WRITTEN QUESTION E-0834/00 by Maria Berger (PSE) to the Council. Surveillance of international telecommunications.
Date: 2000-03-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU police cooperation, protection of communications

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 (cid:145)Competitions(cid:146) to the Staff
Regulations. Point 1 specifies that (cid:145)notices of competitions shall be drawn up by the Appointing Authority
after consulting the Joint Committee(cid:146) 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 (cid:145)The European Union and Data Protection(cid:146), 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 (cid:145)press rumours(cid:146). 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 (cid:145)US-friendly(cid:146) 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

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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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 (cid:129) 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 (cid:129) a period during which survival is the absolute priority (cid:129) 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