The Public Information Relay: long‐term solution or half‐way house?

Public access to European Union information has become an issue in European Union information policy. The Public Information Relay has been established in the United Kingdom in order to facilitate access to European Union information for the general public. This research project aimed to assess the effectiveness of the new Relay in facilitating public access to European Union information by interviewing some of the key personnel involved as well as other relevant individuals. Several criteria were set against which the potential effectiveness of the Public Information Relay was measured: the general public's opinion of the information they received; the Public Information Relay structure; the Relay members' commitment of resources to the Relay; the Relay members' participation in regional and national networks and the European Commission's commitment to the Public Information Relay. The research explored issues which are particularly relevant to an information provider catering to the needs of the general public.