WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2384/97 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Commission. Interception of data from the Commission's computer system
Date: 1997-07-10
Institutions: European Parliament, KAKLAMANIS
Subjects: United States, computer network, confidentiality, data protection, free-trade agreement, tariff negotiations

17. 3. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 82/67

Following  the  adoption  of  Commission  Regulation  (EC)  No  1107/96  of  12  June  1996  on  the  registration  of
geographical  indications  and  designations  of  origin  under  the  procedure  laid  down  in  Article  17  of  Council
Regulation  (EEC)  No  2081/92 (1),  the  use  of  the  name  (cid:145)Roncal’,  a  protected  designation  of  origin  within  the
Community, is reserved for producers established within a defined geographical area of the autonomous region
of Navarre who produce the cheese in question in accordance with binding specifications.

In accordance with the definition in Article 2(2)(a) of Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92, in the case of a protected
designation of origin (PDO) the raw material has in particular to come exclusively from the area defined by
producers in the above specifications. Using raw material produced outside the defined area would result in loss
of entitlement to the PDO.

European Farmers Coordination’s objections to a Navarre company’s use of ewe’s milk from Aveyron and the
Basque region of France in the production of (cid:145)Roncal’ cheese are too vague for the Commission to take any
action on the matter for the present. They have been asked to provide factual proof which would bear out the
Honourable Member’s allegations so the Commission can take up the matter with the Spanish authorities and
exchange opinions on this subject.

(1)  OJ L 148, 21.6.1996.

(98/C 82/115)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2384/97

by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission

(10 July 1997)

Subject: Interception of data from the Commission(cid:146)s computer system

According to reports in the Belgium press, no action has been taken following the allegation that data from the
Commission(cid:146)s computer system had been intercepted at the very time when negotiations were under way on the
signing of the GATT Agreement.

These data concerned official EU positions on a series of questions connected with GATT and seem somehow to
have fallen into the hands of the United States(cid:146) representatives at the negotiations.  Will the Commission say
whether  it  is  true  that  this  highly  critical  information  was  intercepted,  whether  those  responsible  have  been
identified, and what sanctions have been or will be imposed in respect of an action which seriously undermines
the Community(cid:146)s negotiating capacity?

Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission

(24 September 1997)

The  Commission  would  refer  the  Honourable  Member  to  its  answer  to  written  question  E-2471/96  by
Mrs Maij-Weggen (1), where it stated the Commission possesses no evidence, apart from press claims, on any of
these allegations.

(1)  OJ C 11, 13.1.1997.

(98/C 82/116)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2385/97

by Mar(cid:14)·a Estevan Bolea (PPE) to the Commission

(10 July 1997)

Subject: The Thermie programme

The Commission provided support › under the Thermie programme › for the first stage of the Colo·n-Solar
project in Huelva (Spain), which consists in the production of electricity using a combination of solar heat on a
large scale and gas, with the aid of new technologies.