WRITTEN QUESTION P-0665/00 by Roberto Bigliardo (TDI) to the Commission. Echelon telecommunications monitoring system. Involvement of the United Kingdom.
C 374 E/128 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 28. 12. 2000 (2000/C 374 E/151) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0661/00 by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission Subject: Galicia and the Transeuropean Rail Networks (9 March 2000) The President of Galicia, Mr Manuel Fraga, along with the President of Castille and Leon, Mr Lucas, has announced in the Galician press that he intends to hold talks with the Commission to secure pesetas 600 000 million (EUR 3 610 million) worth of the Cohesion Fund monies earmarked for Spain, for the purpose of incorporating Galicia, via Castille and Leon, into the transeuropean high speed rail network. Since Mrs Loyola de Palacio, the transport Commissioner, has repeatedly said that the decision on the high speed links for the period 2000-2006 under the Cohesion Fund would be taken by the Spanish Government, with which President Fraga should have considerable direct influence, particularly as regards preventing Galicia from being disciminated against in the full scale Europe-wide modernisation of the railways, will the Commission please tell me the purpose of its possibly being approached by Mr Fraga in this way? Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission (3 April 2000) The Commission is not in a position to comment on the meaning of or intention behind the statements of presidents of the Autonomous Communities. The Commissioner responsible for transport was referring to one of the criteria which projects must meet to receive part-funding from the Cohesion Fund under Article 10(5) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1164/ 94 (1) instituting the Cohesion Fund. This lays down that the priority assigned by a Member State to a given project is one of the qualitative criteria which must be contained in any project proposal put to the Commission. In the case of transport projects, and more particularly those relating to the development of trans-European transport networks, the central government authorities are responsible for setting these national priorities. (1) OJ L 130, 25. 5. 1994. (2000/C 374 E/152) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0665/00 by Roberto Bigliardo (TDI) to the Commission (29 February 2000) Subject: Echeloní telecommunications monitoring system. Involvement of the United Kingdom Is the Commission aware of the revelations which have appeared in a number of newspapers and which featured in a news bulletin broadcast on 21 February 2000 by the international French-language television channel TV5 concerning the Campbell report, according to which the United Kingdom is involved in a telecommunications monitoring system known as Echeloní which is run by the USA and whose coverage extends to include Europe? Under the terms of a secret agreement concluded in 1948 with the USA, the United Kingdom provides facilities for the equipment needed for this gigantic áearí, which is capable of intercepting any kind of communication. The Campbell report maintains that the USA has used the system not only for military purposes but also in order to benefit US industries and companies at the expense of European ones. Is the Commission aware of these revelations? 28. 12. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 374 E/129 Does the Commission not consider that the United Kingdom has broken the solidarity pact which binds all the EU Member States? Does the Commission not think that, in such circumstances, it should suggest to the Council of Ministers that the latter impose exemplary sanctions on the United Kingdom for infringement of the Amsterdam Treaty? Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission (18 April 2000) The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its statement on Echelon at Parliamentís March III part session (1). (1) Debates of the European Parliament (March 2000). (2000/C 374 E/153) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0668/00 by Isidoro SÆnchez García (ELDR) to the Commission (29 February 2000) Subject: Legislation to implement Article 299(2) in the framework of the common agricultural policy With reference to the undertaking given by the Commission to include in its work programme for 2000 measures to accord special status to the outermost regions, what measures will the Commission adopt in the framework of the common agricultural policy to introduce legislation to implement Article 299(2) of the Treaty on European Union? Given answer by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (22 March 2000) On 23 November 1999, on the initiative of the President of the Commission, a partnership meeting was held bringing together Members of the European Parliament and representatives of the seven regions and three Member States concerned to discuss implementation of the new Article 299(2) (formerly Article 227) of the EC Treaty. In the light of this meeting and the memoranda presented by the regions and Member States, the Commission is now preparing the report called for by the European Council of Cologne. In the spirit of Article 299(2), the Commission intends to continue its policy of taking account of the specific characteristics and constraints of the outermost regions, particularly as regards farming. Thus, as indicated in its work programme for 2000, once it has adopted its report the Commission will submit a draft to Parliament and the Council of any amendments of the Council Regulations on the agricultural sections of the POSEI programmes which might prove necessary. (2000/C 374 E/154) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0671/00 by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE), Stefano Zappalà (PPE-DE), Giorgio Lisi (PPE-DE), Francesco Fiori (PPE-DE), Raffaele Fitto (PPE-DE), Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE), Raffaele Lombardo (PPE-DE) and Francesco Musotto (PPE-DE) to the Commission (9 March 2000) Subject: Violation of EU legislation on the cloning of human beings What action does the Commission intend to take following the decision made by the European Patent Office in Munich to approve the grant of a patent for embryo duplication