EMBASSY STOCKHOLM'S ESTA OUTREACH MATRIX

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STOCKHOLM 000777 SIPDIS STATE PLEASE PASS TO DHS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CPAS CVIS CMGT PREL SW SUBJECT: EMBASSY STOCKHOLM'S ESTA OUTREACH MATRIX REF: (A) STATE 118460 (B) STOCKHOLM 0474 (C) STOCKHOLM 0554 (D) STOCKHOLM 0558 (E) STOCKHOLM 0581 STOCKHOLM 00000777 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. Summary: Post has compiled the following list of outreach efforts undertaken over the past five months to inform contacts, stakeholders, and the public about the ESTA program. Additional information about our efforts can be found in our previous reporting located in reftels. We will have additional activities in the run-up to the mandatory ESTA implementation date of January 12, 2009. End Summary. ¶2. ESTA activities have included the following: POST: Stockholm DATE: June 3, 2008 and July 31, 2008 LOCATION: Swedish MFA TYPE OF OUTREACH: ESTA informational meeting, update briefings by Consul and Vice Consul AUDIENCE: Swedish government officials from the MFA and MOJ NUMBER OF ATTENDEES: 2 POST: Stockholm DATE: July 24, 2008 LOCATION: Sweden TYPE OF OUTREACH: Press release on upcoming ESTA rollout AUDIENCE: Members of the press for public distribution NUMBER OF ATTENDEES: N/A POST: Stockholm DATE: July 31, 2008 LOCATION: Arlanda airport, Stockholm TYPE OF OUTREACH: Informational meeting, ESTA updates from Vice Consul AUDIENCE: Airline carriers and security handling US flights NUMBER OF ATTENDEES: 4 POST: Stockholm DATE: August 12, 2008 LOCATION: U.S. Embassy Stockholm TYPE OF OUTREACH: Informational briefing and question and answer session with Charge, Public Affairs, Consular and visiting CBP officer from Copenhagen AUDIENCE: Members of the American Chamber of Commerce, travel industry representatives, local airline representatives, and other private sector groups NUMBER OF ATTENDEES: 40 POST: Stockholm DATE: August 16-17, 2008 LOCATION: Kristianstad TYPE OF OUTREACH: Local America's Day event celebrating ties between the US and Sweden, ESTA briefing from Vice Consul AUDIENCE: Local members of the Swedish-American Vasa Lodge NUMBER OF ATTENDEES: 150 POST: Stockholm DATE: August 18, 2008 LOCATION: Swedish press, Expressen newspaper TYPE OF OUTREACH: Press backgrounder by PAO to Expressen newspaper to provide Embassy response on handicapped ESTA applicant who received ESTA denial for erroneously answering "yes" to medical question AUDIENCE: Public NUMBER OF ATTENDEES: N/A POST: Stockholm DATE: August 26, 2008 LOCATION: Avis showroom, Stockholm TYPE OF OUTREACH: ESTA question and answer session, briefing from Vice Consul AUDIENCE: "Discover America" members, an industry organization that promotes travel to the US in Sweden NUMBER OF ATTENDEES: 25 POST: Stockholm DATE: October 12, 2008 LOCATION: Delta offices, Stockholm TYPE OF OUTREACH: ESTA question and answer session, briefing from Vice Consul AUDIENCE: Travel agents and airline representatives NUMBER OF ATTENDEES: 20 POST: Stockholm DATE: November 13, 2008 LOCATION: Sweden TYPE OF OUTREACH: Media Note advising on ESTA updates and expansion of VWP program STOCKHOLM 00000777 002.2 OF 002 AUDIENCE: Members of the Swedish press NUMBER OF ATTENDEES: N/A POST: Stockholm DATE: November 13, 2008 LOCATION: Stockholm TYPE OF OUTREACH: ESTA informational briefing to audience gathered to hear about foreign direct investment in the US, briefing from Consul and visiting CBP officer AUDIENCE: Members of the Swedish Chambers of Commerce NUMBER OF ATTENDEES: 45 POST: Stockholm DATE: Ongoing LOCATION: Sweden TYPE OF OUTREACH: Website, updating ESTA and VWP information, including ESTA factsheets and FAQs, as well as appropriate alerts, for example, informing the public of momentary technical problems with the Swedish version of the ESTA application AUDIENCE: Public NUMBER OF ATTENDEES: N/A POST: Stockholm DATE: Ongoing TYPE OF OUTREACH: Consular waiting room information guides, including adding DHS ESTA video to consular video, and providing updated brochures, posters and fact sheets for review AUDIENCE: Visa applicants and American citizens living in Sweden NUMBER OF ATTENDEES: N/A, Public POST: Stockholm DATE: Ongoing TYPE OF OUTREACH: Communicate frequent updates on ESTA to embassy staff so they can inform Post contacts on the program AUDIENCE: Embassy staff NUMBER OF ATTENDEES: N/A WOOD