Mr President, it is true that public opinion is bombarded nowadays with a plethora of news, messages and information, thanks to the multiplicity of means of communication and easy access to them. So you would expect, under these conditions of global knowledge, information and communication, that every citizen would be given the chance to obtain a tangible picture of reality. And yet, the result is increasingly intense confusion of public opinion, with all that implies, by which I mean a warped or distorted image of reality, an uncritical rejection or acceptance of facts, information, advice, perceptions and opinions and, hence, the opportunity for leading people by the hand. These are all consequences that cannot be combated, as we know from experience, with individual information programmes and strategies. The information given to the citizens of the European Union should therefore be objective and free from the influence of political or other authorities. Citizens must be told about European stands and policies, especially as regards important issues such as foreign affairs and issues relating to the security and defence of the European Union. Special attention must be paid to issues such as political legitimacy, democratic control and transparency in decision making. In addition, information must be clear and documented. This means that the mass media need to report not what they consider to be essential reporting, but any decision taken on matters of importance to the Member States. This will give all the citizens of the European Union a clearer understanding of the decisions taken by its institutions, which are often wrongly presented, with the result that impressions are created that have absolutely nothing to do with reality. Top priority issues, such as enlargement, the links between European policies and daily life and the problems of European citizens, especially following the accession of new countries to the European Union, which is expected to bring about considerable changes in European agricultural, budgetary and financial policy, need to be the subject of full, substantiated information. There is a serious problem in the regions, where information is either limited or totally lacking. In these areas, closer and more fundamental cooperation is needed with local agencies in each Member State, so that information is accessible to everyone. More immediate and more objective information could be achieved with live coverage of important events, such as decision making in plenary sittings and at committee meetings, for example in the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy, on television channels or, in order to avoid high costs, on the Internet. Proper, objective information for citizens is a necessity. Proper information for European citizens is also an appropriate and necessary condition for extending European integration and strengthening its role in the world. Consequently, efforts and initiatives need to be stepped up and systematised, given the deficit in this sector, and citizens need full, documented, clear, accessible information. The report we are debating today is the very substance of the issue of information and policy on this strategy of communication with the citizens of the European Union and I should like to take this opportunity of thanking and congratulating the rapporteur, Mr Bayona, on his excellent work.

Political group: PPE-DE