WRITTEN QUESTION E-3664/02 by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission. Webjacking used by the Chinese authorities to block unwelcome sites.
Date: 2002-12-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: China, Internet site, access to information, freedom of expression, information policy, the EU's international role

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beliefs, sex, disability, age and sexual orientation (one (1) implementing the principle of equal treatment
between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin in employment, education, social protection, social
advantages and access to goods and services which is due to be transposed into national legislation by July
2003 and a second (2) promoting equal treatment in employment which should come into force in
December 2003). Some projects supported by the accompanying Action Programme specifically concern
migrants.

Within the areas to which the URBAN Community Initiative programmes apply, it is open to programme
authorities to promote the social and economic inclusion of immigrants and refugees where this is
considered a priority, provided that this is compatible with the text of the programmes and the associated
programme complements, and that it contributes to the sustainable economic and social regeneration of
the areas concerned. The Commission’s Guidelines for the implementation of the URBAN II Community
Initiative made it clear that one of the priorities for the URBAN II programmes might be ‘the development
of an anti-exclusion and anti-discrimination strategy through actions furthering equal opportunities and
targeting notably groups such as women, immigrants and refugees’. The initial assessment of the URBAN
Community Initiative, as detailed in the Communication of 14 June 2002 from the Commission to the
Council,
the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of
the Regions (3), explained that ethnic minorities, immigrants and refugees accounted for nearly 14 % of
four times the figure for the Union as a whole. The
the population of
Communication also indicated that social inclusion accounted for 21 % of planned spending in the URBAN
II programmes.

the URBAN areas, about

the Parliament,

(1) Council Directive 2000/43/EC of 29 June 2000, OJ L 180, 19.7.2000.
(2) Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000, OJ L 303, 2.12.2000.
(3) COM(2002) 308 final.

(2003/C 268 E/046)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3664/02

by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission

(18 December 2002)

Subject: Webjacking used by the Chinese authorities to block unwelcome sites

According to reports from Dynamic Internet Technology Inc (DIT) (cid:1) the technological partner of Voice of
America, Radio Free Asia and Epoch Times (cid:1) a few months ago the authorities in the People’s Republic of
China adopted a new strategy for blocking sites of which they do not approve. The technical name for the
method used is ‘webjacking’, in which an Internet address is hijacked so as to divert the user to another
site. This is done at Chinese ISP (Internet Service Provider) level by tampering with the domain name
system (DNS), the Internet registry which converts each address (which is unique throughout the world)
from an alphanumeric to a numeric format (for example, the address www.bbc.co.uk corresponds to IP
212.58.240.31). What happens in practice is that, throughout China, the DNS ‘wrongly resolves’ the
address of the site to be blocked, sending the user (who is unaware of what is happening) to a false IP
address. This system enables users wishing to access a whole range of Internet sites to be diverted to a
single address which is then blocked at the main Chinese firewall.

Does the Commission intend to ask the Chinese authorities for clarifications about the use of such
practices in China? If they are used, how does it intend to go about ensuring that the Chinese Government
stops using them, given the economic and political damage the widespread use of such censure tools can
cause? If it does not already have such means at its disposal, does it intend to acquire means of
safeguarding the interests of EU citizens and associations against such interference by the People’s Republic
of China?

Answer given by Mr Chris Patten on behalf of the Commission

(4 February 2003)

The Commission shares the Honourable Member’s concerns about Internet access and use in China. It has
in particular through the
repeatedly made representations to the Chinese authorities on this matter,

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EU-China bilateral dialogue on human rights, focusing specifically on violations of freedom of expression.
The information provided by the Honourable Member will undoubtedly be very useful in the discussion of
this subject which it intends to pursue with the Chinese authorities.

(2003/C 268 E/047)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3673/02

by Antonio Di Pietro (ELDR) to the Commission

(18 December 2002)

Subject: Job crisis for the industries in the l’Aquila electronics park

The industries in the l’Aquila electronics park have been in a critical situation for some months now and
the more than one thousand people working for the firms Flextronics and Lares-Tecno risk losing their
jobs. Meetings between trade unions, national government and local authorities have not managed to offer
a practical response to the workers’ concerns. If the jobs are lost there is a real danger that the Abruzzo
region would once again become an Objective 1 region, which would nullify the efforts made in the recent
past to offer the inhabitants new development opportunities.

The firms concerned operate in the sectors of electronics and telephony, considered as strategic sectors, to
which the European Union has recently turned its attention with a view to closing the technological gap
which still separates Europe from the United States and Japan.

For all these reasons is the Commission willing and able to adopt emergency measures to intervene in this
employment emergency? In particular, can these firms be included in the Community programmes Galileo
and Cosmos?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(13 February 2003)

The Commission manages the Structural Funds, including the European Social Fund, together with the
regions on the basis of subsidiarity.
It is not involved with the management of either the regional
operational plans or the projects funded.

However, the Commission has contacted the Abruzzo region and can therefore inform the Honourable
Member that
funding to retrain its employees.
Flextronics, however, has not submitted a funding application.

the firm Lares-Tecno has received EUR 95 000 of

Any European company may participate in the Galileo programme, which currently offers two options.
The infrastructure development phase, which has been estimated to cost EUR 1,1 billion, will include work
related to the space segment (design, construction and launch of satellites) and to the ground control
segment (mission centres, measuring stations, etc.). As public procurement rules must be observed, a call
for tenders will be issued in the course of 2003. The companies in the Aquila electronics park may apply
for this.

Moreover, preparation of the industries downstream from navigation is an extremely promising market,
with a figure of EUR 1 billion in Europe in 2000, and a turnover of EUR 6 billion is forecast for 2005.
Preparatory activities (research to perfect Europe’s experience in this area) will be funded by the sixth
framework programme for research and development. The first call for proposals (EUR 20 million in total)
will be issued at the beginning of 2003. Here, too, companies involved in applications and systems related
to satellite navigation services are free to submit project proposals.

In conclusion, the Galileo programme offers a range of ways in which new contracts may be obtained, but
only criteria related to performance, innovation, price and excellence will be taken into account in the
selection of the proposals received.