91998E0501

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0501/98 by Elly Plooij-van Gorsel (ELDR) to the Council (17 February 1998)

Subject: Monitoring of European telephone, fax and e-mail traffic by the US

1. Is the Council aware of the substance of the report commissioned by the European Parliament entitled: 'An Appraisal of Technologies of Political Control'?

2. Is it true that the United States systematically monitor telephone, fax, e-mail and telex traffic in the Member States of the European Union?

3. Is it true that the United Kingdom serves as a relay station for this activity? If so, does this occur with the knowledge and agreement of the other Member States of the European Union? Might the President of the Council be able to throw some light on the matter?

4. Did large-scale monitoring of communications channels take place during the GATT and WTO negotiating rounds and during the conclusion of the Basic Telecoms Agreement? If so, to what extent has this had an adverse effect on the European Union's position, and to what extent has this damaged the commercial interests of European businesses?

Answer (30 April 1998)

The report referred to in point 1 has not been officially transmitted to the Council. The Council is not aware of the matters mentioned by the Honourable Member in points 2, 3 and 4.