WRITTEN QUESTION E-2356/02

by Marie Isler Béguin (Verts/ALE), Catherine Guy-Quint (PSE),Elmar Brok (PPE-DE), Pedro Marset Campos (GUE/NGL), Lennart Sacrédeus (PPE-DE),Monica Frassoni (Verts/ALE), Hans Modrow (GUE/NGL)and David Martin (PSE) to the Council

(2 August 2002)

Subject: EU information policy in the republics of eastern Europe

Knowledge and, therefore, an understanding of the projects and policies pursued by the European Union is gaining ground on a daily basis and in the field through the Union's information and documentation networks in the Member States, the applicant countries and third countries. These information networks comprise Info-Points Europe(1), European documentation centres(2), the rural information carrefours(3), the Euro Info Centres(4) and the Team Europe conference speakers(5) situated in towns and cities.

These Union showcases and databases are efficient and effective sources of information for the general public and other players in European societies, drawing their attention to and facilitating their participation in programmes, projects and debates launched by the Union

In the short term, the enlargement of the Union to include the central European countries will mean a shift in its eastern borders. This enlargement will produce a new EU perceived in a different light by countries such as Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova, which have common links with European history and civilisation, even though they are not at present officially recognised as candidates for participation in the process of European integration. Although the Ukrainian Government has confirmed its willingness to forge closer links with and take its place in the European Community, sentiments also previously expressed by the leaders of Belarus and Moldova, Community information sources are at present confined to two European documentation centres in Ukraine (population 50 million), one in Belarus (population 10 million) and none in Moldova (population 4,5 million), whereas neighbouring Poland has some 40 EU information centres for its population of 40 million.

Is it not appropriate, in the Council's view, to continue with its information campaign on our institutions, our values and our policies, targeting the citizens of Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova in their official national languages -who will, in the short term, also be our immediate neighbours in an enlarged EU?

Is the Council prepared to persuade the Commission of the importance of increasing the number of EU information offices and networks in these three European countries?

(1) http://europa.eu.int/comm/relays/ipe/index_en.htm.

(2) http://europa.eu.int/comm/relays/edc/index_en.htm.

(3) http://europa.eu.int/comm/relays/carrefours/index_en.htm.

(4) http://bre.cec.eu.int.

(5) http://europa.eu.int/comm/relays/teameurope/index_en.htm.

Reply

(6 February 2003)

The Council notes the case made by the Honourable Members according to which the future enlargement of the Union and thus the new shape of its eastern frontiers will have implications for frontier relations in the regions concerned.

As the Council pointed out in its reply to Written Question E-481/02, also put by Ms Marie Isler Béguin and others, at its meeting on 15 April 2002 the Council held an exchange of views on relations between the future enlarged EU and its eastern neighbours. It had welcomed the intention of the Commission and of the Secretary-General/High Representative, Mr Javier Solana, to draft reports in the second half of 2002 on possibilities of strengthening these relations, taking into account the state of relations between the EU and the various countries concerned, as well as their level of political and economic development. The Council is currently formulating its observations and a Commission communication is awaited on this subject during the autumn. During its meeting on 30 September 2002, it reaffirmed its conviction that EU enlargement will provide a good opportunity to enhance relations between the European Union and the countries concerned with the objective of creating stability and narrowing the prosperity gap at the borders of the Union. The Council also emphasised the need for a differentiated approach with each country. It invited its relevant bodies to work on this issue with a view to the Copenhagen European Council.

Pending definition of the EU's future policy vis-à-vis the EU's new neighbours in the enlarged Europe, the Council would support the Commission in making the best use of the budget appropriations available including to extend the information and documentation networks, especially on the Internet, in those countries as appropriate.