Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has defended the EU's 'Protect What Matters: democracy' poster campaign, which cost approximately EUR 33 million, in a written answer to a parliamentary question from French MEP Virginie Joron (Patriots for Europe). The campaign, launched in May 2026, included posters on bus shelters across the EU promoting press freedom, freedom of speech and scientific freedom. Von der Leyen stated the Commission has a responsibility to inform citizens and communicate about its activities, and that no media outlets received subsidies for the campaign.
The answer, published on 29 July 2026, responds to Joron's question which criticised the Commission's communication spending as 'pointless' and wasteful, contrasting it with rising health costs in France. Joron cited a previous 'You are EU' campaign costing around EUR 35 million and noted that since 2021 the Commission has spent almost EUR 1 billion on communication. Von der Leyen detailed that the EUR 33 million budget covers creative production, media buying, translation and placement in all EU languages across 27 Member States for both online and offline channels.
On the question of Europe Direct centres, von der Leyen said the Commission regularly informs them about EU policy priorities and campaigns, and they may decide to promote such initiatives where relevant for citizens and resources allow. No additional funding is provided to centres for promoting communication campaigns. The answer did not provide a breakdown of spending per Member State or per media outlet, nor did it address Joron's reference to a EUR 27 million media procurement tender in March 2026.
The exchange highlights a cleavage between EU-level communication spending and national-level fiscal pressures on citizens, with Joron representing a sovereigntist perspective critical of EU institutional expansion. The Commission's answer reaffirms its view that such campaigns are essential for democratic engagement, while critics see them as self-promotional and costly. No further institutional follow-up is expected, though the European Parliament's Budgetary Control Committee could scrutinise the spending in future hearings.