The Government Communication Office has been informing the public on European Issues since 1997, when the Government Office for European Affairs began informing the public about European issues and implementing an information programme to support Slovenia's integration in the EU.
Since accession to the EU, the Government Office has continued to inform the public on European affairs according to the national priority agenda and recommendations of the European Commission (guidelines in the documents of DG COMM). The tasks of the Office in the area of European affairs are:
- To present the complex and comprehensive issues relating to Slovenia's membership of the EU and the consequences it has for the life of citizens in an user-friendly way to the Slovenian public
- To promote the search for additional and more in-depth information
- To open opportunities and encourage public debate
We also carry out communications activities with communications programmes and campaigns to support the government's priority projects, like introduction of the euro in Slovenia, the accession of Slovenia to the Schengen area. Currently, we are participating in the communication campaign in support of Slovenia's Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2008, intercultural dialogue, Lisbon Treaty, etc.
Our main communications activities include:
Issuing free information publications
We issue informative and educational publications which are available free
of charge to every-one. Most are sent to state institutions, schools, libraries,
and the like; some are distributed during promotions at fairs and other events;
and they are posted to anyone who orders them via Europhone (080 2002) or our
web site.
Europhone
Our call centre is our most significant way of communicating with citizens. If you call the toll-free number 080 2002, you can ask experienced information officers about issues connected with Slovenia's EU membership. We also answer queries via the web site evropa.gov.si, and the euro postcards which are available free at all post offices. Via the Europhone you can also order publications published by the Office or the European Commission.
Presentations and lectures
We give various presentations of our activities and publications
throughout Slovenia. We also organise various talks in primary and secondary
schools, such as presentations of Slovenia's EU membership or the introduction
of the euro. During major communication campaigns we present our activities in
shopping centres and a selection of fairs, and take advantage of Europe Week to
organise a greater number of presentations.
Centre Evropa
The Government Communication Office is running part of it communication
activities in Centre Evropa information centre about European affairs, where
visitors have access to a library with relevant professional publications, via
internet to the Official Journal of the European Union and other databases, and
free publications of the Eur-op publishing house in Slovene and some other
official EU languages. Also available are free publications issued by the
Government Communications Office and other Slovenian providers of information on
the EU. Various seminars, presentations, panels and other EU-related events are
held regularly in the conference hall.
Cooperation with European institutions
The Office coordinates its activities with other providers of information
on European issues, particularly the Representation of the European Commission
in Slovenia and the Information Office of the European Parliament. The European
Commission and the Government Communication Office have signed an agreement on
partnership on management in the area of EU communications. The European
Commission finances communication activities defined by the Government
Communication Office and the EU institutions' representation offices in
Slovenia, particularly focusing on the young.
Cooperation with NGOs
Every year, on the basis of tenders, we support the communication activities of NGOs which focus on EU issues, as they contribute significantly to promoting public debate and provide different information and views on EU issues, and the membership and work of Slovenia in the EU.
During Presidency of Slovenia to the Council of EU Slovenian and foreign NGO's have the opportunity to participate in the Slovenian presidency of the European union through the web portal www.predsedovanje.si. The informational-communicational web portal Predsedovanje.si, was developed for the information-sharing, dialogue and participation of civil society in the Slovenian presidency of the European union in the first half of 2008.
Cooperation with the Europe Direct information relays
Also significant is cooperation with the Europe Direct information relays. Ten information relays in Slovenia are connected to an information network called Europe Direct, which connects 393 information relays in all EU member states. They offer free access to the Europe Direct call centre, various publications on legislation, EU programmes and policies, the texts of agreements, the web pages of the Europa server, etc. They also organise various events. Locally they offer information in person, via telephone and email, and in written form. Citizens can also send queries or views and comments through them.
