91998E3658

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3658/98

by José García-Margallo y Marfil (PPE) to the Commission

(7 December 1998)

Subject: The millennium bug

It has been established that the "millennium bug", a problem also known as the "year 2000 effect", may affect all types of programmable electronic systems (PESs), ranging from mainframe computers to microchips.

These systems are employed for all nature of industrial purposes at the various stages of the production process, in the transport sector, in the public services and so forth. Furthermore, the said systems are date-dependent and their reaction on the first day of the new millennium will be critical. For those reasons, it would advisable to pinpoint the risks involved.

Has the Commission envisaged organising a seminar of any kind on awareness of this potential problem and how it can be prevented?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(18 January 1999)

The problems associated with the millennium bug have been widely discussed during the past few years in the Community, and particularly during 1998, in many different channels of communication, including press, television, and conferences. Most Member States have already carried out awareness campaigns, or plan to do so in the near future. In such circumstances, it is not clear that a Commission awareness campaign could offer significant added value. There are also practical issues to be taken into account arising from national and local specificities.

The Commission's Year 2000 world wide web site (http:/www.ispo.cec.be/y2keuro) provides access to a wealth of international information on the problem and how to take action.