WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1501/98 by Daniel VARELA SUANZES- CARPEGNA to the Commission. The information society and social and economic cohesion
C 13/38 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 18. 1. 1999 (1999/C 13/053) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1501/98 by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE) to the Commission Subject: The information society and social and economic cohesion (13 May 1998) In her appearance before Parliamentís Committee on Regional Policy on 23 January 1997 in connection with the presentation of the Commission Communication on cohesion and the information society (COM(97) 7 final of 22 January 1997), Mrs Mathies, Commissioner, mentioned that budget resources under Article 6 of the ESF had been made available to a certain number of regions with a view to the drawing up of a strategy and an action programme for transition to the information society. Could the Commission provide information regarding all the projects relating to the information society which have so far been co-financed by the Commission under Article 6 of the ESF and also those which will be co- financed between now and the end of the current planning period, specifying the regions concerned, the total cost of implementation and the extent of Community co-financing? Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (19 June 1998) At the present time, Article 6 of the European social fund (ESF) Regulation (1) supports pilot projects in the field of the information society through the regional information society initiative (RISI). Under this scheme ESF finances a total of ten projects. Eight projects are supported in the field of RISI 1 (regional strategy and action plans). The areas concerned are Bremen-Germany, Attika-Greece, Midi-PyrØnØes-France, South West Region- Ireland, North Karelia-Finland, Murcia-Spain, Blekinge-Sweden, Wales-United Kingdom. Each project receives a total of up to 250 000 ECU co-financing at a rate of 50 % for producing a strategy and action plan on the information society. Two projects are supported in the field of RISI 2 (regional information society applications). These are multi regional projects which aim to carry out feasibility studies before testing practical applications in the regions concerned. The two projects are in the domain of cross-border telework (Telecentres) and libraries as information and training centres (ISTAR). The former is receiving co-financing of 2,4 MECU at a rate of 50 %, and the latter is supported at the same rate to a total of 1,1 MECU. (1) OJ L 193, 31. 7. 1993. (1999/C 13/054) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1510/98 by Carlos Robles Piquer (PPE) to the Commission (13 May 1998) Subject: Common defence against átechnological sabotageí It is clear that, these days, both public and private information systems are highly vulnerable since they are closely dependent on technology. This dependence means that security networks, financial institutions and even centres of power are extremely vulnerable to attacks on their computer systems. Consideration must be given to the risks currently posed by átechnological sabotageí and the implications which such activities could have, particularly in the finance, energy and communication sectors. In view of the interdependence which living in a Community involves and in view of the attacks which could be carried out by means of the átechnological sabotageí described above, does the Commission not consider that it should propose a Community typology of technological contraventions so as to enable all the Member States to defend themselves jointly against this new type of illegal activity?