Brussels, 19/10/2005 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has launched a new online audiovisual service, within the framework of the Action Plan on Communication presented in July 2005 by Vice-President Margot Wallström. The new web portal provides media with free access to news, recordings, photography and documentation from the EU. The range of audiovisual services now on offer allow journalists in Brussels, to book online the very latest professional recording and editing equipment. It gives easy access to live coverage of key events, news summaries and photos. Journalists can also access the Commission's Audiovisual Library which covers the principal developments in European history since 1945. Over 10,000 subjects are available and new video entries are even accessible online in broadcast quality. Alain Dumont, head of the Broadcasting Department at DG Communications said the new service pledged to provide fast, professional quality images by constantly improving and developing the products available, namely the information needed by journalists. The web portal provides direct access to material by product (sound, photo, video), by theme (Europa nomenclature) and by key words supported by an entirely new search engine. Most of the material can be readily downloaded from the web site, and from one single address: http: //europa.eu.int/comm/avservices/