate in Austria on the enlargement of the
Community. This policy area is among the most important of the Commission(cid:146)s communication activities of this
year. Der Standard was chosen, because it is one of the ideal platforms to reach opinion leaders in this Member
State.

The subject of the series was decided together between the newspaper and the representation of the Commission
in Austria. The articles were written under the sole responsibility of the newspaper.

(1999/C 50/014)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1102/98

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Radar installation at Thessaloniki airport

(8 April 1998)

Greece is installing an essential radar system for air traffic control. One of the radars is to be set up in Peraia in the
vicinity of Thessaloniki airport. The Peraia authorities and a great many residents have voiced their concern about
the hazardous nature of the radar and the extent of the protective zone which will surround it.

There is certainly a conspicuous shortage of public information to fuel their concern.

Could the Commission assess the impact of installing the radar at Peraia and help to provide better information
about it and to carry out safety inspections of those installations?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(4 June 1998)

The Commission is not in a position to provide an assessment of the impact of the radar to be installed for the
control of air traffic in Thessaloniki. This falls under the responsibility of the Member States which have to
ensure that such installation conforms to all applicable legislations related, inter alia, to environmental and
electro-magnetic compatibility.

As regards health concerns raised by members of the public, the Commission published in 1996 a scientific
review dealing with sources of non-ionizing radiation, including, radar, the population(cid:146)s exposure and resulting
health effects (1).

The review pointed out that radars rotate through a full 360o arc and therefore produce relatively low mean power
densities in any one direction. Any member of the public in the vicinity of a radar will be directly exposed only
for the brief instant of time that the radar is pointing at them. Typically, rotation will reduce mean power by a
factor of 100.

The Commission is aware that a number of Member States seek advice as how to establish public health
protection measures against non-ionizing radiation and is working on proposals for Council recommendations in
this area.

(1) European Commission, Non-ionizing radiation: Sources, exposure and health effects, Office for official publications of the European

Communities, 1996, ISBN 92-827-9276-5.