EC branded standardised websites
According to Europa domain rules, EC branded standardised websites are hosted on the 3rd level domain of the Commission (ec.europa.eu), in keeping with the Commission's rules on URL structure.
EC branded standardised websites are owned and managed by a DG/Agency, in line with the Europa Web Guide.
Site owners must
Creation and revamp of EC branded standardised websites must be approved by DG Communication 'Europa Web Communication' (COMM B3) through the revamps and new websites procedure (Restricted access).
The architecture of the EC branded standardised websites extends the EC branded websites top-level architecture (15 classes).
Rules
The first element of the breadcrumb must always be labelled 'Home' and must link to the homepage of the actual site where the current user page is located. The home page is followed by its child pages, e.g. Home > 1st level of the website > 2nd level > page title. Breadcrumbs should NOT be displayed on the homepage of a site.
Usability testing has proven that it is better to put the label 'Home' rather than the name of the site because it is:
Exceptions: if a small site is integrated into a larger site - for technical reasons, for example - the first element of the breadcrumb may link to the homepage of the larger site.
The content must follow the writing guidelines and be translated according to the language policy.
EC branded standardised websites must follow general rules on logos and icons and EC branded specific design rules.
They must comply with accessibility rules.
It is mandatory to build EC branded standardised websites using the Europa Web Publishing Platform (EWPP) except Web Information Systems for which the use of EWPP is optional.
EC branded standardised websites must comply with Privacy, security and legal notices.
If you require further assistance, please contact:
European Commission
DG Communication
Unit B.3
Europa Web Communication
The Europa Web Guide is the official rulebook for the European Commission's web presence, covering editorial, legal, technical, visual and contractual aspects.
All European Commission web sites must observe the rules and guidelines it contains.
Web practitioners are invited to observe its contents and keep abreast of updates.
More information about the web guide.