EMGC

Westminster announced the main findings and winners of the research project EMGC - European Monitor of Government Communications 2009. The ceremony was held under the auspices of the mayor of Prague Pavel Bém in the Residence of Mayor of Prague on April 2nd.

In the third year, Westminster conducted the EMGC in all EU countries. We invited 1565 institutions to participate in the research by filling out an online questionnaire. We asked ministries in all EU countries and selected regions (Nuts 2 – 3 or similar) and cities (20.000 citizens or above) of Europe. We received 337 answers with the rate of return coming close to 22%. The institutions then were evaluated according to number of elements of corporate identity, means of communication used to communicate with public and media, and onmechanisms of internal communication.

All participating institutions were divided into seven categories: ministries, regions, selected public institutions, statutory cities, cities and towns, and districts of Prague and Brno. Since we have already conducted the research twice in the Czech Republic, the research findings allow us to conludeabout Czech institutions the following: overall, we can say that the level of communication has slightly improved in all aspects. Compared to EMGC 2008, the number of institutions having their own logo increased by 10%, number of institutions employing a press officer by 10%. In terms of communication with public, however, the research findings reveal a big space for improvement.

Not only communication scores were evaluated. The expert jury selected best projects in the field of communication with the public carried out by the state administration offices. Most institutions were awarded for their efforts to communicate their development projects to citizens or, on the other hand, include representatives of public in the decision-making processes. Among such institutionsbelong Prague 6 and Prague 10, the cities of Tábor, Šternberk, Brno and Jihlava, and others.

Compared to other EU countries, Czech institutions commmunicate well. According to average communication scores, best communicate the institutions in Germany, Greece, Poland, the Netherlands, Czech Republic and Romania. The worst institutions in terms of communication are in Denmark, the Northern Ireland and Malta.

Among non-Czech public service intitutions those which communicate best are the cities of Bilbao, Pitesti and Essen, regions of Small Poland, Salzburg and Walloon. Total communication scores for all participating institutions can be found in the final report (see below). However, many institutions carried out insteresting and innovative communication projects in the last year, and those were awarded a Certificate of Merit - the cities of Bilbao, Tampere, Lappeenranta, Celje, Aarhus, Genk and Foggia, and regions of West Midlands, Walloon, Small Poland and South Holland.