Europe: So close yet so far?

“Europe : So close yet so far ?” was the title of the first AER conference on communicating Europe gathering around 80 regional representatives and journalists at the Representation of the Land of Hessen in Brussels in May 2008. Key note speaker was Danuta Hübner, Commissioner for Regional Policy.

The conference was designed around the AER Award Communicating Europe which the AER had launched for the first time in 2007. The aim of this award is to gather regions, exchange good practices and ideas as well as to understand where the challenge for European communication lies.

Winners of the AER Communicating EuropeAward 2007 were :

-    Extremadura in Europe, Miguel Martin, Counsellor of the European Academy of Yuste Foundation, member of REINE
-    Europa in Kärnten, Josef Martinz, Landesrat, Kärnten, A
-    Youth Building Path to Europe, Tatjana Puscaric, Head of Administrative Department for Management of Accession and Incentive Funds, Sisak-Moslavina, HR

The panel discussion “Regional Media: Bridge or blockade?” revealed that it is sometimes easier to communicate Europe via ones neighbours than via Brussels. Human interest stories are easier to get from neighbouring regional politicians than from EU Commissioners who seldom are known to the public. Elements of entertainment, such as the TV Quiz show proposed by the Austrian region of Kärnten may help to develop positive feelings on Europe. Swedish journalist Patrik Oksanen who had spent a year as correspondent in Brussels stated that on the one hand journalists are drowning in information, while on the other hand it is difficult for a journalist to find the right person to contact within the Commission. Jean-Lemaître, coordinator of a European journalist school, said that France was a good example on how the “No” to the Constitution created a lively and excellent debate on Europe in the population. The Lisbon Treaty however is again an example for communication behind closed doors and a lack of dialogue with the population.