By Martin Banks - 5th September 2010
No amount of blatant propoganda that the EU pumps out will make the EU commission popular or Van Rompuy pretty
Nigel Farage
Commission president José Manuel Barroso has angrily hit back at claims that his state-of-the-union address to parliament this week is part of an effort to "beef up" his public image.
Some MEPs have claimed that Tuesday's speech, which will become an annual event, is merely an attempt to "personalise" Barroso's image at a time of dwindling support for the EU.
What is clear is that the commission intends to improve its communications strategy in an attempt to get its message across more effectively than in the past.
Figures released by the UK-based eurosceptic think tank Open Europe revealed that, last year,the commission spent over €8m on "entertaining and informing" journalists. It says the commission's new communications strategy is an attempt to "control" the media.
A recent poll said support for the EU was at an all-time low while others have suggested Barroso's much-awaited speech is all part of a "power struggle" between Barroso and EU president Herman Van Rompuy, whose role was created under the Lisbon treaty.
But Barosso's spokesman rubbished all such suggestions saying this website, "At the beginning of his second mandate, the president agreed with the European parliament to give a yearly address on the state of the union.
"This is incorporated into the framework agreement that has been agreed with the parliament.
"This will kick off the consultations with the parliament on the work programme for 2011.
"President Barroso (on Tuesday) will give an assessment of where the EU stands today and outline the political challenges and priorities for the next 12 months.
"I can reassure you: the state of the union speech is not to 'improve Mr Barroso's image'. The president frankly has more important things to do, as people in Europe are rightly looking for guidance and directions out of the crisis from their politicians and political institutions.
"This is precisely what the president is setting out to provide with this speech and the subsequent debate with MEPs.
"The Lisbon treaty set out to make Europe more transparent and democratic. This is part of practicing what we preach."
Well-placed EU sources say Barroso is expected to give a speech that has the interests of the people in Europe “at heart.”
It is expected to convey that there is no room for complacency, although Europe has come a long way in weathering the storms from the financial and economic crises.
He is expected to express determination to strengthen economic governance and accelerate structural reform in Europe in key areas under the Europe 2020 reform blueprint.
The former Portuguese PM is expected to appeal to all to think European all the time while acting on the level that is most effective.
That is unlikely to satisfy the likes of UKIP deputy Nigel Farage, who told this website, "The EU is unpopular because at great expense to the British taxpayer, it hyper-regulates their lives while destroying their jobs.
"They say that politics is showbiz for ugly people, however no amount of blatant propaganda that the EU pumps out will make the EU commission popular or Van Rompuy pretty.
"This so-called 'state of the Union' address from Barroso is another instance of vying for position with the European council president.
"As European economies collapse, and EU popularity plummets. Barroso and Van Rompuy are like hyenas yapping over a dying carcass."
Further comment came from British independent MEP Edward McMillan-Scott, a vice president of parliament, who said, "If a revolution of EU communications and an additional investment in 'Communicating Europe' is in the air, it should ensure clear advantage for all EU citizens.
"Such advantage can only be guaranteed, if the institutional balance is assured and properly presented at all times. Communicating better on how the EU influences the lives of EU citizens, cannot be about the faces that bring about that information.
"The integrity of the army of journalists in Brussels can also never be touched upon; The knowledge of journalists on what all EU institutions and their different representatives do on a daily basis, however, is worth investing in.
"We cannot criticise Brussels for faceless bureaucrats on the one hand and attack legitimate information activities on the other hand.
"The focus should however be more on elected people and not on nominated persons," he added.
