Brussels, 30/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - The patients' groups, doctors and 26 MEPs in the Alliance for MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) recently issued a press release welcoming the postponement until 2012 of application of the new EU Physical Agents Directive 2004/40/EC (the directive on electromagnetic fields). The Alliance for MRI point out that if implemented, the directive would make it possible to continue using MRI as from January 2008 onwards and this would have a serous negative impact on patients.
As reported in EUROPE 9532, the European Commission suggested on Friday 26 October that the deadline for introducing new legislation on workers' exposure to electromagnetic fields should be delayed for four years until 30 April 2012. The delay is to allow time for the legislation to be substantially amended to make use of more up-to-date scientific data. While awaiting its adoption under the codecision procedure by the European Parliament and Council, Commissioner Vladimir Spidla has written to EU member states to ask them to delay transposition of the current version of the directive. (O.J.)