Brussels, 10/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - The importance of information and communication in deepening European integration was put under the spotlight in a discussion in Florence on Monday 9 May, Europe Day, marking this year the 61st anniversary of the statement by Robert Schuman, considered as the starting point of the process of European integration. The debate, “Prospect 2014: the Europe we want”, was organised by the Italian committee of the European Movement (CIME) as part of the Festival of Europe, an unprecedented initiative which, following its great success, is likely to be repeated in the future. Among those taking part were, European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek, Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani, Culture and Youth Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou, several MEPs and leading figures from the political, economic and cultural worlds. Events were coordinated by the European University Institute (IUE) of Florence. The debate on information took place alongside the “State of the Union” conference, an international symposium in the Palazzo Vecchio at which Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini delivered a speech. The conference was disrupted by a short but intense protest by anarchist movements. Representatives of the Community institutions, European and Italian civil society and some specialised media, such as Agence Europe, EurActiv.com, PressEurop, Cafebabel and others, were more or less unanimous in their view that there is no shortage of information on Europe, but this information does not always respond to citizens' interests or needs. Throughout the whole festival, which ended yesterday, Tuesday 10, institutional and cultural events followed one after another on the Piazza Signoria, which was turned into Europe Square, and the whole city was adorned in the EU colours of blue and gold. (Gp/transl.rt)