White Paper on a european communication policy
Date: 2006-02-01
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU competence, European Union, European citizenship, administrative transparency, citizens' Europe, democracy, political participation, public awareness campaign, social dialogue (EU)

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 1.2.2006 
COM(2006) 35 final 

WHITE PAPER  

ON A EUROPEAN COMMUNICATION POLICY 

(presented by the Commission) 

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Debating Europe, involving people 

INTRODUCTION: ‘CLOSING THE GAP’ 

Over the last two decades, the European Union has been transformed. It has taken on a wide 
range of tasks touching citizens’ lives in many different ways. But Europe’s communication 
with its citizens has not kept pace. 

The gap between the European Union and its citizens is widely recognised. In Eurobarometer 
opinion polls carried out in recent years, many of the people interviewed say they know little 
about the EU and feel they have little say in its decision-making process. Communication is 
essential  to  a  healthy  democracy.  It  is  a  two-way  street.  Democracy  can  flourish  only  if 
citizens know what is going on, and are able toparticipate fully. 

Communication  can  never  be  divorced  from  what  is  being  communicated.  Citizens  expect 
Europe  to  offer  them  prosperity,  solidarity  and  security  in  the  face  of  globalisation.  It  is 
therefore essential to any communication policy that the EU should deliver an effective policy 
programme. But delivery by itself is not enough. 

The Commission last year set out an Action Plan with a detailed list of specific measures it 
will  take  to  improve  the  way  it  communicates  with  citizens1.  These  include,  for  example, 
reinforcing the Commission representation offices, better internal co-ordination and planning, 
work on language and presentation, more access points for citizens.  

The  Commission  also  launched  ‘Plan  D  for  democracy,  dialogue  and  debate’,2  which  is 
intended to involve citizens in a wide-ranging discussion on the European Union – what it is 
for, where it is going and what it should be doing. 

But these initiatives by the European Commission will only succeed if many more forces are 
brought  into  play.  A  partnership  approach  is  essential.  Success  will  depend  on  the 
involvement  of  all  the  key  players  –  the  other  EU  institutions  and  bodies;  the  national, 
regional and local authorities in the Member States; European political parties; civil society. 

The  main  purpose  of  this  White  Paper  is  to  propose  a  way  forward  and  to  invite  all  these 
players to contribute their ideas on how best we can work together to close the gap. The result 
will  be  a  forward-looking  agenda  for  better  communication  to  enhance  the  public  debate  in 
Europe.3 

1 
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Action Plan: SEC (2005) 985 final, 20 July 2005 
Plan D: COM (2005) 494 final, 13 October 2005 
In preparing this White Paper, the Commission took due account of the recommendations contained in 
the European Parliament Resolution on the Implementation of the European Union’s Information and 
Communication  Strategy  (Herrero  Report,  (2004/2238(INI)).  It  also  received  valuable  input  from 
several public events and individual contributions received by various experts and stakeholders. On 8 
November  2005,  the  European  Economic  and  Social  Committee  held  a  stakeholders’  forum  on 
“Bridging  the  Gap”  (http://www.esc.eu.int/stakeholders_forum/index_en.asp).  And,  on  25  November, 
the Committee of the Regions held a plenary discussion on the key messages for the Commission White 
Paper.  Detailed  proposals  and  suggestions  received  during  the  preparatory  phase  will  be  also  re-
examined in the follow-up to the consultation process on this White Paper. 

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This Agenda would go beyond the scope of the Commission’s own Action Plan. It seeks to 
involve  all  levels  of  government  and  organisations  in  the  Member  States  and  it  has  a  long 
term time horizon.  

The White Paper invites a lively and open discussion. Part I sets out the Commission’s vision 
of  what  an  EU  communication  policy  should  be  and  do.  Part  II  identifies  the  key  areas  for 
consultation and future action. 

How will the consultation work? 

In  the  White  Paper,  the  areas  in  which  the  Commission  is  seeking  views  and  offering 
suggestions are identified in boxes. 

•  The Parliament, the Council and the other EU institutions and bodies are invited to respond 

to this White Paper through the normal institutional channels. 

European  citizens  and  stakeholders  are  invited  to  respond  by  logging  on  to  a  specially-
created multilingual website http:/europa.eu.int/comm/communication_white_paper or 
at  the  postal  address  White  Paper  Consultation  -  European  Commission  -Directorate 
General Communication - B-1049 Brussels - Belgium 

•  The Commission, in co-operation with other EU institutions, will also organise a series of 
‘stakeholder forums’ to which specific interest groups (NGOs, business organisations and 
other stakeholders) will be invited. 

•  A special series of Eurobarometer polls will be launched in Spring 2006 to provide the best 

possible data for analysis. 

The  consultation  period  will  run  for  six  months.  At  the  end  of  this  period,  the  Commission 
will summarise the replies and draw conclusions with a view to proposing plans of action for 
each working area.  

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PART I 

PUTTING COMMUNICATION AT THE SERVICE OF CITIZENS 

1. 

COMMUNICATION AS A POLICY IN ITS OWN RIGHT 

The ‘communication gap’ between the European Union and its citizens is not new. It has been 
a subject of discussion in EU circles at least since the referenda that preceded the entry into 
force ofthe Maastricht Treatyin 1992.  

In recent years, all the EU institutions have given  a new  emphasis  to  communication work. 
However,  there  is  a  general  perception  that  more  has  to  be  done.  Communication  has 
remained too much of a ‘Brussels affair’. It has focused largely on telling people what the EU 
does:  less  attention  has  been  paid  to  listening  to  people’s  views.  Though  consultation 
mechanisms have become standard practice, these are limited to specific policy initiatives and 
citizens often have the impression that the channels through which they can take part in the 
debate are limited or inaccessible. Institutional communication, though essential and steadily 
improving, has clearly not been sufficient to close the gap.  

The European Commission is therefore proposing a fundamentally new approach - a decisive 
move away from one-way communication to reinforced dialogue, from an institution-centred 
to a citizen-centred communication, from a Brussels-based to a more decentralised approach. 
Communication should become an EU policy in its own right, at the service of the citizens. It 
should  be  based  on  genuine  dialogue  between  the  people  and  the  policymakers  and  lively 
political discussion among citizens themselves. People from all walks of life should have the 
right to fair and full information about the European Union, and be confident that the views 
and  concerns  they  express  are  heard  by  the  EU  institutions.  The  European  Parliament, 
Member  States  and  the  representation  of  European  citizens  have  a  special  role  to  play,  as 
peoples’ support for the European project is a matter of common interest.  

2. 

ENHANCED DEBATE AND DIALOGUE - A EUROPEAN PUBLIC SPHERE 

In  today's  Europe,  citizens  exercise  their  political  rights  mainly  at  national  and  local  level. 
Political rights linked to the European dimension have been introduced, such as the right to 
participate in the elections of the European Parliament. However, people learn about politics 
and  political  issues  largely  through  their  national  education  systems  and  via  their  national, 
regional  and  local  media.  They  consider  the  manifestos  of  political  parties  dealing  with 
national,  regional  and  local  issues,  and  they  discuss  these  issues  mostly  in  their  own 
communities. 

In  short,  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;  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 

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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. 

Europe also needs to find its place in the existing national, regional and local ‘public spheres’ 
and 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. 

That  is  why  national  public  authorities,  civil  society,  and  the  European  Union  institutions 
need to work together to develop Europe’s place in the public sphere. 

PART II 

TAKING WORK FORWARD 

An agenda for action 

The  Commission  has  identified  five  areas  for  action  in  partnership  with  the  other  EU 
institutions, Member States and civil society. This shortlist is not carved in stone: it will grow 
as society evolves and technologies change.  

The  five  areas  are  accompanied  by  possible  action  points  for  discussion  in  the  consultation 
process. 

1. 

DEFINING COMMON PRINCIPLES 

The  right  to  information  and  freedom  of  expression  are  at  the  heart  of  democracy  in 
Europe.  References  to  these  principles  are  included  in  the  EU  Treaty  and  in  the  European 
Charter  of  Fundamental  Rights4.  These  must  be  the  starting  point  in  a  process  aimed  at 
defining common principles and a shared vision for an EU Communication Policy. 

Other important principles also lie at the heart of communication: 

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Article 11 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union states: 
(1) 
Everyone  has  the  right  to  freedom  of  expression.  This  right  shall  include  freedom  to  hold 
opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and 
regardless of frontiers 
(2) 

The freedom and the pluralism of the media shall be respected 

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•  Inclusiveness. 

All  citizens  should  have  access  in  their  own  language  to  information 
about  matters  of  public  concern.  This  means  that  information  should  be  made  widely 
available  through  a  wide  range  of  channels,  including  the  mass  media  and  new 
technologies such as the Internet. It also means that people from all walks of life in all EU 
countries  should  be  helped  to  develop  the  skills  they  need  to  access  and  use  that 
information. This is particularly important in the case of minorities, disabled citizens and 
other groups that might systematically be excluded from participation in the public sphere. 

•  Diversity.  European  citizens  come  from  widely  diverse  social  and  cultural  backgrounds 
and hold a wide variety of political views. EU communication policy must respect the full 
range of views in the public debate. 

•  Participation. 

Citizens should have a right to express their views, be heard and have 
the  opportunity  for  dialogue  with  the  decision-makers.  At  EU  level,  where  there  is  an 
added  risk  that  institutions  are  remote  from  the  citizens,  this  principle  is  of  particular 
importance. 

Defining common principles: which way forward? 

The  common  principles  and  norms  that  should  guide  information  and  communication 
activities on European issues could be enshrined  in a framework document – for example a 
European Charter or Code of Conduct on Communication. The aim would be to engage all 
actors  (EU  institutions,  national,  regional  and  local  governments,  non-governmental 
organisations)  in  a  common  commitment  to  respecting  these  principles  and  ensure  that  EU 
communication  policy  serves  the  citizens’  interest.  This  commitment  would  be  made  on  a 
voluntary basis. 

The  Commission  will  launch  a  special  web-based  citizens’  forum  to  seek  views  on  the 
desirability, purpose and content of such a framework document. This will run for a period of 
six months and be backed up by meetings with stakeholders. Public discussions will also be 
organised,  and  the  EU  Member  States  will  be  invited  to  promote  national  discussions  and 
consultations.  The  website  will  be  updated  regularly  to  report  on  what  is  happening  at 
European, national and regional level.  

At  the  end  of  the  consultation  period,  the  Commission  will  present  the  results  of  the 
consultation and then consider whether to propose a Charter, a Code of Conduct or another 
instrument. 

2. 

EMPOWERING CITIZENS 

Any successful EU communication policy must centre on citizens’ needs. It should therefore 
focus on providing the tools and facilities – the forums for debate and the channels of public 
communication  –  that  will  give  as  many  people  as  possible  access  to  information  and  the 
opportunity to make their voices heard.  

Future work in this area could aim at three main objectives: 

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•  Improving civic education. 

Civic education – which is the responsibility of Member 
States  –  is  crucial  for  enabling  people  to  exercise  their  political  and  civic  rights  and  to 
become  active  in  the  public  sphere.  Civic  education  should  not  be  confined  to  teaching 
school  pupils  about  EU  institutions  and  policies.  It  should  help  people  of  all  ages  to  use 
tools such as the Internet to access information on public policy and to join in the debate. 
This  is  particularly  important  in  the  case  of  minorities,  disabled  citizens  or  other  groups 
that might otherwise find themselves excluded from the public sphere.   

EU  programmes  can  be  of  direct  support  in  fostering  the  European  dimension. 
Programmes  like  Leonardo  da  Vinci,  Socrates,  Erasmus,  Youth  in  Action,  etc.  provide 
educational and training opportunities for thousands of students and young people across 
Europe.  Information  technology  programmes  seek  to  reduce  the  digital  divide  and  tackle 
exclusion.  

•  Connecting citizens with each other.  New  forums  for  public  discussion  of  European 
issues  are  essential  for  building  mutual  trust,  respect  and  willingness  to  work  together 
towards common objectives. While communication technologies are obviously important, 
face-to-face meetings remain crucial. Existing initiatives like Plan D, Youth in Action and 
Culture have shown how the EU can help set up new meeting places for civic debate. 

•  Adoption  of  the  proposed  Citizens  for  Europe  programme  would  offer  a  new  route  to 
connect citizens and to give them a greater say in European governance. The programme is 
also intended to help Europe-wide civil society organisations to run trans-national projects 
to  hold  public  debates  on  Europe. 
that  promote 

citizenship 

active 

and 

More  could  also  be  done  to  exploit  the  potential  of  several  existing  and  planned  EU 
programmes to connect and mobilise European citizens. The Commission could take stock 
of  existing  schemes  with  a  view  to  identifying  and  disseminating  best  practices.  Lessons 
can be learned, for example, from the successful experience of the Erasmus students. Over 
the  years,  they  have  spontaneously  developed  a  network  that  connects  150  000  students 
from  all  Member  States.  Their  websites  serve  as  a  hub  for  posting  activities,  organising 
face-to-face meetings and engaging in wide-ranging debates on European issues. 

•  Connecting the citizens and public institutions. 

two-way  communication 
between the citizens and public institutions is essential in a healthy democracy. The present 
drive to make the EU institutions more responsive, open and accessible needs to continue 
to strengthen. But this is also an issue for national, regional and local institutions. Bridging 
the  gap  between  Europe  and  its  citizens  means  creating  and  maintaining  links  between 
citizens  and  public  authorities  all  the  way  from  the  local  to  the  European  level.  

Good 

The  EU  institutions  are  taking  important  steps  forward  in  this  respect.  The  European 
Parliament has championed transparency, and the Seville European Council agreed that the 
Council  should  meet  in  public  when  enacting  EU  legislation  jointly  with  the  European 
Parliament. The 2005 Commission Action Plan on Communicating Europe5 underlines the 
importance of listening to citizens and it outlines what the Commission itself intends to do 
to  ‘put  its  own  house  in  order’  in  this  respect.  The  Commission  has  already  made  major 
strides  in  the  way  it  consults  on  major  policy  initiatives  and  minimum  standards  for 
consultation have been introduced. It has also introduced its own European Transparency 

5 

Action Plan: SEC (2005) 985 final, 20 July 2005 

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Initiative6.  In  addition,  renewed  attention  is  being  paid  to  implement  citizens’  right  to 
communicate  with  the  institutions  in  their  own  language.  Multilingualism  is  an  integral 
aspect of the legitimacy, transparency and democracy of the European project 

How to reach out to the citizen? 

•  Civic  education  is  a  national  or  regional  responsibility.  But,  the  EU  can  help  to  ensure 
exchange of best practice andfacilitate the development of common educational ‘tools’ so 
that the European dimension is reflected more effectively. Member States could be invited 
to  explore  the  best  ways  to  bring  together  European  teachers  in  this  field,  for  example 
through a network, a special programme within existing structures such as the College of 
Europe, or in a new structure with a view to exchanging ideas on innovative approaches to 
civic education and to learn new skills.  

•  Another  important  project  to  be  developed  by  the  Member  States  would  be  the 
transformation of libraries into digitally connected European libraries that could work as 
information and learning centres, ensuring that all citizens have free access to information 
technologies and relevant information. 

•  Member  States  could  cooperate  in  a  joint  effort  to  establish  new  meeting  places  for 
Europeans,  open  to  citizens  of  all  generations  and  backgrounds,  to  host  cultural  and 
political events relating to Europe. 

•  The  EU  institutions  and  bodies  could  work  together  to  co-ordinate,  improve  and  extend 

their visitors’ programmes. 

•  The  EU  institutions  should  explore  the  possibility  of  complementing  EU  websites  with 

online forums - ‘virtual meeting places’ – with links to external information sources. 

•  The  EU  institutions  must  continue  their  efforts  to  connect  better  with  citizens.  The 
Commission’s  minimum  standards  for  consultation  could  be  reviewed  to  ensure  a  more 
balanced representation of interest groups and a more responsive follow-up. 

•  The  three  main  institutions  could  also  consider  organising  joint  open  debates  to 
complement Parliamentary debates, taking questions from the public or from journalists. 

3. 

WORKING WITH THE MEDIA AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES 

The media are key players in any European communication policy. 

In recent years, all European institutions have made considerable efforts to improve the way 
they  interact  with  the  media.  With  over  a  thousand  accredited  journalists  in  Brussels,  new 
energy has been devoted to ensuring that the press are informed of key decisions in real time. 
Europe by Satellite supplies video, sound and images to the media on behalf of the three main 
EU institutions, and the European Parliament plans to open itself up to the public via web TV. 
Europa is the largest website in the world.  

6 

European Transparency Initiative SEC (2005)1300/6 of 9 November 2005  

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in  spite  of 

these  efforts,  and 

However, 
the  professional  competence  of  Brussels 
correspondents,  media  coverage  of  European  issues  remains  limited  and  fragmented. 
Regular  major  events  such  as  European  Council  meetings  do  attract  coverage  in  national 
newspapers, but during the intervening periods there is no comprehensive cover of EU affairs. 
Regional and local newspapers reach a larger number of people but generally give little space 
to  European  issues.  As  television  and  radio  have  changed  their  programming  patterns,  time 
devoted  to  political  information  and  to  European  issues  is  squeezed  still  further  and 
competition for ‘television space’ has increased. 

The information revolution has fundamentally increased the accessibility of information and 
has opened up the world of ‘interactive’ media. Unprecedented numbers of people can now 
easily connect with one another and take part in all kind of networks. But it will still take a lot 
of work to fully exploit information technology’s potential to close the information gap.  

Action should focus on the following targets: 

•  Giving Europe a human face.  The European  Union is often  perceived as ‘faceless’: it 
has  no  clear  public  identity.  Citizens  need  help  to  connect  with  Europe,  and  political 
information has greater impact when put in a ‘human interest’ frame that allows citizens to 
understand  why  it  is  relevant  to  them  personally.  EU  institutions  and  all  levels  of 
government can do more to ‘give a human face’ to the information they provide.  

•  The national, regional and local dimension.  European citizens need access to a steady 
flow of common information if they are to see the European dimension of common issues. 
This is where pan-European media and the specialised press have an important role to play. 
But European issues also need to be discussed in the national and local context. Some of 
this  would  flow  naturally  from  a  greater  commitment  on  the  part  of  national  and  local 
politicians  and  institutions;  but  it  also  needs  the  proactive  involvement  of  the  EU 
institutions, not least to put European policies in a local context. 

•  Exploiting the potential of new technologies.  Digital  technologies  such  as  the  Internet 
can  offer  new  channels  for  communication  on  European  issues,  new  forums  for  civic 
debate and new tools for cross-border democracy. However, political leadership is needed 
if Europe is to fully exploit the Internet’s potential and ensure that it does not create new 
divisions  in  society.  The  i2010  Initiative  already  seeks  to  close  the  gap  between  the 
information society ‘haves and have nots’ – addressing such issues as equal opportunities, 
ICT skills and the inequalities between Europe’s regions in terms of Internet access.  

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How to involve the media more effectively in communicating on Europe? 

•  A European communication policy should encourage public bodies at European, national 

and regional level to:  

–  supply the media with high-quality news and current affairs material; 
–  work more closely with broadcasters and media operators; 
–  establish new links with regional and local communication systems; 
–  pro-actively use new technologies. 

•  The  EU  institutions  should  be  better  equipped  with  communication  tools  and 

capacities. Two possible ideas to help in this task would be:  

–  to  upgrade  Europe  By  Satellite,  with  a  focus  on  producing  high  quality  audiovisual 
content which is user-friendly for the media and relevant to the citizens, and to explore 
the  desirability  of  having  an  inter-institutional  service  operating  on  the  basis  of 
professional standards.  

–  a  European  Programme  for  Training  in Public  Communication,  under  which  officials 
from  European  and  national  institutions could  receive  training  in  communication  and 
media technologies. 

•  The EU institutions should explore with a wide range of media players how to better 
provide the media (pan-European, national and local) with material which is  relevant for 
them,  with  a  view  to  adapting  the  information  to  the  needs  of  different  countries  and 
segments of the population. 

•  Alongside  existing  initiatives  to  close  the  digital  divide,  a  European  Round  Table  for 
Democracy,  as  suggested  in  ‘Plan  D’,  could  be  asked  to  draft  a  report  on  Information 
technologies and democracy in Europe. 

4. 

UNDERSTANDING EUROPEAN PUBLIC OPINION 

In  modern  democratic  societies,  policy-makers  devote  a  great  deal  of  attention  to  analysing 
public  opinion,  using  tools  such  as  opinion  polls  and  media  monitoring.  The  importance  of 
these  tools  has  increased  in  parallel  with  the  tendency  for  citizens  to  withdraw  from 
traditional politics (joining political parties, voting in elections, etc.). 

European  public  opinion  is  complex  and  diverse,  reflecting  different  national  perspectives. 
Understanding it therefore poses a particular challenge. 

The European Commission has been a front runner in developing modern tools – such as the 
Eurobarometer surveys – for analysing European public opinion: 

•  Eurobarometer has grown into a major European database which regularly observes public 
opinion  in  all  EU  Member  States  and  in  candidate  countries,  interviewing  thousands  of 
people each time. All surveys are subject to independent scrutiny and made available to the 
general public and to academic researchers  

•  Independent  social  research  on  European  issues,  supported  by  EU  research  funds,  has 
flourished;  there  have  been  more  than  350  multi-national  projects  since  1994.  It  has 
provided  rich  insights  into  the  successes  and  shortcomings  of  interaction  between 
European policymakers and citizens, based on independent tools for analysis.  

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•  There  has  been  a  constant  effort  to  improve  the  quality  and  the  significance  of 
Eurobarometer. A re-assessment of the methodology is currently under way with a view to 
responding  to  the  pressing  need  to  have  a  broader  and  deeper  understanding  of  trends  in 
European public opinion.  

What more can be done to gauge European opinion? 

EU institutions could work more closely together on designing and planning Eurobarometer 
surveys and on disseminating the results. Public discussions between the EU institutions and 
civil society organisations could accompany every new Eurobarometer survey. The first stage 
could  come  with  a  special  series  of  Eurobarometer  polls  and  qualitative  studies  on  EU 
Communication in spring 2006. 

To  better  anticipate  and  understand  trends  in  public  opinion  in  relation  to  issues  of  crucial 
importance  for  the  future  of  Europe,  new  avenues  for  co-operation  between  the  European 
institutions and Member States could be explored. Two possible ideas are: 

•  A  new  network  of  national  experts  in  public  opinion  research,  to  help  exchange  best 

practices and develop synergies between researchers at all levels. 

•  The  EU  institutions  and  the  Member  States  could  pool  available  resources  to  set  up  an 
independent Observatory for European Public Opinion which would identify and provide 
in-depth analyses of trends in public opinion. 

5. 

DOING THE JOB TOGETHER  

A working European “public sphere” cannot be shaped in Brussels. It can only emerge if the 
objective  is  backed  by  all  key  actors  and  taken  forward  at  every  level.  The  national  level 
remains  the  primary  entry  point  into  any  political  debate,  and  Member  States’  governments 
and  other  national  actors  have  a  responsibility  to  use  national  channels  to  ensure  a  robust 
European debate. 

A partnership approach must involve all key actors: 

•  Member  States  have  a  long-standing  commitment  to  cooperate  with  the  European 
institutions  on  informing  people  about  Europe  and  creating  national  links  with  Brussels. 
Some  individual  Member  States  have  been  actively  encouraging  public  debate  –  on  the 
proposed EU Constitution, for example – but much more could be done7.  

•  More  should  be  done  to  ensure  that  the  EU  institutions  work  in  parallel  to  improve 
communication.  The  EU  institutions  and  bodies  participating  in  the  Inter-institutional 
Group  on  Information  should  help  decentralise  EU  communication  –  ‘going  local’  –  and 
encourage Member States to be more active in informing citizens about EU affairs. 

•  Many  European  policies  and  programmes  are  implemented  at  regional  and  local  levels. 
Thus local and regional authorities are well placed to engage in dialogue with citizens and 
to actively involve local communities in EU issues. There are already successful examples 

7 

Possibly along the lines of the Irish National Forum on EU matters 

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11 

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of  partnership  at  work.  For  example,  the  Commission  and  the  Scottish  Executive  are 
working on a concrete project to ‘bring decisions closer to the people’ through a series of 
two-way initiatives between citizens and institutions.  

•  Political parties are important in shaping public opinion on European affairs and they too 
have  a  major  role  to  play  in  stimulating  debate  and  contributing  to  the  European  public 
sphere. 

•  Civil society organisations, including professional and sectoral organisations, also have a 
very  important  role  to  play  in  raising  public  awareness  of  European  issues  and  policy 
debates, and in encouraging people to take an active part in those debates. 

How will the partnership work?  

•  Cooperation  between  the  national  and  European  levels  could  include  new  initiatives 
taken  at  national  level:  public  and  parliamentary  discussion  on  the  Commission’s  annual 
strategic  priorities;  face-to-face  discussions  between  national  ministers  and  European 
Commissioners, broadcast in the national media, etc. 

There could be a particular  emphasis  on areas where the EU and Member States already 
act  in  parallel.  The  vehicles  of  cooperation  could  be  financial,  such  as  management 
partnerships  of  the  kind  signed  between  the  Commission  and  the  German  authorities,  or 
they  could  be  operational  –  involving  cooperation  with  the  European  Networks  and 
Relays such as the new Europe Direct network. 

•  New,  structured,  forms  of  cooperation  among  national  authorities  dealing  with  public 
communication should be initiated with a view to sharing experiences on communicating 
Europe and in order to develop joint initiatives.  

•  Finding  modes  of  stronger  cooperation  is  particularly  important  in  the  field  of  external 
relations.  Communicating  about  the  role  of  the  EU  in  the  world  is  an  effective  way  to 
engage Europe's own citizens as well as to enhance support and understanding of the EU in 
the  rest  of  the  world.  Several  patterns  for  further  cooperation  in  this  field  could  be 
explored, including efforts to strengthen public diplomacy capacities.  

•  The EU institutions should pursue a more co-ordinated and citizens-oriented approach. In 
particular,  the  scope  for  co-operation  between  the  Commission  and  the  European 
Parliament  could  be  broadened  and  current  working  arrangements  under  the  Inter-
institutional Group on Information (IGI) could be upgraded. This would include a review 
of current initiatives under the PRINCE budget lines8.  

•  The  European  Economic  and  Social  Committee  and  the  Committee  of  the  Regions 
already  encourage  regional  and  local  discussion  of  European  issues,  involving  civil 
society.  The  recently  adopted  cooperation  protocols  between  the  Commission  and  these 
committees pave the way for greater joint efforts in this field. 

•  Political  parties  could  involve  their  members  more  in  European  political  issues  and 

8 

PRINCE was created in 1995 to regroup priority information topics financed under the EU Budget. In 
2006,  five  themes  are  to  be  financed  (“Economic  and  Monetary  Union”,  “the  Future  of  the  EU”, 
“Justice Liberty and Security”, “the role of the EU in the world”, and “Enlargement”). 

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12 

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contribute  to  the  debate  through  trans-national  European  think  tanks.  They  should  be 
encouraged to develop European components within their programmes. 

•  Civil society organisations have an important part to play in the European debate. Their 
role  could  be  strengthened  through  targeted  cooperation  projects  in  the  field  of  public 
communication. 

6. 

CONCLUSION 

The  European  Union  is  a  common  project  shared  by  all  levels  of  government,  all  types  of 
organisations  and  people  from  all  walks  of  life.  Citizens  have  a  right  to  information  about 
Europe and its concrete projects, a right to express their views about Europe and to be heard. 
This is the challenge of communication – to facilitate this exchange, the learning process, the 
dialogue. 

For  Europe  to  rise  to  the  challenge,  all  the  actors  involved  need  to  have  an  agreed  set  of 
objectives  and  a  shared  ‘toolbox’  of  measures  they  can  take.  It  means  working  together  in 
innovative ways. 

This White Paper outlines the challenge and identifies how it might be met. We now seek the 
views of the European Institutions, the Member States, local and regional governments, non-
governmental organisations, stakeholders and the citizens of Europe on how best to connect 
and communicate. 

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LEGISLATIVE FINANCIAL STATEMENT 

1. 

NAME OF THE PROPOSAL: 

WHITE PAPER ON A “EUROPEAN COMMUNICATION POLICY” 

2. 

ABM / ABB FRAMEWORK 

Policy Area: 

16 PRESS AND COMMUNICATION 

Associated activities: 

16.03  –  Analysis  of  public  opinion 

trends  and  development  of  general 

information for citizens; 

16.04  – 

Integrated management of means of communication; 

3. 

BUDGET LINES 

3.1. 

Budget  lines  (operational  lines  and  related  technical  and  administrative 
assistance lines (ex-BA lines)) including headings: 

16 03 01 –  Public opinion analysis and proximity actions 

16 03 02 –  Actions in the field of communication 

16 04 03 –  Communication tools 

3.2. 

Duration of the action and of the financial impact: 

Publication of the White Paper on a European Communication Policy will launch a 
consultation  process  intended  to  last  for  six  months,  from  February  until  June-July 
2006. The financial impact of the White Paper is therefore confined to the measures 
needed to ensure that this consultation is properly carried out. 

3.3. 

Budgetary characteristics: 

Budget line 

Type of expenditure  

New 

16 03 01 

16 03 02 

16 04 03 

NCE 

NCE 

NCE 

NDA 

NDA 

NDA 

NO 

NO 

NO 

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EN 

EFTA 
contributi
on 

Contributions 
from 
applicant 
countries 

Heading in 
financial 
perspective 

NO 

NO 

NO 

NO 

NO 

NO 

3 

3 

3 

   EN 

 
 
 
4. 

SUMMARY OF RESOURCES 

4.1. 

Financial resources 

4.1.1. 

Summary of commitment appropriations (CA) and payment appropriations (PA) 

EUR million (to 3 decimal places) 

Expenditure type 

Section 
No 

2006 

Subsequent 
years 

Total 

Operational expenditure 

Commitment 
(CA) 

appropriations 

8.1 

Payment appropriations (PA) 

TTOOTTAALL  RREEFFEERREENNCCEE  AAMMOOUUNNTT 

Commitment appropriations 

Payment appropriations 

a 

b 

a 

b 

0.875 

0.875 

0.875 

0.875 

--- 

--- 

--- 

--- 

0.875 

0.875 

0.875 

0.875 

Administrative expenditure not included in reference amount 

Human 
associated expenditure (NDA) 

resources 

and 

8.2.5 

d 

0.405 

--- 

0.405 

Total indicative financial cost of action 

TOTAL  CA  including  cost  of 
human resources 

TOTAL  PA  including  cost  of 
Human Resources 

a+d 

1.280 

b+d 

1.280 

--- 

--- 

1.280 

1.280 

4.1.2.  Compatibility with Financial Programming 

The  financial  impact  of  this  proposal  is  confined  to  2006.  For  this  budget,  the 
proposal is compatible with the existing financial programming. 

Implementation  of  the  planned  actions  will  be  covered  by  the  redeployment  of 
existing appropriations within budget heading 16. 

4.2. 

Human Resources FTE (including officials, temporary and external staff) – see 
detail under point 8.2.1. 

Annual requirements 

Total  

2006 

5 

EN 

15 

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5. 

CHARACTERISTICS AND OBJECTIVES 

The purpose of the White Paper on a European Communication Policy is to launch a 
wide-ranging consultation process on European communication policy in general and 
on  the  suggestions  contained  within  the  White  Paper  itself.  At  this  stage,  these 
suggestions are not actually operational proposals and are therefore not included in 
this financial statement.  

The  consultation  process  will  last  for  six  months,  from  February  until  June-July 
2006. 

It is only after the consultation process has ended that these suggestions may become 
the  basis  for  formal  Commission  proposals,  with  the  corresponding  financial 
statements. 

5.1. 

Action required  

Two  websites  will  be  needed  for  this  consultation  process:  one  for  consultation  on 
the  European  Charter  for  Information  and  Communication  and  the  other  for 
consultation on the content of the White Paper as a whole. 

A Task Force will have to be established by means of redeployment from within the 
Commission to monitor the consultation process and make use of the results. 

Five  specific  conferences  will  also  be  held  in  Brussels  with  the  partners  concerned 
between  February  and  June-July  2006  (if  possible  in  cooperation  with  the  other 
institutions). 

A special series of Eurobarometer opinion surveys will be launched in spring 2006 to 
provide the best possible data for analysis. 

5.2. 

Value-added  of  Community  involvement  and  coherence  of  the  proposal  with 
other financial instruments and possible synergy 

Based on the Commission’s institutional prerogatives, the aim of the White Paper is 
to  improve  the  value-added  of  Community  involvement  in  “Communicating 
Europe". As the European Council emphasised once again in its conclusions of June 
2005,  the  responsibility  for  "Communicating  Europe"  is  shared  between  the 
Community institutions, particularly the Commission, and the national, regional and 
local authorities in the Member States. The Commission's special role, as underlined 
by the European Council, is to develop a broad framework for action and coordinate 
the activities undertaken by all the partners . 

5.3. 

Objectives, expected results and related indicators of the proposal in the context 
of the ABM framework 

The  ultimate  aim  of  the  White  Paper  is  to  implement  specific  proposals  relating  to 
the five areas for action identified. To achieve this, besides the two websites which 
will be set up and the use of the Eurobarometer surveys, the consultation process will 
be boosted by five conferences to be held in Brussels with all of the Commission’s 
institutional and non-institutional partners (civil society organisations) in the area of 
communication. 

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16 

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Possible  indicators  as  to  the  success  of  the  consultation  process  could  be  the 
participation  rate  of  partners  in  these  conferences  and  the  number  of  contributions 
sent to the two websites. 

At  the  end  of  this  consultation  process  (July  2006),  specific  mixed  working  parties 
(Commission - Partners) will be set up for each area of action identified with a view 
to preparing to implement specific operational proposals. 

5.4.  Method of implementation 

Centralised management, directly by the Commission 

6. 

MONITORING AND EVALUATION 

6.1.  Monitoring system 

After the consultation process, a monitoring system will be set up to establish to what 
extent  the  results  of  the  consultation  have  enabled  a  consensus  to  be  reached  on 
implementing all the suggestions in the White Paper.  

6.2. 

Evaluation 

6.2.1.  Ex-ante evaluation 

It  should  be  noted  that  in  view  of  the  nature  of  the  proposal  an  impact  assessment 
was drawn up. The actions provided for in the framework of the consultation process 
come under activities traditionally managed by DG PRESS. 

6.2.2.  Measures taken following an intermediate/ex-post evaluation  

A report on the results of the consultation will be drawn up. 

6.2.3.  Terms and frequency of future evaluation 

These  will  be  applied  to  operational  proposals  which  emerge  from  the  consultation 
process and will depend on their number and nature. 

7. 

ANTI-FRAUD MEASURES 

Regarding the actions planned as part of the consultation process, the financial rules 
on budget implementation and more specifically on control measures will be applied. 

8. 

DETAILS OF RESOURCES 

8.1. 

Objectives of the proposal in terms of their financial cost 

The costs in the table below represent the amounts needed to implement the actions 
described at 5.1 above. 

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Commitment appropriations in EUR million (to 3 decimal places) 

Type of output 

Av. cost 

2006 

TOTAL 

No. 
outputs 

Total 
cost 

No. 
outputs 

Total 
cost 

-

Opinion polls 

Eurobaro

meter(16 03 
01) 

-  Conferences(16 

03 02) 

Conference organisation 

0.300 

0.025 

-  Websites(16 04 

03) 

Development and management 
of websites 

0.075 

2 

5 

2 

0.600 

0.125 

0.150 

2 

5 

2 

TOTAL COST 

8.2. 

Administrative expenditure 

8.2.1.  Number and type of posts 

0.600 

0.125 

0.150 

0.875 

The  table  below  sets  out  the  number  of  posts  needed  to  set  up  a  temporary  Task 
Force to monitor the consultation process and to analyse the contributions made with 
a  view  to  preparing  specific  operational  proposals  in  the  five  areas  of  action 
identified. The Task Force will be made up of officials assigned to DG PRESS. Two 
of these posts will be filled by a redeployment exercise agreed by DG PRESS (over 
and  above  the  posts  already  redeployed  as  part  of  the  internal  reorganisation  and 
included  in  the  new  organisation  chart).  The  other  three  posts  will  be  obtained  by 
drawing  on  the  posts  allocated  to  DG PRESS  in  the  2006  allocation  of  resources  - 
which were earmarked for strengthening the Representations - and redeploying them 
for White Paper measures. 

Types of post 

Staff to be assigned to management of the action 
using existing resources (number of posts/FTEs) 

Officials or temporary officials(16 01 
01) 

A*/AD 

TOTAL 

8.2.2.  Description of tasks deriving from the action 

2006 

5 

5 

The  “A”  officials  mobilised  within  DG  PRESS  will  be  brought  together  in  a  Task 
Force whose role will be to manage the consultation process and the implementation 
of  specific  proposals  which  have  emerged  from  the  suggestions  made  in  the 
framework of the White Paper. 

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18 

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8.2.3. 

Sources of human resources (statutory) 

(cid:133) 

(cid:133) 

(cid:133) 

X 

(cid:133) 

Posts currently allocated to the management of the programme to be replaced 
or extended 

Posts pre-allocated within the APS/PDB exercise for year n 

Posts to be requested in the next APS/PDB procedure 

Posts  to  be  redeployed  using  existing  resources  within  the  Commission  – 
DG PRESS (2 posts) + redeployment of 3 posts from 2006 resources 

Posts required for year n although not foreseen in the APS/PDB exercise of the 
year in question. 

8.2.4.  Other administrative expenditure included in reference amount 

(XX 01 04/05 – Expenditure on administrative management) 

N/A 

8.2.5.  Financial  cost  of  human  resources  and  related  costs  not  included  in  the  reference 

amount 

EUR million (to 3 decimal places) 

Type of human resources 

Officials and temporary staff (16 01 01) 

Total cost of human resources and associated costs 
(NOT in reference amount) 

2006 

0,405 

0,405 

Calculation– Officials and temporary agents 

Taking account of the selection period, 5 officials from April until December 2006: 
5 officials x EUR 108 000/year, for 9 months = EUR 405 000 

8.2.6.  Other administrative expenditure not included in reference amount 

16 01 02 11 05 - Information systems 

2.  Total other management expenditure (16 01 02 11) 

3.  Other administrative expenditure 

EUR million (to 3 decimal places) 

2006 

p.m. 

p.m. 

TOTAL 

p.m. 

p.m. 

Total administrative expenditure, other than human resources 
and associated costs (NOT included in reference amount) 

p.m. 

p.m. 

EN 

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