Signature of the Memorandum of Understanding with ENEX (European News Exchange) in the framework of the European Elections 2019 in the European Parliament in Brussels. Statements by Adrian WELLS, Managing director of ENEX, and Jaume DUCH GUILLOT, Directeur-General of DG COMM du PE.

Brussels

signature

DG COMM

DUCH GUILLOT, Jaume (ES)

2019 European elections (T)

Signature of the Memorandum of Understanding with ENEX (European News Exchange) in the framework of the European Elections 2019

Signing ceremony by Adrian WELLS, Managing director of ENEX and and Jaume DUCH, Director-General of DGCOMM (3 shots) 

SOUNDBITE (English), Adrian WELLS, Managing director of ENEX, We have pretty much all European Union members represented with the ENEX and all of them are very engaged and interested in what's happening in Brussels, and of course in the wider European Union. So again it's really excellent for us to be able to tap into the cooperation that we have here in Brussels but also within the whole of the European Union.

SOUNDBITE (English), Managing director of ENEX Adrian WELLS, When European legislation affects citizens it's really important that commercial TV companies are conveying the context of how those changes are affecting them. And that's obviously our job, so we hope to do it well.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jaume DUCH GUILLOT, Directeur-General of DG COMM du PE, I am delighted about the signature of this agreement between the European Parliament and ENEX, because it is very important that private channels, the private TV stations this time play a role also in informing citizens about their next European elections. Elections in May 2019 will be probably the most important in history and it won't be just about electing people. It will be probably also about choosing the model for the next years in Europe, the future of Europe. So having the possibility of informing citizens not only through their public channels but also their private ones the private outlets, it's really very important. It's Crucial for the Parliament.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jaume DUCH GUILLOT, Directeur-General of DG COMM du PE, These are TV outlets which in some counties are the most important ones and the most watched at the national level and also in some cases at the regional level too. The European Parliament it&rsquo;s an institution which has to work with everybody with all kind of media. It's true that traditionally it was easier with the public TV stations because there is a kind of a duty or service to the citizens, linked to the fact that they are public. But then when you have looked at the figures it's obvious that you have to work also with the private outlets. So that's way we are signing this agreement with ENEX, some weeks ago we signed also the same kind of agreement with the EBU with Eurovision is really important, again to be sure that before European elections all European citizens get good and enough information about the importance of the 26 of May.