Brussels, 12/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - The Temporary Committee on the Echelon system, created by the European Parliament last July, started its work this work by receiving the Commissioner Antonio Vitorino and Erkki Liikanen. It should find all the information enabling to establish with certitude the existence or not of a American-British system for the interception of communications. Among the many other aspects, the Temporary Committee should be interested in the activities of the information agencies, the technical methods for the interception of communications, the encryption methods and the levels of security offered by these instruments, economic espionage as well as issues relating to the protection of private life.
During his speech before the Temporary Committee, Mr Vitorino insisted on the need to establish a legal framework guaranteeing the protection of the fundamental rights of citizens. He explained that the present EU Directive on the protection of data does not ensure uniform protection of private life inside the single market. Where the need to reach a harmonisation of the protection of personal data and the legal framework for listening in. Mr Vitorino also underlined the need for a revision of the 1995 Directive to take into account the latest technological developments in mobile communications and the Internet. Raising the issue of cybercrime, he recalled the Commission's intention to gather together all the actors concerned, including industry, and to present a legislative package to fight against fraud, pirating and computer attacks (viruses). Questioned over the existence of the Echelon system, Mr Vitorino answered in jest: "if you really want a statement, I could tell you that I believe in God and Echelon, but that I have never met them". "The development of technology is such that today there exists thousands of instruments allowing to spy", he added. Answering Gerard Deprez (EPP, Belgium) who recalled that Mr Vitorino had occupied posts in the Ministry of Defence, the Commissioner noted that he had not heard talk of Echelon in his previous functions. As for other issues over espionage, he said that he would only answer if the EU 14 Ministers (other than the United Kingdom) accept to answer.
Mr Liikanen insisted on the need for Europe to have effective tools for encryption. However he underlined that these tools should remain in the hands of the institutions so as to avoid that criminal organisation may take control and thus ensure the impunity by making the fight against crime extremely difficult. The guarantee of a high level of protection for the private life is essential if we do not want to run the risk of the citizens, already strongly concerned for the security of their communications, turning away from the new information and communication technologies, explained the Commissioner before recalling that the Directives on the protection of data and on telecommunications should be revised in this direction. With regard to the existence of Echelon, he said that it is necessary to belong to the secret services to answer this question. "However, he added, the technology necessary for such a system exists and I do not have the proof that it has not been used".
During a press conference, the Chairman of the Temporary Committee, Carlos Coelho (EPP, Portugal) recalled that his committee has one year to examine the various aspect linked to the existence of the Echelon system, industrial espionage and data protection. He underlined that it intends working in the open and transparently, even if in some specific cases meetings behind closed doors could be organised. The next meeting will take place on 12 October. "We will carry out an investigation following the classic method", explained the rapporteur Gehrard Schmid (German, Social-Democrat) when indicating that the works will first start with the compilation of information of a technical nature. The first hearings should be dedicated to experts and over the organisation of telecommunications and the means of interception. Contacts will be made with the United States Congress and the French Parliament who have already worked on the dossier; members of the parliamentary committee involved on the monitoring of information activities should also be questioned. Mr Schmid explained that he preferred questioning technical experts before hearing the politicians. Answering a question on a possible hearing with Mr Solana, the rapporteur felt that he would have to ask, among others, the High Representative for CFSP if common defence policy also requires a common information policy and if so collaboration, as exists between the United States and the United Kingdom, could exist in this context.