WRITTEN QUESTION E-2648/99 by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission. Pollution by electromagnetic waves.
Date: 2000-01-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European social policy, electromagnetic interference, mobile phone

3.10.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 280 E/93

89/665/EEC of 21 December 1989 on the coordination of the laws, regulations and administrative
provisions relating to the application of review procedures to the award of public supply and public
works contracts (3). The national provisions for transposition do not seem to indicate any special problems
of compatibility with Community rules. However,
it must be acknowledged that there are still some
significant delays with regard to the transposition of directives on public contracts in the water, energy,
transport and telecommunications sectors: Council Directives 93/38/EEC of 14 June 1993 coordinating the
procurement procedures of entities operating in the water, energy, transport and telecommunications
sectors (1) and 92/13/EEC of 25 February 1992 coordinating the laws, regulations and administrative
provisions relating to the application of Community rules on the procurement procedures of entities
together with Council
operating in the water, energy,
Directive 97/52/EC (5) of 13 October 1997 amending Directives 92/50/EEC, 93/36/EEC and 93/37/EEC
concerning the coordination of procedures for the award of public service contracts, public supply
contracts and public works contracts respectively, in order to take account of the Council(cid:146)s approval of
the international agreement on government procurement under the General Agreement on Tariffs and
Trade (GATT). Because of the Greek authorities(cid:146) failure to communicate the national texts transposing
these directives, the Commission has initiated infringement proceedings and decided to bring some of
these matters before the Court of Justice.

transport and telecommunications sectors (4),

The Commission would also like to inform the honourable Members that it ensures that the procedures for
awarding public contracts are properly applied in every Member State. In this regard, the Commission
cooperates above all with the national authorities in the framework of its (cid:145)package meetings(cid:146) in order to
promote awareness of Community rules in this area and to ensure their proper application. At the same
time, it also investigates complaints and can initiate infringement proceedings, as laid down in Article 226
(ex Article 169) of the EC Treaty in the event of national authorities(cid:146) acting in breach of Community rules.

As for improving the overall production system for public works with the aim of making more efficient
use of Community funds,
the Community Support
Framework II provides for the introduction of a joint steering committee that has proposed a number of
measures, some of which were adopted some time ago. The Commission expects this reform to be speeded
up and the necessary measures taken to ensure effective compliance by the authorities undertaking the
works.

the Commission would like to point out

that

Lastly, with regard to the quality of the works that have been jointly funded and the activities of the
special supervisory council (ESPEL), the honourable Members are referred to the answers given to written
questions E-1912/99 by Mr Hadzidakis (6) and E-2017/99 by Mr Papayannakis (7).

(1) OJ L 199, 9.8.1993.
(2) OJ L 209, 24.7.1992.
(3) OJ L 395, 30.12.1989.
(4) OJ L 76, 23.3.1992.
(5) OJ L 328, 28.11.1997.
(6)
(7)

See page 2.
See page 5.

(2000/C 280 E/095)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2648/99

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(12 January 2000)

Subject: Pollution by electromagnetic waves

On 11 June 1998 the proposal for a Council recommendation (cid:145)on the limitation of exposure of the general
public to electromagnetic fields 0 Hz to 300GHz(cid:146) (COM(98) 268 final) was published.

In Italy, and especially in Rome, the problem of pollution from electromagnetic waves is at present a
highly contentious issue, because it has been taken up by residents and consumer and environmental
groups.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.10.2000

The municipality of Rome has also recently published an opinion on the problem (No 5187,
29 December 1998), which is, however, completely inadequate because of the limited guarantees it
suggests for safeguarding public health.

In the light of the answer to the previous question on this subject of 11 July 1997 (E-2630/97) (1) it is
clear that a measure is needed for accurately monitoring pollution by electromagnetic waves, but at
present monitoring of this kind is, in practice, impossible because the responsible local health administra-
tions do not possess the necessary technical equipment.

In the light of the above:

1. Does the Commission believe that ETACS, DCS and DECT mobile telephone antennas should be

included in the required regulations?

2.

3.

Should an additional limit not be laid down, within the limits for exposure to electromagnetic waves,
for cases where there is proximity to a population at special risk, such as those with medical
prostheses like pacemakers etc. (for instance, near hospitals) and especially near schools?

Should the electromagnetic pollution report not take into account the overall values in the area and
not just those relevant to the equipment to be installed?

4. Does the Commission not consider it advisable for equipment that does not fall within public health

safety limits to be dismantled?

5. Does the Commission not agree that the proliferation of mobile telephone relay antennas could be

restricted by using roaming between different operators?

6. What are the Commission(cid:146)s general views on this matter?

(1) OJ C 102, 3.4.1998, p. 78.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(23 February 2000)

The Commission, in its proposal for a Recommendation on the limitation of exposure of the general
public to electromagnetic fields (0 Hz to 300 GHz) (1) adopted by the Council on 12 July 1999
(Recommendation 1999/519/EC) wanted to contribute as much as possible to ensuring a high level of
health protection for European citizens in a sensitive area which had not previously been subject to
Community law.

The text of the Recommendation does not refer to any particular equipment. All sources of non-ionising
radiation are covered,
Interference with sensitive medical
equipment is addressed in the context of electromagnetic compatibility and the legislation governing
medical devices.

including mobile telephone relay antennas.

The upcoming European standards, which will ensure conformity of equipment with the reference levels
and recommended basic restrictions, will open the way to measuring the environmental fields. If these
measurements show that the population is exposed to values in excess of the recommended limits,
technical adaptation measures will be adopted (roaming between operators, reconfiguration of
the
networks).

The Commission is keeping this dossier under very close scrutiny and will if necessary propose legislation
if the ongoing research programmes under its aegis reveal the emergence of new health risks.

(1) OJ L 199, 30.7.1999.