WRITTEN QUESTION E-0521/01 by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Scandals in the former security service.
Date: 2001-02-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, administration of the Institutions, corruption, duties of civil servants, fraud against the EU, judicial inquiry, security services

C 235 E/220

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.8.2001

(2001/C 235 E/257)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0521/01

by Jonas Sj(cid:246)stedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(22 February 2001)

Subject: Scandals in the former security service

In the autumn of 1997, the then Commission President took action on the scandals which had come to
light in the Commission(cid:146)s security service. (cid:145)Group 4/Securitas(cid:146), which was responsible for the contract on
internal and external security at the Commission, had acted incorrectly on a large number of points.

The case was referred to the Belgian public prosecutor who, according to Swedish media reports, requested
in Autumn 1998 that the diplomatic immunity of eight officials be lifted.

Has the Commission followed the Belgian public prosecutor(cid:146)s investigation and have the officials whose
immunity was lifted received any sentence from the Belgian legal authorities?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(10 April 2001)

In 1998, the Commission transmitted UCLAF(cid:146)s investigative report to the Belgian authorities so that
further action could eventually be taken on the suspected irregularities in the (cid:145)Group 4/Securitas(cid:146) case.

In the course of the investigations carried out by the Belgian judicial authorities in this matter, and upon
their request, the Commission waived the immunity from legal proceedings of eight officials or (where that
was the action requested by the judicial authorites) authorised them to disclose relevant information in
reply to any questions put by those national authorities. The national authorities have also been granted
access to Commission buildings and documents.

At present, the judicial procedure is still at the investigation stage. According to Belgian penal procedural
law, the decision whether or not to prosecute the persons involved is taken only when the initial
investigative stage is finished. Such a decision would naturally be entirely at the discretion of the Belgian
authorities.

The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) is closely following the national proceedings in this case.

(2001/C 235 E/258)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0531/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(22 February 2001)

Subject: Plastic dermatology

The International Society of Plastic and Aesthetic Dermatology was set up recently in Italy to promote the
aims of plastic dermatology, a discipline which makes use of
(cid:145)non-invasive methods with a pure
dermatological and medical approach in order to improve the skin appearance and to preserve its health(cid:146).

1.
Is the Commission aware of this new discipline? If it is, can it say whether it exists in other EU
Member States? If it does not, would it not agree that provision should be made in the scientific research
programme for an assessment of such treatment, which, assuming it is effective, has the great advantage of
being non-invasive?

2. What action does it suggest be taken to publicise and promote this discipline in the other EU
Member States?

3. Would it not agree that university courses in this specialisation, involving treatment aimed at keeping
the skin healthy, removing blemishes and combating the effects of ageing, can help to make people
healthier and enhance their sense of physical well-being?