EU Communication Strategy: Estonias experience

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EU Communication StrategyEstonias experience
EKKE NÕMM 27.03.2007

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What does the presentation talk about?

• Describes basic principles of Estonian
  euro-communication strategy
  
• Describes lessons learnt both positive and
  negative
  
• Draws parallels between Estonia and Georgia

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Where did we start from, where are we now?

• Public opinion poll in the beginning of 2001
  51 opposed to EU accession only 35 were
  supporters
  
• Main reason low support to the government
• Estonia became famous as the most
  euro-skeptical candidate country
  
• Referendum September 2003 67 Yes
• Today support to EU in Estonia 78

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Practical guidelines for EU campaign

• Communication by persons, not by institutions
• Less government communication, more spokespersons
  from private and public sectors
  
• 3. Less EU symbols more national colors etc.
• 4. Messages about personal life, not about
  social processes
  
• 5. Estonians are afraid of uncertainties and
  social change major changes related to the no
  vote (aspects of economy and security)

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General goals of communication strategy

• Create communication system (network including
  all possible partners)
  
• Define main target-groups
• Work out strategic messages
• Define information channels

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Who did what?

• State institutions- State Chancellery basic
  information to general public, information and
  advertising campaigns - MFA in-depth
  information about accession negotiations -
  Line-ministries specific information to specific
  target-groups (businessmen, farmers etc) -
  Parliaments EU Committee political and specific
  legal information

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Partners to the government

• NGO-s (Farmers, students, woman etc
  organizations)
  
• Business sector (umbrella organization some big
  businesses)
  
• Libraries
• Information officers at county governments
• Independent opinion leaders
• Media

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Main principles of the communication strategy

• Continuity and regularity
• Comprehensiveness of information
• Objective information only (no gossip, no lies)
• Efficiency
• Pro-activity of communications
• Reactivity of communication
• Flexibility (specific messages to specific target
  groups)

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Target groups

• Primary target groupsworking people, rural
  people, employers, retired people, students,
  non-EEstonians
  
• Disseminating (multiplying) target groups,
  special events
  
• Media
• Opinion leaders
• Representatives of interest groups
• Yes- and no-organisations

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Strategicc messages

• Wealth EU will help Estonians to reach the
  living standard of Western Europe
  
• Freedom to travel, to work, to learn
• Security economic, social, hard
• Sovereignty will strengthen, not weaken
• Democracy this decision can be directly
  influenced by every citizen

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Communication tools

• Interviews
• Briefings and press-releases
• Providing background information
• Commissioning surveys and publishing results
• Opinion articles
• Production of tele- and radio programs,
  publications
  
• Professional training for journalists

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Support to EU and the government
Support rather support
against rather against
Cannot say
Government (average)
YES-
campaigns
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begin
Juhan Parts
Center Party
government starts
says no to EU
5
Presidentt,
Chair of Parlament
Scandal about campaign
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Estonia and EU
and Prime Minister
ads by the Chamber of
end negotiations
say YES
Commerce Is Russia a friend?
3
18.09-25.09
02.10-09.10
16.10-23.10
30.10-06.11
13.11-20.11
27.11-04.12
11.12-18.12
08.01-15.01
22.01-29.01
05.02-12.02
18.02-24.02
05.03-12.03
19.03-26.03
02.04-09.04
16.04-23.04
30.04-07.05
14.05-21.05
28.05-04.06
11.06-18.06
25.06-02.07
23.07-30.07
06.08-13.08
20.08-27.08
03.09-09.09
2003
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Forecasts and the voting result
Would you participate at the referendum on
Estonian EU membership?
Referendum result 67 YES 33 NO
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Lessons learnt positive

• You need to know, what kind of information is
  really important for the public and focus on it
  
• In media relations the key word is pro-activity.
  There will be negative stories anyway, but they
  can be balanced by selling good news
  
• Media doesnt often trust politicians and civil
  servants, thus its crucial to cooperate with
  independent opinion leaders
  
• Its often more efficient to write articles,
  organise news-worthy events and commission
  surveys than to produce costly TV-programs,
  publications etc.

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Lessons learnt negative

• Media is driven by principle bad news, good
  news. Therefore they will publish lots of false,
  but funny or frightening stories, based on very
  unreliable sources
• EU has not a very positive image (bureaucracy,
  un-efficiency etc) and thats the reason why both
  media and voters will so easily believe to all
  sorts of disinformation
• Euro-information officers are often left alone to
  tell the bad news, because politicians and other
  civil servants dont want to get negative image
  
• No matter how good you are, you will be blamed
  for the lack of information anyhow

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Lesson learnt for Georgia

• Government should have a communication strategy
  if it wants public support and understanding on
  EU-matters.
  
• Question today why at all?
• Questions tomorrow jobs in agriculture, loss of
  sovereignty etc

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General objectives of Georgias EU-information
strategy

• Improve public knowledge and understanding of
  EUto increase populations knowlwdge of EU
  history, institutions, policies etc.
  
• Explain implications of Georgias European
  integration - most important general objective.
  Different implications for different target
  groups, results achieved by addressing each
  target group separately.
• Explain European integration activities (AP IP)-
  people must understand what is being done and
  why. Most of the things done are necessary ANYWAY
  in order to transform Georia into a functioning
  European country.

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Main target groups to achieve greater EU awareness

• OPINION LEADERS (Message multiplyers)
• Politicians
• Media
• Education sector
• Civil society
• Business and industry
• GROUPS WITH SPECIAL INFORMATION NEEDS
• Rural population
• Senior citizens

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Some suggestions

• Image of EU in Georgia today - stability, wealth,
  security. Tomorrow?
  
• Make EU a discussion topic, make ANP AP a tool, a
  map into Europe.
  
• Be proactive (remember negative media), do not
  avoid problematic questions (FTA, free travel,
  negative statements on Georias perspectives).
  Who speaks first creates an image/environment
  which can not be easily changed.
• Concentrate on biggest and most influencial
  target groups.
  
• People interested in practical details. Abstract
  change must be translated into change in everyday
  life EU economic growth jobs higher
  salaries
• Security argument.
• Get media, NGO-s, interest groups-umbrella
  organizations (farmers, emloyers, youth, retired
  people) involved.
  
• Do not worry about the lack of membership
  perspective today. Nurture your economy,
  democracy and rule of law. Stick to your
  commitments, be reliable.

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DIDI MADLOBA !!!Thank you for your attention !!!

• Ekke Nõmm
• International capacity building expert
• GEPLAC
• 27.03.2007