With clear words

“One of the major challenges” in Europe today “is finding the way to explain the EU to citizens without making propaganda”, claimed Martine Reicherts, former spokesperson of the European Commission, for the past year serving as the Director of the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities (OOPEC). During a meeting with the press organized in Rome on July 29 by Eurispes (Institute for political, economic and social studies), Ms. Reicherts affirmed: “We cannot continue saying that all is well and that Europe is wonderful; it is necessary to step up the editorial role of OOPEC in order to develop new and effective forms of communication”, devoting our attention to “to contents and to technology update”. Everyone should access everything. OOPEC, whose seat is located in Luxembourg, is the EU’s publishing house. Every day, it issues the Official Journal of the European Union in over 21 different languages, along with electronic and paper publications regarding EU activities and policies. It equally provides a series of on-line services enabling free-access to information on EU legislation (Eur-Lex), publications (Eu Bookshop), tenders (Ted), research and development (Cordis). “A remarkable initiative is the automatic translation of the Commission’s public works contracts”, Ms. Reicherts pointed out. “Obviously”, she added, “these are technical and legal documents only. However it’s a first step towards the automatic translation of all EU documents. Everything should be easily accessed by everyone”. Increasing synergies. In order to “create an idea of Europe to European citizens’ reach – Ms. Reicherts declared – the synergy with the publishing environment ought to be increased. This will enable to spread more information regarding the EU”. However, “it will take time”, and “neither Brussels nor Luxembourg are called to inform citizens about Europe. This is the task of the bodies actively working in the single States, which, for instance, could illustrate and enhance the important acquis such as the single currency or the freedom of movement from one Country to the other”. According to OOPEC director, “everyone’s cooperation is needed to implement this communication strategy”. Hence the need to step up synergies between European institutions and the publishing industry represented by the European Union Publishers’ Forum, constituting a link between OOPEC and European publishers. It is co-presided by the President of the Federation of European Publishers (FEP) Federico Motta, and by the Director of OOPEC, Martine Reicherts. Initiatives planned in cooperation with Eurispes and other subjects fall within its engagements. An Italian initiative. There are 650 Italian publishers registered in the Forum. Their proposals include the “Aldo Manuzio” award for the diffusion of culture and of European books, which, as written in the Forum’s regulations, is aimed at “enhancing major publishing initiatives fostering the knowledge of European culture with books on Europe and publications issued by the European Union”. The Prize, divided into five chapters, and promoted by Italian Publishers, members of FEP, in cooperation with the Italian Publishers Association (Aie), with OOPEC and with Italy’s European Commission Agency, Rome’s Municipality and Eursipes, was awarded on July 29 to six publishing houses. Aiming at best-practices. Eurispes President Gian Maria Fara remarked, “over the past 10-20 years, Italians – who, like other Peoples, have always been fascinated by the idea of Europe, have grown distant from it, and Europe is doing nothing to bridge this gap. Indeed, attempts have been made, however they are ineffective since they are occasional and fragmentary”, he pointed out. The “new communication strategy needs a coordinator within the single Countries, and at European level too”. The various initiatives include the bi-monthly “Se” to stimulate trainers and cultural elites into spreading the culture of Europe throughout different environments”. In particular, it is necessary “to convert local opinion-leaders – mayors, councillors, bishops. In short, a network of opinion-makers ought to be set up to involve citizens”. “Se” was created “to speak about present Europe and the Europe to come” – chief-editor Cristiano Zagari explained – “by studying and learning more about the cases of excellence and on successful initiatives”. Aiming at “Europe’s most successful best- practices in the field of infrastructures, energy and city habitat”, can be useful to “give new impetus to the debate on Europe at grassroots level”.