The European Community's Public Communication Policy 1951–1967

Jackie Harrison,Stefanie Pukallus

doi:10.1017/s0960777315000077

Abstract

AbstractFrom its inception the European Community had a civil aim: the need to stimulate a European civil consciousness. Viewed as a pre-condition for the popular acceptance of increased European integration, this provided the rationale for the Community's public communication policy of 1951–1967. The Community pursued this civil aim through two distinct public communication approaches: popularist (1951–1962) and opinion leader led (1963–1967). We contend that the way the Community undertook its public communication policy cannot be understood without considering the Community's civil aim. This leads us to question some of the common views held concerning the significance of European public communication policy from 1951 to 1967.1

Highlights

The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) marked the first concrete step in the European integration process
The Community pursued this civil aim through two distinct public communication approaches: popularist (1951–1962) and opinion leader led (1963–1967)
We argue that all four of these arguments fail to recognise that the Community had a persistent concern from the 1950s onwards for a public communication policy addressed at an inclusive general European public and that this was exemplified in both a popularist approach to public communication policy between 1951 and 1962

Summary

Introduction

The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) marked the first concrete step in the European integration process. Jean Rey believed that Commission officials should speak as prophets, Jacques-René Rabier describes himself as a ‘missionary’ and Olivier Baisnée[32] argues that those who worked for the European institutions at the very beginning were ‘militants’ and ‘pioneers’ for the European cause – that is ‘prophets’, ‘missionaries’, ‘militants’ and ‘pioneers’ who, through, in part, the use of speeches, sought to state the benefits of an economically integrated and civil Europe and to persuade a European public of these benefits. 38 Walter Hallstein, ‘The European Community, a new path to peaceful union’, available at http://aei.pitt.edu/14277/, 3 (last visited 15 May 2012). 42 Walter Hallstein, ‘Opening of the Conference of the Member States of the European Economic Community, Stresa’, 1958, available at http://aei.pitt.edu/14407/ (last visited 15 May 2012). René Rabier, ‘L’opinion publique et l’intégration de l’Europe dans les années ‘50’, in Enrico Serra, ed., ll Relancio dell’Europa E I Trattati Di Roma (Brussels: Bruylant, 1989), 84–98

Public communication policy

Workers and Trade Unions

Budget General Budget Opinion

Conclusion