Brussels, 18/09/2006 (Agence Europe) - The Summer University 2006 organised by the EPP Group at the Committee of the Regions (CoR), on 19-20 September in Brussels will focus on the theme of “Local Media Meets Europe - Europe Meets Local Media”.
The EPP Group is, in this respect, seeking to actively contribute to carrying out Plan D (democracy, dialogue and debate), launched by the Commission, and to the White Paper on an information and communication strategy, “Re-establishing the Link between Europe and its Citizens”. The president of the EPP group, Isidoro Gottardo commented, “Local and regional journalists play a central role by providing concrete ways to explain European affairs to our citizens and to channel their views back to the EU-decision makers. Our objective is to encourage local and regional media to communicate about European politics, in addition and in relation to local and regional affairs”.
More than 70 journalists from all of Europe's cities and regions will be using this occasion to discuss with political, European, regional and local leaders, the future of Europe. On 19 September work will be organised in two sessions on: 1) A Constitution for Europe, Competitive Services for Europe, the Borders of Europe, a Budget for Europe: communicating through local and regional media. Participants will include Wilfried Martens, the president of the European People's Party (EPP), Hans-Gert Pöttering, president of the EPP-ED group at the European Parliament, Isidoro Gottardo, Luc Van Den Brande, 1st Vice President of the Committee and Viviane Reding, European Commissioner for Information Society and Media; 2) How EU institutions communicate Europe to local and regional media. Participants will include Mikolaj Dowgielewicz, spokesperson for Institutional Relations and Communication Strategy of the European Commission, Jaume Duch Guillot, spokesperson of the European Parliament, Cristina Gallach, spokesperson of the Secretary General of the Council of the EU, Laurent Thieule, Head of Press and Communication Unit of the Committee of the Regions.
On 20 September journalists will have the opportunity to tackle the issue of “Communicating EU to whom and how?” The Commissioner for Regional Policy Danuta Hübner will then make a speech in the session on “Cohesion Policy of the EU: achieving more growth and jobs in cities and regions across Europe”. Claude du Granrut, Regional Advisor for Picardy and the Deputy Mayor of Senlis (as well as a member of the Committee) will conclude the Summer University. (Info: http://www.cor.europa.eu ).