Parliamentary Question: VP/HR — Syria: Italian company building monitoring centre in Damascus

  Question for written answer to the Commission Rule 117 Marietje Schaake (ALDE)  Subject: VP/HR — Syria: Italian company building monitoring centre in Damascus  On 4 November 2011 its was reported(1) that, a.o., the Italian company Area SpA is equipping the Syrian Government with the technology to intercept, scan and catalogue all Internet traffic in Syria, by probing the traffic of mobile phone companies and ISPs, capturing both domestic and international traffic. Over the past months similar transactions have been reported(2). What actions can and will the VP/HR take to ensure that the monitoring centre being installed by Area SpA will not be completed or become operational? (1) http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-03/syria-crackdown-gets-italy-firm-s-aid-with-u-s-europe-spy-gear.html (2) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124562668777335653.html#mod=rss_whats_news_us; http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-31/iranian-police-seizing-dissidents-get-aid-of-western-companies.html; http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-22/torture-in-bahrain-becomes-routine-with-help-from-nokia-siemens-networking.html; http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904199404576538721260166388.html; http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203687504577001911398596328.html?mod=googlenews_wsj; http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/jul/26/vodafone-access-egypt-shutdown Please find the answer here.