Brussels, 31/03/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament, the European Commission, Friends of Europe (created by Etienne Davignon) and the Euro Citizen Action Service (ECAS) are organising, on 3 April, in the European Parliament a debate on the theme 'Understanding Europe - the citizen's right to know'. The works will be opened by Antonio Vitorino, European Commissioner responsible for information and the EP Vice-President Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca. A first session will discuss the communication effort required to render European policy more understandable for citizens. Participants include the new European Ombudsman Nikiforos Diamandouros and the European Parliament Vice-President Charlotte Cederschiöld. A second session will concentrate on the role that information can play in reducing the democratic deficit. Notably to be discussed is the opportunity to include in the future constitutional treaty a citizen's right 'to be informed'. Taking part in particular will be Jean-Luc Dehaene, Vice-President of the European Convention and Danuta Hübner, Polish Secretary of State for European Integration. A third session will be dedicated to the EU's three main communications challenges in the future: European elections in 2004, European Convention and Enlargement. Among the speakers will be Peter Balaz, Hungarian Secretary of State for European Integration and Reijo Kemppinen. (For more information: Friends of Europe, in Brussels. Tel: 32 02 738 7593. E-mail: info@friendsofeurope.org).