Communication activities and PR in Operational programs . Publicity and information

1. Communication activities and PR in Operational programs. Publicity and information Bankia, 28March 2008 Dimitar Pehlivanov, Head of Monitoring and Reporting Department Operational Program Environment MOEW

2. Why measures on publicity and information on SF and CF? • Right to be informed for every European citizen; • Present better and by an understandable way the projects of the Community to the European citizens (“White Paper” on Communication, Plan “D” of the European Commission – Democracy, Dialogue and Debate); • Increase the transparency in respect of the activities of the Community and the disbursement of the European budget (European initiative on transparency); • Decrease the risk of pending the grant schemes in case of non existing information and publicity measures;

3. Legal base of the European Union on the information and publicity measures – Regulations 1083/2006 and 1828/2006 г. • Main elements of the Communication plan of an Operational program (or a group of programs) – according to the 1828/2006 Regulation (art. 2, p. 2) • objectives and target groups; • logo and slogan of the OP, WEB page - optional; • content of the measures of publicity, which have to be taken by the member states and the Managing Authorities; • indicative budget for the plan’s implementation – additional details in the Strategic plan of Technical assistance; • administrative bodies, responsible for the implementation of the measures on information and publicity; • activities for evaluation of the measures on publicity (indicators);

4. Main institutions in the Operational programs - actors in the information and publicity measure on project level • Beneficiaries • Main responsibilities in PR and information activities - for measures on information “on the spot”, i.e. on project level; • Target groups of integrated communication project; • Main beneficiaries of the Operational programs: • Municipalities and municipalities’ structures; • Central and regional administration; administration of judiciary system; • State structures – funds, companies, social, educational and health centers; • Private structures – companies, business-associations, consultants; • Non-governmental organizations;

5. Main institutions in Operational programs – actors in integrated PR and information projects • Intermediate body – specialized structure, beneficiary under the Technical assistance priority; • controlling; • coordinating; • consulting; • training; • elaboration of information and PR strategies and plans; • execution of communication strategies on respective levels; • Managing authority – specialized structure – general governance of OP’s; • Elaborating and realizing strategic communication projects; • Control on communication projects and activities on lower levels; • assigns the realization of integrated communication projects and strategies on contractors;

6. Looking closer – information and publicity in project cycle management • Mandatory inclusion in all the project’s documents: • In the project proposition (application form) - % from the overall expenses of the project – without detailed breakdown; • future choice ob sub-contractors on communication activities - optional; • Measures on publicity in the evaluation committee’s report; • Measures on publicity in the contact with the beneficiary + annexes on publicity and information; • Nomination of contact person (information officer) on PR by the beneficiary; • Tenders on communication activities on project level – drafting the contract – budgetary breakdown; • In the monthly, yearly and final reports – special section on publicity, PR and information measures - archives; • In the reports “on the spot checks” – recommendations,fulfillment; • In the final report on the project’s implementation;

7. Main measures on information and publicity at project level • at the project’s startand end – press-conferences and briefings at local level; • installation of billboards and permanent plaques on infrastructural projects – conditions (500 000 EURO, 25% of surface - devoted to EU); • putting the flag,logo and slogan of EU and OP’s (if any) at all the official documents of the projects, according to the contract and its annexes); • putting the state’s (Bulgarian) and the EU flags on sameheight in all public events, devoted to the project; • regular reporting of information measures and activities; NB The payments and even the contract on a project could be suspended in case of non-fulfillment of communication measures

8. Main measures and activities at integrated communication projects level • functioning of the Operational programs WEB sites; • regular sociological surveys on the EU structural funds and popularity of the respective operational programs; • establishing of information office of the OP’s; • promoting the symbols (logo, slogan etc.) of the OP’s; • overall media monitoring and media campaigns – looking for balanced information; • organizing ad hoc events at cross-over level; • preparing printed, audiovisual and other materials, covering all the OP’s; • coordinating and controlling the communication campaigns at lower levels, monitoring the contractors on PR projects; • organizing events for the Europe’s day; NB All the actors in the OP’s nominate contact persons (communication officers)

9. Thank you for your kind attention!dpehlivanov@moew.government.bg