Communication throughout the

project's life cycle

CEF Transport Project Management Workshop

17 September 2015

Francesco Falco, Communication Manager - INEA

THE AGENCY'S ROLE

Communication strategy

Objectives: Promoting, Engaging, Innovating

• To effectively raise awareness and provide information about the Agency, its management of the CEF and Horizon2020 programmes, the programmes themselves and eventually the overall achievements in programme implementation

• To publicise the Agency's role as a capable and successful reference point for project management

• Engaging with and supporting you, our beneficiaries

• Continuous progress and developing new ideas

Audiences

Enabling stakeholders

• Institutional (European Commission, European Council, European Parliament,…)

Functional stakeholders

• Beneficiaries/Implementing bodies/Member States

Transport stakeholders and press

Desired results

KNOWLEDGE & AWARENESS

Of the Agency and how it is effectively supporting project implementation

Of the projects and how they are contributing to the policy objectives of the EU

How EU co-funding is making a difference overall by more efficient mobility, better infrastructure and yielding economic benefits

Available tools

• Website

• Press releases + translations

• Twitter feeds

• Events (Info Days, Project Management Workshop, other events and conferences)

• Posters & maps

• Project info sheets and publications

• Presentations

• eNewsletter

• Intranet

• European Commission (DGs) tools: website, eNewsletter

• Staff ambassadors/Word of mouth

The selected CEF Transport projects

• Production of brochure for CEF Committee listing all selected projects

• Press release on Framework Decision + list of selected projects

• Individual press releases + translations + tweets on selected projects sent to EU Representations and specialised funding "announcement of EU funding near to you"

Follow-up of project implementation

•Dissemination information supplied to project managers for kick-off meetings

•Beneficiaries "Info Point" on website

• Project pages + project info sheets on website

• Information requests from press

• Presentations at external events/internal meetings

Key feedback to the Commission

• Publicity on project successes and progress

• Events (TEN-T Days) highlighting project implementation

•Key brochures/publications (MAP Review)

Cooperation with beneficiaries

Two-way cooperation to enforce dissemination efforts

from the Agency to the beneficiaries

from the beneficiaries to the Agency

Press releases & publicity Support for joint press releases on inaugurations, milestones

Follow-up on press enquiries

Info on local media take-up

Cooperation with beneficiaries

from the Agency to the beneficiaries

from the beneficiaries to the Agency

Photos and videos Supply for use in dissemination materials

Creation of products (brochures, posters, giveaways)

Additional dissemination/publicity by DG COMM (videos)

Events

Participation and dissemination of info

Advice

Publicity plaques, billboards, logos

An example: Project successes

•What has the Agency done to showcase TEN-T project successes? Two examples:

"Better Together" - June 2015

“Tentastic" campaign - October 2013

Campaign objectives & output

• Show tangible TEN-T project achievements & successes

• Promote EU funding as making a difference to transport operators and users alike

• Ensure Agency's visibility in the process

Output:

Brochures: - Distributed at the TEN-T Days to over 1,000 participants

- Disseminated at other meetings, events

- Available online on website

Take up/lessons learned

• Interest in results

• Good visibility for smaller, lesser known projects

• People like (good) news!

• Positive feedback on overall content and presentation from stakeholders

• Partnership with beneficiaries on dissemination (press releases, photos, giveaways)

• Positive recognition due to promotion efforts: "EC also cares"

THE BENEFICIARY'S ROLE

Communicating EU projects: why?

•Raise awareness & visibility

• Engagement of citizens/stakeholders

• Explain financial commitment

• Promote your activities

• Legal obligation (EU + national)

The grant agreement

THE GRANT AGREEMENT

•Visibility of Union funding (Article II.7)

• Unless the Agency requests or agrees otherwise, any communication or publication related to the action, made by the beneficiaries jointly or individually, including at conferences, seminars or in any information or promotional materials (such as brochures, leaflets, posters, presentations, etc.), shall indicate that the action has received funding from the Union and shall display the European Union emblem. When displayed in association with another logo, the European Union emblem must have appropriate prominence.

Communicating EU projects: how?

• Publications

•Website(s)

• Publicity

• Events

•Campaigns

•Social media

•…

Publications

Website

Publicity

Events

• TEN-T Days

• Local events

• Project inaugurations

Where do we fit in?

• Always keep INEA in the loop!

• Agency can act as multiplier

• Dissemination to/through DGs

• EU Media visibility for local projects

• Joint press releases/announcements

• Participation in inaugurations/events

• Promote successes

Wrap up/lessons learned

• Interest in results

• People like (good) news!

• Think big: even small projects can have great impact

• Don’t be afraid to experiment (new ideas, new tools)

• Publicity is a requirement

• EU dimension can help “sell” projects locally

Thank You! Questions?

Francesco Falco

francesco.falco@ec.europa.eu

inea-communication@ec.europa.eu

@inea_eu