WRITTEN QUESTION E-0002/00 by Nicole Thomas-Mauro (UEN) to the Commission. Portable telephones.
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 Memberís 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 ü 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 Commissionís 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 ámeasurements and testingí 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 Sudanís relations with its neighbours with the aim of improving the