EN Regional Policy EUROPEAN COMMISSION Information and Publicity SFIT, 15 June 2006 Barbara Piotrowska, DG REGIO in programming period

Regional Policy – Information and Communication EUROPEAN COMMISSION EN A new partnership for Cohesion Publicity for Cohesion Policy 2 General information This draft regulation covers three Funds: ERDF, Cohesion Fund and the ESF It has been presented four times to the Member States during the Committee for Development and Conversion of the Regions (June and November 2005, March and June 2006) and to the SFIT members. Most of the comments have been taken on board. Final meeting foreseen for July. Some provisions can still be changed! Vote in October 2006 New regulation

Regional Policy – Information and Communication EUROPEAN COMMISSION EN A new partnership for Cohesion Publicity for Cohesion Policy 3 General Council Regulation for the programming period Art. 68 Who: The Member States shall provide information on and publicise co-financed programmes and operations. The Managing Authority for the operational programme shall be responsible for the publicity in accordance with the implementing rules of this Regulation adopted by the Commission. For whom: The information shall be addressed to European citizens and to the beneficiaries. Aim: to highlight the role of the Community to ensure that assistance from the Funds is transparent. New regulation

Regional Policy – Information and Communication EUROPEAN COMMISSION EN A new partnership for Cohesion Publicity for Cohesion Policy 4 Draft Commission Regulation for the programming period Information and Publicity: Chapter II, section I of the implementing regulation nine articles: 1. Communication plan (art. 2-4) 2. Information and Publicity measures (art. 5-9) 3. Network (art. 10) New regulation

Regional Policy – Information and Communication EUROPEAN COMMISSION EN A new partnership for Cohesion Publicity for Cohesion Policy 5 Communication plan Drawn up by the Managing Authority for an OP or by the Member State if covers more OPs Covers one, several or all Operational Programmes financed from ERDF and/or CF and/or ESF Highlights the value added of the Community assistance at the respective territorial levels Contains: -aims and target groups (potential beneficiaries, beneficiaries, public) -strategy and content of the I&P measures to be taken -indicative budget for the implementation -the administrative departments or bodies responsible for its implementation -how it is going to be evaluated New regulation

Regional Policy – Information and Communication EUROPEAN COMMISSION EN A new partnership for Cohesion Publicity for Cohesion Policy 6 Examination of compatibility - the procedure The MS or the MA send the CP to the Commission within 4 months of the adoption of the OP, or the last of the OPs in case it covers several OPs. If no comments from the Commission within 2 months, the CP is considered compatible with the requirements. If the comments are sent, the MS or MA has 2 months to send a revised version back to the Commission. If no comments from the Commission within the next 2 months, the CP is deemed to be put in practice. Important: The MS or the MA shall start the info activities even in the absence of the final version of the CP

Regional Policy – Information and Communication EUROPEAN COMMISSION EN A new partnership for Cohesion Publicity for Cohesion Policy 7 Monitoring of the communication plan Communication plan, progress in its implementation, the examples of the information products and the tools used - presented by the MA during the meetings of the Monitoring Committee of each OP. Annual reports and the final report sent to the Commission shall include: the examples of information activities; the arrangements for the publication of the list of beneficiaries including the internet address; the major amendments to the communication plan The report evaluating the results of the I&P measures shall be included in 2010 mid-term report and in the final report. The means used for implementing, monitoring and evaluation of the CP shall be proportional to the information needs identified in the CP. New regulation

Regional Policy – Information and Communication EUROPEAN COMMISSION EN A new partnership for Cohesion Publicity for Cohesion Policy 8 Information and publicity measures Addressed to: Potential beneficiaries Beneficiaries Public -Managing Authorities' responsibilities -Beneficiaries' responsibilities New regulation

Regional Policy – Information and Communication EUROPEAN COMMISSION EN A new partnership for Cohesion Publicity for Cohesion Policy 9 I&P aimed at potential beneficiaries MA shall ensure that the information on: the OPs, with details of the financial contributions from the Funds concerned the possibility of financing opportunities offered jointly by the Community and the Member States through the OP is disseminated widely and is made available to all interested applicants. MA uses different circles to relay information (at least one of the following: national, regional and local authorities and development agencies, trade associations, economic and social partners, NGOs, info centres on Europe, Commission representations, educational institutions, etc.) New regulation

Regional Policy – Information and Communication EUROPEAN COMMISSION EN A new partnership for Cohesion Publicity for Cohesion Policy 10 MA informs on: 1. The conditions of eligibility to be met in order to qualify for financing under an OP; 2. A description of the procedures for examining applications for funding and of the time periods involved; 3. The criteria for selecting the operations to be financed; 4. The contacts at national, regional or local level who can provide information on the Operational Programmes. MA shall inform that: the list of beneficiaries + the name of the operation + the amount of public funding allocated to the operation will be published.

Regional Policy – Information and Communication EUROPEAN COMMISSION EN A new partnership for Cohesion Publicity for Cohesion Policy 11 I&P aimed at beneficiaries Managing authority makes sure the beneficiaries are informed that: their project was selected from a programme part- financed by the ERDF, ESF or the Cohesion Fund their name + name of the operation + the amount of the public funding allocated to the project will be published New regulation New regulation

Regional Policy – Information and Communication EUROPEAN COMMISSION EN A new partnership for Cohesion Publicity for Cohesion Policy 12 Informing the public - MA responsibilities The MA shall ensure that the communication plan is implemented: using all suitable forms and methods of communication at the appropriate territorial level aiming at the broadest possible media coverage Minimum requirements: a major information activity on the launch of the OP (even in the absence of the final version of the CP) at least one major information activity per year, presenting the achievements of the OP, including the major projects (where relevant) the publication of the list of beneficiaries + the names of the operations +the amount of public funding allocated Flying the European flag in front of the MAs premises for one week starting the 9 of May. New regulation New regulation

Regional Policy – Information and Communication EUROPEAN COMMISSION EN A new partnership for Cohesion Publicity for Cohesion Policy 13 Beneficiaries' responsibilities The beneficiary is responsible for informing the public about the assistance obtained. Permanent explanatory plaque will be placed no later than 6 months after completing the operation: -the total public contribution to the operation exceeds EUR -the operation consists in the financing of a physical object. Billboard will be placed in site of infrastructure or construction operations with total public contribution to the operation exceeding EUR. It will be replaced by a plaque 6 months at the latest after the end of the works. The elements mentioned in the article 9 will occupy at least 25% of the billboard and the plaque. In addition the plaque shall state the type and name of the operation. The beneficiaries shall fly the EU flag on the site of the operations co- financed by the Funds where the total cost exceeds EUR, during the week of the 9 th of May. New regulation New regulation

Regional Policy – Information and Communication EUROPEAN COMMISSION EN A new partnership for Cohesion Publicity for Cohesion Policy 14 Beneficiaries' responsibilities, ESF The beneficiary makes sure that the participants of the operation are aware of the Community funding for that operation, by the means of a clear notice. Any document concerning such an operation shall include a notice of the co-financing. Those provisions apply also to the ERDF and the CF, where appropriate. New regulation New regulation

Regional Policy – Information and Communication EUROPEAN COMMISSION EN A new partnership for Cohesion Publicity for Cohesion Policy 15 Article 9 - Technical characteristics The measures for informing the public shall include the following elements: The European emblem European UnionThe reference to the European Union The reference to the respective funds: European Regional Development Fund Cohesion Fund European Social Fund "Investing in your future MA should add an additional statement /slogan highlighting the Community's added value, and preferably "Investing in your future Small promotional objects may contain only the European emblem. New regulation New regulation

Regional Policy – Information and Communication EUROPEAN COMMISSION EN A new partnership for Cohesion Publicity for Cohesion Policy 16 Network Each Managing Authority designates the contact person/s to be responsible for the information and publicity and informs the Commission. Member States may designate a single contact person for all operational programmes. The Commission sets up and is responsible for coordinating the network/s composed of the above mentioned persons. Tasks: to ensure the exchange of good practices and the exchange of experience concerning the implementation of the communication plan. The Commission may provide backing for exchange of experiences in the field of information and publicity through Technical Assistance. New regulation New regulation