Corporate Management Board
Composition
The Corporate Management Board is chaired by the European Commission's Secretary-General. It is supported by a number of specialised sub-groups meeting at senior management level.
The main sub-groups are: the Information Technology and Cybersecurity Board (see below); the Information Management Steering Board, which leads the implementation of the Commission's data, information and knowledge management strategy; and the Group of Resource Directors, which promotes coordination between central and operational services on administrative management.
Role
- in collaboration with the Presidential and central services, it provides coordination, oversight, advice and strategic orientations on corporate management issues
Responsibilities
The Board is responsible for supporting and complementing – but without prejudice to – the roles and responsibilities of the College of Commissioners, on the one hand, and of the Directors-General and Heads of Service, on the other.
It forms the centrepiece of the European Commission's corporate governance system. The Corporate Communication Steering Committee (see below) reports to it on a regular basis.
Corporate Communication Steering Committee
Composition
Chaired by the Deputy Secretary-General/Chief Operating Officer of the European Commission.
Domain leaders: DG Communication, DG Human Resources and Security; the Publications Office.
Permanent services: DG Budget, DG Translation, DG Informatics.
Operational DGs are subject to a 2-year rotation that depends on the interests of the different families of Commission departments and their contribution priorities. Operational DGs are: DG International Cooperation and Development, DG Economic and Financial Affairs, DG Regional and Urban Policy, DG Research and Innovation, DG Agriculture and Rural Development, and DG Communication Networks, Content and Technology.
Depending on the Steering Committee meeting's agenda, other Commission departments and services can be invited to the meeting on an ad-hoc basis.
Role
- provides high-level strategic orientations on internal and external communication priorities
- ensures alignment of communication priorities with the policy priorities of the College of Commissioners and oversees implementation of the Commission's Communication on Synergies and Efficiencies (EU login required) in the domain of internal and external communication
- steers the work of the Communications Network (see below)
- promotes the principles of clear writing in the European Commission’s communication practice
Functioning
The Steering Committee meets at least every two months.
Twice a year, all Commission departments contributing to the communication corporate budget are invited to attend a meeting of the Steering Committee.
The Steering Committee may decide to create sub-groups with more limited participation to work on specific communication issues.
The Chair of the Corporate Communication Steering Committee ensures cooperation and information sharing with other corporate boards and other corporate committees.
Europa Cross Editorial Board (CEB)
Composition
Heads of Unit of the Communication Units of each DG/Service. Heads of Unit in charge of units that have an important stake in website creation/management that cannot be represented by the Head of the Communication unit, may become members with the latter's agreement. The board is chaired by the Head of Unit 'Europa Web Communication' (COMM B3).
Role
- ensure that Commission services co-create the institution’s web presence in a relevant, coherent and cost effective manner, in full respect of valid legal provisions and guidelines as published on the EUROPA WEBGUIDE.
- promote synergies among Commission services by sharing assets and knowledge
- promote the building of the community of web practitioners across the Commission
- promotes the principles of clear writing in the Commission’s communication practice
Functioning
The Cross Editorial board meets twice a year, ad-hoc meetings can be organised when needed or upon request. To ensure the coherence of the corporate thematic structure of the Commission, the Cross Editorial Board has four Editorial Working Groups, encompassing all themes of the corporate web presence:
- Editorial Working Group 1: About the EC; Law; Funding, Tenders; Strategy; Jobs at the EC, Statistics, News, publications, events
- Editorial Working Group 2: Energy, Climate change, Environment; EU regional and urban development; Food, Farming, Fisheries
- Editorial Working Group 3: Business, Economy, Euro; Live, work, travel; Education
- Editorial Working Group 4: Aid, Development cooperation, Fundamental rights; Research
Europa Cross Editorial Board collaborative space (EU login required)
Contact
Email: COMM-B3@ec.europa.eu
Europa Forum
Composition
Members are drawn from the web community of each DG/Service. Two co-Presidents chair the forum. DG Communication is a permanent one, co-chairing with another DG on a rotating basis for terms of six months.
Role
- the Europa Forum is an advisory body on web solutions providing recommendations and input to the Cross-Editorial Board
- the Europa Forum is a user-representative group for gathering the requirements for corporate web solutions
- forum to exchange information, best practices, share knowledge, assist members
Functioning
The Europa Forum meets two-four times a year. To ensure the continuity of the work on its different roles, Technical Working Groups are set up (WG of user-representatives for the Europa Web Publication Platform, WG on accessibility, WG on web design, WG for Europa Search).
DG Communication ensures the secretariat of the Forum, taking care of the meeting agendas, managing the list of members and the online workspace.
Europa Forum collaborative space (EU login required)
Contact
Email: EC-EUROPA-FORUM@ec.europa.eu
Inter-institutional Online Communication Committee (IOCC)
Composition
- web managers of the EU institutions, bodies and agencies. The agencies are represented by the current president of the Agencies Network
Role
- improve online communication among EU institutions, bodies and agencies
- supervise management of the europa.eu/European Union website (inter-institutional top level pages)
Responsibilities
- defines common rules and procedures for institutions websites
- shares knowledge and create synergies
- promotes web accessibility and user experience on all EU sites
IOCC collaborative space - including members and minutes (EU login required)
Mandate of the Inter-institutional Online Communication Committee
Contact
Contact details of IOCC members (EU login required)
Relations with other governance bodies
Communication Network (CN)
Composition
Heads of Communication units of the DGs and DG COMM, including the Spokespersons Service and Heads of Representation.
Role
- the Communication Network promotes effective corporate communication between DGs and services in support of the political priorities of the Commission
- it provides advice on any subject to the Corporate Communication Committee
Links with Web presence Governance: the Communication Network communicates with the Europa Cross Editorial Board and vice-versa in any matter related to Europa editorial aspects that could be of interest for the whole Commission.
Contact
Email: COMM-CN@ec.europa.eu
Europa Steering Board (ESB)
Composition
Director-Generals of DG Communication, DG Informatics and DG Translation
Role
- acts as a high-level governance body of all activities under the “Europa web presence” Memorandum of Understanding (see Ares(2017)6342321 - Internal link) , assessing the progress of the projects and services against objectives, addressing issues escalated to its level, agreeing on strategic orientations and taking decisions on strategic direction and resource matters.
Links with Web presence Governance: the Europa Steering Board communicates with the Corporate Communication Steering Board in any matter related to the implementation of the “Europa web presence” that could be of interest of the whole Commission
Information Technology and Cybersecurity Board (ITCB)
The Board is a permanent sub-group of the Corporate Management Board. It ensures that resources and investments in Information Technology are used efficiently and that business needs are supported by efficient, secure and resilient communication and information systems, in compliance with personal data protection principles. It oversees the implementation of the European Commission Digital Strategy. The Board takes over the responsibilities of both the former IT Board and the former Information Security Steering Board.
See Information Technology and Cybersecurity Board on myIntracomm (Internal link)
Contact and support
If you require further assistance, please contact:
European Commission
DG Communication
Unit B.3
Europa Web Communication