As part of the Government's EU Presidency objective of ensuring that citizens across the EU are better informed about, and engaged in, developments in the European Union, the Government has decided to convene a conference during the Irish Presidency to consider how the EU should best be communicated to its citizens. The conference will be chaired by the Minister of State, Deputy Roche, and will convene in Wicklow on 7 and 8 April. With the accession of ten new member states on 1 May 2004, and against the background of the proposed new constitutional treaty, the Government believes that it is increasingly important that all EU citizens are well informed about developments in their Union and how it impacts on their day to day lives.
Ireland will be the first country to host such a ministerial conference. This reflects the priority that the Government accords to ensuring that the public are aware of and fully engaged in developments in the EU.