WRITTEN QUESTION E-2125/01 by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Concentrations of radon in Greece.
Date: 2001-07-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, health control, occupational health, public health, radioactive pollution, rare gas

C 81 E/112

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.4.2002

As one part of the foodstuff labelling review, the Commission will shortly present a new Directive on
labelling for which it will seek the agreement of the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers.
This draft law will, upon adoption, make it compulsory to list all ingredients of foodstuffs and to label
allergens. This piece of legislation is particularly important for consumers, who are entitled to basic
information. Indeed, this entitlement to information was elevated to a right by virtue of the provisions of
the Amsterdam Treaty.

(1) COM(2000) 139 final.

(2002/C 81 E/133)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2125/01

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Concentrations of radon in Greece

(13 July 2001)

It has been reported in the press that the Greek Government has failed to carry out a national survey of
radon levels in the country, despite the fact that a recent University of Athens research programme has
found that even in a town with low concentrations of radon, such as Kalamata, radon concentrations in
5 % of the sites tested by a team of researchers were above the level at which action is deemed necessary.
These findings were published in (cid:145)Radiation Protection Dosimetry(cid:146) (Vol. 93, No 1, 2001).

Has the Greek Government made any commitments vis-(cid:224)-vis the EU as far as radon is concerned? If

1.
so, is it honouring these commitments?

Does the Commission have any information concerning radon levels in Greece and,

2.
information?

if so, what

3. What is the potential public health risk posed by radon?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(10 October 2001)

In view of the possible lung cancer risk associated with indoor exposure to high radon concentrations in
some regions in Europe, the Commission addressed a Recommendation (1) to Member States in 1990. One
of the recommendations is that Member States develop criteria for identifying regions likely to be
associated with high indoor radon levels.

In response to this, most Member States have conducted nation-wide surveys in order to determine the
extent of the problem and to identify radon-prone areas, and the affected population was informed of the
results. There is no obligation for Member States to transmit this information to the Commission.

In addition, with regard to radon in workplaces, Council Directive 96/29/Euratom of 13 May 1996 laying
down basic safety standards for the protection of the health of workers and the general public against the
dangers arising from ionizing radiation (2) requires Member States to identify by means of surveys or any
other appropriate means the work activities where the exposure of workers, and as appropriate members
of the public,
in spas, caves, mines, underground workplaces and above-ground
is of concern e.g.
workplaces in identified areas (Title VII, Article 40).

The Commission is aware of miscellaneous radon studies in Greece but has not been informed of the
results of a nation-wide survey. This does not constitute however a breach of any commitment or legal
obligation. While under Article 36 of the Euratom Treaty Member States shall inform the Commission on
the levels of radioactivity in air, water and soil, this requirement has never been understood to apply to
indoor radon levels, and radon indeed is not mentioned in the list of radionuclide categories in the

4.4.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/113

Commission Recommendation of 8 June 2000 on the application of Article 36 of the Euratom Treaty
concerning the monitoring of the levels of radioactivity in the environment for the purpose of assessing
the exposure of the population as a whole (3), and radon decay products are excluded from the category
(cid:145)gross beta activity(cid:146).

The Commission further recommends that Member States define a reference level for consideration of
remedial action in existing dwellings at 400 Becquerels per (Bq) Cubic metre (m-3) and inform the public
concerned on the remedies available to reduce radon concentrations which are above this action level.

(1) 90/143/Euratom: Commission Recommendation of 21 February 1990 on the protection of the public against

indoor exposure to radon.

(2) OJ L 159, 29.6.1996.
(3) OJ L 191, 27.7.2000.

(2002/C 81 E/134)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2138/01

by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(20 July 2001)

Subject: Global fund against Aids

Is the Council planning to lend political and economic support to the global fund against Aids which has
been set up on the initiative of the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, and to encourage all the EU
Member States to support it too?

(2002/C 81 E/135)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2140/01

by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Council

Subject: Action to combat third-world diseases

(20 July 2001)

Of the 1 223 pharmaceutical products placed on the market between 1975 and 1997, only 13 were
designed to treat tropical diseases, even though of the 17 million people who die each year of infectious
diseases, 90 % are from the world(cid:146)s poorest countries. In view of these alarming facts, does the Council
support the projects submitted by Brazil with a view to ensuring that the WHO and its member countries
carry out a campaign to combat the diseases which kill millions of people in Latin America, Asia and
Africa and to counter the lack of concern demonstrated by multinational pharmaceutical companies,
which are motivated solely by profit?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-2138/01 and E-2140/01

(29 November 2001)

The Council has repeated on numerous occasions its grave concern about the situation created by the
spread of communicable diseases in particular in developing countries, and most notably in sub-Saharan
Africa.

The principal aim of Community development policy is to reduce poverty with a view to its eventual
eradication. The Council considers that accelerated action by donors to combat communicable diseases,
particularly AIDS/HIV, malaria and tuberculosis is essential in view of the devastating impact these diseases
can have on efforts to reduce poverty.