WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2982/97 by Patricia McKENNA to the Council. Secrecy and the EU's K4 committee on justice and home affairs
C 174/18 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 8. 6. 98 On the specific point of readmission, the Commission is aware of the problems created by third countries which refuse or delay the readmission of their citizens illegally present on the territory of the Member States. The Commission believes that these problems can be raised in the framework of bilateral relations between the Community and the third countries concerned. The Council can decide, case by case, that specific reference to the problems of readmission is to be included in the Community or mixed agreements with third countries. Therefore, on the basis of the mandate received by the Council, the Commission negotiates the insertion of these references in the agreements. (98/C 174/50) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2982/97 by Patricia McKenna (V) to the Council (30 September 1997) Subject: Secrecy and the EUís K4 committee on justice and home affairs The so-called K4 committee, which undertakes much of the preparatory work for EU initiatives on justice and home affairs, has come under some criticism for the secretive nature of the way it conducts its business. Civil liberties campaigners have argued that it is beyond democratic control and that it is difficult to ascertain what items it is discussing. In 1995 K4 drafted many of the guidelines to enable the EU to establish a telephone tapping system affecting citizens in all Member States. No details of the system were published in the EUís Official Journal until almost two years later Can the Council give details of any plans it may have to make K4ís work more transparent? Answer (26 February 1998) The K4 Committee is not a special type of Committee, it is a Council working party set up under Article K4 of the Treaty on European Union which conducts its proceedings in accordance with the Councilís Rules of Procedure. Thus any suggestions as to the secretive nature of the way it conducts its business or the fact that it is beyond democratic control are without foundation. The documents produced by the K4 Committee are subject to the same rules as other Council documents as regards their release to the public. Furthermore, the Ministers responsible for justice and home affairs increasingly make a point of informing the European Parliament about the proceedings of the various working parties operating in the justice and home affairs field, and this includes the K4 Committee. (98/C 174/51) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3031/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (1 October 1997) Subject: Living and working in the information society (Green Paper) With reference to the Green Paper Living and working in the information society: people firstí (COM(96) 0389 final), will the Commission conduct studies to determine the level of investment needed and assess the impact which the creation and operation of the information highways and new services will have on employment?