92001E2575

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2575/01

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(21 September 2001)

Subject: Coordination of the Sensus project

In its reply to question E-1065/01(1), the Commission states that the German secret agent Christoph Klonowski is still heading the Sensus project. However, on 20 December 2000 a Munich court found Mr Klonowski guilty of forgery. The Commission's action is particularly astonishing since Mr Klonowski's fraud was committed precisely in connection with the Sensus project.

I should therefore like the Commission to answer the following questions:

1. Is Stephan Bodenkamp, alias Christoph Klonowski, still the coordinator of the Commission's Sensus project?

(a) If so, what are the Commission's arguments for keeping him as the project coordinator in spite of his conviction for forging a contract with a German technology firm in connection with the Sensus project?

(b) If not, when was he relieved of his duties and who has been coordinating the Sensus project since?

2. Will the Commission be taking the coordination of the Sensus project out of the hands of Stephan Bodenkamp, alias Christoph Klonowski, in view of his conviction by a Munich court for forging a contract with a German technology firm in connection with the Sensus project? If not, why is the Commission still entrusting the coordination of the project to him?

(1) OJ C 364 E, 20.12.2001, p. 39.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(7 November 2001)

As is usually the case for research projects, the co-ordinator of the Sensus project is an organisation, not a person. The co-ordinator of the Sensus project is the Amt für Auslandsfragen (AfA), which has been represented for this purpose by the person to whom the Honourable Member refers.

The Commission expects that this person will no longer act as AfA's representative with regard to the signature of any future contractual documents relating to the Sensus project.

For additional information, the Commission refers to the answers to the written and oral questions by the Honourable Member concerning the Sensus project (H-0629/01, H-O438/01 E-1082/01, E-1065/01, E-1066/01, E-0891/01, E-0892/01, E-0893/01, E-0894/01, P-0009/01).