I konklusionerne i Kommissionens meddelelse fastslås det, at mens den "er ved at afslutte en fuldstændig gennemgang af dens funktionsmåde: politisk, finansielt og administrativt", er der "i mellemtiden (...) voksende bekymring for, at EU skal blive fremmed over for de europæiske borgeres umiddelbare problemer."
In the conclusions of the Commission communication, it is claimed that while the Commission 'is carrying out a radical reform of its working methods at the political, financial and administrative levels... in the meantime there are growing fears that Europe may lose touch with the immediate concerns of its citizens' .