WRITTEN QUESTION E-2821/02 by Jules Maaten (ELDR) to the Commission. Radiation from cordless telephones.
Date: 2002-10-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: consumer protection, electromagnetic interference, health policy, health risk, mobile phone, non-ionising radiation, standardisation

14.8.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 192 E/77

The Commission is of the opinion that the Community aid has contributed positively to meet the primary
needs of the population since the breaking out of the crisis in 1999 and has helped the country either to
restore structures and capacities that disappeared during the crisis or to create new ones. Insofar as it has
helped East Timor reach Independence, the Community aid can be considered successful.

The actions financed to date have been mainly aimed at addressing the situation of crisis/post-crisis.

They can be classified in three main categories:

(a)

emergency humanitarian aid;

(b)

strengthening of democracy and civil society;

(c)

rehabilitation and institution building.

After the initial direct and extensive involvement of the European Community Humanitarian Office
(ECHO), before, during and after the clashes, it is worth mentioning that the most recent Commission
operations are taking place through Community contributions to the Trust Fund for East Timor managed
by the World Bank, which will total EUR 56 million at the end of 2002. The Commission is taking the
initiative of preparing, in agreement with other contributors and the World Bank, a complete evaluation
exercise of this major investment, the results of which will be available in the course of 2003.

The proclamation of the independence of the country and the formation of a Government this year
allowed the approval of a Country Strategy Paper and National Indicative Programme for co-operation
between the Community and East Timor. This will be the framework of a development-oriented approach
for Community Aid in the coming years.

(2003/C 192 E/077)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2821/02

by Jules Maaten (ELDR) to the Commission

(8 October 2002)

Subject: Radiation from cordless telephones

1.
Has the Commission read the article ‘Test Schnurlose Telefone. Ganz schön sendebewusst’ in the
German consumer magazine ‘Öko Test’? It establishes that none of the cordless telephones tested meets the
100 µW/m2 limit value specified by the European Parliament (Directorate-General
for Research). The
telephones tested emit as much as 8 800 to 18 400 µW/m2.

Is the Commission aware that recent studies have established that such radiation is potentially
this can promote

to the nervous and hormone system? Studies have also established that

2.
harmful
hereditary problems and cancer.

3.

Does the Commission plan to do something about this dangerous situation?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(25 November 2002)

As indicated in the reply to written question E-2900/02 from Ms. Breyer (1) on 12 July 1999 the Council
adopted Recommendation 1999/519/EEC to Member States limiting the exposure of the general public to
electromagnetic fields from 0 Herz (Hz) to 300 Gigaherz (Ghz) (2). The full adherence to the basic
restrictions and reference levels included in the Recommendation ensures users a high level of protection
against acute and long-term effects of non-ionising radiation for the whole spectrum. The recommended
restrictions for cordless and cellular telephones use the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) as the measure to
adhere. The power density, referred to by the Honourable Member is used only as a measure for exposure

C 192 E/78

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

14.8.2003

to electromagnetic waves above 10 GHz. It is not considered an appropriate measure for the frequencies in
which cordless and mobile phones operate (between 0,4 and 2 GHz).

The limits recommended include a safety factor of 50 to cover possible long-term effects in the whole
frequency range and at protecting also against as yet undocumented non-thermal effects. The level for
cordless and mobile phones was thus established at 2 Watt per kilogram (W/kg). When translated into
power density this roughly means levels of 2-10 W/square meter (m2). The level of 100 micro (µ) W/m2 is
orders of magnitude below these levels.

The Commission mandated the European Standardisation Organisations to draft Harmonised European
standards ensuring that products don’t expose the public to the limits beyond those recommended by the
Council. These standards (EN 50360 and EN 50361) have been given legal effect within the framework of
Directive 1999/5/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 1999 on radio equipment and
telecommunications terminal equipment and the mutual recognition of their conformity (3) which obliges
manufacturers to ensure that their products do not give rise to adverse effects on health when used for
their intended purpose. These standards directly allow evaluation of compliance with the SAR limits. A
report from the Parliament (STOA) has reported that on average mobile phones have SARs ranging from
0,4 to 1,4 W/kg. Cordless phones transmit at much lower power levels then mobile phones and have
correspondingly low SAR levels.

The Commission is following closely any new scientific results in the domain to react if necessary to any
new scientific evidence not taken to date into consideration. So far it has not been established that
exposure to electromagnetic fields for cordless and mobile telephones is potentially harmful to the nervous
and hormone system. As regards mobile phones,
it is important to note that the Interphone project
(supported by the Community under the 5th Framework Programme for Research (cid:1) 5FP) is a large-scale
epidemiological project involving 13 countries. The objective of the study is to determine whether mobile
telephone use increases the risk of cancer and, specifically, whether the radio frequency (RF) radiation
emitted by mobile telephones is carcinogenic. When the project results become available in 2004-2005,
consolidated conclusions can be drawn. Experiments in vitro on cells have sometimes shown biological
effects related to cancer or other diseases. However, isolated cells in culture are strongly different from
human total body. Moreover, these experiments are complex and controversial. This would tend to
indicate that if effects exist, they are not strong. They should however be well documented by the scientific
community, reason for which the Community and other organisations fund research on electromagnetic
fields. Altogether eight projects related to electromagnetic fields are being funded under 5FP.

the opinion of

Finally,
the Commission Scientific Committee on Toxicology-Ecotoxicity and the
Environment on health effects associated to the exposure to electromagnetic fields published on
30 October 2001 has confirmed for radio frequencies and microwaves the validity of
the Council
Recommendation limits. This opinion is in line with other national and international evaluation of the
scientific literature in this area.

(1) OJ C 110 E, 8.5.2003, p. 121.
(2) OJ L 199, 30.7.1999.
(3) OJ L 91, 7.4.1999.

(2003/C 192 E/078)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2836/02

by Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 October 2002)

Subject: The situation regarding the new EU regulation on patents

The Spanish saying ‘inventing things will only end up in tears’ is becoming a reality for those EU citizens
who have embarked on any technological or other type of invention.