Transparency - implementation of the Birmingham declaration

Information on the role of the Council

1. Transparency on the Council's decisions
   • Extension to all Council formations of the practice, established over the years in most Councils, of publishing a full description in the Press release of the conclusions reached by the Council (exceptions being made for cases where such information would damage the interests of the Member States, the Council, or the Community - e.g. negotiating mandates). More systematic emphasis on publication of explanatory summaries concerning important "A" points adopted at the Council. Greater efforts to be made when drafting conclusions to make them understandable to the public.

   • Better background information on Council decisions (e.g. objective, history, link to other subjects) to be made available, if possible for distribution at pre-Council press briefings, in the form of background notes prepared by the Secretariat in user-friendly terms. This initiative could be extended in the future to cover matters relating to Common Foreign and Security policy and Internal and Justice Affairs, taking into account the specific need for confidentiality in some areas.

   • Systematic background pre-Council press briefings by Presidency, assisted by Council Secretariat (today not all Presidencies hold such briefings and often they are limited to the national Press corps).

   • Publication of the common positions established by the Council under the procedures of articles 189b and 189c and the explanatory memorandum accompanying them.

   • It is important to make all information material available rapidly in all Community languages.

2. Increase in general information on the role and the activities of the Council
   • The annual report, which is currently published after long delays, to be published from now on early in the new year on the responsibility of the Secretary General. Aim to make it more interesting and more understandable to the public - and complementary to, rather than duplicating, the Commission's annual report. There should also be a short summary aimed at broad circulation.

   • Increasie in the Council's information activities in general including a reinforcement of the Press Service. Stepping up of the already quite intensive information activity (group visits) performed by the services of the Secretariat. Establishing a programme for visists of journalists - particularly EC news editors - not based in Brussels (in co-operation with the Commission).

3. Cooperation and more Rapid Transmission of Material
   • Activating the existing information group of the Council and extending it to the other Institutions with a view to developing coordinated information strategies;

   • Cooperation between Member States and Community Institutions in the information field;

   • Use of new communication technologies: data bases, electronic-mail for making information available outside Council meeting places (Brussels/Luxembourg).