Communication Strategy on Community Funds in Poland for period 2007-2013
On 15th October 2008 the European Commission approved Communication Strategy on Community Funds in Poland within the framework of National Cohesion Strategy for period 2007-2013. These are very positive news for institutions involved in implementation of the EU Funds, persons responsible for information and promotion in public administration, but also for all persons and institutions interested in acquiring EU assistance.
We have to keep in mind that spending amount of more than 67 billion euro, which Poland has at disposal in 2007-2013 period, is not only issue of proper design of implementation system or preparing procedures and institutions, but also issue of appropriate informing the society on possibilities of utilizing available funds. Communication Strategy on Community Funds is a document that defines basic rules of performing information, promotion and educational actions on the subject of National Cohesion Strategy and all programmes co-financed from the EU funds for 2007-2013. The implementation thereof will help in maintaining cohesion of activities conducted by so many institutions, both at central and regional level.
Objectives of the Strategy
In accordance with the Strategy, main objective of information and promotion action is supporting process of achieving goals defined in National Cohesion Strategy by:
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encouraging potential beneficiaries to use the EU Funds thanks to providing them with information necessary for process of applying for the EU funds,
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motivating authors of projects to proper conducting projects,
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shaping awareness of public opinion about progress in implementation of National Cohesion Strategy and results of utilizing the Community Funds in Poland.
Target groups
The Strategy points out target groups to which information and promotion actions are directed. Among basic groups the Strategy enlists society in general, beneficiaries and potential beneficiaries, and also mass-media, social and business partners, institutions involved in implementing the Community Funds, decision-makers and leaders, and groups shaping the public opinion (artists, churches and confessions, sportsmen, advertising branch, etc.). Specific recipient of information, promotion and educational actions on the Community Funds is youth.
Clear division of tasks
The Strategy talks as well of entities performing information and promotion actions and division of duties among specific institutions. In the Strategy it was assumed that activities of horizontal nature shall be conducted by so-called Co-ordinating Body, i.e. Department for Information, Promotion and Trainings in the Ministry of Regional Development. Competent Managing Authorities for national and regional programmes are responsible for communication actions concerning relevant programmes directed to societal groups appropriate for respective programmes, regional societies and beneficiaries and potential beneficiaries. Intermediate Bodies and Second Level Intermediate Bodies shall conduct information activities addressed directly to beneficiaries and potential beneficiaries.
Main idea behind communication actions
The Communication Strategy formulates as well main idea, which is element joining the whole process of communication on the Community Funds in Poland. This idea constitutes description of the Funds’ identity, their significance and uniqueness of their offer on the market. The main idea is summarized as: The Community Funds – Engine of Creative Development.
Coherent visualisation and simple language
Experience from 2004-2006 period showed that language used to inform about structural funds and Cohesion Fund was too difficult, what resulted in often perceiving funds as distant and inaccessible. That is why one of fundamental assumptions behind the Communication Strategy is simplifying language communicating basic ideas and information connected with the cohesion policy of the European Union. The Strategy introduces as well coherent system of visual identification, ensuring coherent and uniform image. The system is based on graphic sign and logo types for the National Cohesion Strategy and specific programmes. Both the National Cohesion Strategy and the programmes have their own graphic and colour codes.
Thanks to implementation of the Strategy, which clearly defines objectives and rules as to performing information and promotion actions, points out target group and establishes division of duties between specific institutions, it will be possible to maintain that conducted actions are coherent and complementary, and as such – to ensure higher level of knowledge and awareness of Polish society in the field of possibilities of utilizing the Community Funds.
Guidelines of Minister of Regional Development as to Information and Promotion
Guidelines of Minister of Regional Development as to Information and Promotion define basic rules of conducting and co-ordinating information and promotion actions, method of preparing National Strategic Reference Framework’s (NSRF) communication strategy and its scope, and Communication Plans for respective operational programmes. The guidelines set main directions of performed activities and also define rules on reporting and evaluating these activities.
The Guidelines also identify groups of recipients of promotional and informational actions conducted by specific institutions. In this field all activities of general and cut-off character shall be performed by NSRF’s Co-ordinating Body as to information and promotion. Operational programmes’ promotion actions directed to general opinion will be conducted by Managing Authorities for specific programmes, while Intermediate Bodies will perform actions directed to beneficiaries and potential beneficiaries of programmes.
Guidelines as to Information and Promotion clearly define basic tools of information and promotion actions and describe rules on their functioning. As main distribution channels considered are: information points, publications, Internet websites and trainings.
The final version of Guidelines as to Information and Promotion was worked out as a result of wide social consultations, which took place from May to 11 June 2007. Provisions of Guidelines as to Information and Promotion have been finally accepted by Minister of Regional Development and have been in force since 14 August 2007. In October the Guidelines underwent minor editing change.
Communication Plan for Operational Programme "Infrastructure and Environment"
Communication Plan for Operational Programme "Infrastructure and Environment" for 2007-2013 period is a document defining main assumptions and rules as to conducting information and promotion actions by all entities involved in implementation of the Programme.
Main assumption behind the Communication Plan is support for achieving objectives defined in the Programme "Infrastructure and Environment" thanks to providing information on topic of the Programme, its promotion and utilizing synergy effect with communication actions of the Community Funds on the national level. The Plan defines in particular objectives, basic communications, target groups, planned information, promotion and training activities, scopes of institutions’ duties within system of programme management, schedule, budget, and also methods of monitoring and evaluation.
The Communication Plan was prepared by Managing Authority in co-operation with Intermediate Bodies and Implementing Authorities/Second Level Intermediate Bodies. During creation of this document we utilized hitherto collected institutional experience in the field of information and promotion actions conducted during period 2004-2006. Moreover, while preparing the Plan there were utilized results of examination on level of awareness and information needs of Poles and social-economic partners conducted before performing information and promotion activities within the Programme "Infrastructure and Environment", and also results of second stage of public opinion’s examination concerning assessment of level of knowledge about categories of projects co-financed from the Cohesion Fund and envisaged effects of their implementation, and also preferred sources of knowledge concerning the Community Funds.
The Communication Plan is supposed to ensure coherent and transparent way of performing information and promotion actions for the whole programme. Specific activities allowing to achieve objectives predicted in the Communication Plan shall be inserted into annual plans of information and promotion actions.
The Communication Plan for Operational Programme "Infrastructure and Environment" has been approved by Resolution of the Monitoring Committee for the Operational Programme "Infrastructure and Environment" No. 10/2009 of 31st March 2009.