Following the European Parliament's vote on new rules on radioactive contamination of foodstuffs, GUE/NGL MEP Marisa Matias welcomed the vote in favour of a changed legal base to ensure Parliament is a co-legislator on the proposal but said the problem of maximum contamination levels lingers.

"When we speak of radioactive contamination of food or soil, we are talking about a public health problem" she said, explaining that the original rules were introduced after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

"The impacts are felt in terms of health, particularly through the increased risk of cancer, so we need a legal base to place public health at the heart of the matter and ensure democracy and transparency. Today's vote sends a strong message that this issue cannot be effectively dealt with under a Euratom legal base."

"However, maximum permitted levels of radioactive contamination are set far too high and would leave the European public, especially the most disadvantaged and vulnerable, exposed to unacceptably high doses of radioactive contamination. While there are positive aspects to this legislative revision, it ultimately falls short."

GUE/NGL PRESS CONTACTS:
David Lundy + 32 485 50 58 12
Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20
Gianfranco Battistini + 32 475 64 66 28
Inga Keilmann (DE) +32 493 60 10 23
www.guengl.eu
European United Left/Nordic Green Left
European Parliamentary Group