Please find below a message from Ian Barber, Acting Head of Representation,
EC Representation in the UK.
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Dear Everyone
You have no doubt followed discussion in the press of the decision not to
establish Europe Direct information centres in the UK. No-one should doubt
the important public service performed by the networks of
Commission-supported information providers in this country in providing
objective information to the public about the European Union, its
Institutions and policies. Despite the fact that there will be no "Europe
Direct" Centres here, the Commission, through this Representation's offices
in London, Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh, remains as committed as ever to
supporting and developing the relay network.
For its part, the UK Government, although it has asked for the creation of
new Europe Direct Centres to be postponed, has hitherto never suggested it
has any problems with other existing networks. It is crucial to the
effectiveness of EU information work, as well as to their continued profile
within local and regional administrations as politically neutral sources of
objective information, that this Government support should continue.
We look forward to continue to work with you on this challenge. In the
meantime, it is interesting that the Times prints immediately Patrick
Overy's letter correcting their tally of only 5 small scale EU information
points. The Commission's correction of that newspaper's 18 February
scare-story about support to the networks among other activities being
"pro-Constitution propaganda" has not yet been printed!
Ian Barber
Acting Head of Representation
EC Representation in the UK
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