EU: Workshop over elektromagnetische velden en gezondheid in Brussel.

zondag, 15 februari 2009 - Categorie: Berichten Internationaal

EU: Workshop over elektromagnetische velden en gezondheid in Brussel.
woensdag, 11 februari 2009 - Dossier: Algemeen

Op 11 & 12 februari 2009 organiseerde de Europese Commissie in Brussel een
workshop over elektromagnetische velden en gezondheid.

Interessant zijn vooral ook de voordrachten van Session 4 - Positions from the stakeholders.

Alle gehouden voordrachten zijn beschikbaar en te downloaden op:

ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/ev_20090211_en.htm .

Een eerste verslag over de gehouden workshop:

Auteur: Cindy Sage, Co-Editor BioInitiative Report

Conference Report

The European Commission Workshop on EMF and Health was
held in Brussels this last week (February 11, 12th). It addressed
science,
policy and public concerns regarding EMF, particularly RF and cell
phone use,
and worker exposure to EMF in occupational settings in the EU
countries.

About 150 members from governmental agencies, advocacy groups,
journalists, industry representatives and expert advisors to the EU
science committees spent a day and a half hearing presentations on
current EU Directives (enforceable rules) and Resolutions (statements
of
position and commitment), product safety issues, and regulatory
frameworks.
Laurent Bontoux and Mark Bogers from DG Sanco (Directorate-General for
Health and Consumers for the EU) gave introductory talks on the EU
Precautionary Approach and EU product legislation.

Conclusions of the BioInitiative Report were presented by Prof.
Michael Kundi, PhD
Medical University of Vienna and BioInitiative author. David Gee,
European Environmental Agency and author of the Precautionary
Principle chapter of the BioInitiative Report presented a talk on why
action is needed now on EMF - in relation to lessons learned from the
history of other environmental toxins. Gee told the audience that
mobile phone manufacturers will not be able to claim immunity if, in
ten years or so, it is determined that use of mobile phones cause
brain cancer or other illness. They are forewarned now, and simply
saying ''but we were in compliance with ICNIRP safety limits'' will not
be sufficient reason for ignoring the growing evidence.

Eileen O'Connor from the UK Radiation Research Trust presented a talk
on ''Why People Are Worried about EMF: A UK Perspective''. She drew
from personal experience and discussed the high public concern in the
UK about cell phone masts (towers).

The CHE-HEAL group was well-represented by Christian Farrar-Hockley -
on the significance of EMF among other health and environmental issues
that CHE-HEAL deals with in the EU countries.

Joachim Schuz and Mats-Olof Mattsson presented updated findings by the
Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks
(SCENIHR). Although somewhat more recognition was given to the
evidence linking EMF and Alzheimer's, and the lack of study on mobile
phone effects on children, this update was little changed from the
2006 SCENIHR opinion dismissing most risks. It was clear from the
presentation that SCENIHR uses a 'causal or conclusive' standard of
evidence requiring scientific certainty before determining that health
risks exist; it does not use a public health standard of evidence that
asks ''is it possible that health risks exist''.

The Mobile Manufacturers Forum (MMF - a lobby organization for
telecom) presented reasons why it believes its members are
sufficiently protected from criticism and potential litigation because
products (i.e. mobile phones) comply for the most part with ICNIRP
safety limits.

Dr. Andrzej Rys, MD and Director of Public Health for the European
Commission gave the final talk, and specifically asked the
BioInitiative to work with the EU on RF matters. He is a medical
doctor and public health expert who is well positioned and apparently
interested in furthering progress on new, biologically-based public
exposure standards and implementing precautionary strategies with
respect to wireless technologies.

Submitted by:

Cindy Sage
Co-Editor
BioInitiative Report



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