Brussels, 07/03/2001 (Agence Europe) - Making an initial mid-term assessment of the work of the EP's temporary Committee on the Echelon affair, the rapporteur Gerhard Schmid (German, Social-Democrat) reminded journalists that the temporary committee had as mission to: (1) check on the existence of a global interception system, (2) assess its capacities and risks that it poses for EU institutions, citizens and businesses, and (3) make recommendations it deems fit to ensure the protection of...