Development of government communication and cooperation with agencies

The objective of the Government Communication Office is to ensure that people receive understandable and unambiguous information about the activities of the Government and its agencies. The Communication Office coordinates the communication activities and policies of the ministries and trains professionals in the field.

Cooperation between the Government Office and ministries

Public communication between the government and government agencies can only be successful if their communication units work well together. Consistent professional information exchange with colleagues helps avoid situations where government departments give conflicting information.

The Government Communication Office coordinates government communication. To this end, we cooperate with ministries to ensure that the public is informed in a consistent and open way about government decisions and activities. Ministries have a duty to inform the Government Office in good time of issues in the area of government that fall under the competency of the government and of which the public must be informed. The Government Office has the right to issue instructions to other government agencies on the organisation of government communication.

When a media query concerning another agency is received, it is standard practice for the press officer to immediately inform the communication unit of the respective agency and, in the case of an issue concerning several agencies, all parties inform one another and discuss it among themselves.

Cooperation between a ministry and agencies in the area of government

The ministry’s communication unit coordinates communication cooperation within the ministry’s area of government. The communication units of the ministry organise regular work meetings and joint training events with colleagues working in the agencies in its area of government and cooperate to improve information exchange, for example by harmonising the content and design of government department websites or using a common mailing list.

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Government portal

The governmental portal created in 2014 consolidates the websites of government agencies. The portal is a central information channel for government communication, where agencies publish news and explain policies and procedures and where visitors can subscribe to notifications.

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Communication centre

The Government Office has gathered communication experts and practitioners in the reserve of the communication centre. Together, they prepare, train and practise for crisis response. If a crisis arises, a communication staff can be convened, if necessary.

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Visual identity

State power is exercised and communication with the public carried out under the national coat of arms with three lions. The common visual identity of government agencies is used across all media. A common visual identity is developed because communication environments and needs change.

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Government Communication Coordination Council (GCCC)

The Government Communication Coordination Council meets every other week in Stenbock House in order to exchange information and organise communication activities. The Council’s competency covers the discussion of government communication topics, the proposal of guidelines that regulate the organisation of work, advising the Government Office on the amendment and establishment of legislation concerning government communication, and the discussion and taking of positions on topical issues concerning government communication.

The meetings of the Coordination Council are chaired by the director of government communication and its permanent members are ex officio the heads of the communication units of all ministries. The public relations adviser of the Chancellor of Justice and the head of the communication service of the National Audit Office are involved in the work of the Government Communication Coordination Council.

Digital Communication Working Group (digicom)

The Digital Government Communication Working Group meets once a month, mainly to exchange information and organise the activities related to the government portal. Proposals related to the development of the government portal and the innovations created are introduced and feedback on the portal in general is discussed in the working group. The working group discusses which training and seminars need to be organised for web editors and advises the Government Communication Office about this.

The permanent members of the working group are ex officio the editors-in-chief of the websites of all ministries and IT development advisers.

Last updated: 08.02.2022

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