Est. 3min 10-10-2008 (updated: 28-05-2012 ) newspaper_sxc.jpg Euractiv is part of the Trust Project >>> Languages: Français | DeutschPrint Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Cooperation with regional and local media is the key to better communicating EU policy issues to citizens, concluded panellists at a debate on the issue in Brussels on 8 October, organised by the European Commission’s directorate-general for regional policy. “The most important communication is with regional media,” said Dennis Abbott, spokesman for EU Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner, explaining that the impact of EU policies was different throughout the EU and “the message put out in Brussels won’t necessarily work in the regions”. Indeed, finding the right balance between the Brussels and national perspectives is crucial when communicating on EU policies, found the ‘Federation Survey 2008‘ carried out by EURACTIV in conjunction with Kellen Europe earlier this year (EURACTIV 29/02/08). But Abbott said it was “a difficult exercise to get messages out across the EU,” which was why “initial communication in Brussels is aimed at the Brussels audience”. Yet Sabine Berger, Brussels correspondent of the Austrian economic journal Wirtschaftsblatt, disagrees. “Lots of EU issues involve particular countries, but you can look at most issues from a regional point of view.” Nevertheless, conceding that “it is not possible for the Commission to break down huge issues for each region,” the journalist said it was left up to the media itself to do this. “Regional representations and MEPs can help here,” she added. But Abbott cautioned that it was “human nature for [national] politicians to claim credit for [EU] initiatives themselves,” calling on MEPs and national politicians to do more to “debunk myths [about Brussels] when something is plainly wrong”. Managing director of the European Journalism Centre Anne Autio agrees. “What comes out of the Commission is not always the problem,” Autio said. “It is that people and journalists say they are not interested in EU issues.” What’s more, national audiences are under the impression that “Brussels regulates too much and forget that decisions lie with national governments and MEPs too,” according to Berger. It is up to the Commission to tell people otherwise, she added. EURACTIV Publisher Christophe Leclercq insisted that regional journalists would not take a story directly from Brussels. “They will take it from the national level, where regions are well represented, and adapt it to the regional level.” But Berger was quick to warn against over-simplifying the message. “There is a limit to simplification. Clarity is more important, while in-depth analysis is important to understand complex EU issues.” “Complexity is a reality that cannot be avoided,” agreed Zemor. Nonetheless, “you mustn’t be brutal with things” either, he cautioned. “Presenting people with an entire EU treaty after twenty years of silence is not the way to go. You need to apologise, admit previous failures, and explain that you’re here to help.” Read more with Euractiv Parliament resurrects controversial 'EU symbols'The so-called 'symbols of the Union', namely the EU flag, anthem and motto, were formally recognised by the European Parliament yesterday (8 October). Subscribe now to our newsletter EU Elections Decoded Email Address * Politics Newsletters Positions"Communication between the EU institutions remains minimal but the failed referenda [on EU treaties in France and Ireland] made clear that this is needed," said Laurent Thieule, communications director of the Committee of the Regions. "The Commission's failure [to communicate] is not the root of all evil," he continued. "It is a result of politicians' behaviour too" and the EU executive cannot solve the problem alone. Explaining why so few regional media have offices in Brussels, Thieule said it was probably because they would be too costly to run. "There are prejudices regarding the EU institutions and the media find it hard to do their duty to inform people while keeping out of the power play involved," according to Pierre Zémor, the president of the European Association of Public Communications Associations. "If [Commission Vice President responsible for communications] Margot Wallström talks about close cooperation with citizens, then she is talking about people's concerns too, not just a geographical aspect," Zemor added. "There is a need to find out what the electorate wants to know about Brussels, not just what Brussels wants to sell them." "When you say that 75% of [national] legislation comes from Brussels, people take note because they are primarily interested in their own back yard," argued Anne Autio, the managing director of the European Journalism Centre, calling on the EU institutions "to be more active at the local level". "Communicating online allows them to do this." But "the final decision rests with editors to decide whether interest from readers in EU issues is there," Autio warned. Addressing the issue of EU jargon, Dennis Abbott, spokesman for EU Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner, said his directorate-general was doing "its very best to cut down". "The stories [regarding EU regional policy] are from the cradle to the grave and affect individuals, so we need to get beyond the jargon," Abbott continued, insisting that since 2000, there had been "a sea-change in approach" within the EU institutions, which were now making more of an effort to communicate in "appropriate language". EURACTIV Publisher Christophe Leclercq suggested that EU institutions be represented by sector-specific attachés from individual DGs in member-state representations. What's more, there was room for more diversity of opinion between the institutions themselves, he said. "EU democracy is still in a development phase. The diversity of voices reflects the diversity of views and makes EU policies more interesting for national media." "Public opinion in Austria is shaped by big media, particularly the eurosceptic Kronenzeitung," said Sabine Berger, Brussels correspondent of the Austrian economic journal Wirtschaftsblatt , explaining how the media can contribute to a negative image of the EU. BackgroundThe EU institutions are often perceived as being too remote from the lives of the citizens they serve. To address this, the European Commission published its new internet strategy, which seeks to engage citizens by communicating EU activities over the Web, in December 2007. It also launched a 'Communicating Europe in Partnership' initiative in October 2007 aimed at boosting cooperation between the EU institutions and national governments in communicating EU policies. For its part, the European Parliament launched its own online TV channel, EuroparlTV, on 17 September 2008, in an attempt to "bring the Parliament closer to European citizens in a modern and creative format" and reverse widespread political disenchantment among citizens ahead of the European elections in June 2009 (EURACTIV 18/09/08). Panellists assembled to participate in a discussion on how regional media work in Brussels in the context of the European Week of Regions and Cities. Further ReadingEU official documents European Commission:Communicating Europe via the Internet: Engaging the citizens(21 December 2007) [FR] [FR] [DE] European Commission:Communicating Europe in Partnership [FR] [FR] [DE] European Union European Parliament:EuroparlTV [FR] [FR] [DE] DG REGIO:European Week of Regions and Cities 2008(Portal) [FR] EU Actors positions EURACTIV.com:Federation Survey 2008 EURACTIV.com:Yellow Paper on EU Communication Press articles EURACTIV.com:EURACTIV presents Wallström with draft 'Yellow Paper' on communication
