WRITTEN QUESTION E-2491/01 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Radiation emissions from mobile telephones.
Date: 2001-09-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European standard, mobile phone, non-ionising radiation, safety standard, scientific committee (EU)

16.5.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 115 E/99

(2002/C 115 E/103)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2489/01

by Gabriele Stauner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 September 2001)

Subject: Commission documents related to the security service affair

Article 197 of the EC Treaty constitutes the legal basis on which the European Parliament and its Members
exercise control over the Commission. This includes the provision where necessary of confidential
information by the Commission.

Will the Commission provide me with copies of the following documents:

1. The UCLAF report of 12 March 1998 for

the Commission on its
investigation into the IMS/Group 4 Securitas contract (including the annexes) and Mr Trojan’s reply
of 3 April 1998?

the Secretary-General of

2. The note from Mr Daniel van der Spree, Head of Division, of 23 April 1998 to the Financial
Controller at the Commission (‘the UCLAF/DGXX investigation into the guarding contract awarded to
IMS/Group 4 Securitas’) including all annexes, and Mrs Ventura’s reply?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(20 November 2001)

The documents requested relate to a case which is still under investigation by the Belgian legal authorities.
The Commission feels that it is important not to jeopardise investigations in progress and that no
in accordance with the provisions of
information concerning this case can be provided at this stage,
Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of
the Council of 25 May 1999
concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) (1), and with the rules on
transparency.

the European Parliament and of

(1) OJ L 136, 31.5.1999.

(2002/C 115 E/104)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2491/01

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Radiation emissions from mobile telephones

(13 September 2001)

Replying to my question No H-0012/2001 (1) concerning radiation emissions from mobile telephones, the
Commission stated among other things that in order to take account of all the latest scientific findings and
ensure that the Council’s recommendation is authoritative, the Scientific Coordinating Committee will
deliver an informed opinion in June 2001. Can the Commission say what the conclusions of that opinion
are? Has an initial European standard for safe exposure levels been established, as provided for, and what is
that standard?

(1) Written answer of 13.2.2001.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(29 October 2001)

The Commission can inform the Honourable Member that it is not possible at present to indicate the
conclusions of the Scientific Committee’s opinion as it is now expected to be adopted on 30 October 2001
and will be published on the Internet (http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sc/sct/outcome_en.html#opinions)
immediately thereafter.

C 115 E/100

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

16.5.2002

As regards the question on safety standards, attention is drawn to the fact that a number of standards have
to be developed, covering various classes of products. The standards for mobile phones are ready.
European Standard (EN) 50360:2001 contains the safety limits, whereas EN 50361:2001 contains
standardised testing methods. Other standards will be completed during the coming year and will cover
other types of radio devices, including the global system for mobile communications (GSM) base stations.

(2002/C 115 E/105)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2493/01

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission

(13 September 2001)

Subject: Corruption

Would the Commission outline what steps it has taken to implement the commitment made at the Africa-
Europe Cairo Summit, in April 2000, to ‘take necessary measures to combat corruption … and to ensure
that illegally acquired public moneys lodged in foreign bank accounts are investigated and returned to the
countries of origin’?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(15 November 2001)

In accordance with Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union and Recommendation No 7 of the
Millennium Strategy on the prevention and control of organised crime of 27 March 2000 (1),
the
Commission contributes to the Union’s objective to prevent and to combat corruption through closer
police, customs and judicial cooperation and the approximation of criminal law provisions of national
legislation and through the development of a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary and crosspillar Union
policy towards corruption taking into account work being carried out in other international governmental
and non-governmental organisations.

The Commission wishes to assure the Honourable Member of its commitment to use its influence at all
international fora where the Commission is represented to condemn, to combat and to prevent all forms
of corruption.

The promotion of good governance including the fight against corruption are explicitly mentioned as
decisive elements in strategies to reduce poverty in the framework of Community development activities as
commonly defined by the Council and the Commission.

The Cotonou Agreement signed with the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries contains a specific
procedure to deal with serious corruption cases. Good governance is a fundamental element of the
Agreement and serious cases of corruption as defined in article 97 constitute a violation of that element.
Such cases should give rise to consultations between the parties and may lead to the taking of appropriate
measures. The procedure described in Article 97 has been for the first time launched with Liberia in
September 2001 for alleged corruption, through notably import monopolies and licenses granted in the
forestry sector. The Liberian government has been invited for consultations.

As regards the question of illegally acquired public assets transferred abroad and the return to their
countries of origin, the Commission wishes to draw the Honourable Member’s attention to the fact that the
investigation of these cases is often subject of bilateral agreements between countries and that some
Member States might be reluctant to agree on union-wide harmonised procedures. Nevertheless, all
Member States are of course bound by the provisions of the money laundering Directive, Council Directive
91/308/EEC of 10 June 1991 on prevention of the use of the financial system for the purpose of money
laundering (2) and other standards set up by the Council of Europe and the Financial Action Task Force.
Furthermore, the extension of the money-laundering Directive as suggested in the Common Position (EC)
No 5/2001 (3) of
the Council would cover a much broader range of predicate offences including
‘corruption’.