WRITTEN QUESTION E-2078/02

by Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission

(12 July 2002)

Subject: Expenditure on medical checks for staff members exposed to radiation

The Commission sets aside approximately EUR 800 000 each year under budget item A-142 for medical checks for staff members who are exposed to radiation.

1. Are these staff members who work in the vicinity of a radiation source or staff members who are actively exposed to radiation?

2. How many staff members are involved? Can the Commission give a breakdown of the costs incurred under this budget item?

3. Does the Commission consider it acceptable that staff members should be exposed to radiation?

4. The amount budgeted for by the Commission remains at approximately the same level each year, with slight variations. Why does the Commission not take steps to limit the number of staff members who are exposed to radiation?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(24 September 2002)

1. Three Directorates General (DG) of the Commission employ staff who are, or can be, regularly exposed to radiation sources: DG Transport and Energy, DG Environment, and the Joint Research Centre (JRC). The Directorate for Nuclear Inspections of DG Transport and Energy carries out inspections in accordance with Chapter VII of the Euratom Treaty in all civil nuclear installations of the Community. Staff of the radiation protection unit of DG Environment has also a right of access to nuclear installations under Chapter III of the Euratom Treaty and carries out verifications under Article 35 of the EC Treaty. Because the current frequency of verification is very low, the small number of dedicated inspectors are included in the radiological protection arrangements of the Directorate of Nuclear Inspections. The JRC carries out nuclear activities in accordance with the research framework programmes of the European Atomic Energy Community. In all these cases, Commission staff may be exposed to radiation either by being present in areas where radiation sources exist or where they have to handle such sources themselves.

2. There are approximately 700 Commission staff involved (about 250 nuclear inspectors and about 450 JRC staff). The cost breakdown is as follows:

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3. The Commission has to fulfil the obligations of the Euratom Treaty, in particular Chapter VII and the Euratom Research and Technological Development (RTD) specific programmes (JRC). Under the provisions of Chapter VII, for example, the Commission services and in particular the Euratom Safeguards Office inspect civil nuclear installations in the Community. Moreover, within the Euratom research programme, research is carried out to improve nuclear safety and waste management and to develop new techniques and methods to control nuclear materials. This means that Commission staff may be exposed to ionising radiation. The Commission plays an active role in promoting harmonised rules and standards for the protection of the health of these workers (cf. Directive 96/29/ Euratom(1)). The Commission also pays careful attention to the application of these standards to its own staff and considers that its staff fully deserves the necessary protection and relevant expenditure.

4. The number of staff involved in nuclear safeguards inspections is based on the inspection requirements as laid down by the Commission in line with the provisions of Chapter VII of the Euratom Treaty. In this context, it should be noted that the radiation protection measures are a legal requirement for entering and working in the nuclear facilities inspected. The activities in this field of the Joint Research Centre concentrate on research for nuclear safeguards, nuclear safety and waste management with a slight reduction of staff. However, the decommissioning of nuclear facilities is requiring an increasing staff involvement. Therefore, the total number of JRC staff involved in both activities needs to remain constant for the time being.

(1) 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, OJ L 159, 29.6.1996.