The European Commission in the UK

1
The European Commission in the UK

• The Commissions Representation in the UK
• Wioletta Dunin-Majewska
• Regional Outreach Section
• May 4th 2007

2
Structure in the UK

• London HQ for the UK and England
• Northern Ireland - Belfast
• Wales - Cardiff
• Scotland - Edinburgh

3
What does the Commission Representation do?

• Team of around 3 dozen in London (with satellite
  offices in the capitals of the other constituent
  UK countries)
• Representing the Commission to the UK
• Representing the UK to the Commission
• Media monitoring
• Political reporting
• Regional links
• Info support

4
Structure

• Head of Rep Reijo Kemppinen
• 3 operational sections
• Political intelligence (liaison with Whitehall)
• Press (liaison (or not) with Fleet Street)
• Regional outreach (liaison with stakeholders in
  regions)

5
Remit of regional outreach

• Team of 9 employed to
• engage with civil society and stakeholders in the
  English regions
• implement Plan-D outside London talk to
  grassroots and get feedback
• manage our decentralized information providers
  public and university libraries Euro Info
  Centres Team Europe conference speakers and the
  new Europe Direct network

6
Remit

• We represent the Commission in the regions but we
  do not act as propagandists. We frequently share
  platforms with those opposed to the EU
• We attempt to give taxpayers factual information
  about the policies, programmes and funding we
  oversee. This is not our right it is our public
  service duty to taxpayers.

7
What does the outreach section do?

• Public events throughout England
• General informational nature (often in
  partnership with Local Government Association or
  other regional actors)
• Regional conferences on current issues (e.g.
  services directive, climate change, migration)

8
Few examples of practicalities

• We can
• Secure expert speakers from Brussels (structural
  funding single market, etc)
• support events financially (grants, etc)
• offer the London Representation in the heart of
  Westminster as a venue for your EU-related events
• Our participation at events and the use of our
  premises are free of charge

9
The tricky bit

• You have to remember the EU is still something
  of a hornets nest in the UK, a bit like a red
  rag to a bull. That may explain why, thus far,
  few of the regions have put their heads above the
  parapet when it comes to doing something on
  Plan-D.
• Local councillor from East Midlands quoted in
  the Parliament Regional Mag, June 2006

10
Attitudes towards the EU

• Traditionally high level of euro-scepticism
  (historical reasons, current political climate in
  the EU - paradox)
• Public opinion and press
• Regional differences (constituent countries, and
  regions in England)
• Low recognition of benefits publicity issue
  (e.g. internal market, SF projects, etc).

11
Commissions response

• Main issue lack of factual information
  (Eurobarometers findings)
• - EU outlets in the UK (EDCs, EICs, EPICs,
  Europe Direct)
• Work through multipliers building of EU
  networks in the regions
• Work on publicity for EU programmes

12
Getting the Commission Rep involved in your
outreach/stakeholder work

• Contrary to belief in some quarters, we dont
  just concentrate on areas which get structural
  funds
• Were happy to come and chat to ANY groups
  business students schools in ANY region of
  England.
• Particularly under-represented are Yorks/Humber
  and the E Midlands

13
New Europe Direct relays

• 25 drop-in centres across the UK
• 13 in England (at least one in every region bar
  the E Midlands)
• 4 in Northern Ireland
• 3 in Scotland
• 5 in Wales
• There to give information to general public on
  how the EU works and what it does

14
Structural Funds

• Generally less in 2007-2013 an issue
• Change of managerial arrangements
• Unexplored opportunities for publicity (past and
  present)
• SF publicity network solution for the future