The EnTrust project implemented a work plan to reach the above-stated objectives, which consisted of seven evidence-generating work packages (WPs). WP1 was devoted to ongoing theoretical reflection, WP2 to WP4 were focused on arenas of trust and distrust formation at the micro, meso and macro levels, while WP5 and WP6 analysed individual trust and distrust dispositions, and WP7 monitored trust relations between organised civil society and EU institutions.
The comprehensive datasets and analyses presented by EnTrust show that both citizens and political actors see trust and distrust as separate, coexisting dimensions of the same phenomenon. An excess of trust and distrust is considered undesirable, as it could lead to blind loyalty or categorical rejection. Furthermore, trust and distrust in institutions are based on personal experience, implying a reciprocal relationship in which citizens tend to trust or distrust depending on their experience of being trusted or distrusted by political institutions. Finally, political trust or distrust depends strongly on different principles of (un)trustworthiness, such as competence, integrity, transparency, participatory involvement, accountability or predictability. The findings of EnTrust thus show that moderate levels of trust and expressions of public distrust are not necessarily detrimental, but rather necessary for a vibrant democracy, as long as there are arenas and procedures for expressing and processing political distrust. The findings also help to identify challenges. While the majority of citizens are attached to enlightened forms of trust that combine trust and distrust, a categorical distrust is widespread, as is a disenchanted attitude that has given up on both trust and distrust. Challenges to trust arise when societal problems, inadequate institutional performance and failures of distrust-processing institutions converge. Under such conditions, EnTrust foresees the spread of generalised distrust, as well as spill-over effects, as distrust in institutions may, by default, extend to distrust in office holders, thereby reducing the capacity of institutional representatives to restore trust. Similar spill-over effects can be expected between political institutions, the mass media and organised civil society, further limiting the ability to express and process distrust, and facilitate the restoration of trust. The EnTrust project recommends that counter-strategies for restoring enlightened trust should be based on the principles of trustworthiness, as they provide concrete guidance for remedial action.
As a cross-cutting activity, EnTrust engaged in ongoing dissemination, communication and exploitation activities. These activities were aimed firstly at policy-makers and stakeholders, for example through policy briefs, handbooks and guides on enlightened trust. In addition, policy-makers and stakeholders were actively involved in a continuous policy dialogue through several lunch debates, roundtable discussions, workshops and conferences, thus ensuring exploitation. Second, public communication and dissemination made use of easily accessible tools, such as a project website (www.entrust-project.eu) social media accounts, press articles, several documentary videos and a wiki for social and civic activism. Finally, EnTrust data and findings were disseminated to an international academic audience through scientific conferences and workshops, as well as conference papers and publications. All outputs have been made available through the project website, and many documents are available in different languages to facilitate dissemination and exploitation.
