A question of democracy

A real mountain of paper and a proliferation of websites: for some time communication has become a constant concern of the European Union, in the consciousness of the need to close the gap between institutions and citizens. COMMUNICATION AND DEMOCRACY. The need to inform Europeans on the integration process (history, legislation, common policies) and make the EU more transparent has undergone a brusque acceleration after the rejection of the Constitution in France and Holland a year ago. The “pause of reflection” decided by the heads of state and of government and the adoption of Plan D (democracy, dialogue, debate) by the Commission were followed in early February 2006 by the White Paper on EU communication policy, explained at a press conference by the Vice-President of the Executive MARGOT WALLSTRÖM : “The EU has undergone a far-reaching transformation over these last twenty years. A wide range of tasks has been assigned to the Community. They influence the life of citizens in various spheres. Nonetheless – argues Wallström – Europe’s communication with its citizens has failed to keep pace with these changes. No one can ignore the fact that a gulf now exists between the Union and its citizens”. According to the Swedish Commissioner, “communication is especially a question of democracy: citizens have the right to know what the Union does and why. And they have a right to participate fully in the European project”. EUROPE FROM A TO Z. It is fair to say, however, that the Official Publications Office of the EU, based in Luxembourg, has multiplied its efforts. To explain the secrets of the Union to half a billion citizens, a huge variety of publications now exist: hundreds of pamphlets, books, journals, news bulletins, maps, brochures and postcards, describing the profile and role of the various institutions in Brussels and Strasbourg, the concrete decisions they take and their repercussions on the population, and explaining the historical process which led from the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) to the EU. Other publications – translated into all the official languages of the 25 and sometimes into those of the candidate countries – describe specific Community sectors (environment, energy, consumer rights), the tasks of the Union’s Agencies (against drug addiction, in support of employment, for space research…), foreign policy initiatives and international cooperation. The publications are distributed free of charge in the central and peripheral offices of the institutions, Info Points, and Documentation Centres: a network of hundreds of “counters” spread through most of the cities of the member states. COMMUNICATION FOR CHILDREN. The most effective pamphlets from a communication point of view include not least the coloured and imaginative publications aimed at young children. For primary school pupils, for example, we may mention “Secrets about the environment”, a short illustrated history of the ecological agenda of the EU. Another successful publication aimed at children aged between 9 and 12 is “Let’s Explore Europe”: in simple language, enriched with photos, drawings, flags, portraits of historical and contemporary personalities, it explains the geography, climate and languages of the old continent, the history of the EU and its institutions, and places Europe in the wider global scenario. Also of interest to schools are the postcards, published in millions of copies, publicising Community symbols (flag, anthem, and Europe Day on 9 May) and the little maps, called “Panorama of the EU” with demographic and economic data. BROCHURES, MAGAZINES, WEBSITES. Many other explanatory publications are aimed at youth and adults, including: “Europe in twelve lessons”; “Presentation of the EU Constitution”; “How the EU works. Citizen’s Guide”; “More unity, more pluralism” (on issues of enlargement); and “Your Europe. Living, studying and working in another country of the EU”. Then there are the various magazines and periodicals published by the EP (“Parliament Magazine”) or by the individual General Directorates of the Commission dedicated, for example, to common agricultural policy or regional policy. There are also many illustrated brochures explaining particular services; the best known of them is perhaps “Europe Direct”. There is also a hotline and website on which to pose every possible question about the Union (service active from Monday to Friday, from 9.00 am to 6.30 pm, on the single number 00 800 67891011; http://europa.eu/europedirect/ ). Then there’s the whole gamut of communication on-line, on which the EU has invested huge sums with excellent results. From the Europe portal http://europa.eu/ it’s possible to access most information useful for the citizen. Websites dedicated to specific institutions or events also exist: for instance, that devoted to the European Year of Worker Mobility ( http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/workersmobility_2006/ ) or the website on the city of Patras, European Capital of Culture 2006 ( http://patras2006.gr/ ).