For the 2014-2020 programming period, communication on the European Structural and Investment (ESI) Funds is ensured at European level by the INFORM and INIO communicators’ networks.

INIO brings together the European communicators of programmes co-financed with European Social Fund (ESF) resources, while INFORM is the European network of communicators of programmes co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the Member States. The INFORM network implements the regulatory purposes set out in Article 117 of EU Regulation 1303/2013, as further amended by EU Regulation 2018/1046.

Its main objectives are:

• Ensuring exchange of information on the results of communication strategies;
• Exchanging experiences and good practices in the implementation of information and communication measures;
• Coordinating communication activities between Member States and the Commission;
• Discussing and evaluating the effectiveness of information and communication measures;
• Proposing recommendations to improve the scope and impact of communication activities and raise awareness of the results and added value of these activities.

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) coordinates the INFORM network, participates in and contributes to communication meetings organised at national level, and helps Network members to implement information and communication legislation.

Membership of the INFORM network is open to staff units working on information and publicity within a Managing Authority or a Joint Technical Secretariat (European Territorial Cooperation Programmes).                  

Within the INFORM network, the Territorial Cohesion Agency plays the role of “core member” and coordinator of the Italian network.

In 2021, the INFORM and INIO networks merged into INFORM EU, one single European network of communicators which extended its action to all new Cohesion Policy instruments for the 2021-2027 programming period.

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EU Regulation 1303/2013 (laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, and laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund).

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VISIT THE DATABASE OF PROJECTS SUPPORTED BY REGIONAL POLICY ON THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION WEBSITE