Transcript Assessment of working with Article 46 and Regulation

RESULTS OF INTERVIEWS CARRIED
OUT WITH A PANEL OF SF COMMUNICATION
OFFICERS IN THE 25 MEMBER STATES
SFIT – 12 December 2005
1
PART 1
THE MISSION
2
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)
 Analysis
 Interviews
Communication Plans
Annual Reports
Evaluation reports
Range of communication products
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PART 2
EXPERIENCES OF
WORKING WITH CURRENT
REGULATION 1159/2000
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Chapter 1 – Communication Plans and
evaluation : the two innovations in Regulation
n°1159/2000
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Puts the actions in a
coherent framework
Highlights the role of
communication in
management
Facilitates the
prioritisation of
activities to be
carried out
Clarifies the role of
communication in the activity
of the institution
Legitimates financial
allocations at the time
of new orientations
COMMUNICATION
PLAN
Permits monitoring,
control and evaluation
Allows co-ordination of
actions carried out by the
different actors involved in
SF communication activity
Enables anticipation and a
non-reactive approach
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SHORT AND
MIDDLE-TERM
EVALUATION
AUDIT
 Geared
towards a
general aim, the
identification of a
situation in its
interdisciplinary
aspects
 Allows
adaptation and
fine tuning of
previous actions
 Is per se a
communication
activity (dynamic
process based
on listening )
 Forms the basis
of communication
A preliminary audit is
essential to draw up the
CP
COMMUNICATION
PLAN
An essential
support to an
effective
communication
Flexibility of the CP is a
pledge of effectiveness
60% of
interviewed
people
27% of
interviewed
people
 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
3 approaches :
 Quantitative (quest.,
surveys, barometer)
 Qualitative
(interviews, analyse of
groups)
 Analyse of doc.
(press)
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Chapter 2 – The most effective
actions
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TARGET PUBLIC
Degree
of
citation
Potential
beneficiaries
& project
promoters
Public
opinion
Socioeconomic
actors
Web Site
X
X
X
Information meetings,
seminars and
workshops
X
Activities towards
written press
X
X
X
Publications
(Flyers/brochures/
Newsletters)
X
X
X
The most effective
actions
X
Networking
X
Guide on structural
funds
X
TV broadcast (national
or regional)
X
X
X
X
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TARGET PUBLIC
Potential
beneficiaries &
project
promoters
Public
opinion
Socioeconomic
actors
Radio broadcast
(national or regional)
X
X
X
Creation of visual
identity (ex : logo)
X
X
X
The most effective
actions
Best practises guide
Call Centre
Participation in public
events (fairs,
exhibitions…)
Video testimony
Information Mailings
Degree of
citation
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
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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…
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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
BELGIUM
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
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)
HUNGARY
 226 television messages
broadcast on all main
channels with national
coverage
 174 radio advertisements
on stations with national &
local coverage
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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 »
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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)
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CD Rom and database of best practises on the Internet : the example of
the city of Berlin (Germany)
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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
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under the SF
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
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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
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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
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Chapter 3 – Some examples of
original actions
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The MA of the objective 1 region Hainaut (Belgium) :
« figures that count »
Example of advertising on buses
Examples of flyers
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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 »
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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
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Chapter 4 – Problems and lessons
learned
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Budget :
 Communication is
often considered as
«an afterthought »
Use the information
from the field
(examples of best
practices)
Mobilise media
Make the project
promoters
respect the I&P
obligations
PROBLEMS
ENCOUNTERED
Coordinate the
communication actions
between the different
partners involved in the
SF
Reach the general public
 Need for long and intensive
campaigns involving high
financial means for
communication on SF
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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
Strengthen information and rely on best practises’ examples
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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
management of the SFs
in the
 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
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PART 3
COMMUNICATION IN THE
NEXT PROGRAMMING
PERIOD
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Chapter 1 – Expectations of the EC role
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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?...
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Chapter 2 - Article 68
Strengths - Weaknesses
Proposals
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STRENGHTS OF THE PROJECT OF REGULATION
Points of the Regulation
project
Networking and
exchange of
experiences
Degree of
mention
Comments and quotes
« Networking and exchange of experiences are a
Most
strength of the Regulation because we shouldn’t have
mentioned
to always reinvent everything. We need to exchange
each other’s experiences »
« A clear plan with a budget allows a more
professional implementation of actions. Therefore it is
important that the new regulation affirms its
importance»
« The evaluation is an essential element to elaborate
the CP and the monitoring/adaptation of its actions »
Communication
Plan and evaluation

Responsibility of
beneficiaries
Points to discuss :
The beneficiary shall
erect a billboard or a
plaque on the site of all
projects, irrespective of
the project amount
« financial and human resources must be foreseen in
order to verify the observance»
« regulation doesn’t foresee any penalty in case of
non implementation»
Less
mentioned
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WEAKNESSES OF THE PROJECT OF REGULATION
Points of the
Regulation
project
Flying the
European
flag for a
week on 9
May
Degree of
mentions
Comments and quotes
It leads to a controversial historic past
Most
mentioned « It’s a very sensitive issue in in our country as the country has
post-Soviet background and it can have rather bad impact and be
taken as propaganda here»
« Raising the flag on the 9th May has unpleasant historical
connotations for our citizens. This is the day that our country was
annexed after the Second World War»
Difficulty in ensuring control of implementation
« The MA cannot guarantee nor control that every project site partfinanced with the SF installs the EU flag for a week »
Risk of committing too many financial resources
« Only projects co-funded to a certain extent should be obliged to
install the European flag »
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Points of the
Regulation
project
Degree
of
mentions
Comments and quotes
Not enough detailed regulation = risk of interpretation
“this approach could make the requirements open to interpretation
and member states could be unsure how to implement them”
Global
content of
the
regulation
project
Too detailed regulation : it decreases the flexibility in the
implementation of communication actions
« Too detailed obligations entail too many questions concerning
concrete implementation and control »
“Certain rules could be stipulated as recommendations instead of
main obligations»
Absence of penalties in case of non compliance with
rules:
«There is no notion of control and sanction relative to the respect of
the information and publicity rules, control cannot be efficient
without a penalty»
 Non appropriate messages in regard to the knowledge
of the majority of the European citizens of the SF.
Messages
« People don’t see the difference between the SFs :it brings
complexity to the message»
 It doesn’t take into account the national co-funding:
« The new slogans ignore the national contribution to the project
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and the co-financing principle »
Points of the
Regulation
project
Degree of
mentions
Comments and quotes
 Cost and existence of other media, both cheaper and with
a higher cost/ efficiency ratio :
Audiovisual
broadcast
« The managing authorities must be free to decide if an audiovisual
program can be an efficient media, keeping in mind the fact that
television programs are very expensive and that available budgets
are often limited »
 Needs clarifying :
« Is it a documentary, an advertisement, a specific media campaign
…?»
 Expenses of billboards, in particular for small amount
projects :
Billboards
and plaques
“I don’t agree with the idea of flags, billboards, etc.., especially for
smaller projects…in Poland and it would create the wrong
impression (wastage, overly concerned with PR, etc..)”
 Too high percentage of occupation of the different
Less
mentions elements
« Not feasible in terms of communication nor where projects are
financed by several organisations »
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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
36
actions)
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 »
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