Sarah Lambert at the Commission office was the person who provided the information - I had only enquired about that specific sentence but I expect she would be able to tell you more if you ask.
The problem with the powers-that-be saying "we don't want your information, thanks all the same" is that people still DO want information, and are still asking for it. The types of enquiry that we get (and do our best to answer) which go way beyond our specific remit, are testament to this.
Avis Furness
Librarian
European Parliament UK Office
-----Original Message-----
From: A discussion list for EU information specialists. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Cooper, Mike
Sent: 09 May 2005 11:51
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Europe Direct?
Dear All
Avis's clarification makes the implication of the first paragraph rather more concerning.
I'd always argued that the Europe Direct model wasn't one that was needed in the UK, as we are very rich in EU provision. However, I'm concerned that a Member State government should apparently be able to interfere - or to spin that it is interfereing - with the network's establishment.
When EPICs were set up, so libraries had to argue very hard against Eurosceptic parent authorities, and this apparent top-down veto might well be seen as a boost to the protests and scepticism about EPICs. If HMG says the CEC is doing "propaganda" who are a bunch of librarians to argue?
Mike Cooper
Reading
-----Original Message-----
From: Patrick Overy [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 09 May 2005 11:44
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Europe Direct?
Thanks for this Avis - we were desperately trying to work
out what they could have been referring to.
Patrick
On Mon, 9 May 2005 12:27:49 +0200 FURNESS Avis <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> The following sentence appears in the Times article.
>
> "There are already five small-scale EU information points around
> Britain,
operated by local authorities, which will also lose EU funding".
>
> I checked with the Commission office in London last week, and they
> said:
>
> "The five are the former UK carrefours, orginally dedicated to the
provision of EU info. to rural areas specifically (. . . . North Wales, West Wales, Highlands and Islands, Lancashire, Gloucestershire)"
>
>
>
>
>
> Avis Furness
> Librarian
> European Parliament UK Office
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: A discussion list for EU information specialists.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Patrick Overy
> Sent: 09 May 2005 10:09
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Europe Direct?
>
>
> Dear colleagues,
>
> UK Eurotalk members may have noticed this item in
> The Times on May 5th (News section, page 6):
> "The Government has forced the European Commission to
> abandon plans to open European information centres across Britain
> because
it believes that they could be construed as propaganda in the run-up to the referendum on the European constitution next year." The article about the new Europe Direct network mentions "five small-scale EU information points around Britain" without any reference to the EDC, EIC and EPIC networks. Perhaps a joint reply from the EIA would be in order. A clarification from the UK Office would also be welcome.
>
> Best wishes and Happy Europe Day!
> Patrick Overy
>
> ----------------------
> Patrick Overy
> EDC Librarian
>
> University of Exeter
> Law Library
> Amory Building
> Rennes Drive
> EXETER
> EX4 4RJ
> tel. (01392) 263356 fax.no. (01392)263196
> e-mail: [log in to unmask]
> internet http://www.ex.ac.uk/library/internet/eurostudies.html
----------------------
Patrick Overy
EDC Librarian
University of Exeter
Law Library
Amory Building
Rennes Drive
EXETER
EX4 4RJ
tel. (01392) 263356 fax.no. (01392)263196
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
internet http://www.ex.ac.uk/library/internet/eurostudies.html
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