I
feel sorry for Margot Wallstrom, she has an impossible task - to make the EU popular with citizens in all its 27 member states.
As the EU’s Communications Commissioner, she has just published an updated communications strategy to make the EU more appealing and easily understood.
One of the proposals is to get both MEPs and member states to agree on communication priorities each year – until now Brussels’ approach to communication has been piecemeal and fragmented.
According to Ms Wallstrom, common issues for next year could include climate change, energy, communicating the new Reform Treaty and mobilising voters for the 2009 elections.
Her recommendations also urge member states to do more to teach our young people about the European Union.
Being half-Greek, I am in support of the EU, I regard myself as European and encourage my sons to feel the same way. At the same time, we enjoy the Britishness of our lives here, and I believe each country should maintain its identity and culture.
Margot Wallstrom has had her present job for three years, promoting the good works of the EU, yet nobody in this country celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Rome Treaty in May. Certainly nobody in my area, and nothing springs to mind from the national press.
However, I do enjoy Margot’s blog, and believe she genuinely wants a dialogue with EU citizens. It is personalised too and touches on many key EU issues. This is an extract taken from one of her recent posts about the EU treaty. She clearly does follow the comments, so do add your views too.
Will the new European Treaty mean big changes for Britain? Let’s kick away the Euro Myths: Britain will NOT lose its seat on the Security Council, there will be NO US-style President and the Treaty will NOT give the EU any powers to cap Wayne Rooney’s wages!
I want a debate about the EU. I want British people to know more about Europe. I want them to know what the EU does and what benefits it brings. Because that will smash the biggest myth: that the EU is some kind of plot to destroy British national identity.
It is not only the Brits who love their nation and their independence. Everybody does! Do people in Sweden, where I come from, want to see their proud country disappear? Of course not!
What is the EU then? It is 27 countries who have agreed to work together. No more, no less. It’s like a big family where there are sometimes arguments but, in the end, everybody needs to stick together.
When Britain joined there were 9 members, now there are 27 countries and 500 million people. So the way things are decided needs to change. That’s why the EU needs a new Treaty. It’s that simple. No plots, no secret plans.
An EU that works well is in Britain’s interests. It already brings many benefits. Think of all the people working for British companies trading with the continent. Of the millions travelling and living abroad. It’s thanks to the EU that there are cheap air fares. That mobile phone charges abroad have just been cut.
With new rules we can work together even better to tackle climate change or to protect consumers, for example.
Should there be a referendum in the UK? Frankly, that’s none of my business. You haven’t had any on past Treaty changes, but it’s up to the UK. Some Member States use referendums, others prefer votes in Parliament. Both are equally valid.
Britain is hugely respected in Europe. For its long record in standing up to fascism and extremism. For its recent leadership on climate change and world poverty. For its economic progress and vibrant culture. We want Britain fully on board in the EU as, together, we shape Europe’s future.
To sum up – the new Treaty: Good for Europe. Good for Britain.
Well give us a referndum, I vote no.
Give us a referendum on LEAVING, I vote yes.
She seems to be talking a lot of sense to me.
Well she’s definitely got a busy comments box
I wonder if she has a blog secretary or assistant administrator.
PS – Have you been watching Murphy’s Law
all about people trafficking and police budgets
Not sure the extra 1000 prison places promised at the conservative conference are enough to have any significant impact on crime, or even make a dent on violent crime.
What I can never understand is how people whether from Eastern Europe or China can still be duped into buying a ‘passage’ to paradise. Or maybe we are just showing the excesses of an otherwise semi’legitimate route for agricultural labour. It certainly isn’t glamorous, but seedy to the extreme.
Mmmm. I wouldn’t mind settling down in some snug bar to discuss the problems of Europe with her. We could start with the issue of storks’ nests.
Why does the EU have to be any more than a common market ? A trading area ?
It seems that since our empires have receded our politicians still feel the need to belong to something big and still aspire to have global reach. They want to make their mark in history and the single nation provides little scope for this. See how even local councillors have become global eco warriors, disatisfied with the mundanities of keeping the streets clean they are on a mission to save the planet.
We (the skeptics) have suffered the ad homynem “You are phobic” or “You are a little Englander” for having the temerity to question the issue. In fact the psycological flaw is only with egotistical politicians – we little people are all quite happy to be residents of tiny secure and modest nations with tidy housekeeping.
Then there’s the issue of widespread corruption, profligacy and hypocrisy (especially green issues).
Suggestions that we “must be educated to like the EU” are also rather sinister sounding.
As for the EU being ‘…27 countries which have agreed to work together, no more no less’ Oh really ? That’s why our laws are dictated from Brussels, why our country is being changed beyond recognition before our eyes and to the dismay of nearly everyone.
Of course there are no celebrations for the 50th anniversary of The Treaty of Rome. Whay should there be ? What a dull and characterless entity the EU is. But imagine the bunting and flag waving up and down the land at the announcement that we were leaving this awful Union – one can but dream, and the unlikeliness of this event is indicative of how undemocratic the EU actually is, that like a suicidal lover it is oppressive and suffocating and will not give us the freedom to choose to walk away from it.
I love Europe as I do Europeans.
I utterly detest the EU.
And I think you all know full well there would be street parties up and down the land at the news of our withdrawal from the EU.
Well done on making the top 10 political blog list, Ellee.
[…] schotline wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptWill the new European Treaty mean big changes for Britain? Let’s kick away the Euro Myths: Britain will NOT lose its seat on the Security Council, there will be NO US-style President and the Treaty will NOT give the EU any powers to cap … […]
Don’t tempt me Ellee. The EU is the biggest threat this country has seen since Dunkirk.
“Better Off Out”