The Parties shall support the development of modern methods of information handling, including the media, and stimulate the effective mutual exchange of information.

J. whereas, in spite of the repeated calls by the European Parliament for a directive on information pluralism and media concentration, the Commission did not include these issues in the scope of the revision of the 'TV without Frontiers' Directive, but committed itself to define a specific three-step roadmap on this issue, comprising the drafting of a working document (issued in 2007), the definition of indicators for the level of pluralism (contained in an independent study, issued in July 2009) and a proposal for a communication on these indicators (scheduled only for 2010),

28. Maintains that the purpose of media education must be, as is laid down in the above-mentioned Recommendation Rec1466(2000), to provide citizens with the means of bringing critical interpretation to bear on, and utilising, the ever growing volume of information being imparted to them; considers that this learning process will thus enable citizens to formulate messages and select the most appropriate media for communicating them, and hence to exercise their rights to the full where freedom of information and expression is concerned ...[+++];

"During the second phase, support will be given to bringing together the industries and parties concerned such as content providers, regulatory and self-regulatory bodies, software and Internet rating organisations and consumer associations, in order to foster conditions propitious for developing and implementing rating systems which are easy for content-providers and for consumers to understand and use, which provide European parents and educators with the necessary information to make decisions in accordance with their cultural and linguistic values, and which take account of the convergence of telecommunications, au ...[+++]diovisual media and information technology".

- Public understanding and confidence: supporting awareness-raising events and the recognition of achievements in European research; analysis of the factors influencing public opinion, including the role of the media and science communicators; developing new ways of raising public awareness and knowledge; encourage comprehensive "stakeholder" debates, involving all relevant stakeholders, and stimulate awareness for innovation in society.

The Commission intends to develop proposals to update the regulatory frameworks for electronic communications, and information society and media services.