22/03/2005 - Communication:
Prof. Jacqueline McGlade (middle) with Marion
Hannerup and Paul McAleaveyTwo communications
experts have been recruited to the European
Environment Agency in Copenhagen to make sure
that its messages get through to policy-makers
and the public.
Prof. Jacqueline McGlade, Executive Director
at the Agency is determined to respond to
the results of an independent survey that
she herself commissioned on whether many of
the Agency's reports actually have the desired
impact on policy-makers in Brussels and in
all member countries.
'The results of this first survey were not
exactly flattering, although I was pleased
that the experts at the Agency were widely
seen as accessible. Ensuring that we get feedback
is a healthy exercise that I think every EU
institution should do. We can all improve,
and clear communication has traditionally
not been one of the EU's greatest strengths'
said Prof. Jacqueline McGlade.
The two people, hired to strengthen the profile
of the European Environment Agency have very
different backgrounds, but both with communication
as their core task.
Paul McAleavey is a political scientist with
a decade of experience in Brussels under his
belt. Most recently he worked as political
advisor to Margot Wallström during her
five years as European Commissioner for the
Environment.
Marion Hannerup has a journalistic background
and comes from a job as executive director
and editor in chief of an independent Danish
newspaper for doctors and other decision makers
in the healthcare sector. Before that she
was for many years a news reporter and managing
editor at Danmark's Radio's national television.
'We will be working closely together. You
cannot really separate internal and external
communications in an institution like ours.
We need some time to get to know the EEA's
working style and have already identified
areas for improvement', says Marion Hannerup.
Prof. Jacqueline McGlade is happy to have
the two on board at last:
'It has been one of my biggest priorities
to strengthen all communication aspects of
the Agency. We want to become much better
at hearing the needs of all our interest groups,
to be able to provide them with the independent
quality information that this institutions
stands for. This will help us reach our ultimate
goal, to improve the environment for all citizens
of Europe.'
