1. EU information review of the year 2011
Ian Thomson
Director, Cardiff EDC, Cardiff University
Executive Editor, European Sources Online
President, European Information Association
Zagreb
25 October 2011

2. New Institutions New faces
Big challenges facing the EU…
New Institutions New faces
…What role for information and communication ?

3. Public Opinion and Europe:
The challenge…
With the evidence of
low participation rates in the EP elections
the referendum results in Denmark, France, the Netherlands and Ireland
declining support for the EU in Eurobarometer opinion polls
Communicating Europe effectively has become an issue of major concern to the EU Institutions
a need to communicate effectively with citizens and stakeholders
a need to professionalise the way information is communicated
a need to use new media to get information and messages across
However, the question still arises… Will more effective communication make citizens ‘love’ the EU or are the challenges greater or more complex?

4. EU information review of the year 2010
Key themes
Making the EU more transparent
European Transparency Initiative
Access to documents
Connecting with Citizens
European Citizens’ Initiative
Participation of citizens and stakeholders
Use of Social Media & other new forms
Smart Regulation
Consultation / Impact Assessment / Evaluation / Implementation /
EURLEX / Simplification / Consolidation / Codification / Recasting

5. New Institutions New faces
EU information review of the year 2011
New Institutions New faces
Making the EU more transparent

6. New Institutions New faces
Making the EU more transparent
Is it necessary … or not…
New Institutions New faces
European Ombudsman: 33% of all complaints
regard transparency, May 2011

7. Making the EU more transparent
Access to documents
Making the EU more transparent
Proposal to amend Regulation 1049/2001 still being negotiated September 2011: still awaiting 1st Reading Vote in European Parliament. Why the delay?
Draft EP Report, September 2011
January 2011: Over 250 organisations, journalists and campaigners call for MEPs to reject measures to limit public access to information
March 2011: General Court of the European Union rules refusal illegitimate. Access Info wins case against Council on open legislative procedure
August 2011: Appeal by the Council against the pro-transparency decision of the General Court - Case C-280/11 P

8. Making the EU more Transparent
European Transparency Initiative
Find details of organisations that seek to influence (‘lobby’) the EU
Register is a voluntary requirement.
Transparency Register is new in 2011 and will
combine the functions of the old European
Commission Register of Interest Representatives
and European Parliament Register of Lobbyists
Some discussion as to Council joining the Register

9. Making the EU more Transparent
European Transparency Initiative
ECJ Judgement in Nov 2010 regarding German farmers and CAP: A blow for transparency
Draft
European Commission Code of Conduct for Commissioners,
December [Alter-EU Reaction, January 2011] ‘Revolving doors’

10. New Institutions New faces
EU information review of the year 2011
New Institutions New faces
Connecting with Citizens

11. Interactive Communication: Participatory democracy initiatives
A new form of public participation in EU policy-making
First cross-border attempt at ‘direct democracy’
Regulation No.211/2011 … on the Citizens’ Initiative
The ECI will allow EU citizens to request new legislation
1 million citizens from at least 25% of the EU Member States can request
European Commission to bring forward legislative proposals
Citizens’ Committee of at least 7 people from 7 Member States to
administer the campaign
Who pays for the administration of the scheme
Registration from 1 April 2012

12. Interactive Communication: Participatory democracy initiatives
3rd Agora, January 2011
Crisis and forms of poverty

13. Interactive Communication: Participatory democracy initiatives
Giving school children across the EU the opportunity to
debate, negotiate and reach consensus on EU issues

14. Interactive Communication: Participatory democracy initiatives

15. Social Media

16. Social Media

17. TV – Web-streaming for EU information

18. TV – Web-streaming for EU information

19. New Institutions New faces
EU information review of the year 2011
New Institutions New faces
Smart Regulation

20. Better, simpler and more accessible legislation
Smart Regulation
Better, simpler and more accessible legislation
Reduced legislative activity - ‘Better regulation’
Better quality legislation after consultation
Impact assessments
Better quality drafting - Explanatory memorandum
Greater use of alternative legislative instruments
Consolidation, codification and recasting
Simplification
Transposition & application of EU law
(Implementation)
Evaluation
Better
Law-making
2010 report
COM(2011)344

21. New Institutions New faces
Smart Regulation
Access to legislation
New Institutions New faces
You can now find electronic copies of pre-1998 OJ online + COM & SEC docs
New version of EUR-LEX in 2012
Lex-Alert is now working

22. EU information review of the year 2011 Ian Thomson
Thank you for your attention
Further information
EUi Seminar, Zagreb
25 October 2011
© Ian Thomson