IP/05/823
Brussels, 30 June 2005
Vice-President Wallström: “Europe
Direct relays vital to new Communication
Strategy”
Engaging people in the European debate at the local level – one
of the central points of the Commission’s new Communication Strategy
– was the theme of a keynote address given by VP Margot Wallström at
her first meeting with the new Europe Direct information relays on 30 June in
Brussels.
Addressing the relays from throughout the European Union at the first basic
training seminar for the new Europe Direct information network
“Communicating the EU: Key actors and policies in the construction of
Europe” VP Wallström said: “For a long time we have been a
project for a political elite and we have been bad at listening, bad at
explaining and bad at anchoring EU issues in national politics. This was perhaps
acceptable when the results of cooperation - peace and prosperity - were
self-evident. But now it is no longer enough”.
Having learned the lessons from the recent referenda, the Union should take
time to re-think and draft and implement a plan D – “where D stands
for dialogue, debate and democracy”. Wallström said her vision of
Europe was one of sustainable development, where economic progress is linked to
social security and care for the environment - areas in which there is clear
popular support for EU-wide action. Furthermore, she said, the Union should also
tackle terrorism, drugs, people-trafficking and organised crime. But all this
can only be achieved in a system, in which ownership of policy formulation and
output is returned to the people.
Accordingly, EU communication policy has to be responsive, bottom-up and
attuned to its many different audiences. The relays will play a pivotal role in
achieving these goals since they act as a unique bridge between policy makers in
Brussels and citizens throughout the EU.
400 new Europe Direct information relays – launched on 1 May
2005 - offer EU-citizens information, advice, assistance and answers to
questions on the Union’s legislation, policies, programmes and funding
opportunities. The Europe Direct network is the sister information
service to the EUROPE DIRECT contact centre, accessible from all the Member
States on freephone 00800 6 7 8 9 10 11.
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