WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2970/98 by Cristiana MUSCARDINI to the Commission. Infringement of the Directive on the award of public service contracts
21. 5. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 142/63 (1999/C 142/077) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2966/98 by Esko Seppänen (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (8 October 1998) Subject: Electronic eavesdropping According to the French magazine Marianne, the French secret service carries out electronic eavesdrop- ping in America and Europe. The magazine reports that the Germans buy these services from the French. Is the Commission aware of such activity, which is reminiscent of the Echelon system operated by the US NSA and used by GCHQ in England and is likely to constitute a violation of laws on individual liberty? What will the Commission do to safeguard citizens’ rights? Will the Commission soon reply to the priority question which I tabled several months ago (time limit for reply: 1 month) concerning the Echelon system? Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (12 November 1998) The Honourable Member is referred to the Commission’s answer to his written question P-1894/98, (1) which was given on 29 September 1998. (1) See page (à compléter svp). (1999/C 142/078) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2970/98 by Cristiana Muscardini (NI) to the Commission (8 October 1998) Subject: Infringement of the Directive on the award of public service contracts With reference to my earlier question E-4217/97 (1), the Commission’s reply of 16 February 1998 and DG XV’s note No 4833, addressed to the leaders of the minority parties on Mantua town council, which announces the Commission’s intention to take no further action on their complaint in view of the information supplied by the Italian Government, could the Commission state whether: 1. 2. 3. it is aware of the successive petitions lodged by the leader of the opposition on the town council with a view to precipitating further inquiries? on the basis of the facts alleged in those successive statements, it agrees that the information provided by the Government is incomplete and inaccurate? it agrees that it would be reprehensible to condone a substantive infringement of Directive 92/50 (2), which might set a regrettable precedent as regards the need for strict compliance with the rules governing the award of public service contracts? (1) OJ C 354, 19. 11. 1998, p. 2. (2) OJ L 209, 24. 7. 1992, p. 1. Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (4 December 1998) 1. The Commission has examined the letter it received from the opposition councillors on Mantua town council in response to the communication announcing its intention to take no further action on this affair. After studying the above-mentioned letter in detail, the Commission did not feel that it contained any 2. convincing new information which might cast doubt on the statements made by the Italian authorities