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Study Group Brussels Trip 2007
By admin | May 18, 2008
How is the EU being communicated and how should the EU being communicated? On a three day trip to Brussels, Study Group members discussed this overarching question with various representatives from European institutions, journalists and lobby groups.
“How is the EU being communicated and how should the EU being communicated?”
From 1-3 July 2007 the UACES Specialist Study Group ‘Media and Communication in Europe’ visited Brussels with a group of 20 international scholars from Universities in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the U.K. Activities included visits to the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Brussels Press Centre, as well as meetings with journalists and lobby groups.
One of the highlights of the trip was an invitation by EU official and UACES committee member Dr. Dermot Hodson to attend the UACES Brussels Seminar “Communicating Europe: Why so controversial? The case of the European Parliaments webTV channel” with Dr. Michael Shackleton from the Secretariat of the European Parliament. Dr. Hodson introduced the Specialist Study Group members to the well attended seminar that included participants from the European Parliament, the European Commission, representatives of national parliaments and journalists.
As part of the programme the Specialist Study Group met with three representatives from the European Commission to discuss “How is the EU being communicated and how should the EU being communicated?” Speakers included Michael Wilderspin, from the European Commission legal service, who spoke about the future of the European Union. His colleague Andrea Dahmen from the Directorate General Communication engaged Study Group members in a discussion about the EU communication strategy. Eva Horelova from the Directorate General External Relations provided insights into the EU’s public diplomacy in China and Russia.
Kerstin Eigert and Maria Laura Franciosi from the International Press Centre Brussels gave Study Group members an idea of the challenges journalists face when working as correspondents in Brussels. Challenges and new opportunities of citizens to engage with political elites through eParticipation were discussed by Daniel van Lerberghe, from the POLITECH Institute. A visit to the European Parliament included an introduction to EU documentation and resources with Andree Gregoire and visit to the press room with Ralph Pine from the European Parliament’s press service.
The trip was concluded by a discussion with E!Sharp Magazine editor Simon O’Connor about ‘Understanding how the EU works’ and a visit to Weber Shandwick where Study Group members learned about lobbying with EU institutions from the director of public affairs, Roberto Ferrigno.
Short Overview of Programme:
| Monday, 2nd July 2007 |
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| 8:50am - 12:30pm | European Commission Welcome and presentation of the programme by Mrs. Judith JAKAB, Priority visits’service 1st presentation: HAS THE EUROPEAN UNION A FUTURE? 2nd presentation: THE EU COMMUNICATION STRATEGY 3rd presentation: EU-PUBLIC DIPLOMACY IN CHINA AND RUSSIA |
| 2:30 - 3:30pm | International Press Centre Brussels
Presentation: The Journalists @ Your Service - a help Centre offering professional advice, assistance and service for journalists working in Brussels. |
| 3:30 - 5:30pm | International Press Centre Brussels
Presentation: e-Participation: A Bottom Up Revolution |
| Tuesday, 3rd July 2007 |
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| 9 – 12am | European Parliament
1. Introduction of the services offered by the Information office in general and the Infodoc in particular 2. Tour in the building of the EP with a introduction given by our documentalists in the tribunes of the plenary assembly 3. Info session presented by EP documentalists which includes a general presentation of the EU portal site and a more advanced explanation of databases in open access on this portal and other interesting websites 4. Presentation: The European Parliament and the Media Speaker: Mr. Ralph Pine, EP press service |
| 1– 2pm | UACES Brussels Seminar “Communicating Europe: Why so Controversial? The Case of the European Parliament’s WebTV Channel” Speaker: Dr Michael Shackleton, Secretariat of the European Parliament Chair: Jutta Buyse, The Centre |
| 2-3pm | E!Sharp Magazine Presentation: E!Sharp Magazine – Understanding how the EU works Speaker: Simon O’Connor, Editor |
| 4-5:30pm | Weber Shandwick
Presentation: Lobbying with EU Institutions - Activities of Weber Shandwick in Brussels |
Topics: Events |
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