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Written press material
The Directorate General Communication publishes a variety of press material which is available in the press room normally from 11h45 Monday to Friday. If news breaks later in the day, the Directorate General Communication may distribute a press release by sending it by e-mail or fax to a series of interested accredited journalists (the name of this procedure is esPRESSo) . All the written material published by DG Communication is available online from the Virtual Press Room.
- Midday Express : these have a blue heading and contain summaries of written material released for the midday briefing and/or EU related events (statements, results of various committees, announcements of conferences, etc.). The summaries are either in English or French and indicate references to the more complete source material (see below). They are available from the press room from 13h00 Monday to Friday (see Virtual Press Room).
- Press releases : ("IP notes"): these also have a blue heading and contain news items of immediate impact. Every effort is made to publish these simultaneously in French and in English, and in other languages depending on the subject.
- Background information: ("memo") these have a green heading and contain factual background information often as a supplement of a press release e.g. describing relations with a third country on the occasion of a visit by a Commissioner or Minister.
- Speeches: grey heading, available in the language delivered occasionally accompanied by a French and/or English summary. These speeches are often under embargo with the warning 'Check against delivery'.
Calendar: the weekly Commission calendar (released as a "memo" with a green heading) containing forthcoming events, meetings or travel plans of Commissioners plus key meetings held by the EU institutions, is distributed the Friday beforehand. It also indicates the name and phone number of the spokesman on duty for the coming weekend.