WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1429/98 by Daniela RASCHHOFER to the Commission. Intercepting data on the Internet
22. 2. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 50/35 The hydrogeological study was asked for by the Commission when it took its decision to finance the Evinos project (No 3438/3 of December 1993). That study was carried out by an independent consultancy, and following its approval by the Ministries for the Environment and Public Works, it was sent to the Commission in October 1996. (1999/C 50/050) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1420/98 by JosØ Barros Moura (PSE) to the Commission (11 May 1998) Subject: Guide to Community funding › 1997 Can the Commission provide an explanation and plausible justification for the fact that this useful guide does not contain a single line on human rights and, in particular, on the European Initiative for Democracy and the Protection of Human Rights, or even a reference to some other publication, even though the entire fourth section is devoted to the topic Europe and the world? Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (22 June 1998) The Commission welcomes the interest shown by the Honourable Member in its Guide to Community funding. The Guide explains how to gain access to Community funding under various policies. Human rights are not covered under a specific chapter, as is the case with a number of other policies, but they are mentioned in all contexts where they are relevant (e. g. pp. 148, 149, 153, 168 and 169). The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that they should be highlighted in the next update. The Commission would nevertheless inform the Honourable Member that its Collected texts and commentary on Community resources to finance action by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and government organisa- tions and/or decentralised agencies of civil society working in the field of development cooperation and humanitarian aid, contains a specific section dealing with the possibility of granting Community resources for the protection of human rights and democracy. (1999/C 50/051) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1429/98 by Daniela Raschhofer (NI) to the Commission (11 May 1998) Subject: Intercepting data on the Internet As reported by the European Parliamentís Committee on Civil Liberties and Internal Affairs, the American intelligence service in Europe routinely intercepts e-mails, telephone calls and faxes. According to the committeeís report, the illicitly obtained information is transmitted by satellite to Fort Meade in Maryland (the headquarters of the intelligence service). According to a report by the German television company ARD, the European Unionís telecommunications networks are also tapped constantly by the United States intelligence service (NSA). Is the Commission aware that the NSA has hacked into the EU data network and in this way come into 1. possession of confidential information relating to the GATT negotiations? 2. If so, what technical precautions and steps have been taken to block access to confidential information? Does the Commission know what other classes of information or data networks the US secret service has 3. accessed? Does the Commission know whether the European Parliament is directly or indirectly affected by these 4. activities by the US secret service?