WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2982/97 by Patricia McKENNA to the Council. Secrecy and the EU's K4 committee on justice and home affairs
Date: 1997-09-30
Institutions: European Parliament, MCKENNA
Subjects: Council of the European Union, EU publication, cooperation in home affairs, dissemination of information, judicial cooperation in criminal matters in the EU, operation of the Institutions, parliamentary scrutiny

C 174/18

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

8. 6. 98

On the specific point of readmission, the Commission is aware of the problems created by third countries which
refuse  or  delay  the  readmission  of  their  citizens  illegally  present  on  the  territory  of  the  Member  States.  The
Commission  believes  that  these  problems  can  be  raised  in  the  framework  of  bilateral  relations  between  the
Community and the third countries concerned. The Council can decide, case by case, that specific reference to
the  problems  of  readmission  is  to  be  included  in  the  Community  or  mixed  agreements  with  third  countries.
Therefore, on the basis of the mandate received by the Council, the Commission negotiates the insertion of these
references in the agreements.

(98/C 174/50)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2982/97

by Patricia McKenna (V) to the Council

(30 September 1997)

Subject: Secrecy and the EU(cid:146)s K4 committee on justice and home affairs

The so-called K4 committee, which undertakes much of the preparatory work for EU initiatives on justice and
home affairs, has come under some criticism for the secretive nature of the way it conducts its business. Civil
liberties campaigners have argued that it is beyond democratic control and that it is difficult to ascertain what
items it is discussing.

In 1995 K4 drafted many of the guidelines to enable the EU to establish a telephone tapping system affecting
citizens in all Member States. No details of the system were published in the EU(cid:146)s Official Journal until almost
two years later

Can the Council give details of any plans it may have to make K4(cid:146)s work more transparent?

Answer

(26 February 1998)

The K4 Committee is not a special type of Committee, it is a Council working party set up under Article K4 of the
Treaty on European Union which conducts its proceedings in accordance with the Council(cid:146)s Rules of Procedure.

Thus any suggestions as to the secretive nature of the way it conducts its business or the fact that it is beyond
democratic control are without foundation.

The documents produced by the K4 Committee are subject to the same rules as other Council documents as
regards  their  release  to  the  public.  Furthermore,  the  Ministers  responsible  for  justice  and  home  affairs
increasingly make a point of informing the European Parliament about the proceedings of the various working
parties operating in the justice and home affairs field, and this includes the K4 Committee.

(98/C 174/51)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3031/97

by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission

(1 October 1997)

Subject: Living and working in the information society (Green Paper)

With reference to the Green Paper (cid:145)Living and working in the information society: people first(cid:146) (COM(96) 0389
final),

will the Commission conduct studies to determine the level of investment needed and assess the impact which
the creation and operation of the information highways and new services will have on employment?