EU prepares overhaul of information strategies

The strategy aims to counter problems such as citizens not understanding the EU and ignoring the European Union. This is clearly expressed by low turn-outs in European elections. 63% voted in the first European election in 1979 but only 49% in the latest election in 1999.

According to the document, the three main EU institutions: Council, Commission and Parliament must better co-ordinate their information activities and include the national information activities into their strategy to increase the effect. A so-called memorandum of understanding will set out the principles for the work division between the institutions and the member states by November 2002 and a meeting in December this year is planned to include the national heads of information into the work.

Euro campaign a successful example

The document, written in French and entitled 'An Information and Communication Strategy for the European Union', calls for a pre-emptive use of public relations to promote "the legitimacy, image, and role of the union." Via opinion surveys such as those prepared by the Eurobarometer, the EU already knows what the citizens favour: Peace, jobs, fewer crimes, less poverty, equality and protection of the environment, as mentioned by the document.

When basic European policies are communicated, the need for a certain policy will be related to the defined will of the people in order to show the benefit of EU activities. A basic reference frame will be developed for each core activity of the European Union and tested in focus groups in the member states before being implemented. The campaign to introduce the euro is mentioned as a successful example of how to work.

Some 700 centres of information are already open to use by the EU information activity as well 500 speakers, the paper says. This potential can be used even more efficiently in the future.

Multi-annual programme set up by September

The Group (GII) has been proposed to play the central role in defining the main information activities by setting up a multi annual program, covering the years 2003-2004. This work must be finished by September this year before the first reading of the EU budget 2003, the strategy paper says. In 2005 the activities will be evaluated and new plans drafted, which take into consideration enlargement and the result of an inter-governmental conference, which is foreseen to change the EU founding treaties.

The GII group is a little-known group that already meets twice a year, with representation from the three main EU institutions. The European Parliament is represented by Spanish Christian Democrat MEP Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca, German Christian Democrat MEP Elmar Brok, German Social Democrat MEP Christa Randzio-Plath and French Socialist MEP Michel Rocard.