The European Union (EU) currently faces various political challenges surrounding questions of the Union’s self-understanding with regards to processes of enlargement and constitutionalization. This article analyzes the newly created communication strategy devised by the European Union Commissioner for Institutional Relations and Communication and contrasts the mismatch between theoretical concepts of transnational communication in the social sciences on the one hand and the problematic nature of the EU’s communicative approach relating to the national public spheres on the other. I argue that while some theorists propagate idealistic-normative expectations rather than empirically based policy recommendations, the Commission has begun to listen to academics and politicians who rightfully call for more transparency and interaction with the national-levels of governments and media. Based on an analysis of the communication and information deficits between the Union’s institutions, the national governments and the mass media, I discuss suggestions as to how the Commission could improve its communication policy and thus aid in the creation of a European public sphere.