WRITTEN QUESTION E-3235/02 by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN), Cristiana Muscardini (UEN)and Franz Turchi (UEN) to the Commission. Etna.
Date: 2002-11-15
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, EU office or agency, Sicily, State aid, aid to disaster victims, economic consequence, environmental monitoring, indemnification, seismology, tourism, volcanic eruption

C 161 E/74

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

10.7.2003

and information security: proposal for a European policy approach’ (2), that went into greater detail
concerning network security threats and proposed preventative measures. On the one hand,
the
Commission has proposed a series of preventive measures, and on the other hand it has proposed an
initiative to give law enforcement the tools to bring the individuals that release viruses to justice.

Concerning preventive measures, the Commission has taken several
initiatives as part of its e-Europe
Action Plans and its IST Programme that stimulate the security of network infrastructures, facilitate the
availability of security technologies, promote awareness of security issues and ways to protect computers,
and support rapid responses to individual incidents (see http://europa.eu.int/information_society/eeurope/
index_en.htm for further information). Network and information security is again a priority area in the
Commission Work Programme for 2003. The Commission is currently examining how to improve the
security of information and communication networks as indicated in the above mentioned Commission
communication and the possibility to set up a network and information security entity as recalled in
Council (3) and Parliament (4) resolutions on network and information security.

the Commission proposed a Framework Decision on Attacks Against

In April 2002,
Information
Systems (5). This proposal addresses the most significant forms of criminal activity against information
systems, such as illegal access to information systems, spread of malicious code, and denial of service
attacks. The Framework Decision seeks to ensure that Europe’s law enforcement authorities can take action
against these new forms of crime. The Parliament has recently adopted a position on this proposal and it is
currently under discussion in the Council.

(1) COM(2000) 890 final.
(2) COM(2001) 298 final.
(3) Council resolution 28.01.2002, OJ C 43, 16.2.2002.
(4) A5-0311/2002 final, EP resolution 17.9.2002.
(5) OJ C 203 E, 27.8.2002.

(2003/C 161 E/079)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3235/02

by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN), Cristiana Muscardini (UEN)
and Franz Turchi (UEN) to the Commission

(15 November 2002)

Subject: Etna

The eruption of Mount Etna underlines how little we know about the links between seismic and volcanic
activity and is having serious repercussions for the economy of an area which depends heavily on
agriculture and tourism.

The closure of Catania airport has resulted in the collapse of the tourism sector, which has now seen 90 %
of bookings being cancelled.

The inhabitants of Santa Venerina and Giarre were direct victims of the earthquake there, and whole
swathes of economic operators have also been hit by serious economic crises. In view of this, will the
Commission put the disaster fund recently established in the EP budget to immediate use to help the
people of Santa Venerina, Giarre and the surrounding areas who have lost their homes?

Will it take steps to establish a European Authority that not only operates in response to events that are
out of the ordinary but also monitors volcanoes and seismic activity on a continuous basis.

Will the Commission endeavour to ensure that Sicily is not sidelined as a result of alarmist images of a
phenomenon that has been occurring regularly for over fifty thousand years, and which should be
managed as if it were an ordinary event?

10.7.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 161 E/75

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(28 January 2003)

The Commission expresses its sympathy with the inhabitants of Santa Venerina and Giarre and the
adjoining districts, severely affected by the recent eruption of Etna.

It is ready, for the purpose of helping these areas, to examine any request from the Italian authorities for
adjustment of the Operational Programme for Sicily Region. In the past it has responded favourably to
requests by regions struck by natural disaster for flexibility in Structural Fund use within the constraints of
the rules in force. Additional resources will also be available from the ‘performance reserve’. From 2004
this will be allocated to the programme provided that its mid-term evaluation is positive.

Sicily Region can also use measure 4.15 of action C of its 2000-2006 Structural Fund Objective 1
Operational Programme part-financed from the EAGGF Guidance Section. This measure allows for the
possibility following a natural disaster of assistance being granted both for non-farm infrastructure
investment needed for active protection of production and for investment for the recovery and re-
establishment of perennial cropping plants, animals, buildings and infrastructure, and machinery
and equipment. The public assistance available totals EUR 20 million,
the EAGGF contributing
EUR 10,4 million.

In addition the Italian authorities have recently sent the Commission an application, now being examined,
for mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund (1). If the application is considered to meet the
Regulation’s requirements the Commission will with all speed propose to the budgetary authority a
supplementary and amending budget for mobilising the aid amount deemed appropriate.

On State aid, Article 87(2)(b) of the EC Treaty allows aid to make good the damage caused by natural
disasters or exceptional occurrences. The Commission therefore approves aid of up to 100 % compensation
for damage caused by a natural disaster.

The Commission shares the Honourable Member’s view on the need for ongoing surveillance of Etna. The
Joint Research Centre can in fact offer scientific support
the
tropospheric aerosol and earth movements resulting from volcanic activity.
Its work, carried out in
collaboration with the Milan Polytechnic Institute, has a real contribution to make to establishment of a
continuous surveillance system run by the Italian authorities.

for surveillance action in two fields:

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund,

OJ L 311, 14.11.2002.

(2003/C 161 E/080)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3247/02

by Antonio Di Pietro (ELDR) to the Commission

(19 November 2002)

Subject: Aftermath of the earthquake in Molise

On 31 October 2002, the Molise region was struck by a violent earthquake measuring eight on the
Mercalli scale, which had its epicentre in the area north-east of Campobasso and was felt throughout the
region.

Twenty-nine people died as a result of the earthquake, and hundreds were injured. In many municipalities
there was also serious damage to homes, business premises and public facilities. In some municipalities
around 80 % of the built surface area was destroyed.