WRITTEN QUESTION E-2336/99 by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Council. Potentially fatal health hazards arising from exposure to radiation from mobile telephones.
Date: 1999-12-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European social policy, health control

24.10.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 303 E/49

any information to the effect that in certain cases the rules applied are incompatible with Community
rules, she may forward it to the Commission, which will initiate the required procedures.

Article 5(2), first sentence, of Directive 85/73/EEC states that (cid:145)no direct or indirect refund of the fees
provided for in this Directive shall be permitted(cid:146).

The Commission will contact the German authorities in order to obtain information on the DEM 150 000
reduction granted, according to the Honourable Member, in one German Land.

(2000/C 303 E/043)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2336/99

by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Council

(13 December 1999)

Subject: Potentially fatal health hazards arising from exposure to radiation from mobile telephones

Recent research by Swedish scientists and other public health experts have shown that exposure to
radiation from the use of mobile telephones causes serious damage to the human organism, for example
the development of carcinogenic tumours on the brain and the acoustic nerve, together with functional
genetic disorders.

What measures and policies will the Council
telephones and the protection of public health in general?

launch with a view to ensuring the safe use of mobile

Reply

(10/11 April 2000)

The Council, on the basis of a proposal
from the Commission and after consulting the European
Parliament, adopted on 12 July 1999 a Recommendation on the limitation of exposure of the general
public to electromagnetic fields (0 Hz to 300 GHz) (1) which aims to provide a Community framework
with regard to exposure to electromagnetic fields, with the objective of protecting the public. The
Recommendation, which is based solely on established scientific effects, comprises basic restrictions and
reference levels which apply to all radiation emitted by electromagnetic fields emanating from electric
appliances, including mobile telephones. It is based on advice from the International Commission on Non-
Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and endorsed by the Commission(cid:146)s Scientific Steering Committee.

Concerning, more specifically, the long term-effects to which the Honourable Member refers, the Council
has invited the Commission to encourage research on the short and long-term effects of exposure to
electromagnetic fields at all relevant frequencies as part of the implementation of the current framework
programme of research and to keep the matters covered by this Recommendation under review, with a
view to its revision and updating, taking into account also possible effects which are currently the subject
of research, including relevant aspects of precaution.

The Council, aware of the issues at stake for public health, and in the light of the fact that at international
level it has not been proven that such exposure, including from the use of mobile telephones, might cause
the development of cancer, has asked the Commission to keep a very open attitude towards ongoing and
future research in this area.

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