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Effective Euro Communication Strategy for Public and Private Sectors in Belgium

Learn about Belgium's coordinated Euro communication approach, focusing on public and private sector entities, weaker social groups, and the general public. Discover how effective communication campaigns and mobilizations were carried out from 1997 to 2002 to ensure a successful transition to the Euro currency.

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Effective Euro Communication Strategy for Public and Private Sectors in Belgium

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  1. Euro-communication towards officials Geert Temmerman National Bank of Belgium September 2007

  2. Content • Generalities • Communication towards private sector • Communication within authorities

  3. Preliminary remark: • Communication campaign started already in 1996 • Two climaxes: • January 1, 1999 • January 1, 2002

  4. In Belgium • Coordinated approach from the outset via General Commission for the euro • Authorities, financial institutions, trade unions, professional associations, press, ... • Everybody aware of necessity to organise good information • Special attention for weaker social groups

  5. General Commission for the euro 4 central working parties with dozens of working parties COM EURO COM ECO EURO ADMI EURO FIN EURO - legislation - accounting, budgetting, - processes and IT in administrations - training & communication - local administrations - social security - financial markets (1999) - cash (2002) - non-cash transactions - prudential supervision - consumers - companies, business .. - insurance companies - communication to "weaker social groups" - communication Specific working parties - conversion and rounding - contingency plan cash- changeover

  6. General Commission for the euro • 1997 - 2002 • Coordinator, catalyser, stimulator • Detecting lacks, avoiding waste • Supplying guaranteed information(e.g. periodical journals to inform information managers) • in charge of official website www.euro.be • going trough and/or approving publications by others

  7. Communication towards private sector by authorities other than central bank • 1997 - 2002 • Main topics: • why single currency? rational of EMU • conversion rate • continuity of prices • reference values • changeover scenario • legal aspects

  8. Communication towards private sector by authorities other than central bank • Several target groups • other authorities, subordinated authorities, officials • private sector social security institutions • weaker groups • professional groups with special needs • and of course: the general public!

  9. Communication towards private sector by central bank • Main focus: cash • ECB and NCBs: information campaign "Euro 2002" • Target groups: general public, SMEs, weaker social groups, schools

  10. Communication by General Commission for the euro • Periodical journal of General Commission (twice a year) • Series of brochures with official texts, guidelines, recommendations, etc. all having the same appearance • Hundreds of exposés by staff members of General Commission for all kinds of audiences

  11. Communication by General Commission for the euro • Excellent relations with press and media; staff ready to help journalists willing to write on the change-over • Website www.euro.be

  12. Communication and mobilisation within authorities • Communication to officials was permanent concern within ADMI EURO • (point of particular interest of first chairman of ADMI EURO) • Technical working party (out of the 4) on training and communication

  13. Communication and mobilisation within authorities • General Commission for the euro and Federal Public Information Agency intensely involved • Also involved: communication offices of European Parliament and European Commission in Belgium • Remember: officials are also consumers and got the general information everybody got

  14. Communication and mobilisation within authorities • 1997 kick-off: kind of Euro-show for several hundreds of officials from all ministries • Organised by Ministry of Finance • Exposés alternating with playful sketches played by actors • Most training was organised within departments • Training culminating to the running up to January 1, 2002

  15. Communication and mobilisation within authorities • Bulletin ADMI EURO: • Periodical for officials of all authorities involved in change-over • Edited by Ministry of Finance • 8 issues: • 1st: January 1997 / 8th: May 2001 • 8 to 12 pages each • Also available for everybody on www.euro.be

  16. Communication and mobilisation within authorities • Publications by technical working parties • Several very detailed guidelines for public authorities' IT-people • Guidelines on the presentation of the budget, on accounting, ... • Several guidelines (e.g. social affairs) published as part of the series of brochures of the General Commission

  17. Communication and mobilisation within authorities • Publications by Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Social Affairs and Ministry of Economic Affairs towards general public were also utmost interesting material for officials involved in change-over in these and other departments

  18. Communication and mobilisation within authorities • Generally spoken, officials seemed quite enthusiastic about the project • Job of officials made easier by: • Broad acceptance of euro by public • Awareness of importance of project in all sections of society (authorities, professional associations, trade unions, ...) • Excellent spirit of cooperation within authorities; no competition (material put at the disposal of others without reticence)

  19. copy of website www.euro.be available on CD-rom

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