<s>[INST] The next text is a question of a member of the European parliament:"Is the Commission aware of the sensational and well documented accusation made by the """"""""guarantor of privacy"""""""" in Italy, MrStefano Rodotà, concerning continuing widespread espionage by the United States through the """"""""Echelon system""""""""? MrRodotà, a world expert in these matters, who has been a consultant at the Council of Europe in Paris and Strasbourg for many years, gave a preview of his report to the Italian Parliament in an interview on the Internet (with """"""""dozens of pages describing new scenarios and containing an accusation"""""""", according to a report by Andrea Di Nicola in """"""""La Repubblica"""""""" of 2February 1999) stressing the seriousness of the fact that the United States ‘continues to remain silent about the top secret civil espionage system called """"""""Echelon"""""""" which is a highly sophisticated """"""""planetary interception system able to penetrate anywhere and monitor faxes, telephone calls and electronic mail"""""""" and, according to the European Parliament as well, uses 25geostationary satellites and the United States NSA's spy satellite Vortex.  Does the Commission intend to take action in view of the above, and will it state what information it has on this subject?"
Analyze carefully the text and assign it to the most relevant policy area among those listed below. Do not explain your answer and return only a number.
Policy area numbers: 1 = Macroeconomics
2 = Civil Rights, Minority Issues and Civil Liberties
3 = Health
4 = Agriculture and Fisheries
5 = Labour, employment and pensions
6 = Education
7 = Environment
8 = Energy
9 = Immigration
10 = Transportation
12 = Law and Crime
13 = Social welfare
14 = Regional and Urban issues and Planning
15 = Banking, finance and domestic commerce issues
16 = Defence
17 = Space, science, technology, and communications issues
18 = Foreign trade
19 = International affairs and foreign aid
20 = Governance and government
21 = Public Lands, Water Management and Territorial Issues
23 = Culture and media
[/INST]. Answer = [2]. </s>
Is the Commission aware of the sensational and well documented accusation made by the """"""""guarantor of privacy"""""""" in Italy, MrStefano Rodotà, concerning continuing widespread espionage by the United States through the """"""""Echelon system""""""""? MrRodotà, a world expert in these matters, who has been a consultant at the Council of Europe in Paris and Strasbourg for many years, gave a preview of his report to the Italian Parliament in an interview on the Internet (with """"""""dozens of pages describing new scenarios and containing an accusation"""""""", according to a report by Andrea Di Nicola in """"""""La Repubblica"""""""" of 2February 1999) stressing the seriousness of the fact that the United States ‘continues to remain silent about the top secret civil espionage system called """"""""Echelon"""""""" which is a highly sophisticated """"""""planetary interception system able to penetrate anywhere and monitor faxes, telephone calls and electronic mail"""""""" and, according to the European Parliament as well, uses 25geostationary satellites and the United States NSA's spy satellite Vortex.  Does the Commission intend to take action in view of the above, and will it state what information it has on this subject?