IQ-Net in Dortmund

The first meeting of the third Phase of the IQ-Net Structural Fund exchange of experience network took place from 19-21 February 2003 in Dortmund, Germany. The conference was hosted by the North-Rhine Westphalian (NRW) Objective 2 programme and involved national and regional participants representing Structural Fund programmes in Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the UK. In stark contrast to the last IQ-Net conference, held in a very sparsely populated region in northern Sweden, the Dortmund conference gave delegates the opportunity to see the economic development challenges facing a region in the industrial heartland of Europe. The involvement of the Objective 2 programme in tackling the legacy of the coal and steel industry decline, and supporting emerging regional strengths, was demonstrated in an introductory presentation by the local hosts and as part of the concluding study tour. The two main themes discussed at the Dortmund conference were: </P> <b>Current issues related to the implementation of the 2000-06 programmes.</b> This session was structured around three key topical issues: (i) decommitment, including the reasons behind the likely threat facing some programmes and the actions proposed to prevent it; (ii) the mid-term evaluations and the progress which has been made towards their completion; and (iii) the on-going simplification debate at EC, national and regional levels. </P> <b>Structural Fund publicity and communication.</b> Structural Fund programmes in the 2000-06 programming period have an increased obligation to communicate about their scope, organisation and activities. The aim of the conference was to allow participants the chance to reflect widely about the publicity and communication activities of their programmes - not only in terms of the required communication plans but also the operational communication necessary for effective programme management. Three spheres of activity were suggested at the plenary session as a framework for discussion: (i) informing the public, (ii) communicating for successful projects and (iii) communicating for a successful programme. Different approaches to communicating within these areas were highlighted through a range of programme experience and discussed further within the two workshop sessions in the afternoon. This resulted in a very practical exchange of experience of benefit to those working with the day-to-day challenges of achieving clear communication. <table width="75%" align="center <tr valign="middle" align="center <td colspan="4 http://www.eprc.strath.ac.uk/news/table%20cropped.jpg <img src="http://www.eprc.strath.ac.uk/news/table%20cropped%20sm.jpg" width="347" height="100" border="0 </td> </tr> </table>