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49. The British Embassy also use English when dealing with matters through the Commission of the European Communities so in practice three languages are used. In their relationship with television, radio and the press they rely heavily on personal contact with the right people and considerable entertaining is involved. This paid off particularly well during the British Cultural Exhibition held in October '73 on which £600,000 was spent as a promotion exercise. Television coverage accounted for 17 hours of viewing.
This use
of specific promotions as catalysts for general publicity is already an important aspect of T.D.C. work in Europe but the presence of government information officers would enable a broader field of information subjects to be floated on such occasions.
50. In addition to this emphasis on personal contact with selected reporters and television producers Britain laid emphasis on visits and they had had some success in sponsoring visits to Britain of Belgian groups and individuals. I believe we should do the same although, recognising the high cost of travel to Hong Kong, our list must be very selective indeed. One of the tasks of an information officer, if we had one in Brussels, would be to keep such a list up to date but in the meantime I have attached an initial list for consideration at Appendix I.
51. It is also worth recording that Britain divides her visits into three categories -(i) fully paid; (ii) partially supported financially and(iii) hospitality and facilities but no direct involvement in travelling and accommodation costs. I believe we could do a lot more in Hong Kong to exploit category(iii) type visits if the overseas publicity unit I have proposed should be set up by I.S.D., had, amongst its tasks, the responsibility to maintain a liaison service with E.E.C. consulates in Hong Kong with a view to keeping in touch with private travellers of importance. For example, at the beginning of May one of the Directors-General of the Commission was in Hong Kong for two days on a transit visit. Contact with government might have been appropriate and fruitful.
52. Every member of the Community is expected to assist in promoting E.E.C. policies and Britain does this when Community policies are in line with British objectives. When they are not, Britain attempts to put forward British thinking to other members of the Community in the hope of influencing a change in policy. British documentary films of European Economic Community interest, such as one on North Sea gas as part of the Community Energy' presentations, were issued through the Directorate General of the Commission.
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53. Two publications are particularly widely read within the Commission and are of considerable influence. They are independent, private circulation newsletters. One is 'AGENCE EUROPE' founded twenty years ago and the other is a more recent competitor UROPEAN REPORT' with a smaller but growing circulation and dealing with more 'in depth' articles. One of their correspondents Marion Bywater recently com- pleted an influential six page analysis of Britain's first year of membership of the Community which was circulated in European Report. I think she could be persuaded to do a similar in-depth
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