Resolution of the Assembly of the Republic no. 53/2002, of 3 of August

Published in the D.R. no. 178 (Series I - A), of 3 of August.

Code of Conduct and Good Practice for the installation of the equipment which generates electromagnetic fields

The Assembly of the Republic resolves, pursuant to article 166, paragraph 5 of the Constitution, to recommend to the Government:

1 - That in close collaboration with municipalities and at the latest within a period of one year, it issues a Code of Conduct and Good Practice (CCGP) defining the guiding principles for the installation and localization of the equipment which generates electromagnetic fields (EMF), namely radars, mobile phones and radio aerials and energy transformation, transmission and transport lines, in order to remove or decrease, as much as possible, the hazards of EMF on general public.

2 - That the rules to be defined in the CCGP:

a) Shall be binding on the different partners concerned, telecommunications operators, local and central public administration and private entities;

b) Shall aim for the safeguard of human health, namely of children, youths, workers and employees, according to exposure times to EMF effects, as to types of sources, effect production areas and activities developed by general public;

c) Shall constrain the installation of networks for high and medium-tension lines to be subject to a previous assessment process regarding its environmental impact;

d) Shall establish the safety minimum distances and prohibited areas, according to EMF generating sources, namely its characteristics, frequency, permanence and use, as well as to the produced effects and potential range;

e) Shall establish aerial sharing between the different operators;

f) Shall ensure that previous information is given to all interested citizens at the time of installation of aerials;

g) Shall determine the supervision and periodic assessment of installed networks and aerials and the frequent measurements of electromagnetic fields, as well as the public disclosure of attained results, priority being given to the ones installed in public buildings.

3 - That it gathers all information concerning not only the EMF generated on national territory and on each municipality, but also the resulting risks for the safety, health and well-being of the citizens, disclosing it to the Assembly of the Republic, the municipal executive powers and municipal assemblies.

4 - That it promotes epidemiological studies in articulation with European bodies and the WHO, in order to relate the diffusion of the equipments with certain recent pathologies.

5 - That it promotes, in close collaboration with central and local public administration as well as with other entities implied, the improvement of present situations involving clear risks for the health and well-being of citizens, specially safeguarding children, youths and people with pacemaker devices.

6 - That it ensures that, until the entry into force of the Code of Conduct and Good Practice, the granting of licenses for networks and radiocommunications stations and for other EMF generating equipment, pursuant to legislation in force, namely Decree-law n.º 151-A/2002 of 20 July and Decree-law n.º 555/99 of 16 December, as amended by Decree-law n.º 177/2001 of 4 June, shall comply with the guiding principles established in paragraph 2 of the present resolution.

Approved on 11 July 2002.

The President of the Assembly of the Republic, João Bosco Mota Amaral.