To all EFRS member organisations and expert radiographers

The EFRS is a member of the "Alliance for MRI" which has been very active in the revision process of Directive 2004/40/EC  on electromagnetic fields.

Today we received the positive infomation underneath from the Alliance of MRI secretariat:

European Commission adopts proposal to revise EU Physical Agents Directive (2204/40/EC) on Electromagnetic Fields (EMF)

Alliance for MRI welcomes exemption for MRI from binding exposure limits

Dear Members of the Alliance for MRI,

We are delighted to inform you that the European Commission has adopted a proposal for revising Directive 2004/40/EC on electromagnetic fields (EMF) and introduced an exemption for MRI from the binding exposure limits proposed in the new directive.

The European Commission has endorsed the position of the Alliance for MRI and has sought to ensure that the future of clinical and research use of MRI is not curtailed so that patients across Europe can benefit from this technology.

EC Press Release

MRI has an excellent safety record as the safety of MRI is established through an international safety standard (IEC/EN 60601-2-33), which ensures that there are no negative effects on workers from electromagnetic fields. The safety standard will be supported by guidelines to ensure that worker safety can be adapted in line with technological developments.

Next steps
The Commission’s proposal will now be scrutinized by the European Parliament and the Council (under the ordinary legislative procedure). If there is agreement on the text, the revised proposal could be adopted swiftly into EU law - however there is a risk that other lobbies will be engaged in seeking to change the text to exclude other industrial workers which could slow down this process.
The Alliance for MRI will be working with its members in Brussels and in member states in order to ensure that parliamentarians and governments understand how vital it is that this proposal is adopted as swiftly as  possible.
Please do inform your colleagues and member organisations about the campaign and we welcome your support in ensuring a successful result!

Alliance for MRI Campaign 2011

• European Parliament: Meetings will be arranged with members of the European Parliament over the next six months. We very much hope you will join us in bringing this issue to the attention of leading MEPs.
• 4th Alliance for MRI members’ event 2011 – Save the date! The 4th Annual Meeting of the Alliance for MRI will be held on 8th November (tbc) in the European Parliament and will be hosted by Elisabeth Morin MEP.  We very much hope you will join us on this occasion. More information will follow shortly.
• European Council: Discussions will be lead by the Presidency and we will be looking for support from key decision makers in Poland who will be holding the Presidency from July- December.
• Alliance for MRI Petition – http://petition.myesr.org/ Please make sure you have signed the petition and ask your members to sign as well
• www.alliance-for-mri.org

Toolkits outlining the use of MRI, position papers and background documents on MRI have been developed and are available on the Alliance for MRI website.

We will also provide regular updates so that you are informed on developments and the positions which are being taken by the various stakeholders.

The Alliance for MRI Secretariat is always available for support and to answer your questions and suggestions.

Thank you for your ongoing support!

With best regards,
Alliance for MRI Secretariat
www.alliance-for-mri.org