The enumeration principle - Appears everywhere in EU communication - Reflects “unity in diversity” principle - Positive: colourful, rich, inclusive - Negative: undecisive, fragmentation

Portál Evropské unie Portál Evropské unie Portál Evropské unie Portál Evropské unie Internetportalen til EU Internetportalen til EU Internetportalen til EU Internetportalen til EU Das Portal der Europäischen Union Das Portal der Europäischen Union Das Portal der Europäischen Union Das Portal der Europäischen Union Euroopa Liidu portaal Euroopa Liidu portaal Euroopa Liidu portaal Euroopa Liidu portaal Η δικτυακή πύλη της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης Η δικτυακή πύλη της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης Η δικτυακή πύλη της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης Η δικτυακή πύλη της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης Gateway to the European Union Gateway to the European Union Gateway to the European Union Gateway to the European Union El portal de la Unión Europea El portal de la Unión Europea El portal de la Unión Europea El portal de la Unión Europea Le portail de l'Union européenne Le portail de l'Union européenne Le portail de l'Union européenne Le portail de l'Union européenne Il portale dell'Unione europea Il portale dell'Unione europea Il portale dell'Unione europea Il portale dell'Unione europea Eiropas Savienības portāls Eiropas Savienības portāls Eiropas Savienības portāls Eiropas Savienības portāls Europos Sąjungos portalas Europos Sąjungos portalas Europos Sąjungos portalas Europos Sąjungos portalas Az Európai Unió portálja Az Európai Unió portálja Az Európai Unió portálja Az Európai Unió portálja Il-portal ta' l-Unjoni Ewropea Il-portal ta' l-Unjoni Ewropea Il-portal ta' l-Unjoni Ewropea Il-portal ta' l-Unjoni Ewropea De portaalsite van de Europese Unie De portaalsite van de Europese Unie De portaalsite van de Europese Unie De portaalsite van de Europese Unie Portal Unii Europejskiej Portal Unii Europejskiej Portal Unii Europejskiej Portal Unii Europejskiej O portal da União Europeia O portal da União Europeia O portal da União Europeia O portal da União Europeia Portál Európskej únie Portál Európskej únie Portál Európskej únie Portál Európskej únie Portal Evropske unije Portal Evropske unije Portal Evropske unije Portal Evropske unije Euroopan unionin portaali Euroopan unionin portaali Euroopan unionin portaali Euroopan unionin portaali EU:s webbportal EU:s webbportal

“If Europe has a foreign policy, I would like to know its phone number” Henry Kissinger, US Secretary of State in the 70s Answer: European Union is an experiment unique in history

The European Union as a “brand” - Images, colours, sounds, designs firmly linked to the product - Customers connecting concepts, feelings to the product - Target audience

The European Union as a “brand”  Selling the product means branding your product  Each enlargement changes the product to a certain extent  Question: How do we incorporate the Eastern European legacy in our brand “EU”? And how will we have to incorporate a Turkish legacy into our EU brand?

The European Union as a “brand”  Selling the product means branding your product  Each enlargement changes the product to a certain extent  Question: How do we incorporate the Eastern European legacy in our brand “EU”? And how will we have to incorporate the Turkish legacy in our brand “EU”?

The barcode as a new symbol for EU or – a symbol of the problems of EU ? (1) “branding” the EU: the citizen as a consumer of politics (2) The EU as an aggregation of nation states? The problems of a confederalist model expanding

Corporate image of the EU: some conclusions and observations - Lack of identifying symbols - Low enthusiasm of member states - Low participation in EU elections - EU citizens mix national politics with EU issues - “Democratic deficit”

Actions to communicate EU policy February 2006: “White Paper on a European Communication Policy” (“White Paper”: document containing proposal of Commission)

Communication is essential to a healthy democracy. It is a two-way street. Democracy can flourish only if citizens know what is going on, and are able to participate fully. Communication is essential to a healthy democracy. It is a two-way street. Democracy can flourish only if citizens know what is going on, and are able to participate fully.

The gap between the European Union and its citizens is widely recognised. In Eurobarometer opinion polls carried out in recent years many of the people interviewed say they know little about the EU and feel they have little say in its decision-making process. The gap between the European Union and its citizens is widely recognised. In Eurobarometer opinion polls carried out in recent years many of the people interviewed say they know little about the EU and feel they have little say in its decision-making process.

People learn about politics and political issues largely through their national education systems and via their national, regional and local media. (…) the ‘public’ sphere within which political life takes place in Europe is largely a national sphere. To the extent that Europena issues appear on the agenda at all, they are seen by most citizens from a national perspective. People learn about politics and political issues largely through their national education systems and via their national, regional and local media. (…) the ‘public’ sphere within which political life takes place in Europe is largely a national sphere. To the extent that Europena issues appear on the agenda at all, they are seen by most citizens from a national perspective.

People feel remote from (EU) decisions, the decision-making process and EU institutions. There is a sense of alienation from ‘Brussels’, which partly mirrors the disenchantment with politics in general. One reason for this is the inadequate development of a ‘European public sphere’ where the European debate can unfold.(…) A pan- European political culture with pan- European political groups and foundations is still developing. People feel remote from (EU) decisions, the decision-making process and EU institutions. There is a sense of alienation from ‘Brussels’, which partly mirrors the disenchantment with politics in general. One reason for this is the inadequate development of a ‘European public sphere’ where the European debate can unfold.(…) A pan- European political culture with pan- European political groups and foundations is still developing.

Five areas of action (1) Common principles (right to information, inclusiveness, diversity, participation) (2) Empowering citizens (civic education, connecting citizens and public institutions)

(3) Media and new technologies (giving Europe a human face, provide national and regional media with information) (4) Understanding public opinion (e.g. Eurobarometer, independent social research) (5) Doing the job together (member states, EU institutions, Committee of Regions, political parties, civil society organisations)

Isn’t ‘communication’ just another word for EU propaganda? No. The kind of communication the European Commission is arguing for is a two-way flow of ideas and information between the people and the policy-makers, so that both understand each other as fully as possible. People need to know what the EU is doing and why. And they need to have their say in its decisions.

Sources Eco, U., Koolhaas R. et al. (2001), Report “Brussels, capital of Europe”. Final report. Online: mr/pbs/brussels_capital.pdf#search=%22europe%20eco%20koolha as%20identity%22http:// mr/pbs/brussels_capital.pdf#search=%22europe%20eco%20koolha as%20identity%22 Draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (2004) Online: n.htm n.htm White Paper on a European Communication Policy (2006) Online: