**2.14 Report from the Belgian superior health council (2009)**

http://www.health.belgium.be/eportal/Aboutus/relatedinstitutions/SuperiorHealthCoun cil/index.htm?fodnlang=en

The Belgian Superior Health Council (SHC) was founded in 1849. It is the scientific advisory body of the Federal Public Service "Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment". In order to guarantee and enhance public health, the council draws up scientific advisory reports that aim at providing guidance to political decision-makers and health professionals. The working group on Non Ionizing radiation of the SHC already made several reports/advises on topics related to wireless communication devices.

This advisory report nr. 8519 on standards for mobile phone masts is one of these. It follows previous advises on this topic and was issued in response to a request from the Minister of Public Health to supply the necessary elements for answering a letter sent by the GSM Operators' Forum (GOF) concerning masts that emit radio waves. In this letter, the GOF claims that the proposed standard of 3 V/m (at 900 MHz) is too rigid.

The SHC stresses that it takes the view that, on account of the scientific uncertainties, the precautionary principle must be applied in this case in order to protect the population and therefore it maintained its proposal of 3V/m. The SHC recommends once again that there should be a policy that favours independent measurements and research (biological effects, epidemiological studies, etc.). This should be done with the assistance of an administration that is competent in this matter and has sufficient staff at its disposal. Advise nr. 8519 (and previous ones) were promulgated before election of the new working group members who do not all agree with the conclusions and advises of the former working group. A revision of the advise in the light of new developments may be envisaged.
