Brussels, 02/02/2006 (Agence Europe) - Speaking to a Chamber that was almost empty, on 2 February, Margot Wallström, Commissioner for Communication Strategy, presented the Commission's White Paper on European communication policy to the 40 MEPs present. For the first time, the White Paper launches public consultation on the EU's future action in this field (EUROPE 9121 and 9122). During the debate, MEPs highlighted the importance of policy content to overcome the lack of interest shown by the public on the subject of Europe. “Citizens are not concerned by the way institutions work” but rather by “employment”, Struan Stevenson (EPP-ED, Britain) said, recalling that there are “20 million unemployed” in Europe. In his view, the White Paper has come just at the right moment. He says the rate of turnout for the 2004 elections is a rather sad reminder that the EU must learn to put itself across better. He voiced approval for communication that should no longer be “one way” but rather based on “true dialogue”, in a “decentralised” manner. “Add a D for Decision to act in Plan D”, he said to Ms Wallström, who responded by saying that democracy is not a sport to be watched as a spectator. Jan Marinus Wiersma (PES, NL) stressed the importance of the “quality of messages”, that must be strong and diffused in a clear language. “Why continue to propose unpopular directives?” he asked, evoking the recent EP rejection of the second proposal for a directive on port services which, he said, is a “clear example” showing that the “Commission does not follow the opinion of citizens or Parliament”. Gérard Onesta (Greens/EFA, France) said the White Paper begins well by recognising that the “communication cannot be disassociated from its content”. “Self-criticism does not stop there”, he regretted, however, as, according to the Commission, it is simply a matter of communicating better. He went on to ask: “Do the liberal objectives fully taken on board by President Barroso not have something to do with the concern felt by citizens?” On the subject of Mr Barroso's intention to withdraw legislative proposals (in the context of the Better Regulation initiative) but to maintain that on services in the internal market, Mr Onesta warned: “It is not enough to dress up policies. We must also consider their content. Reviewing the communication is all very well but reviewing the policy is better”. Ms Wallström replied to this by saying that the services directive is precisely a “good example of what should be put right”. “The propaganda service wants more money!”, Jens-Peter Bonde, Co-President of Independence/Democracy, said indignantly. David Hammerstein (Greens/EFA, Spain) proposed for his part to launch a “pilot project” to open the major European debates up to the public. He called for a “public debate” in Council on the services directive, recalling that: “Article 8 of the internal Council regulation authorises any member to propose a public debate”.
In answer to questions put by EUROPE on the fact that there were few MEPs present, Ms Wallström replied that she had already discussed the White Paper in parliamentary committees. She also pointed out that the singer, Barbara Hendricks, would be very interested in the idea floated in the White Paper of appointing European goodwill ambassadors.
Journalists express concern about idea of press agency
Returning to the fears of journalists who are worried about the competition that could be caused by the possible creation of a European press agency, Margot Wallström told MEPs again that “there is a problem of language”, as the idea is simply to improve the televised “Europe by Satellite” service to cover more European affairs and help regional media. In her view, “everyone is trying to safeguard his own interests”, but, if one wants to get the message across, one must invest more in radio and television. The International Press Association (IPA) wrote to Ms Wallström on 1 February to inform her of its “concerns”. It considers it is necessary to be “very clear on the subject of task sharing” between the European institutions and journalists: “the idea of completing the current Europe by Satellite channel by a press agency comprises risks when it comes to our respective tasks”. The IPA recalls that accredited photographers in Brussels already have to face up to growing competition on the part of the Commission's communication service.
“There is a clear division of tasks between the public service and the media”, the spokesman for Ms Wallström said on Thursday. He went on to add: “Ms Wallström has no intention of crossing the line between information from public authorities and journalism (…) Never will these two tasks meet. It is a matter of providing the material that is needed for your work”. The spokesman recalled that the White Paper is above all “a consultation document”, judging it “regrettable that a preliminary version had been distributed”. He went on to specify that Ms Wallström herself had decided to do away with the idea of a press agency before presenting the White Paper to her colleagues, who supported the idea. In its final version, the White Paper simply puts forward the hypothesis of an “interinstitutional service which has a method of functioning that meets professional standards”.