Brussels, 06/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - It is high time to convince the European Commission of the need for a directive informing consumers of the dangers linked to the use of mobile phones, said MEPs Michèle Rivasi (Greens/EFA, France) and Frédérique Ries (ALDE, Belgium) after a press conference at the European Parliament in Brussels, on 5 December. The MEPs had invited Innocente Marcolini to speak on the subject. Marcolini, a business executive, has a brain tumour due, he says, to the intensive use of the mobile phone. The Italian court of cassation has recognised the validity of his claim. Rivasi said (our translation throughout): “Mr Marcolini could have avoided his illness if he had been better warned of the dangers (…). We now know that there is a high risk of tumour of the cranial nerves for intensive mobile phone users”. She added: “It is no longer the precautionary principle that should be applied, but the preventive principle”. Ries took up saying: “Legislation is urgently needed. (…) That is why I am calling on the Commission to (…) propose a European directive without more ado. A sizeable health disaster awaits us several years down the road if we do nothing”. (IL/transl.jl)