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1 April 2009Re: ICEMS urges Members of the European Parliament to vote affirmatively onproposed resolutions that recommend specific remedial actions on health concernsassociated with exposure to electromagnetic fieldsTo: Hans-Gert PötteringPresident of the European ParliamentDear President Hans-Gert Pöttering
We anticipate with great interest the outcome of your consideration of resolutions pending before the European Parliament regarding health concerns associated with exposure toelectromagnetic fields. We support a recent change in the proposal made in the ReisResolution which was approved by the EP Committee on Environment, Public Health andFood Safety on February 23, 2009, to not ask SCENIHR to conduct a review of EMFresearch. Since ICEMS challenges the adequacy of the ICNIRP EMF exposure standards to protect heath and the environment and SCENIHR formally endorses the ICNIRP EMFstandards, ICEMS requests your support for that position .
Therefore, on behalf of the International Commission for Electromagnetic Safety(ICEMS), we urge you to cast an affirmative vote on April 2, 2009 to initiate action toprotect the health of not only the more than 500 million residents in the EuropeanUnion, but people worldwide.
Your vote would signify that you concur with the sense of urgency expressed in this resolution for the need to protect people and the naturalenvironment from potential harm due to electromagnetic field hazards.The International Commission for Electromagnetic Safety, founded in February, 2003, iscomposed of concerned international scientists who promote research to protect publichealth from electromagnetic fields and develop the scientific basis and strategies for assessment, prevention, management and communications of risk, based on the
 
 precautionary principle
.
The ICEMS scientists share a common understanding, based ontheir combined research experience in bioelectromagnetics, that biological effects canoccur from exposures to both extremely low frequency fields (ELF EMF) andradiofrequency radiation (RFR), and at low intensity exposure levels at every level of investigation from molecular to epidemiological. We agree that until biologicallycompatible standards are determined, precautionary measures are needed.We have stated our concerns in the Catania, Benevento and Venice Resolutions, issued in2002, 2006 and 2008 respectively, and elsewhere and these are attached at the end of thisletter. Over sixty (60) scientists and medical doctors who are knowledgeable in this fieldworldwide have signed these resolutions. We recognize many scientific studies, especiallyrecent epidemiological studies, suggesting that there are adverse health effects fromoccupational and public exposures to electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields, or EMF, at exposure conditions which are below the current exposure levels set by manynations. We are particularly concerned that:
 
The resources needed to conduct research or a comprehensive, independent andtransparent examination of the evidence are grossly inadequate despite theexplosive growth of technologies for wireless communications as well as the hugeongoing investment in power transmission
.
As those who are at the forefront of this research, we encourage an ethical approachin setting of exposure standards to protect the health of all, especially those who aremore vulnerable, e.g. pregnant women, newborns, children, the elderly, and thosewho become functionally impaired due to electro- hypersensitivity.We therefore, ask for your vote on a resolution that results in action to protect health andthe environment. We offer to collaborate with you and your representatives, to develop andfund a transparent, independent EMF research agenda; and, to develop policy solutions thatcontinue to encourage technological innovation while protecting human health and theenvironment from electromagnetic fields.If you have any questions or concerns please contact us through Elizabeth Kelley, ICEMSManaging Secretariat, atinfo@icems.eu.Kind regards,Livio GiulianiSpokesmanInternational Commission for Electromagnetic Safetywww.icems.eu
cc.
Members of the European Parliament2
 
ICEMSc/o Ente Zona Industriale di Porto MargheraVia delle Industrie, 19, VEGA1 – Palazzo Lybra30175 Venezia-Marghera, ITALIAICEMS Managing SecretariatU.S. Mail Drop: P.O. Box 85699, Tucson Arizona 85754, USA
 Attached below
:ICEMS Resolutions: Venice (2008) Benevento (2006) and Catania (2002),
 _______________________________________________ The Venice ResolutionInitiated by the International Commission forElectromagnetic Safety,June 6, 2008.
As stated in theBenevento Resolutionof September 2006, we remain concernedabout the effects of human exposure to electromagnetic fields on health. At theVenice Workshop, entitled, “Foundations of bioelectromagnetics: towards a newrationale for risk assessment and management,” we discussed electro-hypersensitivity, blood brain barrier changes, learning and behavioral effects,changes in anti-oxidant enzyme activities, DNA damage, biochemicalmechanisms of interaction, biological damage and, experimental approaches tovalidate these effects. As an outcome, we are compelled to confirm theexistence of non-thermal effects of electromagnetic fields on living matter,which seem to occur at every level of investigation from molecular toepidemiological.An urgent task before international researchers is to discover the detailedmechanisms of non-thermal interactions between electromagnetic fields andliving matter. A collateral consequence will be the design of new general publicand occupational protection standards. We, who are at the forefront of thisresearch, encourage an ethical approach in setting of exposure standards thatprotect the health of all, including those who are more vulnerable. We recognizethe need for research to reveal the critical exposure parameters of effect andrisk from exposure to electromagnetic fields. The non-ionizing radiation protection standards recommended by internationalstandards organizations, and supported by the World Health Organization, areinadequate. Existing guidelines are based on results from acute exposurestudies and only thermal effects are considered. A world wide application of thePrecautionary Principle is required. In addition, new standards should bedeveloped to take various physiological conditions into consideration, e.g.,pregnancy, newborns, children, and elderly people.We take exception to the claim of the wireless communication industry thatthere is no credible scientific evidence to conclude there a risk. Recentepidemiological evidence is stronger than before, which is a further reason to justify precautions be taken to lower exposure standards in accordance with thePrecautionary Principle.
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