17.1.2014 Official Journal of the European Union L 13/1 (Non-legislative acts) DIRECTIVES COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 2013/59/EURATOM of 5 December 2013 laying down basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation, and repealing Directives 89/618/Euratom, 90/641/Euratom, 96/29/Euratom, 97/43[Euratom and 2003/122/Euratom THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, and in particular Articles 31 and 32 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, drawn up after having obtained the opinion of a group of persons appointed by the Scientific and Technical Committee from among scientific experts in the Member States, and after having consulted the European Economic and Social Committee, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee, Whereas: (1)  Point (b) of Article 2 of the Euratom Treaty provides for the establishment of uniform safety standards to protect the health of workers and of the general public. Article 30 of the Euratom Treaty defines "basic standards" for the protection of the health of workers and the general public against the dangers arising from ionising radi- ations. (20 In order to perform its task, the Community laid down basic standards for the first time in 1959 by means of Directives of 2 February 1959 laying down the basic standards for the protection of the health of workers and the general public against the dangers arising from ionising radiation (*). The Directives have been revised several times, most recently by Council Directive 96/29/Euratom (%) which repealed the earlier Directives. () OJ L 11, 20.2.1959, p. 221. (%) 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 ionising radiation (O] L 159, 29.6.1996, p. 1). (3)  Directive 96/29/Euratom establishes the basic safety stan- dards. The provisions of that Directive apply to normal and emergency situations and have been supplemented by more specific legislation. 4)  Council Directive 97/43[Euratom (?), Council Directive 89/618/Euratom (*), Council Directive 90/641/Eura- tom (°) and Council Directive 2003/122/Euratom (°) cover different specific aspects complementary to Directive 96/29/Euratom. (5)  As recognised by the Court of Justice of the European Union in its case-law, the tasks imposed on the Community by point (b) of Article 2 of the Euratom Treaty to lay down uniform safety standards to protect the health of workers and the general public does not preclude, unless explicitly stated in the standards, a Member State from providing for more stringent measures of protection. As this Directive provides for minimum rules, Member States should be free to adopt or maintain more stringent measures in the subject- matter covered by this Directive, without prejudice to the free movement of goods and services in the internal market as defined by the case-law of the Court of Justice. (6)  The Group of Experts appointed by the Scientific and Technical Committee has advised that the basic safety (}) Council Directive 97[43[Euratom of 30 June 1997 on health protection of individuals against the dangers of ionising radiation in relation to medical exposure, and repealing Directive 84/466/Euratom (O] L 180, 9.7.1997, p. 22). (*) Council Directive 89/618[Euratom of 27 November 1989 on informing the general public about health protection measures to be applied and steps to be taken in the event of a radiological emergency (O] L 357, 7.12.1989, p. 31). (’) Council Directive 90/641[Euratom of 4 December 1990 on the operational protection of outside workers exposed to the risk of ionising radiation during their activities in controlled areas (O] L 349, 13.12.1990, p. 21). Council Directive 2003/122/Euratom of 22 December 2003 on the control of high-activity sealed radioactive sources and orphan sources (O] L 346, 31.12.2003, p. 57). X =