Northern Periphery Programme The challenge of communication in a large programme area OPEN DAYS - Workshop “Communicating Cohesion Policy Together” (07C07 ) 7 October 2008, Brussels

Overview  Introduction  Background NPP  Programme Area  Characteristics  Communication Challenges  NPP Approach  Roles and Responsibilities  Examples of Solutions  NPP Website  Conclusions

Introduction  Northern Periphery Programme Programme Secretariat Strandgade 91, 4 th floor DK-1401 Copenhagen K, DENMARK  Kirsti Mijnhijmer Programme Manager for Information & Communication Tel

Background NPP  Programme statement: Innovatively investing in Europe’s Northern Periphery for a sustainable and prosperous future  Transnational programme under European Territorial Cooperation  Approved: on 28th September 2007  Budget: € million ERDF and € million ERDF equivalent  Status: 17 main projects, 12 preparatory projects. Committed: 42%  Priorities: 1.Promoting innovation and competitiveness in remote and peripheral areas 2.Sustainable development of natural and community resources

Programme Area  Area stretches from Russian to Canadian border  EU Member States  Finland  Ireland  Northern Ireland  Scotland  Sweden  Non EU countries  Faroe Islands  Greenland  Iceland  Norway

Characteristics  Geography  Low population density  Low accessibility, rurality, insularity, peripherality  Environment  Harsh climate and difficult terrain  High quality but vulnerable environment  Abundance of natural resources  Economic and social  Flexible and skilled labour force  Dependence on single economic activities and public employment  Aging population and youth out-migration  Rich cultural heritage

Communication Challenges  Large Programme Area  Area stretches far outside EU borders  Different cultural “families”  Languages include Sami, Gaelic, Greenlandic  Low accessibility  Long travel distances and poor connections along latitudes  Low broadband connectivity  Limited resources  Small Programme Secretariat  Limited financial resources

NPP Approach  Cooperative: communication is a joint responsibility  Interactive: not just information but two-way communication  Inclusive: widest possible audience, including difficult to reach groups  Innovative: new media and technology to bridge geographical distances  Sustainable: limiting environmental impact of publications and events  Simple: avoiding information overload  Value for money: good solutions at reasonable price

Roles and Responsibilities  Programme Secretariat  Overall programme level communication to general public, project, programme bodies  Managing Authority  Official communication with programme bodies and European Commission  Regional Contact Points  Promoting programme in countries  Assisting applicants and projects in their own language  Projects  Developing mandatory set of communication tools and attending NPP events  Reporting on communication indicators and performance  Providing and updating online project description  Passing on success stories

Examples of Solutions  Programme Secretariat  Mandatory elements available downloadable picture files for projects  Website as virtual meeting place for the NPP community  Information presented in digestible amounts  Event planning: central locations such as Copenhagen, avoiding Fridays  Regional Contact Points  Annual events for project partners from own country  Press releases in own language after each event  Programme brochure translated in Norwegian  Assisting Secretariat when inviting participants for thematic events  Projects  Editing rights to own project description on NPP website

NPP Website  Main form of communication  Profile system  Users: register for newsletters or events  Applicants: submit project ideas and project applications  Projects: update project description, news and events  Regional Contact Points: Add news and events.  Programme bodies extranet for document exchange  Under development  News alert service  Regional pages (in own language!)  Flash animations  Statistics monitoring system

Conclusions  NPP approach: communication is a cooperative effort  Large programme area  Limited resources  Using challenges to advantage  More ownership of the programme and its results  More dynamic and more relevant information  Better use of available resources  Regional points of information results in more customised communication  Projects form the link between the programme and the citizens in the area

Thank You for Listening!