EBU President Jean-Paul Philippot at 'The Promise of the EU'

The importance of European cultural integration and the strategic role of public service media was the key topic of the conference 'The Promise of the EU', which took place in Rome (12 to 13 September).

The conference was organized by the Italian Department for European Policies and the European Commission, in partnership with the EBU, its Member RAI, the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, MAXXI Foundation and FormezPA.

Speaking at the event, Jean-Paul Philippot, the President of the EBU, said: “European public service media contribute actively to the creation of a European public sphere through their promotion of cultural diversity, informed citizenship and their exchange of images which shape our collective imagination”.

“We cannot serve as a mouthpiece of the EU Institutions, but we promote the values that shape the European public sphere and thus provide the EU Institutions with a vital asset for the future.”

Jean-Paul Philippot also mentioned the Eurovision Debate last May, a concrete example of how public service media have worked towards strengthening the European project.

The event was organized in the framework of the Project "The Promise of the EU" during the Italian Presidency of the European Union. The project will examine three major questions: How much unity do Union citizens want and what are the areas where integration should take place? What would make the EU more democratic? What is the overall expectation of the Union's citizens? The findings of this project intend to enrich policy-making in the EU.

For more information about this project is available on the Italian Department for European Policies website (in Italian).