Citizen Perceptions of The European Union: The Impact of the EU W ...

and institutions, while various researchers spoke of the ‘communication deficit’ (Peter, Semetko, & de Vreese, 2003; Trenz & Eder, 2004), or even of the ‘democratic deficit’ (Cerutti, 2003; Eriksen, 2005; Kaitatzi-Whitlock, 2005) of the EU. What exactly makes up this ‘space of non-communication’ is defined at a later stage. It is essential, here, to point out that this gap between what citizens perceive of the institutions and what the institutions communicate and would like people to perceive requires closer attention. The need to study both sides, rather than focusing on either the user or the communicator separately, becomes apparent. Only by including both sides of the communication process is it possible to examine where the gap is and where the ‘non-communication’ takes place. Apart from clearly defining problematic issues in the interaction, the findings of this study delivered specific practical recommendations for improving the user experience on the EUROPA Web site.

With this in mind, several questions arise on both sides. On the user side, the following come to mind: Do online experiences influence the image of offline actors? Which image do users have of the EU prior to and after the use of the EU Web site? Do communicator-related attitudes towards EU institutions change through the use of the Web site? On the communicator side, another set of questions arises: Which role does the Web site play in the overall communicative strategy of the EU? What is the image communicators have of their users? How much, if at all, do communicators use Web site statistics, feedback, or public opinion surveys to determine user needs? To what end does the EU employ the Web site in their communication: transparency, citizen feedback, public relations, and so forth?

Before addressing these initial questions, however, a broader account of the current situation within the EU is provided, starting with a closer look at the relation of EU institutions and European citizens.

The political and economic foundations of the EU, by now, have a tradition of more than 50 years and a cultural foundation dating back over centuries. However, establishing a strong societal integration and acceptance of EU institutions among the various European publics seems to be a far more difficult process than expected, which has recently been