An echo from the past

Date: 18/04/1996

It was bound to happen of course - the minute Entre Nous highlighted an acronym double, it became a triple.

Appropriate really, because the acronym in question is ECHO and there is definitely more than one of them. The first ECHO is the European Community Humanitarian Office, not to be confused with the second ECHO, which is the Internet appellation for the Economic and Social Committee.

Joining us now is the third ECHO, which was, in fact, the first.

The European Commission Host Organisation has resided in DGXIII (responsible for telecommunications) since 1980. It is a database to promote an understanding of information services in the EU. Its own blurb states: “As a non-commercial host organisation, ECHO is able to offer, on a European level, assistance and capabilities which extend beyond those associated with a conventional host.”

Is that clear? Good, because a group of Dutch librarians who recently tried to organise a visit to DGXIII and its databases was thoroughly confused when it found its request being handled by humanitarian aid experts.

Listen carefully everyone, and perhaps you'll hear yet another ECHO...