Communication is an opportunity and obligation in project activities
Communication aims to attract project reference groups to a project and engage new parties and people. Communication also serves to disseminate information about project results and best practices. Communication is a requirement for successful structural fund projects and provides the right to access public funding. The EU also obligates recipients of support (project parties) to communicate. Article 50 of regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council lays down provisions on obligations regarding communication by recipients of support.
Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Link to external website)
The European Commission has prepared communication guidelines for recipients of sup-port, intermediaries and administrative authorities to support communication. The tasks of recipients of support in accordance with the regulation above are described on Pages 25 and 26 of the guidelines. Projects must comply with the guidelines.
The EU emblem must be used in all communication material and channels (Page 5)!
In Finland, the EU emblem with the text “Co-funded by the European Union” must be used. No name of any special fund can be mentioned in this context. In addition to the EU emblem, EU support cannot be indicated using any other element or logo. No national logos referring to EU support can be used in addition to the EU emblem.
Guidelines: Communicating cohesion policy in 2021–2027 (Link to external website)
EU emblem available on the EU Commission’s website (Link to external website)
Emmi, the media bank of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, includes the following for project and official activities:
- PowerPoint templates
- Document templates
- Icons for visual design
- Video elements
- Instructions for using visual elements
Media bank Emmi (Link to external website)
The EU Commission: Communicating cohesion policy 2021–2027
Improving the visibility of cohesion policy has become a major priority in recent years. Every year Cohesion funding supports thousands of projects across Europe, embodying the most tangible manifestation of the EU on the ground. More effective communication of these interventions would help boost awareness of the benefits of the EU to people’s lives and improve the public image of the Union. In fact, a number of research studies have found evidence that Cohesion Policy has a positive influence on citizens’ attitudes towards the European project.
With this in mind, Member States and the European Commission have committed to stepping up efforts in communicating the cohesion funds, including through more cooperation. In its conclusions of 25 April 2017 the Council made a plea to all involved authorities in Member States to engage more in communicating “widely and in a systematic way” the opportunities, results and impact of the policy.
This is at once a duty and an opportunity.
A duty because Member States are jointly responsible for the design – and in most instances for the implementation – of EU policies and should thus contribute more to their visibility. Communicating Europe must be a joint responsibility, shared between European, national and local institutions. All the more so in the case of cohesion policy where the principle of shared management applies.
It is an opportunity because improving the visibility of EU funding achievements would also benefit the reputation of national and local institutions as they are ultimately in charge of delivering the programmes.
Communicating cohesion policy in 2021–2027 on the European Commission website