Sicherheit vermitteln: Ein Scheitern der öffentlichen Diplomatie?[en] 

The author, Juliet Lodge, writes that inadequate attention has been paid to the need to communicate the purposes of security convincingly to citizens. Instead "there is a failure of public diplomacy that mirrors but is exacerbated by the public diplomacy failure in respect to communicating Europe".

The author identifies two central problems. The first relates to the fact that most pillar III institutions and actions are outside of EU budgetary control, are predominantly financed by the member governments, and any updating – and expansion of – their mandates is not subject to regular justification and authorisation from the European Parliament. This produces a disjunction between what the member governments and the EU publicly say and what the law enforcement and security institutions secretly or openly do. The second is characterised by competing agendas, none of which seems to enjoy the legitimising support of an ultimate political authority that is accountable and responsive to the public whose security it seeks to ensure. 

The author concludes that if security is to be communicated effectively, convincingly and credibly, there needs to be greater clarity over the goals themselves, their realisation through specific instruments that are demonstrably proportionate and appropriate, and the way in which they are made accountable. Otherwise, "the communication of insecurity rather than security" will result.