Struktūrfondu vadošā iestāde – Finanšu ministrija 1 1 Communication Strategy of EU Funds Sanda Rieksta Head of Information Division, Deputy Head of EU Funds Department Ministry of Finance 15 June 2007

Struktūrfondu vadošā iestāde – Finanšu ministrija 2 Preparation 01/11/2006 – seminar for communication specialists of SF institutions and representatives of regional SF information centres Communication issues of EU Funds 2007 – 2013 Photo collage

Struktūrfondu vadošā iestāde – Finanšu ministrija 3 Strategy The strategy includes: objectives, target groups, tasks of communication and communication channels information and publicity measures action plan o Indicative funding Management and monitoring of EU Funds communication Implementation indicators of publicity events Communication competences of institutions involved in management of EU Funds Procedure for publication of EU Funds beneficiaries Action plan for EU Funds crisis communication Recommendations for communication on EU Funds Informative support for beneficiaries in the home page of Responsible/Co-operation Institutions etc.

Struktūrfondu vadošā iestāde – Finanšu ministrija 4 Strategy objectives 1.Promote awareness and understanding of the public on contribution of the EU Funds... 2.Facilitate involvement of NGOs, regional and social partners in drafting of E U Funds programming documents and implementation conditions 3.Provide for timely, clear and understandable information to be available for the potential applicants for EU Funds and potential beneficiaries 4.Promote transparency of absorption process of EU Funds 5.Provide for equal availability of information in the planning regions,... 6.Facilitate cooperation between the institutions involved in the management of EU Funds and information mediators

Struktūrfondu vadošā iestāde – Finanšu ministrija 5 Tasks and timeframe 1. Discussion of programming doc, conditions (project selection criteria) with partners and potential project applicants for EU Funds 1. Providing for availability of information to target groups 2. Provision of information to the public on the absorption progress of EU Funds; provision of information to target groups on the possibilities for submitting projects, conditions for project implementation etc. 2. Promoting awareness of the good experience and best practices, project case studies, total results of EU Funds absorption 2. Retaining the achieved level of awareness of the public on EU Funds (72% in 2006) 3. Assessment of the absorption process of EU Funds, analysis of results, evaluation of communication activities, conclusions

Struktūrfondu vadošā iestāde – Finanšu ministrija 6 SF management communication strategy / communication management chart Monitoring Committee of EU Funds EU Funds communication working group: Managing, Audit Authority (Ministry of Finance) Paying, Certifying Authority (State Treasury) Responsible Authorities (11) Cooperation Bodies (8) Regional SF information centres (5) Thematic working groups, if necessary (e.g., TV & radio working group)

Struktūrfondu vadošā iestāde – Finanšu ministrija 7 Summary of communication competences of EU Funds Target groupsResponsibility MCEU Funds authorities; social, non- governmental and regional partners Approval of strategy and monitoring of implementation MASocially, economically and politically active population of Latvia Management of strategy implementation and absorption of EU Funds in general RASocially, economically and politically active population of Latvia Implementation of EU Funds activities; impact of EU Funds on sectoral development CI or RA Potential project applicants and final beneficiaries Practical information for project applicants and implementers RSICPotential project applicants, particularly low activity target groups of EU Funds in the regions Information, activation, consultation on attraction of funding from the EU Funds

Struktūrfondu vadošā iestāde – Finanšu ministrija 8 Communication competences of EU Funds Managing Authority (MA):  Promotes involvement of non-governmental, regional and social partners in elaboration of draft programming documents for EU Funds  Disseminates information to mass media on issues concerning the EU Funds  Provides methodological guidance to RA, CI, RSIC on implementation of EU Funds publicity events, provides for coordination of these events  Publishes draft programming documents for EU Funds and their approved versions, planned informative and publicity events of EU Funds of all institutions, links to EU Funds authorities, etc on  Plans and implements the informative and publicity events of the MA on the EU Funds, etc.

Struktūrfondu vadošā iestāde – Finanšu ministrija 9 Communication competences of EU Funds Responsible Authorities (RA):  Promotes participation of non-governmental, regional and social partners in elaboration of EU Funds measures within the competence of the RA  Publishes on the web site the most recent versions of EU Funds measures within the competence of the RA and provisions for receiving funding under these measures  Promotes participation of non-governmental, regional, social partners and potential applicants of EU Funds projects in elaboration of assessment criteria for evaluation of EU Funds project applications  Publishes on the web site the draft assessment criteria for evaluation of EU Funds project applications and their approved versions  Disseminates information to promote awareness of the public on the impact of EU funding on the development of a sector in general  Plans and implements the informative and publicity events, etc. of the RA

Struktūrfondu vadošā iestāde – Finanšu ministrija 10 Communication competences of EU Funds Cooperation Bodies (CB) or Responsible Authorities (RA):  Provide informative support to project applicants for EU Funds and to final beneficiaries: publish on the web site information on open or restricted call for proposals; publish documentation necessary for drafting project applications and for project implementation; provide for informative and educational events for project applicants of EU Funds and final beneficiaries and provide answers on questions from project applicants of EU Funds and final beneficiaries  Publish on the web site the evaluation time schedule for project applications of EU Funds under evaluation  Disseminate information on EU Funds projects to be supported  Monitor provision of publicity events at project implementation sites of EU Funds projects, etc.

Struktūrfondu vadošā iestāde – Finanšu ministrija 11 Communication competences of EU Funds Regional SF information centres (RSIC )  Provide general information and consultations on EU Funds for the potential project applicants of EU Funds and other interested parties  Coordinate regionally the informative events on EU Funds in the region  Provide support and supplement the informative activities of EU Funds institutions and their regional representation offices  Plan and implement informative and publicity events of the RSIC on EU Funds etc.