WRITTEN QUESTION E-1739/02 by Mario Borghezio (NI) to the Council. Violation of the right of journalists not to disclose their sources of information.
Date: 2002-06-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Italy, competence of the Member States, confidentiality, freedom of the press, professional ethics, protection of communications, public safety

12.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 309 E/157

As far as Ispra is concerned, it should be noted that most of the activities of this centre concern only the
treatment of nuclear waste and that its security measures have also been reinforced.

(2002/C 309 E/184)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1739/02

by Mario Borghezio (NI) to the Council

(19 June 2002)

Subject: Violation of the right of journalists not to disclose their sources of information

In Italy, where the number of telephone calls tapped by the judicial authorities has now reached Orwellian
proportions, there is a huge furore over the ‘eavesdropping’ on ‘Il Giornale’ journalist Marco Chiocci.

Mr Chiocci had in fact been the subject of a three-year campaign ordered by the Rome Public Prosecutors
Office during which all his private and professional calls were tapped.

Other, no less serious, cases have also been reported by representative bodies of the press and of the body
of journalists.

Does the Council consider that this widespread behaviour on the part of Italian magistrates constitutes
serious and repeated violation of the right of journalists not to disclose their sources of information, as
specifically provided for in Recommendation No R (2000) 7 of 8 March 2000 of the Council of Europe
Committee of Ministers to member states on the right of journalists not to disclose their sources of
information, and in particular Principle 6 thereof, which ‘aims at ensuring that a mere interception order,
surveillance order or search and seizure order does not circumvent the protection of journalists’ sources [of
information] or be applied in a way which lowers this protection’?

Reply

(8 October 2002)

Article 33 of the Treaty on European Union stipulates that the exercise of responsibilities with regard to
the maintenance of law and order and the safeguarding of internal security is a matter for the Member
States. It is not for the Council to take a position on the measures taken in that context by a Member State
in an individual case.

The recommendation mentioned by the Honourable Member has been adopted in the framework of the
Council of Europe. The Council of the European Union is not in a position to determine whether it has
been violated.

(2002/C 309 E/185)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1744/02

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(19 June 2002)

Subject: The intended full application of the FIFG in order to reduce substantially the European Union’s

fishing fleet

How does the Commission intend to solve the extremely serious legal and social problems caused by the
intended use of FIFG structural funding to cut part of the European fleet, as envisaged in the reform of the
common fisheries policy advocated by the Commission, when in actual fact, according to Agenda 2000, in
the period 2000-2006 these funds are earmarked for the modernisation of the fleet?