college of europe - natolin library information seminar, 11 september 2010 the role of information...

College of Europe - NatolinLibrary Information Seminar, 11 September 2010The role of information & communication in the governance of the EU

The role of information and communicationin the governance of the European Union

Ian ThomsonCollege of Europe - Natolin

11 September 2010


Key recommendations of European Parliament Resolution adopted on the 7 September 2010 on Communication

• Role for public service broadcasters and transnational media

• National governments and political parties should play a greater role in promoting EU

• Huge potential of social media

• Need to update school curricula

• Improve EU institutional communication

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Public Opinion and Europe:Elections, Referendums and Surveys


European Commission says:EU citizens favour stronger European economic governance75% of Europeans think that stronger coordination of economic and financial policies among EU Member States would be effective in fighting the economic crisis

EurActiv report says:Europeans losing faith in EuropeJust 42% of Europeans say they trust the European Union … down six percentage points in just six months

EUObserver report says:EU popularity plunges right across the blocPeople's confidence in the the European Union has dropped to record lows

Public Opinion and Europe:Elections, Referendums and Surveys


With the evidence of • low participation rates in the EP elections• the referendum results in Denmark, France, the Netherlands and Ireland• declining support for the EU in Eurobarometer opinion polls

Communicating Europe effectively has become an issue of major concern to the EU Institutions

• a need to professionalise the way information is communicated• a need to involve the Member States as well as other actors• a need to use new media to get information and messages across

However, the question still arises… Will more effective communication make citizens ‘love’ the EU or are the challenges greater or more complex?

Public Opinion and Europe:The challenge…


… warning to all European politicians. We must close the gap between the people and the policymakers.

We need to start seeing the citizens as the centre of everything and and the institutions as moving around them, receiving and responding to their messages.

…delivering on the key issues of the day: jobs for people - preserving peace in Europe - protecting the environment etc … is also an essential ingredient of ‘connecting’ citizens to political institutions.

Communication is the response to the right of the citizens to be informed

Margot Wallström


Frankly I do not believe there are any purely ‘professional’ or ‘technical’ solutions to the problems surrounding EU communications strategy. The fundamental reforms that are essential for any EU communications policy to succeed are essentially political.

European citizens need to feel a far greater sense of ‘ownership’ of the European political process.

Member States must accept shared responsibility with the EU institutions for both the content of the communications messages and the manner in which they are delivered.

John Palmer


Current thinking on EU information and communication policy

Interactive communication / Participatory democracy initiatives - Connecting with citizens

Making the EU more transparent European Transparency Initiative Access to documents

The increasing role of new media The web / Web-streaming / Radio and television / Blogging /

Twitter Better, simpler and more accessible legislation

Structure of talk



Current thinking on EU information and communication policy


European Governance:Role of information and communication

White Paper on European Governance 2001 Involve citizens and stakeholders – WHY?

To gain legitimacy, support and understanding To create better law How to involve citizens and stakeholders - Better

information and communication


Action Plan to Improve Communicating Europe, July 2005 Plan D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate, October 2005 White Paper on a European Communication Policy, January 2006

Communication: Communicating Europe in Partnership, October 2007

Communication: Communicating about Europe via the Internet: Engaging the Citizen, December 2007

Communication: Debate Europe…, April 2008

Action Plan on Communicating Europe through Audio-Visual Media, April 2008

Political Declaration: Communicating Europe in Partnership, October 2008

EU information and communication policy:Recent developments


EU information and communication policy:Key themes

Duty of the EU to inform, consult and involve (to listen) Right of the ‘citizen’ and ‘stakeholder’ to be informed, consulted and

involved (to know) Legitimacy / Understanding / Better law

Listen better (interactive communication – opinion polls etc) Communicate better (plain simple language – meaningful everyday

examples) Go local (adapt EU messages to local and sectoral audiences) Communicate in partnership Cross-border communication channels promoting debate and

dialogue on issues of common concern (European Public Sphere / Citizenship Education)

Use all forms of media Information needs to be ‘clear, objective, comprehensive, relevant and

easy to find’[OECD: Citizens as partners, 2001]


See also: The European unions burden.

Information and communication to a reluctant people

Some recent commentary and evaluation on EU information and communication activities

Blogresponse

Blogs on EU information &

communication issues


EU information and communication policy:The situation in 2010…

European Commission: change of personnel

Goodbye to Margot Wallström & Siim Kallas

Welcome toViviane Reding

DG Communication & Publications Office

Maroš Šefčovič I-IR & Administration (ETI)


EU information and communication policy:The situation in 2010…

Commission plans communication revolutionEURACTIV, 30.08.09

Mrs Reding wants to bring about a ‘revolution’ and ‘culture shock’ in communication activities

• the Commission should be rebranded as the ‘government’ of the EU• greater personalisation centred on Mr Barroso• More centralisation in the delivery of messages• reshuffle of top officials in information & communication activities• greater professionalism

However, commentators are very criticalCommunicating Europe: Reding’s revolution

Blog: Grahnlaw, 02.09.10



Interactive Communication: Participatory democracy

Connecting citizens to Europe: Getting citizens involved and participating – and voting


Interactive Communication:Participatory democracy initiatives


Results of the European Citizens Summit, May 2009

Top recommendations1. Lead on climate change2. Common healthcare system3. Common working conditions

First dialogue – then decision That's democracy –

21st century democracy!Margot Wallstrom, May 2009

What can the EU do to shape our economy and social future in a globalised world?

I got interested in the EU when the EU got interested in me…



NB: European Citizens’ Initiative



Making the EU more transparent

•European Transparency Initiative•Access to documents


Openness and transparency in the EUIs the EU open and transparent?

Transparency is defined as the right of citizens to access information to enable their effective participation - and, in doing so, strengthen the European institutions.

Open government is good because it underpins the legitimacy and credibility of democracy as a form of government. Secondly, it can improve the quality of decisions taken.


The EU is open and transparent… O&T in Treaties Decision making: open and democratic EU information policy Press Corps / Lobbying

BUT… Challenge of language: multilingual but resource limitations

[policy on Europa] ‘Culture of Secrecy’ [Committee of Independent Experts, 1999] Complexity of decision making

Decision making website How open is each EU Institution? Europe ditches clarity and embraces obfuscation (FT, 26.06.07) Increasing use of ‘Trilogues’ [2004-09 80% of decisions were agreed in this way]

Openness and transparency in the EUThe evidence for and against


Transparency of recipients of EU funds particularly agriculture and structural funds [Beneficiaries of grants] [CAP] DEFRA: CAP Payments Search Call to Germany, April 2009 / IP/09/694 Financial Transparency System

Transparency of interests in EU Institutions especially EP and Commission Commission Communication on professional ethics (SEC (2008)301) European Parliament allowances [EO on EP, July 2008] European Parliament attendance records to be made public EO Annual Report 2009: 36% of allegations concerned transparency (April 2010)

Transparency in the fight against fraud in the EU budget Transparency of interests of lobbyists

2008: Register of Interest Representatives launched [COM (2008)323]

European Transparency Initiative


3034 signed up [09.09.10]ETI will stay voluntary

Should Think Tanks join?Moves towards a common register

/ Joint statement



European Agri-Millionaires, 2009

Initial evaluation of implementation of new EU rules on CAP transparency



Why access to documents is considered important: accountability

Regulation (EC) 1049/2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents, May 2001

Green Paper Review of 1049/2001, April 2007 New proposal, April 2008

Statewatch Observatory / Current status of proposal Registers of documents

Commission – Parliament – Council – Comitology

Access to documents



The increasing role for new media

The Internet – Web-streaming – Radio – TelevisionBlogs – Twitter – Facebook


Clearly, the media (radio, television, newspapers and other developing media) play a part in the dissemination of information about the EU

Communicating Europe through audiovisual media SEC(2008)506

The increasing role for new media


European media initiativesTraining and Services for Media Professionals


TV – Web-streaming for EU informationEU sources


TV – Web-streaming for EU informationNon-EU sources


European Public SphereDeveloping a pan-European debate through

newspapers, radio and television1. EUFeeds

2. European non-English language newspapers’ initiative3. PressEurop

1. Euranet2. A TV network?

Radio – TV – Newspapers for EU information


The increasing role of new media Web 2.0: Blogs

EU officials compile blogs on information &

communication issues

Blogs for EU information


Blogs for EU information

Blog Aggregators bring together a selection of Europe focused blogs

A sample of blogs offering a range of insights on Europe


Increasing use of social networks



Better, simpler and moreaccessible legislation


Reduced legislative activity - ‘Better regulation’ Better quality legislation after consultation Impact assessments Better quality drafting - Explanatory memorandum Greater use of alternative legislative instruments Consolidation, codification and recasting Simplification Making Community law more accessible

EUR-LEX, PRELEX, OEIL etc

Better, simpler and moreaccessible legislation


Political interest has focused attention and resources – which has led to useful specific EU communication initiatives, products and services

But… Democratic openness v operational efficiency

is a challenge Citizens are still not informed or interested in the

EU

The role of information and communication in the governance of the European Union

Conclusions

college of europe - natolin library information seminar, 11 september 2010 the role of information...

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