Abstract
European integration has become not only a political but also a communication challenge. In order to bridge the gap in communication between European citizens and the EU, the European Commission undertakes various communication measures which add up to an emerging European communication policy. This evolving policy is currently undergoing major reforms based on Margot Wallström’s ‘Action Plan to Improve Communicating Europe’ and the ‘White Paper on a European Communication Policy’. This study examines, on behalf of the EP’s Budgetary Committee, the most important measures that came under communication headings in the general budget undertaken under the Commission’s prerogatives in the years 2000 to 2005 with a view to developing recommendations for future actions. The focus of the study is to establish how much ‘value for money’ these measures represent by looking at their relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and utility. This study deals with the following areas of activity: 1) media relations and particularly the spokespersons’ service and seminars for journalists, 2) the PRINCE campaigns and in detail with the measures on the Euro, EU enlargement and the debate on the future of Europe, 3) decentralisation and the work of the Commission’s Representations and 4) the communication activities of DGs other than DG Comm and how they are coordinated. In this summary of the study we will first present, as a general conclusion, five main challenges for future actions that apply across the board.
Brüggemann, Michael; Kurpas, Sebastian; Clerck-Sachsse, Julia de (2006): Towards Communication? Evaluating the Activities of the European Commission in the field of Communication (Study commissioned by the European Parliament Budget Committee, 31 August 2006). Available online at http://shop.ceps.be/bookdetail.php?item_id=1405.