Brussels: The First Meeting of the European Commission INFORM Network on Information and Publicity of 2007-2013 Structural Funds

On June 17th, 2008 for the first time in Brussels, the “INFORM” network on the information and publicity interventions co-financed by the Structural Funds and promoted by the EC Directorate General for Regional Policy to encourage the sharing of experiences among the 27 member States, was outlined. At the meeting, a Formez expert who since 2002 had been member of the informal SFIT work group (Structural Funds Information Team) of the European Commission, took part. The network was established in compliance with article 10 of EC regulation 1828/2006 establishing that “Each managing authority shall designate the contact persons to be responsible for information and publicity and shall inform the Commission accordingly”. The key objective of the network is the sharing of experiences and the identification of new methods for improving the quality of communication activities, awareness-raising with regard to the benefits deriving from Community interventions by potential beneficiaries and the public as well as enhancing visibility of the projects co-funded by the European Union. The central themes of interest for the period 2007-2013 are transparency; cooperation at regional, national and Community level; successful stories to highlight the positive impact of the cohesion policy. The network will be composed of a core group responsible for officially informing about the outcome of the network meetings at national level as well as by a voluntary group who will contribute to the activities according to the positive experiences gained by the SFIT group.
The first meeting of the INFORM group was opened by Raphael Goulet and Ronald Hall, Head of Unit and Director of the EC Directorate General for Regional Policies, Communications, Information and Relations with Third Countries. Then, David Yormesor, the Head of the Relations with the United Kingdom and Ireland from the EC Directorate General for Regional Policies, took the floor. In the United Kingdom, he presented a best practice on cooperation between the Heads of Communications on the Structural Funds and the EC Representation Office. 30 presentations were held by the representatives of the core group of the INFORM network and the programmes of online connection on: publication of the list including the beneficiaries of the funding, launching events and advertisements. Further morning addresses concerned the “RegioStars 2009” prize for the most innovative regional projects, which is awarded to radio stations, adverts and TV programmes as well as to the traditional media with regard to “innovation and climate change” which show to have given the best contribution to the cohesion policy for improving the standard of life of European Union citizens. In the afternoon section, three work groups were organized on the following: the drafting of a guide on communication edited by DG REGIO and the members of the INFORM group; how to benchmark and evaluate the impact of information and publicity actions; how to submit communication projects, so as to attract the media and the public. Thanks to the experiences gained under the Twinning projects Bulgaria and Poland, a Formez expert participated in the work group in charge of drafting the guide-lines during which 6 guide-lines on information and publicity of the Structural Funds were elaborated.
One of the work groups which were organized during the first meeting of the INFORM group, focussed on the realization of a Guide on Communications edited by DG REGIO and the members of the INFORM network. Formez together with the Head of Communication of the Regional Operational Programme of the Emilia Romagna Region, Ms Anna Maria Linsalata, were invited to participate in the work group.
The guide should include an introduction edited by the European Commission; a chapter on the drafting of the communications plans; a chapter dedicated to graphical identity including information and publicity obligations; a chapter about tools and measures (organization of events, publication of the list of beneficiaries; drafting of newsletters and creation of information websites about the Structural Funds, preparation of plates and placards); a chapter dedicated to the establishment of efficient and endurable partnerships with the beneficiaries and a final chapter regarding monitoring and assessment under the Communication Plans. The guide will be ready by the end of the year.
The meeting concluded with the presentation of the results of the three work groups by the speakers who were identified by the Directorate General for Regional Policy. The need on how to intensify the information actions for the public emerged since the citizens seem not to have clearly perceived that the Structural Funds are allocated at their benefit.