EU4Georgia 4 – Communicating the European Union in Georgia

The overall objective of the project of which this contract will be a part is as follows: Increase awareness, understanding, and support for the EU and its activities in Georgia, particularly among Georgian audiences.

The purpose of the contract is the development and delivery of a positive and impactful communication approach, to include an overarching communication strategy and campaign activities based around the EU's support for Georgia. The overall approach will encompass the implementation of communication campaigns, media placements and public events, as well as general communication support to EU funded projects.

Context

EU - Georgia relations have been in place since Georgia regained independence and strengthened substantially with Georgia's strong pro-European course adopted in 2004. Close cooperation since then resulted in the landmark signature of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement in 2014, in which Georgia committed to far reaching political and economic integration with the EU based on the adoption and incorporation of EU standards. From its side, the EU committed to supporting Georgia in its pro-European reform efforts.

Georgia today is a priority country for the EU within the European Neighbourhood, as reflected not only the DCFTA but also recent introduction of visa liberalisation in 2017. EU commitment to Georgia is not only political, however: annually the EU allocates over €120 million in grant funding to support Georgia's reforms and efforts. Currently, the EU has over 200 active projects in Georgia, including grants, technical assistance, financial support to IOs, access to EU programmes (such as ERASMUS+), blending operations with IFIs, and sector reform programmes with budget support.

EU cooperation programmes in Georgia are structured along the five priorities of the Joint Staff Working Document – Recovery, resilience and reform:

• resilient, sustainable and integrated economies;
• accountable institutions, the rule of law and security;
• environmental and climate resilience;
• a resilient digital transformation; and
• resilient, fair and inclusive societies.

Besides bringing tangible benefits, interventions under these programmes also underline EU values, the EU’s commitment to Georgia, as well as demonstrate the benefits of the European model.

In spite of the breadth of EU activity in the country, however, public awareness can improve: recent polling suggests that while 71% of Georgians are aware of EU cooperation support, few are able to correctly identify concrete EU assistance areas.

The EU Delegation in Georgia is responsible in providing up-to-date and accessible information on the EU, its activities, and their impact in Georgia. This is conducted through outreach activities like public events, mass media campaigns, production and distribution of information materials, maintaining a web and social media presence, and also through support to the communication activities of individual EU-funded projects.

One of the challenges of the Delegation is to present a coherent narrative for all the EU related events and support in Georgia. This narrative follows the structure of the 5 priority areas of the EaP, but also must be adapted to the concerns of the Georgian population, who are most concerned with economic development and jobs, security, and increasingly, environmental issues. The EU is strongly engaged in all these areas, the EU Delegation focusing in particular on economic development and environment.

In addition, the EU has identified four focal regions in Georgia which will be specifically targeted with EU programmes, and where the EU is expected to have a higher profile.

All communication activities must be coherent and reach out to pro-EU groups like youth or educated urbanites, but also to older, more sceptical and less educated segments of the population in rural areas, as well as to ethnic minorities. Well-coordinated and coherent messaging, effective use of face-to-face meetings, and both social and mass media (especially television) will be key in terms of increasing support for the EU.

Until June 2021, the Delegation receives communication support from the EU4Georgia 3 project which handles general communication for the EU Delegation to Georgia. In addition, individual EU funded projects have communication focused staff or activities. The Delegation also receives support from the OPEN regional communication project which covers the EaP.

The strategy and structure of the project

The Project work is structured in 4 components:

• Component 1: Delegation Communication Strategy
• Component 2: Communication on EU, EU values, benefits of EU-GE relations. Based on the organisation of the following public events and/or online/media campaigns:
• Component 3: Communication on EU support to the Georgia and its impact
• Component 4: Support to ongoing communication activities

In order to cover the scope of the activities outlined in the project’s Terms of Reference (ToR), the Consultant organized each of the above components into the following activities:

Inception Phase:

• Activity 0.1: Mobilisation
• Activity 0.2: Set up project structures and procedures
• Activity 0.3: Kick-off Meeting and Stakeholders’ consultation
• Activity 0.4: Update of project status
• Activity 0.5: Prepare the Inception Report

Component 1: Prepare the Inception Report

• Activity 1.1: Communication Strategy and Costed Action Plan
• Activity 1.2: Evaluation reports on project implementation, the public attitudes and awareness level

Component 2: Communication on EU, EU values, benefits of EU-GE relations

• Activity 2.1: National online and broadcasting media campaign
• Activity 2.2: Public event in Tbilisi for Europe Day and Regional Europe Days
• Activity 2.3: 26 May National Day event in Tbilisi
• Activity 2.4: EU Prize for Journalism
• Activity 2.5: Establish and maintain an EU alumni network
• Activity 2.6: Cooperation with the Young European Ambassadors programme.

Component 3: Communication on EU support to the Georgia and its impact

• Activity 3.1: Development and broadcasting of 50 Success Stories
• Activity 3.2: Design and implementation of 4 large-scale Public Campaigns and at least 4 mini-campaigns

Component 4: Support to ongoing Communication Activities

• Activity 4.1: Support to EU-funded project communication
• Activity 4.2: Communication support to EU Delegation
• Activity 4.3: Support to media relations
• Activity 4.4: Management of EU Delegation Social Media

The contractor’s approach to the four Components subsuming the Activities is based on the principle of appropriate sequencing of activities, with the crafting of messages and communication products according to the profile of target audiences (potential institutional and private sector beneficiaries, local communities, general public, etc.), using the most impacting dissemination channels according to audience figures (for media) and geographic relevance (Tbilisi and the regions, including regions inhabited by minorities), in order to achieve the highest impact. 

Careful attention is dedicated to the planning of activities supporting the EUD Communication Strategy, the involvement of each relevant stakeholder at the right time during the process as to ensure ownership of the information and the Action Plan. 

The Contractor follows the principles of coordination with the EU-funded projects, stakeholders, project partners, multipliers and disseminators, particularly those who are already implementing communication actions in areas that are relevant for the EU support to Georgia

Governance and funding

The European Union Delegation to Georgia is the contract authority and responsible fo the administration of the contract.

A Steering Committee (SC) was established at the project kick-off chaired by the EU Delegation Head of Cooperation and including members from both the Cooperation and the Political sections of the EU Delegation.

The funding source is the European Union, represented by the EU Delegation to Georgia.

Since June 2022, NTU International is leading the implementation of the project EU4Georgia 4 – Communicating the European Union.   The overall objective of the project of which this contract will be a part is as follows: Increase awareness, understanding, and support for the EU and its activities in Georgia, particularly among Georgian audiences.

The purpose of the contract is the development and delivery of a positive and impactful communication approach, to include an overarching communication strategy and campaign activities based around the EU's support for Georgia. The overall approach will encompass the implementation of communication campaigns, media placements and public events, as well as general communication support to EU funded projects.

Context

EU - Georgia relations have been in place since Georgia regained independence and strengthened substantially with Georgia's strong pro-European course adopted in 2004. Close cooperation since then resulted in the landmark signature of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement in 2014, in which Georgia committed to far reaching political and economic integration with the EU based on the adoption and incorporation of EU standards. From its side, the EU committed to supporting Georgia in its pro-European reform efforts.

Georgia today is a priority country for the EU within the European Neighbourhood, as reflected not only the DCFTA but also recent introduction of visa liberalisation in 2017. EU commitment to Georgia is not only political, however: annually the EU allocates over €120 million in grant funding to support Georgia's reforms and efforts. Currently, the EU has over 200 active projects in Georgia, including grants, technical assistance, financial support to IOs, access to EU programmes (such as ERASMUS+), blending operations with IFIs, and sector reform programmes with budget support.

EU cooperation programmes in Georgia are structured along the five priorities of the Joint Staff Working Document – Recovery, resilience and reform1:

• resilient, sustainable and integrated economies;
• accountable institutions, the rule of law and security;
• environmental and climate resilience;
• a resilient digital transformation; and
• resilient, fair and inclusive societies.

Besides bringing tangible benefits, interventions under these programmes also underline EU values, the EU’s commitment to Georgia, as well as demonstrate the benefits of the European model.

In spite of the breadth of EU activity in the country, however, public awareness can improve: recent polling2 suggests that while 71% of Georgians are aware of EU cooperation support, few are able to correctly identify concrete EU assistance areas.

The EU Delegation in Georgia is responsible in providing up-to-date and accessible information on the EU, its activities, and their impact in Georgia. This is conducted through outreach activities like public events, mass media campaigns, production and distribution of information materials, maintaining a web and social media presence, and also through support to the communication activities of individual EU-funded projects.

One of the challenges of the Delegation is to present a coherent narrative for all the EU related events and support in Georgia. This narrative follows the structure of the 5 priority areas of the EaP, but also must be adapted to the concerns of the Georgian population, who are most concerned with economic development and jobs, security, and increasingly, environmental issues. The EU is strongly engaged in all these areas, the EU Delegation focusing in particular on economic development and environment3.

In addition, the EU has identified four focal regions in Georgia which will be specifically targeted with EU programmes, and where the EU is expected to have a higher profile.

All communication activities must be coherent and reach out to pro-EU groups like youth or educated urbanites, but also to older, more sceptical and less educated segments of the population in rural areas, as well as to ethnic minorities. Well-coordinated and coherent messaging, effective use of face-to-face meetings, and both social and mass media (especially television) will be key in terms of increasing support for the EU.

Until June 2021, the Delegation receives communication support from the EU4Georgia 3 project which handles general communication for the EU Delegation to Georgia. In addition, individual EU funded projects have communication focused staff or activities. The Delegation also receives support from the OPEN regional communication project which covers the EaP.

The strategy and structure of the project

The Project work is structured in 4 components:

• Component 1: Delegation Communication Strategy
• Component 2: Communication on EU, EU values, benefits of EU-GE relations. Based on the organisation of the following public events and/or online/media campaigns:
• Component 3: Communication on EU support to the Georgia and its impact
• Component 4: Support to ongoing communication activities

In order to cover the scope of the activities outlined in the project’s Terms of Reference (ToR), the Consultant organized each of the above components into the following activities:

Inception Phase:

• Activity 0.1: Mobilisation
• Activity 0.2: Set up project structures and procedures
• Activity 0.3: Kick-off Meeting and Stakeholders’ consultation
• Activity 0.4: Update of project status
• Activity 0.5: Prepare the Inception Report

Component 1: Prepare the Inception Report

• Activity 1.1: Communication Strategy and Costed Action Plan
• Activity 1.2: Evaluation reports on project implementation, the public attitudes and awareness level

Component 2: Communication on EU, EU values, benefits of EU-GE relations

• Activity 2.1: National online and broadcasting media campaign
• Activity 2.2: Public event in Tbilisi for Europe Day and Regional Europe Days
• Activity 2.3: 26 May National Day event in Tbilisi
• Activity 2.4: EU Prize for Journalism
• Activity 2.5: Establish and maintain an EU alumni network
• Activity 2.6: Cooperation with the Young European Ambassadors programme.

Component 3: Communication on EU support to the Georgia and its impact

• Activity 3.1: Development and broadcasting of 50 Success Stories
• Activity 3.2: Design and implementation of 4 large-scale Public Campaigns and at least 4 mini-campaigns

Component 4: Support to ongoing Communication Activities

• Activity 4.1: Support to EU-funded project communication
• Activity 4.2: Communication support to EU Delegation
• Activity 4.3: Support to media relations
• Activity 4.4: Management of EU Delegation Social Media

The contractor’s approach to the four Components subsuming the Activities is based on the principle of appropriate sequencing of activities, with the crafting of messages and communication products according to the profile of target audiences (potential institutional and private sector beneficiaries, local communities, general public, etc.), using the most impacting dissemination channels according to audience figures (for media) and geographic relevance (Tbilisi and the regions, including regions inhabited by minorities), in order to achieve the highest impact. 

Careful attention is dedicated to the planning of activities supporting the EUD Communication Strategy, the involvement of each relevant stakeholder at the right time during the process as to ensure ownership of the information and the Action Plan. 

The Contractor follows the principles of coordination with the EU-funded projects, stakeholders, project partners, multipliers and disseminators, particularly those who are already implementing communication actions in areas that are relevant for the EU support to Georgia

Governance and funding

The European Union Delegation to Georgia is the contract authority and responsible fo the administration of the contract.

A Steering Committee (SC) was established at the project kick-off chaired by the EU Delegation Head of Cooperation and including members from both the Cooperation and the Political sections of the EU Delegation.

The funding source is the European Union, represented by the EU Delegation to Georgia.