Ministry for Foreign Affairs to revamp EU information services for the public
Press release 224/2011
2 September 2011
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is revising the activities of Europe Information and will gradually give up nearly all its regional information offices, concentrating activities within the Ministry. The regional information activities of Europe Information in Lapland will be developed by linking them more closely with Finland’s EU Arctic Information Centre initiative. In future, EU information services for the public will be handled from the Ministry, above all by intensifying dissemination of information on the Internet and in the social media. Europe Information will still organise events and training for the public all over Finland, publish information material relating to the EU, and give EU information services over the telephone and by e-mail. In connection with the reform, EU Information’s permanent staff will be given the opportunity to transfer to other duties within the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
The reason underlying the reform is a need to modernise Europe Information’s activities and intensify the use of resources. Europe Information was established in 1993 ahead of the vote on EU membership, to answer citizens’ need for information about the EU. Its operational model was well justified when Finland acceded to EU membership, during the early membership years and when Finland joined the Economic and Monetary Union. The operational model where Europe Information has offices situated in all of Finland’s regions and activities based on face-to-face contact was well founded until the Internet era. However, debate on the EU, and at the same time the need for information, has moved to the Internet to a great degree.
The quality and speed of EU information services to the public can be enhanced by concentrating resources in one place and by channelling daily information activities to the Internet.
Additional information: Under-Secretary of State Peter Stenlund, tel. +358 9 1605 5020, Director Marja Aspelund, mobile tel. +358 40 742 3519