1. Review of EU Information 2008
Ian Thomson
University of Zagreb: Faculty of Law Library: Seminar: Keeping up-to-date
28 October 2008

2. Structure of talk EU Information and Communication Policy
Interactive Communication
European Transparency Initiative
Access to documents
Better, simpler and more accessible legislation
Further developments

3. Public opinion and Europe: Elections, referendums and surveys

4. EU information and communication policy: Warnings
… warning to all European politicians. We must close the gap between the people and the policymakers Margot Wallström
European citizens need to feel a far greater sense of ‘ownership’ of the European political process John Palmer
Decision makers must: ‘listen better, explain better and connect with citizens’ Margot Wallström

5. EU information and communication policy: Key messages
Duty of the EU to inform, consult and involve (to listen)
Right of the ‘citizen’ and ‘stakeholder’ to be informed, consulted and involved (to know)
Listening – Communicating – Go local
Use all forms of media

6. EU information and communication policy: Recent developments
Action Plan to Improve Communicating Europe, July 2005
Plan D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate, October 2005
White Paper on a European Communication Policy, January 2006
Communication: Communicating Europe in Partnership, October 2007
Communication: Communicating about Europe via the Internet: Engaging the Citizen, December 2007
Communication: Debate Europe…,April 2008
Action Plan on Communicating Europe through Audio-Visual Media, April 2008

7. Interactive Communication: Participatory democracy initiatives

8. Interactive Communication: Participatory democracy initiatives

9. Interactive Communication: Participatory democracy initiatives

10. European Transparency Initiative
Transparency of recipients of EU funds particularly agriculture and structural funds [Beneficiaries of grants] [CAP]
Transparency of interests in EU Institutions especially EP and Commission [2008 report] [EO on EP, July 2008]
Transparency in the fight against fraud in the EU budget
Transparency of interests of lobbyists
Lobbying has a role / Who do they lobby?
Are all lobbyists equal / Registration
2008: Register of Interest Representatives launched [COM (2008)323]

11. European Transparency Initiative

12. European Transparency Initiative

13. Access to EU documents
Why access to documents is considered important : accountability
Regulation (EC) 1049/2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents, May 2001
Green Paper Review of 1049/2001, April 2007
New proposal, April 2008 [Statewatch Observatory]

14. Access to EU documents

15. Better Regulation 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
Making Community law more accessible
EUR-LEX, PRELEX, OEIL etc

16. Other developments… Some new & revised websites

17. Documents Publications
Other developments… Electronic availability of older EU publications and documents
Documents Publications