Team Europe: 1997 activity report

Team Europe: 1997 activity report:
BY IAN THOMSON

(Editor, European Access and Team Europe member)

Team Europe was set up in 1989 (originally it had the name Team '92) by DG X of the European Commission in order to provide a network of speakers to help the European Commission to promote and talk to interested groups about the internal market. Members of Team Europe can be found in all EU Member States and several non-member countries as well. Currently, there are approximately 500 Team Europe members. Team Europe members are now called upon to speak on a wide variety of topics and include academics, civil servants, executives, lawyers, consultants, journalists and information professionals. Most members specialise in a limited number of policy areas. Members are assisted by a Team Europe Information Service in Brussels, which can provide documentation to members on topics they are asked to speak on. Further background documentation is especially compiled for members (for example, dossiers and slides on the euro, environmental policy and the Single Market and a monthly newsletter called Teamtime) and various training seminars and workshops are held in Brussels. In 1997 seminars were held on citizens' rights, EU social and employment policy and enlargement and in 1998 on the euro and agricultural and rural policy. A national co-ordinator for each country is appointed - this is usually someone from the European Commission Representation or delegation.

The Team Europe Activity Report for 1997 was issued in September 1998 and what follows below is a summary of some of the features of the report.

In 1997, 8,523 speeches to conferences were given by 447 Team Europe members, the largest numbers in France and Germany. The average number of speeches given by each member was 19. In addition, Team members also participated in 378 radio programmes and 125 television programmes, wrote or contributed to 1,289 articles and 131 books, and participated in 629 'other activities' relevant to the mission of Team Europe. In 1997 the estimated total audience for actual Team Europe speeches was 317,876, although far more will have heard contributions on radio and television.

Many speakers give speeches on the EU in general. After that, the most popular topics in 1997 were EMU, the Amsterdam Treaty and Agenda 2000. In very general terms Team Europe's typical audience comes from either academia or the business world, followed by the general public and the public sector. Most requests for a speaker came about by the personal reputation of the speaker, although a proportion came about via the Commission and a small number as a result of promotional activities. In the near future DG X will produce a Team Europe promotional leaflet and a Team Europe web site.

Team Europe is seen primarily as a panel of expert speakers on EU subjects but it is important to realise that some members carry out information dissemination activities in other ways such as writing and broadcasting and providing a day-to-day European information service. One of the biggest challenges for members is to give a talk on a highly specialised topic to a group of people already expert in the technicalities of the topic.

Further Information:
Team Europe Info Service
Rue Archimède 17
B-1000
Brussels
Belgium
Tel: +32-2-282-03-42
Fax: +32-2-282-03-48
E-mail: teis@pophost.eunet.be