WRITTEN QUESTION E-0002/00 by Nicole Thomas-Mauro (UEN) to the Commission. Portable telephones.
Date: 2000-01-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU research policy, European social policy, health risk, medical research, mobile phone

C 303 E/122

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

24.10.2000

According to the Treaty on European Union, and as confirmed by the special meeting of the European
Council held on 15 and 16 October 1999 in Tampere, one of the objectives of the Union shall be to
provide citizens with a high level of safety within an area of freedom, security and justice.

This shall be done by, inter alia, developing common action among Member States in the fields of police
co-operation. Any action developed in this context shall not, nevertheless, affect the exercise of the
responsibilities incumbent upon Member States with regard to the maintenance of law and order and the
safeguarding of internal security within their national territories.

The issue of public order and safety has been regularly discussed in the context of the co-operation in the
fields of justice and home affairs. In this context, the Council has considered the threat to public order
from international gatherings in a joint action of 26 May 1997 with regard to co-operation on law and
order and security (1).

Within the framework of the OISIN programme (2) the Commission has been supporting a series of
initiatives concerning police co-operation and the role of police forces in dealing with public order. For
information on the projects supported in this context the Commission draws the Honourable Member(cid:146)s
attention to the two reports on the implementation of the OISIN programme (3).

(1) OJ L 147, 5.6.1997.
(2)
(3) SEC(98) 1048 and SEC(1999) 1995.

Joint Action (cid:129) OJ L 7, 10.1.1997.

(2000/C 303 E/123)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0002/00

by Nicole Thomas-Mauro (UEN) to the Commission

(19 January 2000)

Subject: Portable telephones

Some scientific research points to risks for users of portable telephones; an experiment conducted on rats
at Lund University, for instance, has produced worrying findings. France has launched the Comobio
programme to clarify the possible effects of portable telephones.

There is a European recommendation laying down exposure limits. On what research is it based?

In addition, is the Commission contemplating carrying out more in-depth research into risk assessment
and long-term effects? Does the Commission have proof that thermal effects, the effects of magnetic fields
and induced current flow have few human health implications?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(29 February 2000)

The European recommendation (1) limiting public exposure to electromagnetic fields of 0 Hertz (Hz) to
300 Gigahertz (GHz)
is based on scientific advice and the best scientific information available, not
forgetting that only proven effects on health could be taken into account. Advice on these protective
measures has been given by the International Commission on Non-ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP)
and endorsed by the Commission(cid:146)s Scientific Steering Committee.

The Commission currently provides financial support for numerous research projects. Under the Third and
Fourth Framework Programmes, the Commission supported the COST actions (COST 244 in 1992,
followed by COST 244a in 1998) on the biomedical effects of electromagnetic radiation. The Biomed 2
programme financed two studies on the links between electromagnetic radiation and cancer. The
(cid:145)measurements and testing(cid:146) programme also financed a project to measure the electromagnetic radiation
emitted by portable telephones. In total the Commission has allocated some €2 million for these studies.

24.10.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 303 E/123

None of these studies (looking into thermal effects and possible metabolic disturbances at cellular level
caused by various types of electromagnetic field) has revealed the existence of negative effects on health,
but further results will be necessary in order to provide a complete response to public concerns.

(1998-2002),
Within the Fifth Framework Programme for research and technological development
electromagnetic radiation is specifically included in the working programme for Key Action 4 (Environ-
ment and Health) of Theme 1, Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources. During the 1999 call
for proposals this Key Action received 21 proposals for research on this subject. Following evaluation, five
proposals were selected for a total allocation of €9 million. A table of these proposals will be forwarded
directly to the Honourable Member and to the Parliament Secretariat.

Among these projects is a wide-ranging epidemiological study (Interphone) coordinated by the Interna-
tional Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which should go some way towards providing reliable
responses to the question of whether the electromagnetic radiation emitted by mobile telephones can be
carcinogenic.

In any case, the five projects selected will go some way towards resolving the outstanding questions on the
supposed effects of using global system for mobile communications (GSM) phones, and determining
whether long-term exposure at low levels has negative effects on health.

(1) 1999/519/EC: Council Recommendation of 12 July 1999 on the limitation of exposure of the general public to

electromagnetic fields (0 Hz to 300 GHz), OJ L 199, 30.7.1999.

(2000/C 303 E/124)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0005/00

by Nicole Thomas-Mauro (UEN) to the Council

(14 January 2000)

Subject: Situation in Sudan

While the international community, the European Union and its Member States quite rightly express their
the difficult circumstances faced by various peoples around the world, amidst widespread
anger at
indifference the Christian minority in southern Sudan is being subjected to unacceptable persecution by
the government authorities.

The latter are implementing a policy of forced Islamisation, causing the Christians to flee en masse. They
are misappropriating humanitarian aid and carrying out murder, torture and the abduction of women and
children to be sold as slaves or prostitutes.

Could the Council state what measures it has taken or intends to take in response to this intolerable
situation? Could it not encourage the Member States to take at the same time strong measures to persuade
the Sudanese authorities to respect human dignity, religious freedom and human rights in general?

Reply

(10/11 April 2000)

The Council agrees with the Honourable Member that the human rights situation in Sudan is worrying.
The European Union raised the human rights situation in Sudan at the 55th session of the Commission on
Human Rights in Geneva and in the Third Committee convened at the 54th session of the UN General
Assembly, and has called on the Sudanese Government to improve the situation on the ground and to
cooperate fully with the UN mechanisms, while recognising that some progress has been achieved in the
course of the year.

In parallel, the EU engaged last year in a dialogue with the Government of Sudan which centres on the
peace process, on reforms based on democracy and the rule of law, on the respect of human rights, on
policies against terrorism and on Sudan(cid:146)s relations with its neighbours with the aim of improving the