WRITTEN QUESTION E-0834/00 by Maria Berger (PSE) to the Council. Surveillance of international telecommunications.
C 26 E/118 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 26. 1. 2001 The drawing up of notices of competition is governed by Article 1 of Annex III Competitionsí to the Staff Regulations. Point 1 specifies that ánotices of competitions shall be drawn up by the Appointing Authority after consulting the Joint Committeeí and that the notice must specify the closing date for applications. (2001/C 26 E/146) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0834/00 by Maria Berger (PSE) to the Council (20 March 2000) Subject: Surveillance of international telecommunications At the hearing The European Union and Data Protectioní, held at the EP on 22-23 February 2000, STOA delegate Duncan Campbell reported on the current situation with regard to Echelon, the global intercep- tion system. It emerged that Echelon had intercepted economically significant data in Europe to the detriment of the European economy. Contrariwise John Mogg, Director-General of the Commission, and Commissioner Martin Bangemann said that Echelon was nothing more than ápress rumoursí. This was clearly rebutted in statements from senior officials such as Martin Brady, Director of the Australian Secret Service, Defence Signal Directorate. There are many indications that the Council and the Commission have been well aware of this interception system, but have taken no action and deliberately kept Parliament uninformed. All of this notwithstanding, the Council and the Commission have even amended the European legislation in a US-friendlyí sense by following the main thrust of an American law of 1994 (CALEA) and the Council took account of their wishes in its resolution of 17 January 1995 (1) on the lawful interception of telecommunications. 1. Which Council services at what time were aware of telecommunications interception in Europe and what action was taken against it? 2. What measures will the Council take in future to safeguard electronic communications in Europe against bugging operations and to guarantee the protection of personal and economic data? 3. Was the Council aware that Enfopol documents emanate from the International Law Enforcement Telecommunications Seminar) under US chairmanship and why was Enfopol 90 never discussed, but only dealt with through a written procedure? (1) OJ C 329, 4. 11. 1996, p. 1. Reply (8 June 2000) 1. The deliberations of the Council on the technical aspects of the lawful interception by the competent authorities of the Member States of telecommunications are prepared by the Police Cooperation Working Party. This was the case for the abovementioned Council Resolution of 17 January 1995 and for the Council conclusions of 28 May 1998 on encryption and law enforcement. As concerns Echelon, the Council has already given several replies to parliamentary questions (H-0330/97, P-0501/98, 0-0057/98, H-0546/98, H-0872/98, H-0889/98). 2. As concerns the protection of privacy in the telecommunications sector, the Council recalls the European Parliament and Council Directive of 15 December 1997 concerning the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the telecommunications sector (1). 26. 1. 2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 26 E/119 In the Council Enfopol documents are preparatory documents concerning police cooperation. 3. In 1999 the Council examined a draft for a Resolution on the lawful interception of telecommunications in relation to new technologies. This draft text was not adopted by the Council. (1) OJ L 24 of 30. 1. 1998, page 1. (2001/C 26 E/147) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0851/00 by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (21 March 2000) Subject: Outlying regions Pursuant to Article 299 of the EC Treaty the Commission undertook to submit, by the end of 1999, a draft regulation on the specific measures to be applied to the outlying regions. It is now the beginning of March 2000 and there is as yet no sign of that draft. 1. What are the reasons for the delay in adopting the draft regulation on the specific measures to be applied to outlying regions? On what date is the draft regulation due to be adopted and then submitted to the European 2. Parliament? Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission (28 April 2000) On 14 March 2000 the Commission adopted the report requested by the Cologne European Council on the measures to implement Article 299(2) of the Treaty ü the outermost regions of the European Union (1). It transmitted the report to Parliament on 15 March 2000. The Commission preferred to delay the adoption of this report, initially planned for December 1999, in order to make a more detailed study of the memoranda presented by the three Member States in question in November/December 1999, and the positions presented at the partnership meeting of 23 November 1999. (1) COM(2000) 147 final. (2001/C 26 E/148) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0853/00 by Maria Carrilho (PSE) to the Council (20 March 2000) Subject: Mozambique It is currently impossible to assess the scale of the disaster which has struck Mozambique, its land and its people, either at present ü a period during which survival is the absolute priority ü or in the medium term, a time of reconstruction in which restoring hope and providing resources will be essential if the people of Mozambique are to rediscover within themselves the enthusiastic commitment which had been contributing so much to the development of the country. How is the Council intending to ensure (as far as it can) that the transition from the current stage to the reconstruction stage proceeds smoothly? What material and organisational resources is the Council reconstruction stage, and over what timescale (if known)? intending to make available during the