Based on the notification, it is particularly important for beneficiaries to review whether the required publicity elements relating to their projects are in place and compliant, as unannounced inspections are expected after 30 September in connection with the fulfilment of publicity requirements.
What should beneficiaries pay particular attention to during the project maintenance period?
Website and project information
Within 30 days following the entry into force of the Grant Agreement or Grant Award Document, the beneficiary must place the beneficiary information block required by the Visual Identity Manual on its existing website and social media platforms, and must also publish information about the project.
The project description must include:
- the objective of the project,
- the expected results,
- and the support received from the European Union.
The information must be kept continuously up to date until the financial closure of the project.
The information block must be immediately visible
An important requirement is that the beneficiary information block must be placed in a clearly visible position on the website, accessible without scrolling immediately after opening the page.
The menu item leading to the subpage presenting developments implemented with European Union funding must also be clearly visible.
A social media presence is also required
If the beneficiary has its own website but does not have a social media presence, it must create at least one social media account and use it to communicate about the project.
Regardless of whether the beneficiary has its own website, the fact that the project is financed by the European Union must also be displayed on its social media platforms.
The short description of the project should preferably be placed in a clearly visible, central position on the social media account, for example as a pinned post on the main page.
The presence of information boards must also be checked
Information boards must be displayed at every project implementation site, in a location that is clearly visible to the public.
A previously installed information board may also be acceptable.
The appropriate placement of the board must be documented with two date-stamped photographs:
- one photograph showing the text on the information board,
- and another showing the board together with its surroundings.
The photograph showing the surrounding environment must also demonstrate that the board has been placed in a location that is clearly visible to the public.
It is worth reviewing projects before the inspections
In view of the expected inspections, it is advisable to review all GINOP and GINOP+ projects that are currently in their maintenance period and check in good time:
- the information block and project information displayed on the website,
- the availability of the project subpage,
- the project’s social media presence,
- the presence and visibility of information boards,
- and the availability of the required date-stamped photographs.
A publicity obligation that was originally fulfilled correctly can easily become non-compliant over time: the website may be modified, a menu item or information block may disappear, a social media post may be removed, or an information board may become damaged or go missing.
Non-compliance may also have financial consequences
It is particularly important that beneficiaries do not regard the above requirements as merely formal obligations.
If any of the requirements relevant to the project among the elements listed above are not fulfilled, an irregularity procedure may be initiated.
As a result, a financial correction amounting to 0.5-3% of the project’s total grant amount may be applied.
For this reason, it is advisable to review all publicity elements of the affected projects before the inspections and remedy any deficiencies where necessary.
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