How to learn more about it

The activities of the European Commission are wide-ranging: they cover scores of sectors. Very often they consist of programmes, decisions, research projects, and the funding of activities about which EU citizens remain in the dark. In recent days, for example, three schemes that may directly interest Europeans have been reported: the first (eTwinning) concerns the Internet-based networking of schools, the second (digital TV) forms part of EU involvement in the mass media, while the third (Europe Direct) has to do providing citizens with general information on EU matters and the activities of the EU-27.eTwinning: learning also thanks to the web. “2009 is the Year of Innovation and Creativity, so it is especially fitting that we celebrate the ever-growing success of the eTwinning scheme as an example of creativity in education”, says European Commissioner for Culture Jan Figel’ in explaining EU support for the eTwinning initiative being promoted by the EU to encourage schools to network through the Internet. “With around 50,000 registered users across Europe, increasing numbers of teachers in Europe have proven that they are finding new ways to develop and innovate teaching and learning”. A suitable occasion to review the progress of the project launched in 2005 was the eTwinning conference held in Prague from 13 to 15 February. During the conference, in the presence of 400 delegates, the Commission awarded prizes to the ten best eTwinning school projects selected from among 500 candidates from all over Europe. eTwinning forms part of the European Commission’s Lifelong Learning Programme and “offers schools in Europe a means to communicate, share ideas and run online collaborative projects”. Since the scheme was launched in January 2005, teachers from over 48,000 schools have registered in eTwinning and have carried out 11,994 projects, each involving at least two schools from two different countries. “We need to encourage innovative approaches in education to improve the quality and effectiveness of Europe’s schools systems and help equip young Europeans for the society and economy of the future”, continues Figel’.From analogue to digital: TV is changing. “Europe is leading the world in terms of the switchover from analogue to digital television”, said EU Telecoms and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding on Monday 16 February, on presenting new data on the switchover. “Europeans – she said – are enjoying the benefits of digital television in ever growing numbers. Several EU member states are clearly world leaders in the switch from analogue terrestrial TV transmission to digital TV”. The Commission has long adopted a coordinated approach to the freeing up and future use of the radio spectrum and its future use “because it wants to ensure that EU citizens can enjoy the benefits of digital television including a growing range of interactive TV services (such as high definition TV or video on demand), available on multiple transmission platforms including terrestrial, cable, satellite, TV on internet and mobile TV networks”. Overall, the switch-off of analogue terrestrial TV transmission in Europe has already been completed in five states (Germany, Finland, Luxembourg, Sweden, Netherlands) “and by 2010 the process should be well advanced in the whole EU”. The 2012 EU target for switch-off, and conversion to digital, “is expected to be met by almost all member states”.Europe Direct: second generation. The European Commission has inaugurated a “second generation” of the Europe Direct network to increase the opportunities for EU citizens to receive guidance, information and practical advice on how to exercise their rights in Europe. “The public will thus be able to contact one of 500 information centres”, distributed all over the territory of the Twenty-Seven, “to obtain an answer to their own specific questions about the European Union”. The Europe Direct Centres also furnish EU institutions with “citizens’ feedback and actively promote the local and regional debate on issues” regarding European integration. Apart from the presence of information centres in all member states (their geographical distribution can be found on the website http://ec.europa.eu/europedirect), the service may also be accessed by the free phone number 00800 6 7 8 9 10 11 from anywhere in the EU. “Over the last four years – explains the service may also be accessed by the free phone number 00800 6 7 8 9 10 11 from anywhere in the EU. “Over the last four years – explains Margot Wallstrom, Vice-President of the Executive – Europe Direct Centres have filled the information gap between the institutions of the Union and the public”. In re-launching Europe Direct, the Swedish Vice-President of the Commission also makes reference to the forthcoming European elections: “In view of the elections for the European Parliament in June this year, the start up of the new Europe Direct network represents an important initiative as part of our efforts to ensure more effective communication on questions linked” to the process of European unification. The service provides general information on EU issues and policies in all the official languages and practical information on scores of subjects (e.g. recognition of qualifications, complaints about unsafe products, travel in Europe, citizens’ rights, safeguarding the interests of businesses, and so on).