EUROPEAN COMMISSION
RADIATION PROTECTION NO 149
EU Scientific Seminar 2003
“Medical Overexposures”
Proceedings of a scientific seminar held in Luxembourg on
16 October 2003
Working Party on Research Implications on Health and Safety
Standards of the Article 31 Group of experts
Directorate-General for Energy and Transport
Directorate H — Nuclear Energy
Unit H.4 — Radiation Protection
2008
3
FOREWORD
Luxembourg, December 2008
Under the terms of the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, the
Community, amongst other things, establishes uniform safety standards to protect the health
of workers and of the general public against the dangers arising from ionizing radiation. The
standards are approved by the Council, on a proposal from the Commission, established
taking into account the opinion of the Group of Experts referred to in Article 31 of the Treaty.
The most recent version of such standards is contained in Council Directive 96/29/Euratom
of 13 May 1996 laying down basic safety standards for the protection of the health of workers
and the general public against the dangers arising from ionizing radiation.
The European Commission organises every year, in cooperation with the Group of Experts
referred to in Article 31 of the Euratom Treaty, a Scientific Seminar on emerging issues in
Radiation Protection – generally addressing new research findings with potential policy
and/or regulatory implications. Leading scientists are invited to present the status of scientific
knowledge in the selected topic. Based on the outcome of the Scientific Seminar, the Group
of Experts referred to in Article 31 of the Euratom Treaty may recommend research,
regulatory or legislative initiatives. The European Commission takes into account the
conclusions of the Experts when setting up its radiation protection programme. The Experts'
conclusions are valuable input to the process of reviewing and potentially revising European
radiation protectio