SPEECH/06/478
Margot Wallström
Vice president of the European Commission responsible for Institutional relations and Communication Strategy “Meeting the communication challenge”
Structured dialogue with the Culture Committee of the European Parliament Brussels, 28 August 2006
Introduction
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members,
Thank you for inviting me to this ‘structured dialogue’. It is an opportunity for me to do three things:
First, to take stock of the progress the Commission has made in the field of Communication Policy. Second, to outline our plans for the rest of this year and for 2007. Third, to look at the resources we need in order to carry out those plans.
1. Stocktaking
So, let’s start with stocktaking.
Since the beginning of my mandate the Commission has adopted three important documents in the field of communication:
the Action Plan for improving communication; Plan D for democracy, dialogue and debate; the White Paper on a European Communication Policy.
Action Plan
The Action Plan sets out 50 steps the Commission itself will take, most of them in 2005-2006.
The Action plan is a major step forward towards real coherence in our approach to communication: to explain properly what we do, to listen to citizens and to reach them where they live, that is, to go local.
To co-ordinate our communication efforts more efficiently, we have restructured the Communication DG. For example, we have provided additional 50 additional staff for a number of our key Representation offices. These extra hands facilitate a considerable improvement in our relations with local and regional media, local authorities, regional governments and schools. Labour-intensive work but certainly worth the effort!
We are working hard to improve the communication culture of our staff by providing training and new incentives.
We are working on how to improve our website.
We are becoming more open and more accessible to media, and more capable to provide media with material which is relevant and interesting for citizens.
Plan D
While the Action Plan is about how the Commission communicates in general, “Plan D” is part of the period of reflection and focuses on debating the future of Europe with citizens.
A detailed progress report on Plan D has been sent from my services to this Committee, as requested by Ms Trüpel. Let me highlight some of the significant things that have been happening.
First, all members of the Commission have been visiting the 25 member states to discuss 'future of Europe' issues with the national parliaments. More than 100 such visits took place between January 2005 and March 2006.
Moreover, the Commission Representations and Europe Direct information centres have been holding open days, conferences and public seminars on enlargement, growth and jobs and immigration, to name just a few key topics.
The Commission has also carried out a Eurobarometer survey on the future of Europe, which has given very interesting results. In particular, there is a "demand for Europe" at various levels, and many people are calling for the EU to show greater leadership and initiative.
Following a call for proposals, we have identified six excellent projects for trans-national citizens' debates and we want to grant them 4.5 million euros of financial support.
One of the most significant achievements of Plan D so far, is our ‘Debate Europe’ interactive website. Since its launch in March, it has had over a million 'hits'. Citizens have sent more than 14 000 contributions on issues ranging from globalisation, the Lisbon strategy and energy policy to EU enlargement.
White Paper
Our third communication document, the White Paper, was published in February this year. In response, we have received valuable contributions from EU institutions, national and regional parliaments, universities, think tanks, NGOs, the media and individual citizens.
The views expressed show that there is a broad consensus on many of our proposals - including the need to establish communication as a European policy in its own right and to define the common principles that should guide such a policy.
However, the best way to achieve this - through a Charter, a code of conduct or a new legal basis - remains open for discussion.
The online consultation will continue until the end of September.
***
Even from this brief review it is obvious that the Commission has been very active over the past 18 months, and that it has lived up to its commitment to seriously address the communication gap.
We have worked in close cooperation with Parliament and the Council, and our progress has been regularly reported and discussed in the IGI.
But much remains to be done.
2. The plans for this autumn and 2007
Let me therefore outline our main objectives concerning the plans for this autumn and for 2007.
Action Plan
First, the Action Plan. We need to complete some of its key measures – such as establishing a communication agenda for the whole Commission. This is important because we must develop our capacity to communicate our policies – we need to ensure that our policy priorities are matched by our communication priorities.
DG COMM will help the other DGs, via a “Communication project team”, to implement their communication plans. It will, in particular, offer the DGs concerned a catalogue of services, including research and analysis, media expertise, etc.
Plan D
Secondly, Plan D.
Plan D does not have to be re-invented – but broadened and deepened. In particular, we are focusing our attention on celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, in March next year.
Plan D initiatives which have proved successful in 2006 should be repeated in 2007. For example, the 'Spring Day' event which brings together schools from all over the EU to discuss European issues.
Together with Parliament and the Council, the Commission is already working flat out on preparing these celebrations.
Several ideas for public celebrations have been put forward and we have launched a public competition for young designers to produce a logo to mark the event.
Both the Commission and Parliament like the idea of a project called "50 faces of Europe", which would involve citizens from all walks of life who were born on the 25 of March 1957.
In addition, an inter-institutional task force is currently trying to assess a suitable idea for a Europe-wide event.
White Paper
March 2007 is not only the month of the Treaty of Rome celebrations. It is also the month when the Commission will be producing its final report on the White Paper consultation.
We are planning 'stakeholder conferences' where the EU institutions, the member states and civil society representatives will come together to discuss what joint action to take. This is because we want to involve citizens and we want to hear as wide a range of views as possible on the many proposals we have put forward.
Five conferences are to be held during the coming autumn and winter, focusing on the five key chapters of the White Paper:
Defining common principles –in Brussels; Empowering citizens – in Rome; Working with the media – in Helsinki; Understanding public opinion – in Madrid; Doing the job together – in Berlin.
Among the many important issues for discussion are the legal and institutional aspects of EU Communication Policy, which I know are matters of interest to your rapporteur Mr Herrero.
One key issue is the need for more partnerships between the Commission and member states.
Another challenge is how we can create new meeting places where citizens can discuss European issues of common concern.
Why not do this together – we, the Parliament and the Commission?
In cities around Europe, we jointly own premises where our representations and information offices are housed.
We could develop these premises into citizens' meeting-places where people can discuss over coffee, enjoy a snack with a seminar or attend a lunchtime lecture.
These "common houses" – to use Mr Onesta's expression – could host a broad range of cultural and political events, opening up the institutions to the public in new ways.
Another key area where Parliament and Commission can usefully join forces is working with the media.
Both our institutions make extensive use of 'Europe by Satellite', and it is in our common interest to see this service improved.
The audiovisual services of the Parliament, the Commission and the Council are also exploring new ways to provide pictures of EU activities to a wider audience via the web and mobile devices.
Your committee has asked the Commission to explore the idea of a Euronews service in Arabic, which we have done. It seems that there are at least two ways this could be done.
First, we could increase our financial contribution to Euronew. However, this seems to be rather expensive, given our very limited budget.
Alternatively, the necessary resources could come from an Arabic TV channel that would contribute to the capital of Euronews. Negotiations along these lines were actually taking place between Euronews and the Lebanese channel LBC until they were interrupted by the recent war in Lebanon.
These and other media issues will certainly be on the agenda at the relevant stakeholder conference on the White Paper.
On the basis of all five conferences – and in the light of the Herrero Report – the Commission will propose specific plans for implementing an effective European Communication Policy.
3. The resources we need
Ladies and gentlemen:
As you have heard, we are moving on different fronts and we have started up several actions. However, we will not be able to follow up unless we have the necessary resources.
This is the third and final topic I want to address today.
I am proud to say that my services have an excellent track record in making good use of the communication budget.
The implementation rate was 94% in 2005! In August 2006, the implementation rate is already 63%.
Four months from the end of the financial year, this is a very encouraging figure.
Our efficiency should be rewarded by giving us the means to do the vital job we have set ourselves and to deliver on our commitments to the public.
We urgently need the 2 million euros of 2006 funding currently blocked by the Budget Committee. Conditions for releasing these funds were laid down by Parliament in connection with the publication of our White Paper. As you know, we have met these conditions.
In the autumn, we have a top priority: we must organise and finance the stakeholder conferences on the White Paper. We need adequate resources to make sure that people, citizens, NGO’s and experts really can attend these events, get involved and make their voices heard – we want to ensure broad participation when we discuss a communication policy for Europe.
We also need this money to be able to finance all the civil society projects we have selected under plan D and to develop the partnership projects we have been discussing with a number of member states.
Thirdly, we would like to have more money to publicize our information centres. Every day, the Commission provides an essential information service to citizens via our call centre, our Europa internet portal and our Representations. But relatively few citizens know about these invaluable sources of information.
Mr Chairman, for these reasons the support and recommendation of this Committee, to unblock the reserved funds in September, is essential.
I would also like to re-iterate my deepest concern for the 2007 budget, where our resources have been cut by 8%. Such a cut will inevitably undermine our ability to deliver. I intend to challenge this and to come up with concrete proposals.
This Committee's draft Opinion on the EU budget for 2007 stresses the importance of investing resources in EU Communication Policy.
I want to thank Ms Trüpel for making that point and I trust this Committee will be supportive of my actions.
4. Conclusion
Mr Chairman,
Honourable members,
The Commission has set out a clear vision for a European Communication Policy.
A policy that serves the citizens and enhances democracy.
We have identified the core areas in which we must work to put that policy in place. But we know it will take time, effort and – not least – resources.
We are just beginning to deliver, and thanks to the enthusiasm and dedication of my staff we have made a very good start.
We want to continue delivering, because it’s essential for the future of the European project.
The Commission, Parliament and the other institutions share the same objectives and the same interests. I very much appreciate the support your committee has given us and I count on that continuing support as we, the European Commission and Parliament, work together to bridge the gap between Europe and its citizens.
Thank you.
