Dear Mr Lundberg,
Thank you very much for your interesting and positive letter addressed to Vice President Margot Wallström the 26 January. Mrs Wallström has asked me to reply on her behalf.
Thank you also for taking such constructive interest in how best to communicate with and among the citizens about European issues. The three levels of communication you have identified are indeed all crucial for better understanding of the EU and for creating platforms for involvement and exchange of ideas.
Your suggestion to establish a public forum at the EU level to discuss various European topics beyond national borders is very much in line with the newly adopted White Paper on a European Communication Policy.
The White Paper is a call for action on how we can close the gap between the EU and its citizens and proposes five areas where joint action should be taken: defining common principles to guide communication activities on European issues; empowering citizens; working with the media and new technologies; understanding European public opinion; doing the job together.
In the White Paper there is a discussion on how the debate and dialogue can be enhanced and how we can create something we call a “European public sphere”.
One reason being that the ‘public sphere’ within which political life takes place in Europe is largely a national sphere. To the extent that European issues appear on the agenda at all, they are seen by most citizens from a national perspective. The media remain largely national, partly due to language barriers; as you point out yourself. There are few meeting places where Europeans from different Member States can get to know each other and address issues of common interest.
Yet many of the policy decisions that affect daily life for people in the EU are taken at European level. People feel remote from these decisions, the decision-making process and EU institutions. There is a sense of alienation from ‘Brussels’, which partly mirrors the disenchantment with politics in general. One reason for this is the inadequate development of a ‘European public sphere’ where the European debate can unfold. Despite exercising the right to elect members of the European Parliament, citizens often feel that they themselves have little opportunity to make their voices heard on European issues, and there is no obvious forum within which they can discuss these issues together. A pan-European political culture –
with pan-European political groups and foundations – is still developing.
The White Paper suggests that Europe also needs to find its place in the existing national, regional and local ‘public spheres’ and that the public discussion across Member States must be deepened. This is first and foremost the responsibility of the public authorities in the Member States. It is the responsibility of government, at national, regional and local level, to consult and inform citizens about public policy – including European policies and their impact on people’s daily lives – and to put in place the forums to give this debate life.
There is also a real interest in building the European dimension into the national debate. Citizens sense that there is something missing from a national debate which ignores aspects of public policy that are of direct relevance to them. Far from being in competition, a stronger recognition of the European dimension in national political exchange can only add to its credibility.
The White Paper also suggests that the EU institutions should explore the possibility of complementing EU websites with online forums - ‘virtual meeting places’ – with links to external information sources.
I invite you to read the White Paper and also to give us any further comments you might have on the suggestions made under each area. New ideas related to the White Paper are also most welcome.
You will find the text and the consultation on the White Paper on our multilingual website http:/europa.eu.int/comm/communication_white_paper.
Kun varmaj kaj Euxrop-amikaj salutoj och bästa hälsningar,
Ylva Tivéus
Myriam Eeckhout
Assistant of Ylva Tivéus
Director for Communication
Audiovisual service, web and publications
European Commission, BERL 05/270, B-1049 Brussels
Tel 32-2-295.94.94
Fax 32-2-299.92.07
E-mail myriam.eeckhout@cec.eu.int
"Communication - for a better understanding"
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