WRITTEN QUESTION E-1956/04 by Tobias Pflüger (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (1 September 2004)

The umbrella question 'What, in the Commission's opinion, is the future role of private security firms in the context of the common foreign and security policy (CFSP) and the European security and defence policy (ESDP)?' can be broken down into the following sub-questions:

- Is the Commission aware that private security firms are working for the European Union in Iraq? If so, can it provide exact details of the nature and scope of their activities and of the firms themselves?

- Does the Commission believe that the hiring of private security firms to protect deliveries and/or the necessary logistics should play an even greater role in the EU's foreign policy commitments?

- Does the Commission see the use of private security firms in war situations as a chance to ease the financial burden on government services in the EU?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission (15.10.2004)

The Commission has no record of private security firms from the European Union operating in Iraq. Private firms do not have a duty to inform the Commission of their operations in third countries and the current absence of a Commission Delegation in Baghdad means the Commission is not in a position to keep, even on an informal basis, a track of European private firms' dealings with Iraq.