WRITTEN QUESTION E-1735/02

by Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission

(17 June 2002)

Subject: Impact and cost of the European Union's information services in the Member States

According to Eurobarometer (survey 56.3 dated 24 May 2002), 80 % of European Union citizens are still totally unaware of the European Union's information services. No more than 3 % of European Union citizens use the European Union's information services in the Member States as a source of information about the European Union.

1. How much money is spent on running the various European Union information services, including the European Commission and European Parliament representations, in the Member States? Can the Commission give a breakdown per information unit and cost item?

2. Does the Commission feel that the cost involved in maintaining EU information services is commensurate with the use which EU citizens make of those services?

3. How does the Commission intend to bring the cost-benefit ratio relating to those services back into balance?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(27 September 2002)

The total cost of running the 23 Commission Representations in the year 2000 was EUR 22 216 764, broken down as follows:

- Budget line A-4200:operational costs: 13 587 018;

- Budget line A-1112:staff employed locally: 7 683 253;

- Budget lines A-4100, 4110, 7001, 7004, 1410, 4020, 4030, 7004, 7010, 7020, 7060:additional personnel costs: 946 493.

The provision of information to the general public became a priority for the Representations of the Commission in 2001 with the adoption of a Communication on A new framework for cooperation on activities concerning the information and communication policy of the European Union(1). The other priorities are to provide intelligence and guidance on the political situation in Member States and to interact with and monitor the national, regional and local media. In addition, the Representation offices prepare visits of Members of the Commission, they promote and stimulate debate about European issues and they undertake information campaigns on key issues agreed by the Commission and the Parliament such as the Euro and enlargement.

In a second Communication entitled An information and communication strategy for the European Union(2) it is foreseen that the Representations will in future work in close partnership with the Parliament and with Member States, thus enabling them to reach and stimulate the interest of a greater percentage of the population.

The Commission is pleased that the Honourable Member takes an interest in the Eurobarometre survey and would also like to draw attention to the following aspects of the same survey:

- in respect of sources of information about the Union, the Commission Representations and the Parliament's External Offices come directly behind the media, the Internet and discussions within the family and they come before national information facilities and trade unions or organisations such as consumer organisations. It is also worth noting that 25 % of all citizens never show an interest in information about the Union. That is precisely why the Commission adopted its Communication on a new strategy on 2 July 2002 in order to stimulate interest, counter apathy and foster dialogue with citizens about European issues.

- with regard to the number of people who have heard about the Union's information services, the response from the different Member States varies greatly. Clearly, this is due to a number of factors including educational, cultural and political differences. However, the Commission recognises that more efforts need to be made in all Member States and that information must be provided as close to the citizens as possible.

Indeed, the new Communication states that the most effective means of informing and engaging people is to adapt the information to local realities and perception as to the specific interests and concerns of the various groups targeted. The Representations will clearly play an invaluable role in this part of the new strategy.

In view of the disparate tasks of the Commission's Representations and their evolving role the cost-benefit ratio of the provision of information about the Union is difficult to assess accurately. It is clear, however, that improvements can and must be made. With the adoption of the new Communication on an information and communication strategy for the Union, and the gradual implementation of the proposals it contains, the Commission is confident that working in partnership with the Parliament and Member States the provision of information to citizens will be more effective.

(1) COM(2001) 354 final.

(2) COM(2002) 350 final.