European Public Opinion in the Making

Quantitative and qualitative surveys, deliberative surveys, citizen consultations, the European Citizens’ Initiative... The array of policy instruments allowing the emergence of a « European public opinion » is widely used. This article examines the logics through which it is produced from a public policy perspective, by exploring the development of the European public opinion policy, its usages and effects. In doing so, this paper contributes to current debates about the government of the European Union. It paper assumes that forms of instrumentation in the European public opinion policy domain contribute over time to the production of a specific type of governing resources that is, information resources. These forms of policy instrumentation, combined with institutionalized forms of citizens’participation and representation, enable EU institutions to draw on “self-knowledge” tools which are considered critical for developing the EU’s own governing capacity distinct from that of the Member States.