The meeting falls between the end of the implementation of the 2014-2020 programming period, which came to a close at the end of 2023, and the European elections in June.
This presents the perfect opportunity for members of the Inform EU network to reflect on the achievements of the past years and to discuss how to improve communication about the benefits of EU-funded projects. By showcasing what the EU does, they hope to also encourage more people to participate in European democracy.
Sharing best practices in an innovative format
As Germany will host the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament from 14 June to 14 July, the organisers decided to hold a special Inform EU(ro) edition to bring a spirit of friendly competition to the event. The Inform meeting is being hosted by the regional government of Lower Saxony.
The idea was conceived during the December 2023 Inform EU seminar in Mechelen, Belgium, where several national coordinators said they would like to see more sharing of best practices at plenary meetings.
As a result, they organised a draw and selected eight ‘teams’ from a total of 28 (27 Member States plus Interreg) to compete against one another in Hanover for the title of communication champion 2024.
On Monday and Tuesday, each team presented what they deem their best communication activity to the members of the network. They explained how the communication contributed to EU objectives and national priorities. An audience vote decided the winners.
The eight teams that faced off in the quarter-finals on Monday were Germany vs Interreg, Estonia vs Sweden, Luxembourg vs Italy and Latvia vs Belgium. In an exciting quarter-final, and by only one vote, (113 against 112) Luxembourg won its place in the semi-final against a 15-people-strong Italian team. In the semi-finals Estonia met Interreg which eventually won with 65% of votes. Luxembourg instead lost to Latvia in the other semi-final.
Latvia and Interreg proceeded to the final, which took the shape of an eloquence contest where finalists had to persuade the audience to go vote in the upcoming European elections, or not. Tough crowd for the Interreg team which had to play devil’s advocate in front of a room of EU funds communicators from across the 27 EU member states. Latvia triumphed this first edition of the Inform EU(ro) with 114 votes to 64 with an EU-flavoured rendering of Hamlet’s famous soliloquy which became “To vote or not to vote” for the occasion.
The other final was equally suspenseful with Luxembourg snatching the third place from Estonia by a mere point.
Communicating results matters more than ever
On the first day Wiebke Osigus, Lower Saxony’s Minister for Federal and European Affairs and Regional Development, emphasised the importance of communication of EU-funded projects when she said, “Be it the new playground or the new hotel wing, the fact that there is EU money in all of these projects is often overlooked”. Minister Osigus was echoed by Andriana Sukova, from Commission’s acting Director-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, whose address focused on ‘Communicating results: why it matters (more than ever)’. Sukova emphasised how “Investing in information and communication is also an investment in democracy" pointing out that in communicating EU-funded projects “we need memorable stories about people who have benefitted from European funding".
For this reason, both speakers remarked the importance of Inform itself, highlighting the need for its strengthening, for, as Sukova stated "The INFORM EU is key because it enhances cooperation", whereas Wiebke Osigus called INFORM EU "Europe in a nutshell”.
Inform represents an opportunity to reflect on communication, which is why the event featured a panel entitled ‘Our results – are they visible enough?’. On this panel Ms Sukova was joined by Jens Mennecke of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and European Social Fund (ESF) managing authority in Lower Saxony, and by Corvinus University Dr Gergő Medve-Bálint, and Irma Astrauskaite-Denis, from Interreg Europe Joint Secretariat.
Visit to Lower Saxony
On the first day, Ms Sukova and Minister Osigus visited a project funded by the ESF+ in Hildesheim. They were accompanied by local media and colleagues from the directorates general for employment (DG EMPL) and regional and urban policy (DG REGIO).
The visit was to the project ‘Freie Werkstatt – digitally experience crafts, rethinking career guidance’, a workshop where young people can realise their own projects and receive vocational training.
Ms Sukova and Minister Osigus met members of the Inform EU network, discussed ESF+ and the future of cohesion policy, and the importance of effective communication to ensure greater visibility for EU-funded projects and their results.
Learning new communication skills
The final day saw participants exploring the heart of their craft during six discussion sessions/workshops. The themes include podcasts, social media, ensuring that beneficiaries publicise EU support for their projects – and what to do if they don’t, a workshop on shaping communication for ‘Europe in my Region’ projects, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
The discussion on AI will focus on the opportunities and risks that come with using such tools to produce content – from photos, videos and text to music – for communicating about EU-funded programmes and projects. The discussion is hosted by Arkam Ograk and Nebojsa Nikolic, communication experts in the Interact programme.
The discussion about social media will help participants develop better strategies to connect with their audience more effectively, learn how to deal with hateful comments and use programme results to encourage people to participate in the European Parliament elections. The discussion will be hosted by Dominik Krakowiak, social media coordinator with the Directorate-General for Communication.
The session about podcasting for EU communicators will provide an overview of creating engaging content, selecting guests and mastering the art of storytelling to inform and inspire an audience.
Inform EU
The Inform EU network of communication officers works to improve the visibility of the EU’s work nationally, regionally and locally and helps Member States and regions develop the expertise to do so.
Inform EU covers three funds under regional policy: the ERDF, Just Transition Fund and Cohesion Fund; one fund under social policy, the ESF+; and funds for home affairs and maritime affairs.
The network is also responsible for communicating about the Recovery and Resilience Facility, which was established to help Member States deal with the social and economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic and build a more sustainable and resilient Europe.
