Workshop B3 Communicating commitments: Europe 2020 EuroPCom rd European Conference on Public Communication Brussels, October 2012

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1 Herbert Jakoby State Chancellery of North Rhine Westphalia Düsseldorf, Germany Workshop B3 Communicating commitments: Europe 2020 EuroPCom rd European Conference on Public Communication

2 North Rhine Westphalia (NRW): Regional state (Land) in Germany with 18 million inhabitants GDP (550 billion Euro) higher than 20 EU member states Annual budget: 58 billion Euro NRW is a state with legislative power (like all German Länder): Complete and unrestricted competencies for policy areas such as education, culture, media, universities, domestic security, as laid down in the German constitution Extended responsibilities in further areas such as economic development, energy, environment, employment, social inclusion NRW government is strongly committed to a pro-eu and pro-euro politics

3 Role of the regions in the Europe 2020 strategy 7th Cohesion Report in 2011: Contribution of the regions essential for success of Europe 2020 strategy 3rd CoR Monitoring Report on Europe 2020 main findings: Benefits by Europe 2020: common language and closer coordination between different tiers of government Challenges: NRP s not outcome of partnership with the regions; member state governments took decisions in areas of regional and local competencies In Germany: Contribution of the Länder to the NRP in one single document with no reference to regional peculiarities NRP approved by the Bundesrat as parliamentarian representation of the Länder; NRW: abstention in 2012 because of a too narrow approach in measures against poverty

4 Contribution of NRW to Europe 2020 NRW regional policy largely in accordance with Europe 2020 targets as stated by the MP Kraft s government declaration in September 2012 Active contribution mainly in pre-school, school and higher education, R&D, climate protection, social inclusion Examples: better child care, no child left behind initiative, assistance for potential early school leavers, climate protection plan, Progress NRW, action plan against poverty and social exclusion But: NRW Regional policies not initiated by Europe 2020 would have been implemented anyway Regional policies are not actively communicated under the Europe 2020 framework

5 Challenges for communicating Europe 2020 at the regional level How to communicate Europe 2020 when the EU is in its deepest economic, financial and social crisis ever? How to communicate Europe 2020 by a regional government which had only marginal influence on the strategy itself and on the NRP? How to communicate regional policies under a Europe 2020 framework which would have been implemented anyway? How to communicate a strategy as abstract as Europe 2020 to a broader publicity? How to avoid confusion with related policies and initiatives such as the European semester, the Euro-plus-pact, the fiscal pact?

6 A possible line of action In spite of the shortcomings of regional participation in the decision making over Europe 2020, this strategy will play a major role in all EU related communication activities of the NRW regional government Starting point: Europe 2020 as a common language between different government tiers Do not communicate Europe 2020 in an abstract strategy, but through its practical benefits for the people Focus on content, basic goals and targets of the strategy: smart, sustainable and inclusive growth Define precise target groups and develop distinctive communication measures for target groups

7 NRW European communication strategy NRW government is currently developing a new European communication strategy with a clear pro-eu message and broad focus on different EU policy Areas Europe 2020 communicated as an integral part of a general European communication strategy Target groups: Broader public and intermediaries, e.g: EU experts and associations Local authorities Schools Universities Regional and local media

8 Examples of activities of the NRW European communication strategy Expert conferences and workshops European Weeks EU lectures in universities European schools