Brussels chiefs set to blow £24m on propaganda push to try and show how great it is
Lucrative new contract announced the same day European Parliament voted to spend an extra £3m on a new limo fleet
BIG-SPENDING EU chiefs are preparing to blow £24 million on a major new propaganda push, it emerged last night.
In a revelation which sparked fresh fury about wasteful spending, Jean-Claude Juncker’s European Commission is inviting bids for its biggest-ever communications campaign to sell the EU around the world.
News of the lucrative contract emerged on the same day as Members of the European Parliament voted to spend an extra £2.9 million on a new limo fleet.
The move was justified as a security measure but will involve hiring 110 drivers with £800 uniforms and take the overall bill for ferrying MEPs around to almost £8.5 million a year.
The new propaganda push involves a four-year contract for “corporate communications events” including town hall meetings where Commissioners take questions from the public, participation in conferences, international events and exhibitions.
It is at the heart of Mr Juncker’s vision to “achieve a better understanding by European citizens of the EU, its priorities and activities.”
Critics pushing for Britain to leave the EU in June’s In-Out referendum seized on the revelation.
Robert Oxley, from Vote Leave, said: “Just like the UK government spends money on pro-EU propaganda, it seems the Commission wants to waste our money on the EU too.
“We hand £350 million a week to Brussels each week – money we should be spending on our priorities at home, not blown on bankrolling Juncker’s travelling circus.”
But Commission spokesman Alexander Winterstein told the website: “Usually, we spend considerably less that the maximum amount under these contracts. No more than two-thirds on average.”
The Commission said the contract also covers the Council of Ministers and ten other smaller agencies and institutions.