Audit institutions in the communication of EU finances to citizensDemands, perceptions and gaps : in-depth analysis

Résumé

Public opinion formation in highly technical matters, such as financial management in the EU, has been traditionally exposed to information gate-keepers. These often took advantage of their leverage to further agendas impacting citizens’ trust in the EU. Indeed, issues linked to multilevel budget management and control in the EU feature great complexity. Fully understanding them hinges on prior knowledge and/or significant effort, both scarce among the general public. The current paradigm expands the opportunities (and challenges) of non-traditional communicators in the process towards a fact-based and fair reporting of EU public spending. This note explores the involvement of audit institutions. A mapping exercise of institutional communication practices in audit institutions allows benchmarking, although great imbalance arises across EU Member States. Audit institutions might benefit from enhancing their links with higher education institutions, whose benefits in terms of expertise and independence are highlighted.