Brussels, 25/09/2006 (Agence Europe) - Isidoro Gottardo, President of the European People's Party group at the Committee of the Regions, welcomes the results of the first Summer University, which brought together some 70 journalists from various EU towns and regions in Brussels on 19 to 20 September to discuss the contribution being made by the local media to get the main European themes across to citizens (see EUROPE 9267). This debate has “taken us one step forward in our common challenging task of reconnecting citizens to European issues”, Mr Gottardo states in a press release.
Those taking part in the work included the presidents of the EPP, Wilfried Martens, and of the EPP-ED Group at the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, as well as Commissioners Viviane Reding and Danuta Hübner. Ms Reding, who is responsible for information society and the media, said Europe needs a “new partnership with local and regional media”, her press release states, pointing out that the Commissioner has announced a proposal on media pluralism, and a concrete EU initiative which supports freedom of expression. Ms Reding also recalled the role played by the Commission in favour of consumers, especially in its proposal aimed at reducing the cost of using portable phones in other EU countries. Ms Hübner, in charge of regional policy, said, in the same press release, that this policy “is subsidiarity in working, and it is - at least to me - already an interesting story to tell” the public about. She therefore told journalists present she hoped they would have plenty of interesting information on Europe to report on in the months and years to come.