European Liberals and Democrats favour more flexible approach to EU communication policy

3.19.12pm GMT Thu 16th Nov 2006

The European Parliament voted today on the European Commission's White Paper on communication policy. The Parliament backed the ALDE line to support the Commission's pragmatic suggestion for a voluntary agreement between the institutions and withdrew a misguided proposal for more EU legislation.

The ALDE group rejected the rapporteur's suggestion for an EU law on communication as being heavy-handed and controversial. Instead it strongly supports the Commission in its efforts to modernise and strengthen EU communication policy.

"When your House is on fire, your priority should be to put it out immediately rather than to set up a new institutional mechanism to discuss how to do it," said Karin Resetarits (LIF, Austria). "The answer to the current communication deficit is not more legislation on how to communicate but more attention to what the citizens are concerned about and how the European Union can effectively respond."

"Using Article 308 of the Treaty as a legal base for an EU information policy, as some in the Parliament suggested, would be wholly inappropriate" said Andrew Duff (UK, Lib Dem). "We need to experiment in many different ways about how we relate to the media and dialogue with the citizen about the new European dimension."

Fr?d?rique Ries (MR, Belgium) pointed out that "the real threat for Europe is not scepticism but indifference. And our weapon is communication! We have run out of time for more questions , discussions and consultations. We should rather start channelling our energy towards the younger generation and stimulate a real European conscience and citizenship."

Marian Harkin (Ireland), recalled former European Parliament and Liberal group President, Pat Cox, who did more than most to improve the way Europe communicated by getting out and talking directly to citizens about what interested them and what Europe was doing about it such as telephone costs, blue flag beaches or the European health card. "I think this is a good strategy - communicating the added value of Europe at the local, regional, European and global level," she said.