The Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the EnvironmentSubject : presentation advisory report GSM base stationsYour reference : DGM/SVS/99207094Our reference : -2625/EvR/RA/673-CEnclosure(s) : 1Date : June 29, 2000Dear Sir,In the past year and a half the use of mobile telephones has increased very rapidly andis still on the rise. As a result of this an increasing number of people is being exposedto the electromagnetic fields used for the data transfer between mobile telephones andbase stations. This raises the question whether such exposure may result in negativehealth consequences. In September 1999 you and your colleague of Health, Welfareand Sport, also on behalf of the State Secretary of Transport, Public Works and WaterManagement, requested the Health Council to advise on this matter. A further officialelaboration of this request indicated that in the short term especially advice was neededon GSM base stations, on behalf of the National Antennapolicy that is beingformulated.On 9 March 2000 I have established the Electromagnetic Fields Committee thatwill report on the scientific developments with respect to exposure to such fields on aregular basis, initially for a period of four years. The first assignment of this committeewas to formulate an advisory report on GSM base stations. Having consulted theStanding Committee on Radiation Hygiene I herewith present you with this report.The committee will now proceed to prepare a more general report on mobiletelephony, in which also exposure to mobile telephones will be extensively dealth with.The committee will also anticipate in this report on new developments, such as the‘third generation’ of mobile telephony, UMTS.Yours sincerely,(signed)Dr JA Knottnerus
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