Closing the gap between promise and delivery is a continuous challenge. This is partly because the EU is not an easy construct to understand as it combines both the European level and Member States.

Who does what is not well explained enough and the EU’s positive role in daily life is not visible if the story is not told locally.

Communities are not always aware that their farm nearby, their transport network or universities are partly funded by the EU.

There is also a mismatch between expectations and the EU’s capacity to meet them. Take the example of youth unemployment: in spite of many high-level summits and useful EU supporting measures, the tools and powers remain in the hands of national, regional and local authorities.

Resources available at European level in the social field account for only 0.3% of what Member States spend in total in that area.