WRITTEN QUESTION E-1753/99

by Marcello Dell'Utri (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 October 1999)

Subject: Use of the structures for informing the general public

According to data published by Eurobarometer (51.0 March-April 1999, fig. 2.8) only 3 % of European citizens who need information on the European Union use the EU's information offices, the Euro info-centres, the Euro info-points and the Euro-libraries.

In view of this, can the Commission say whether these figures can be considered satisfactory with reference to the targets set, and whether the structures can be considered cost-effective?

If not, what does the Commission intend to do to improve the management of these structures so as to make them more efficient and more responsive to citizens' needs?

In view of the fact that the problem is partly due to the fact that few people even know that these structures exist, can the Commission say what steps it intends to take to publicise them more?

Answer given by Ms Reding on behalf of the Commission

(10 November 1999)

The figures to which the Honourable Member refers represent the average of the replies recorded in a survey of the general public based on a representative sample of the entire population of each Member State. A survey of this kind is better for measuring opinions and attitudes than specific patterns of behaviour. The average recorded, 3 % of the population of the Member States, represents more than 12 million citizens. Although this figure is small compared to the total population of the Member States, it still represents a not insignificant number of citizens who claim to search for information of their own volition and who are aware of the existence of the information structures in place. Moreover, if you look at the results for individual Member States, it is clear that, in certain cases, notably the Nordic countries where there is a tradition of an active approach to information, the percentage of the population approaching the Commission representations, the European Parliament information offices and the information relays is between 7 and 9 % of those surveyed, a significant result.

It should be noted that not all types of information relay were explicitly listed in the question what about, for instance, rural information and promotion carrefours, documentation centres in universities or urban forums? so how could the persons approached possibly have mentioned them?

It does not seem possible to make a direct connection between the number of citizens who are aware that representations, information centres and relays exist and the cost of these structures. Although the Community representations, centres and relays do indeed exist to provide information to private citizens, they often do this via intermediaries, such as television, the written press, political organisations and the media, who, in turn, disseminate this information to the general public, who are generally unaware of the source.

The Commission accepts the urgent need to reinforce local information structures so that they can fully play their role as neighbourhood centres and serve the general public as efficiently as possible. It is also aware of the need to better publicise the existence of these structures and to ensure that their activities are better publicised. Although steps have been taken in this direction, more remains to be done. A site presenting the information relays is now available on the Europa server under the heading The European Union near you, it gives the addresses of local information relays. Links with sites developed by the relays themselves are planned. The Europe Direct service, which gathers together requests for information from citizens of all the Member States, systematically informs correspondents in every reply of the existence of the nearest information centre. The Commission representations do the same. Other approaches could be explored, such as publicity campaigns in local media. However, these would require a considerable investment in terms of funding and human resources.