Challenges facing the EU institutions in dealing with an extended press network

The low turnout at the recent European elections is testimony to the political apathy invading Europe at the moment. At the same time, ten new countries, with different languages, histories and traditions have joined the EU club. Communications professionals working in Europe have no option but to take these new elements into account in campaign planning – making an already difficult science even more complicated. A new mosaic of languages is one barrier; another, the use of euro‐English that obscures rather than clarifies complicated issues. PR and press officers alike also have to battle against an ingrained cynicism in the press corps. This paper argues that classic communications strategies can be honed and adapted to the new Europe, and that PR has a duty to help Europe’s citizens understand the maze that is the European Union.