EU information review of the year Ian Thomson Director, Cardiff EDC Cardiff University

European information review of the year © Ian Thomson, Director, Cardiff EDC This powerpoint presentation provides details of the main developments in EU information and communication issues in 2009 / 2010 For more information click on the hyperlinks (many hyperlinks are embedded in images)

European information review of the year © Ian Thomson, Director, Cardiff EDC EU information review of the year Key themes New Institutions, new faces The increasing role of new media The role of Google

European information review of the year © Ian Thomson, Director, Cardiff EDC New Institutions New faces European Council –A formal EU Institution –President of the European Council –New website European External Action Service –Independent of Commission & Council –High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy –New website

European information review of the year © Ian Thomson, Director, Cardiff EDC New Institutions New faces European Commission –Change of personnel Viviane Reding DG Communication & Publications Office Maroš Šefčovič I-IR & Administration (ETI) Goodbye & thanks to Margot Wallström & Siim Kallas Welcome to…

European information review of the year © Ian Thomson, Director, Cardiff EDC New Institutions New faces European Commission –Change of departments (DGs) DG Energy and Transport splits into: DG Energy DG Mobility and Transport Will DG Environment website be split into DG Environment and DG Climate Change websites? They are already listed separately in List of DGs Will DG Justice, Freedom and Security website be split between the activities of Mrs Reding (Justice, Fundamental Rights & Citizenship) and Mrs Malmstrom (Home Affairs)?

European information review of the year © Ian Thomson, Director, Cardiff EDC The increasing role of new media The Web / Digitisation New version launched in September Evaluation of EUROPA / Comment on the new EUROPAEvaluation Comment Increasingly information only published electronically Digitisation New version of EU Bookshop – big increase in content

European information review of the year © Ian Thomson, Director, Cardiff EDC The increasing role of new media Web-streaming / TV and Radio Europe by Satellite Expands in 2009 to two channels EuroparlTV continues with low viewing figures and high costs [60,000 an hour] EP Live replaces OJ: Annex Council of the EU / European Council / High Representative making increasing use of web-streaming European Central Bank offers coverage of the monthly interest rate meeting + other meetings and events

European information review of the year © Ian Thomson, Director, Cardiff EDC The increasing role of new media Use by the European Commission Photo / Audio / Video sources on European Commissioners European Commission uses video to Communicate with the general public and with stakeholders European Commission commissions a large number of videos on key policy areas for use by professionals European Commission encouraging awareness of its new media resources

European information review of the year © Ian Thomson, Director, Cardiff EDC The increasing role of new media EP Elections June 2009

European information review of the year © Ian Thomson, Director, Cardiff EDC The increasing role of new media Web 2.0: Blogs Some European Commissioners and other EU personnel have their own blogs.blogs See also the final comments of Margot Wallström on her blog, December 2009final comments EU Blog Aggregators: Trying to bring some order to blogs on EU topics?

European information review of the year © Ian Thomson, Director, Cardiff EDC The increasing role of new media Web 2.0: Twitter Tweet Aggregators: attempts to bring together EU tweets Who are the key players in the EU-twittersphere? TweetLevelTweetLevel evaluates tweets Many EU Institutions, officials, MEPs, Stakeholders and news sources are using Twitter – although some question its valuevalue

European information review of the year © Ian Thomson, Director, Cardiff EDC The increasing role of new media Web 2.0: Facebook Facebook is also being used by the European Union Institutions (and by other European stakeholders)

European information review of the year © Ian Thomson, Director, Cardiff EDC The role of Google Google Translate now machine translates all 23 official EU languages Google Public Data Explorer Unemployment / Minimum wage / Inflation Searching EUROPA through Google

European information review of the year © Ian Thomson, Director, Cardiff EDC The role of Google March 2008: Commission gives the go-ahead to Google taking over DoubleClickDoubleClick August 2009: Italian competition authorities claim Google News is an abuse of a dominantGoogle News internet position August 2009: Commission launches a consultation of challenges for book digitisation in Europeconsultation (Europeana + a welcome for new business models such as Google Book Search) September 2009: European Commission holds a hearing to discuss Google Book Searchhearing September 2009: German government asks US Court to block Google deal with US authors & publishers over web access to old books 2009: Continuing discussions between Google and the Article 29 Working Party on data protection issues regarding Googles Street View (+ Swiss authorities take Google to Court over Street View) December 2009: Google welcomes Commission decision to encourage more competition in thedecision internet browser sector January 2010: French government review of digitisation aims to promote a French/European solution January 2010: Google formally submits its views to the Commission on its EU2020 consultationconsultation February 2010: Commission announces a preliminary investigation into complaints against Googles Search engine advertising servicepreliminary investigation March 2010: Google and the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage reach agreement to digitise works from Italian librariesItalian libraries

European information review of the year © Ian Thomson, Director, Cardiff EDC The role of Google Increasing interest in the EU and Member States in Google activities… Digitisation issues Competition issues Data protection issues

European information review of the year © Ian Thomson, Director, Cardiff EDC The role of Google Google have launched their own blog dealing with their relations with the EU and other European public policy issues Love it or hate it … Google is important in the world of European information

European information review of the year © Ian Thomson, Director, Cardiff EDC EU information review of the year Other themes Making the EU more transparent –European Transparency Initiative –Access to documents Connecting with citizens –Interactive communication –Participatory democracy initiatives / Interactive communication

European information review of the year © Ian Thomson, Director, Cardiff EDC Making the EU more transparent ETI / Access to documents 2599 signed up [ ] ETI will stay voluntary Should Think Tanks join? Moves towards a common registerMoves towards a common register / Joint statement Joint statement Proposal to amend Regulation 1049/2001 still being negotiated

European information review of the year © Ian Thomson, Director, Cardiff EDC Connecting with citizens Participatory democracy initiatives / Interactive communication EU Institutions have created a range of initiatives to encourage interactive communication European Public Sphere Euranet Radio Network / PressEurop / New EU TV network?

European information review of the year © Ian Thomson, Director, Cardiff EDC EU information review of the year For further information please contact Ian Thomson