WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1639/98 by Cristiana MUSCARDINI to the Commission. Discussion groups on particular topics on the Internet
Date: 1998-05-29
Institutions: European Parliament, MUSCARDINI
Subjects: Italy, communications policy, emigration, equal treatment, exchange of information, freedom of expression, fundamental rights, information network, transmission network

C 386/152

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

11.12.98

(98/C 386/207)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1639/98

by Cristiana Muscardini (NI) to the Commission

(29 May 1998)

Subject: Discussion groups on particular topics on the Internet

Discussion groups on the Internet are made up of individuals who decide to discuss a particular subject and ask
other Internet users to take part by registering their names and their voting, as required by a group of legal persons
acting at present as a governing authority composed of the Centro Ricerche della Telecom, (Telecommunications
Research Centre), CSELT, the University of Pisa(cid:146)s Electronic Centre, SERRA, and the Consorzio Interuniversi-
tario Lombardo per l(cid:146)Elaborazione Automatica, CILEA (Lombardy Interuniversity Consortium for Automatic
Data Processing)..

This authority, which is recognized in practice but not by any legislation, does not however seem to be very
objective.

A group of Italian citizens active in the emigration field, the CTIM, decided to start a discussion on the topic of
Italian emigration world-wide and made a formal request in this connection to the GCN group, which acts as the
authority.

They were then asked to confirm that they had 75 requests from users showing that they would take part in the
discussion forum. The CTIM was able to produce 127 requests but was refused authorization on the grounds of
irregularities in the procedures could not be proved and were never specified.

Will the Commission:

1. Take action with regard to the formation of discussion groups on particular topics by adopting a directive

providing for the setting-up of an official authority?

2.

Intercede with the GCN, which is organizing the Internet discussion groups in Italian in a strange manner?

3. Adopt a directive which, by defining the authority, will provide legal certainty and certainty as to the basic

provisions?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(29 June 1998)

The Commission takes the view that it has no jurisdiction in this matter.

(98/C 386/208)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1641/98

by Riccardo Nencini (PSE) to the Commission

(18 May 1998)

Subject: Environmental impact

The contract between the Italian State Monopoly Company (AMS) and the Solvay company governing
exploitation of the rock-salt deposits in Volterra (Pisa) is damaging the environment. The substratum (halite
and clay lentils) is being emptied out, causing the strata above to collapse. Enormous quantities of water are being
taken from the river Cecina, and for three or four months every year a stretch of river about 4 km long therefore
dries up, leading to all the related consequences. Effluent is dumped at sea.

In addition, it has been established that groundwater levels have fallen and the groundwater itself is contaminated
by sodium chloride, adversely affecting farming.