Digital Public Communication in Europe for a European Public Sphere

In the last years, Europe has aimed at the creation of a new European public sphere that has grown beside and has not replaced the national ones; the core on which building and developing an idea of Europe as a sharing value, as a reality of Nations, but also as a reality of Regions and Cities. This aim is the result of a long discussion that has led to consider the public communication as a fundamental instrument supporting the dialogue between institutions and citizens and the result of an important sociological debate. Communication is nowadays considered a structural element of Union’s programs, and the transformation of the media system, the possibilities of communication offered by the social media, and the growth of participatory cultures, have opened new ways to the development of European public communication that can contribute to increase the European public sphere. This process involves an awareness from institutions and their representatives on the use of social media (eg facebook, twitter, etc.) to improve the relationship with the citizens and to create a sense of belonging to Europe