WRITTEN QUESTION E-1061/02 by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Council. Interchange of Data between Administrations (I.D.A.).
Date: 2002-04-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Council of the European Union, Greece, Türkiye, administrative cooperation, common transport policy, disclosure of information, exchange of information, personal data

C 309 E/78

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

12.12.2002

In order to implement rural development, which constitutes the second pillar of the CAP, the Council
2.
has decided that, apart from the traditional agricultural market measures, the EAGGF Guarantee Section
should finance rural development programmes, four of which (early retirement, compensatory allowances,
afforestation and agri-environment) cover the entire Union. However, six other measures (investment in
agricultural holdings, young farmers,
forestry, processing and marketing, adaptation and
diversification of rural areas) which are also financed by the EAGGF Guarantee Section are, in the case of
the regions covered by Objective 1 (including Galicia), the responsibility of the EAGGF Guidance Section.
The other Structural Funds also contribute.

training,

Current regulations on rural development provide for the amalgamation of all measures in this area,
3.
with the Member State responsible for choosing to implement those which will be most effective for the
future development of rural areas.

The Council

4.
informs the Honourable Member that on 15 July 2002 it conducted a preliminary
debate on the mid-term review of the CAP following the Commission’s presentation of its communication.

(2002/C 309 E/089)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1060/02

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Council

Subject: Prevention of military operations against Iraq

(17 April 2002)

The reference by the President of the USA to the ‘axis of evil’ and the persistent talk of imminent military
operations against Iraq have alarmed public opinion in the Member States. Since any new war in Iraq will
also directly affect European interests in the region, what common position has the Council adopted in
response to this likely eventuality and what initiatives has it taken to avert further military operations
against Iraq?

Reply

(30 September 2002)

The Council remains convinced that any solution as regards Iraq must
involve the complete, and
unconditional implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions, in particular Resolutions 687, 1284
and 1382, and that Iraq must comply with its disarmament obligations. The Council is monitoring closely
the meetings with the UN Secretary-General and supports his efforts. In fact, the Iraqi Minister for Foreign
Affairs, Naji Sabri, has met the UN Secretary-General on two occasions, on 7 March and 1 and 2 May. The
UN Secretary-General felt, at the end of the last meeting, that rapid progress had been made, bearing in
mind in particular the fact that the Iraqi Minister had been accompanied by senior officials who were
disarmament experts and that genuine dialogue had taken place on the application of the Resolutions and
cooperation with UNMOVIC. The next meeting [is to be held in about one month, and the EU hopes that
it will yield positive, tangible results] (1).

(1) To be updated by corrigendum if this reply has not reached the European Parliament by the date in question.

(2002/C 309 E/090)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1061/02

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Council

(17 April 2002)

Subject: Interchange of Data between Administrations (I.D.A.)

The Council of Ministers of Transport and Communications of the European Union met on 25 March
2002 and adopted a decision on the ‘interchange of data between administrations’ (I.D.A.). The news
bulletin Euractiv reported on 26 March 2002 that this decision also involves the transfer of data between
Member States and non-Member States (web page www.euractiv.com).

12.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 309 E/79

Can the Council say what type of data will be exchanged between the administrations? Could such
interchange of data include details concerning the religious beliefs of Union or third country nationals?
Could such interchange of data take place between the national administrations of Member States and the
Turkish authorities, for example? Can the Council say what position the Greek delegation adopted during
the debate within the Council of Ministers on the subject of the interchange of data between the
administrations of the Member States and non-Member States?

Reply

(30 September 2002)

The general orientation agreed, whilst awaiting the opinion of the European Parliament, at the Transport/
from the Commission to
Telecommunications Council of 25/26 March 2002 concerned a proposal
introduce certain amendments to the existing Decisions Nos 1719/1999/EC and 1720/1999/EC which
establish the IDA II programme.

The Annex to the first of these two decisions contains a list of ‘projects of common interest’ to be
implemented under the programme. The Commission’s recent proposal and the Council’s general
orientation include only small changes to this list. The descriptions of these projects give a broad
indication of the type of data exchanged. It should be recalled that Article 7(c) of Decision 1720/1999/EC,
which the Commission does not propose to amend, includes provisions, inter alia, regarding personal data
protection and confidentiality in respect of such data.

Regarding the third countries to which the IDA programme may be opened, the Commission has
proposed to add Malta and Turkey to those mentioned in the existing decisions. The Council’s general
orientation supports this change.

(2002/C 309 E/091)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1065/02

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Council

(17 April 2002)

Subject: Retaliatory measures against the USA

Is the European Council convinced that, in the interest of improved security, it is necessary to include on
travel documents biometric data such as fingerprints, retinal patterns, etc?

If so, what steps are being taken to incorporate such data into EU passports?

If not, what retaliatory measures does it plan to take against the US authorities for their proposed
abandonment of the US visa waiver programme for countries whose passports do not meet the above
requirements, as it will prove to be a non-tariff barrier impeding free movement of EU citizens to the
United States when no similar restrictions will apply to the movement of US citizens into the EU?

Reply

(30 September 2002)

Efforts are being made by the Member States’ authorities responsible for combating document fraud
inter alia to improve travel documents in order to combat fraud based on resemblance and to facilitate
automatic controls at frontiers by adding biometric features to such documents.

The Council has not yet received any initiative from the Commission along the lines suggested by the
Honourable Member.