Book Review: Guide to European Union Information
| Date | 01 June 2004 |
| Author | Angélique Bessems |
| Published date | 01 June 2004 |
| DOI | 10.1177/1023263X0401100210 |
| Subject Matter | Book Review |
Book Reviews
218 11 MJ 2 (2004)
Veerle Deckmyn, Guide to European Union Information, European
Institute of Public Administration, 2003, 75 pages, paperback, € 20.00.
The Guide to European Union Information is a brief (75 pages) and useful publication
which aims to help readers find their way through the mass of information published by
the European Union (EU) institutions. The guide covers the EU’s information policy
and networks, the EU’s institutions and their publications casu quo their electronic
sources. In addition the guide provides an overview of the important EU databases,
including those available on the Internet. The guide’s author, Veerle Deckmyn, was
until recently a Senior Lecturer and Head of Information, Documentation and
Publication Services at the European Institute of Public Administration, Maastricht, the
Netherlands, and is a recognized expert in this field.
Chapter 1 begins with a concise overview of the EU’s information policy and
information networks. Deckmyn also gives a complete overview of all official
information providers, specifying who can provide what type of information and for
which specific group it is intended. Chapter 1 is a good introduction, and recognizes the
greater openness and transparency which has been achieved within the EU since 1992,
as well as acknowledging the EU’s goal of establishing official information networks
throughout the Union.
Chapter 2 gives an overview of all the publications produced by the EU institutions,
agencies and other bodies. The Chapter covers the European Parliament, the Council,
the Commission, the Court of Justice, and the Court of Auditors. In addition attention is
paid to the Economic and Social Committee (ESC) and the Committee of the Regions
(CoR), which both play important consultative roles and exercise advisory powers. The
Commission produces among others publications, The Bulletin of the European Union.
Recently, this bulletin, which provides a monthly presentation of the activities of all the
institutions and bodies of the EU, has launched a new improved web version
(http://europa.eu.int/abc/doc/off/bull/en/welcome.htm) with an effective search engine.
Hyperlinks are now included to other official texts (OJs and COM documents) and it is
indicated where electronic versions are available. Since Deckmyn’s Guide has a printed
form, these new developments could not be mentioned. Deckmyn also pays special
attention to the different series of the Official Journal, the official publication forum for
EU legislation. Since Deckmyn wanted to limit her guide to the main sources of
information, she did not explore the consequences of enlargement. Nevertheless,
enlargement and the recognition of the new official languages are affecting the future of
the Official Journal at this moment. The Official Journal was the only periodical in the
world to be published in 11 languages. As of 1 May 2004, following the expansion of
the EU, it is published in 20 languages. From that date it has no longer been possible to
identify the various language versions of the OJ by means of a coloured border on the
cover. The Office for Official Publications intends, in the light of this expansion and
technological developments, to promote the distribution of the L and C versions of the
Official Journal on cd-rom, so responding to the growing need to provide the public
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