Health and safety in the nuclear age

In their Communication to the Council on the development of Community measures for the application of Chapter III of the Euratom Treaty - Health and safety (COM(86) 434 final) the Commission of the European Communities announced their intention to initiate a 'Standing Conference on Health and Safety in the Nuclear Age' in order to contribute to an increase of information on nuclear activities. Following this proposition, the Commission (Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Education, Health and Safety Directorate) organized the first meeting of this Standing Conference in Luxembourg on 5, 6 and 7 October 1987 with the theme 'Information for the public and the media on health protection and safety with regard to nuclear activities'. About 120 participants representing scientific experts, the media, the bodies concerned with environmental or consumer protection, the social partners and interested national and international organizations, took part in this conference. It was the first time at European Community level that a meeting allowed an exchange of positions on the health problems related to ionizing radiation by all the parties interested in this subject. The Commission was asked to pursue this dialogue in order to improve the perception of citizens of the Community of the potential risks and the methods of protection brought into force in the nuclear field