RESULTS OF INTERVIEWS CARRIED OUT WITH A PANEL OF SF COMMUNICATION

1. RESULTS OF INTERVIEWS CARRIED OUT WITH A PANEL OF SF COMMUNICATION OFFICERS IN THE 25 MEMBER STATES SFIT – 12 December 2005

2. PART 1 THE MISSION

3. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY • 1st phase : Interviews of communication officers • experiences of working with current regulation 1159/2000 • Future 2th phase : Evaluation 75 Communication Plans 40 Annual Reports METHODOLOGY Selection of 30 communication officers among CSF MAs (15) and ROPs MAs (15) Communication Plans Annual Reports Analysis Evaluation reports Range of communication products Interviews

4. PART 2 EXPERIENCES OF WORKING WITH CURRENT REGULATION 1159/2000

5. Chapter 1 – Communication Plans and evaluation : the two innovations in Regulation n°1159/2000

6. Puts the actions in a coherent framework Highlights the role of communication in management Clarifies the role of communication in the activity of the institution Facilitates the prioritisation of activities to be carried out Legitimates financial allocations at the time of new orientations COMMUNICATION PLAN Allows co-ordination of actions carried out by the different actors involved in SF communication activity Permits monitoring, control and evaluation Enables anticipation and a non-reactive approach

7. SHORT AND MIDDLE-TERM EVALUATION AUDIT A preliminary audit is essential to draw up the CP  Geared towards a general aim, the identification of a situation in its interdisciplinary aspects • To regularly measure the effectiveness and impact of actions • To ensure that the means correspond to the defined objectives and targets • To refine the methodology of action COMMUNICATION PLAN An essential support to an effective communication Allows adaptation and fine tuning of previous actions Is per se a communication activity(dynamic process based on listening ) • 3 approaches : •  Quantitative (quest., surveys, barometer) • Qualitative (interviews, analyse of groups) • Analyse of doc. (press) 60% of interviewed people Flexibility of the CP is a pledge of effectiveness Forms the basis of communication 27% of interviewed people

8. Chapter 2 – The most effective actions

11. The internet website : efficacy and pillar of communication actions  challenge in terms of communication on the structural funds for the next programming period Seminars, workshops and information meetings Example:the « road show » - objective 1 “Södra Skogslänsregionen (Sweden) Actions addressed to media and journalists  Strong actions, especially in the NMS, at national level Media mobilised since the beginning of the programming period The most recurring actions : TV broadcasts, radio, press conferences and press releases…

12. LATVIA TV : programme dedicated to the European SF «“Eirobusiņš” (Eurobus) – every 2 weeks Radio : monthly 20 minute broadcast of “Eiropas fondu atslegas” (Keys to European Funds) • POLAND • Training of journalists • TVP 3 Gdańsk launches a programme « Euro Service » once a month • Radio Gdańsk presents the successful projects EXAMPLES OF ACTIONS ADDRESSED TO MEDIA AND JOURNALISTS HUNGARY BELGIUM 226 television messages broadcast on all main channels with national coverage Journalists flying by helicopter over sites rehabilitated under the EU SF  Constitution of a database of information and pictures put at disposal of the press 174 radio advertisements on stations with national & local coverage

13. ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS CSF - Objective 1 2000-2006 Slogan : “L’Europa puo’ farci grandi” ▪ 30 second and 15 second ads ▪ 2 different stories of 30 seconds on the radio ▪ Announcements in national and local magazines and newspapers ▪ Flyers ▪ Billposting ▪ Posters ▪ Banner published on main Italian websites “The child symbolically underlines the potentialities and the will to grow. The language used in the slogan is synthetic and direct »

14. The project promoters: ambassadors of the European Union  The Regulation n°1159/2000 also included obligations to be respected by the project promoters The project promoters can provide tangible evidence that the structural policy, the instrument of European solidarity, not only exists but also produces results The guide of best practises : the example of Burgenland (Austria)

15. CD Rom and database of best practises on the Internet : the example of the city of Berlin (Germany)

16. Videos on best practises: the example of the Government Office of London (United Kingdom) 15 minute videos have been made on some final beneficiaries « showing how the SF affected positively the life of ordinary people » Testimony of project promoters in written press: the example of Malta “The project promoters are walking advertisements for the Structural Funds. As many of the Maltese were not pro-European it is seen as crucial that beneficiaries of the Structural Funds publicise their experiences in the media, which reaches more people than any other information source” A photo competition : the example of Estonia  a national competition, addressed to project promoters, aimed at informing the general public on the realisations financed under the EU SF Project promoters take pictures of projects co-funded under the SF

17. A successful advertising campaign: the example of the Province of Flevoland ( The Netherlands ) Through ads, posters, publicity in newspapers and on the Province website, some project promoters explain that their project has been carried out thanks to the SF

18. Promote the visibility of actions co-funded under one of the SF  In order to ensure the visibility of measures part-financed by one of the Structural Funds, the appropriate managing authority shall be responsible for the respect of the information and publicity measures. Also each project promoter, benefiting from SF, has to inform the public The guidelines on information and publicity obligations: the example of the MA of the objective 1 North Portugal region

19. The section of the internet website dedicated to information and publicity obligations : the example of the Andalusia region (Spain) http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/economiayhacienda/fondos/poia_interreg/POIA/poia.htm

20. Chapter 3 – Some examples of original actions

21. The MA of the objective 1 region Hainaut (Belgium) : « figures that count » Example of advertising on buses Examples of flyers

22. The region Nord-Pas-de-Calais (Fr.) : European solidarity Message : « Europe is a lever for the development of your regional territory » This concept has been used in press communication, posters (bus stop format) and on the back cover of the newsletter « Brèves d’Europe »

23. NDP/CSF Information Office in Ireland : web quiz for students www.graduate.ie Idea : to test the knowledge of students and graduates on a wide range of subjects and also to provide information and guidance on where to find information on these subjects The participation of the Structural Funds office has added a stronger EU dimension to the website, both in terms of questions and information, and also in terms of prizes

24. Chapter 4 – Problems and lessons learned

25. Budget : Communication is often considered as «an afterthought » Make the project promoters respect the I&P obligations Coordinate the communication actions between the different partners involved in the SF Use the information from the field (examples of best practices) PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED Reach the general public Need for long and intensive campaigns involving high financial means for communication on SF Mobilise media

26. SOME LESSONS LEARNED Drawing up of the communication plan Work on the drawing up of the communication plan prior to the SPD Call upon communication professionals in order to draw up the CP The phase of the programming period determines the content, intensity and form of communication  Beginning of the program Foresee an important budget allocation • Rapidly deliver information • Start up communication actions as soon as possible Mobilise media Communicate using simple and short messages  During the programming period Strengtheninformation and rely on best practises’ examples

27. Evaluation is an essential activity  For the drawing up of the CP On-going evaluation to adapt actions to targets Without the setting up and the coordination of information relays, messages have no chance of reaching the right targets  Communication training for all people involved in the management of the SFs Institutional partners working on Structural Funds ▪ Involve them in elaboration of communication plan ▪ Encourage a team work in order to share means, and achieve message coherence and gain effectiveness Internet has to be used as an integrated process allowing management, sharing and publication of information

28. PART 3 COMMUNICATION IN THE NEXT PROGRAMMING PERIOD

29. Chapter 1 – Expectations of the EC role

30. Networking and exchange of experiences • Exchange and concrete work on technical documents, tools and methods • Support the setting up of national networks and the transmission of information to the SFIT • On-line platform (CIRCA) with : • database of communication best practices • examples of slogans • Methodo. guidelines • Action plans • discussion forums Drawing up of guides  Methodological guidelines Ex : how to evaluate communication actions, how to implement the new Regulation … Communication best practices guideline Regular organization of workshops focused on communication on SF See Seminar held on November 2003 Ex. of proposed topics : Evaluation of communication actions How to mobilise the press ? Internet website: what architecture, what content in the framework of the future programming period?...

31. Chapter 2 - Article 68 Strengths - Weaknesses Proposals

32. STRENGHTS OF THE PROJECT OF REGULATION Most mentioned Less mentioned

33. WEAKNESSES OF THE PROJECT OF REGULATION Most mentioned

35. Less mentions

36. General contents of the regulation proposal • Balance between need for simplification and need for details • Distinction between compulsory measures and recommendations • Introduce notion of control and penalties in case of breaching of I&P requirements • Drawing up of the CP • Draw up the new CP on the basis of the evaluation of the previous ones • Submit the CP at the same time as the operational program • a dynamic tool that can be reviewed at least annually. 1 - Recommendations for the future • Audio-visual broadcast • Recommendation not an obligation • Needs clarifying • Implementation and monitoring of the CP • Reinforce the role of the Monitoring Committee (approval + feedback on the chapters dedicated to the communication actions)

37. The European flag on the 9th of May • Replace the flag with a range of actions like presentations on TV, radio, newspapers, conferences • Holiday with organization of festivals… • Recommendation rather than obligation • Billboards & plaques • A common and recognizable pattern in all the EU countries for the same type of financed works (roads… etc) • Reduce to 10% the required surface for the EU co-funding text • Not applicable to small projects 2 - Recommendations for the future • Communication budget • a percentage of the programme budget (or the TA budget) for communication. • include a budget for marketing of the project in the application process of a project • Slogans • Eliminate the distinction ERDF, ESF…and just include « EU »