User Perception of EU Institutions – an Investigation into the EU Website

The official website of the EU (www.euro pa.eu) forms the subject for this study on the basis that the internet is constantly growing in importance, both for finding information and for distributing it and for public relations. Our assumption is that the users’ experience of this website effect their attitude to the EU negatively. Faced with this, the study is trying to develop recommendations for improving the interaction between institutions and citizens.

The theoretical intent behind this work lies in creating a frame of reference through the combination of „sense-making theory” and uses and gratifications, where both users and communicators can be investigated. The study will be completed in Spring 2008.