EU Statement – United Nations General Assembly: Effects of Atomic Radiation

24.10.2019
New York

24 October 2019, New York – European Union Statement by Mr. Guillaume Dabouis, First Counsellor, Head of Political Section, Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, at the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly Fourth Committee Agenda item 48: Effects of atomic radiation

Mr. Chairman,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries Turkey, Montenegro*, Serbia* and Albania*, the country of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, and Georgia, align themselves with this statement.

The EU and its Member States wish to express their satisfaction with the outcome of the 66th Session of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation held in Vienna from 10 to 14 June 2019.

The work and assessments undertaken by the Scientific Committee in assessing the effects of radiation on human health and the environment are important. They continue to play an important role in improving international scientific understanding of levels of exposure to ionizing radiation and its health and environmental effects.

On the basis of its scientific authority, the Committee is essential in supplying the international community with high quality information within various areas connected to the sources, exposures and effects of ionizing radiation. We note that the committee recognized the need to perform quantitative risk evaluations of health effects in specific exposure situations with low-to-moderate doses for cancer and in situations with higher doses for circulatory diseases, taking into account various sources of uncertainty of risk estimation.

We welcome the Committee’s approbation for publication of the scientific annexes on the evaluation of selected health effects and inference of risk due to radiation exposure and on lung cancer from exposure to radon.

We note the Committee’s recognition of the well-advanced status of the draft report on mechanisms of radiation actions and biological reactions relevant for the inference of cancer risk after low-dose exposure. We are looking forwards to future developments in view of its approval at the Committee’s sixty-seventh session.

We welcome the Committee’s recognition of the importance of completing the analysis of the data on medical exposure to ionizing radiation and on occupational exposure in order to have the relevant technical documents submitted for approval at its sixty-seventh session.

We note the Committee’s plan to discuss at its sixty-seventh session on epidemiological studies of radiation and cancer and on second primary cancer after radiotherapy.

We welcome the Committee’s decision to commence its evaluation of public exposure to ionizing radiation and to produce an update of the UNSCEAR 2013 report on levels and effects of radiation exposure due to the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station.

 Mr. Chairman,

The work of the Scientific Committee is in line with the EU own priorities reflected in the strategic agenda of its research community in radiation protection. We are convinced that results of EU research in this field will further contribute to the work and assessments undertaken by the Scientific Committee.

The European Union is looking forwards to the completion of the Scientific Committee’s ongoing projects and to further updates in its future plans.

I thank you Mr. Chairman.


* The Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.