A Formez Expert Speaks about European Union Communications Policies in Zagreb

HUOJ is a professional association in which many experts from the sector of Public Relations and Communications throughout Croatia are involved. The XII international conference is one of the main activities of the association, insofar as it enables to know and identify the new professional and work trends of the sector. About 300 persons engaged in the sector of communications in Croatia, as well as in other South East European countries (Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo) and Slovenia and Hungary, participated in the conference.
During the two-day event, various themes were dealt with, namely internal communication and relations with the business staff; from the age of High-tech to that of I-touch; the European monitoring of communications; the professional standards in public relations in Slovenia; future challenges of the PR profession; protection of royalties in Croatia.
The addresses by single speakers were followed by round tables on the following themes: internal communication in the public sector; the training in the sector of public relations; the future of PR agencies; how to enhance the PR profession.
In this regard, the Formez expert was invited to speak about EU information and communication policies, with particular reference to the theme “how to improve communications with the large public” in view of the referendum to be held in the short term. The latter will invite Croatian citizens to express themselves on the future EU membership of their country. This goal – which has been impatiently awaited for long – has come in a difficult moment for Europe and the initial enthusiasm seems to be faded despite the efforts made by the Croatian Government to bring the country closer to Europe. Among these are to be evoked the Zagreb summit (which in 2000 joined together the EU and the Western Balkans), the Stabilization and Association Agreements, Croatia’s application for membership (February 2003) and finally, the closing of negotiations in June of this year. Future membership of Croatia is envisaged in July 2013.
The address by the Formez speaker in Zagreb is the follow-up of a previous experience made by the expert under Component 3.1 of the Twinning Project in Croatia "Strengthening the Anti-Corruption Inter-Agency Co-operation - Management Support of the Ministry of Justice and Corruption sector" with the Ministry of Justice, in the framework of which she had the occasion of working together with the Croatian communications expert, who is also a member of HUOJ Board of Directors.