BRUSSELS: The European Union is investing nearly pounds 100 million
in a communications campaign to inform the public about its
enlargement.
The enlargement process will almost double the number of EU member
states.
Enlargement commissioner Gunter Verheugen and education and culture
commissioner Viviane Reding are spearheading a plan aimed at ’thoroughly
informing public opinion and gaining support’.
’Reunifying our continent cannot be limited to a close circle of
negotiators but must be widely explained to the people and supported by
them,’ Verheugen said.
In an EU internal document, the commission outlined a three-pronged
strategy for communicating the reasons for enlargement, promoting debate
’at all levels of society,’ and providing information about the
candidate countries.
The campaign, involving a mix of advertising, PR and public consultation
stretches beyond the EU’s borders to the candidate countries. These
states range from Turkey to Hungary. In these countries the campaign
will focus on improving public knowledge of the EU and its institutions,
explaining the implications of accession for each country and the link
between the pace of preparations and the progress of entry
negotiations.
The EU is looking for PR and advertising agencies in every member state
to carry out the work.
