Dies ist eine HTML Version eines Anhanges der Informationsfreiheitsanfrage 'Memos, guidance and guidelines on record creation'.



 
Ref. Ares(2015)182108 - 16/01/2015
Ref. Ares(2016)5450595 - 20/09/2016
Practical registration criteria 
 
It is impossible to draw up a definitive list or typology of documents with clear and unambiguous rules for what must be 
registered and what not. The question of whether or not to register a given document can only be answered by analysing it in 
context. 
 
This analysis must be applied to all documents, whatever their medium
 
However, analysing a document does not necessarily entail detailed scrutiny of its content.. On the contrary, in most cases a 
brief study, or even a cursory glance, is sufficient to arrive at a conclusion. This is particularly true as experience of registration, 
and of the types of documents usually dealt with, is built up within the Commission's services.  
 
In order to help to build up such experience, and for use in less clear-cut cases, the following questions aim to provide a step-by-
step guide to analysing documents. If the answers to all of the following questions is "yes", the document needs to be 
registered
 in the relevant corporate document management system. 
 
 
1.   Has the document been "drawn up or received" by the institution?  
 
A document is considered as "drawn up" if it is approved as ready for transmission by the author, i.e the person who signs it 
or takes responsibility for its content.  
 
A document is considered as "received" if it has been intentionally delivered to the Commission by the (external) sender. 
 
 
2.   Is the document related to the policies, activities and decisions falling within the institution's sphere of responsibility?  
 
Documents related to one's personal situation should not be registered. 
 
 
3.   Is the information contained in the document important and not short-lived?  
 
Information is unimportant and short-lived if losing it would have no negative administrative or legal effect for the 
Commission. A document which requires action or follow-up or involves the responsibility of the institution is important. 
 
Examples  (non exhaustive): 

Yes No 
-   formal notes/communications, both received and  -   drafts (i.e documents not yet validated by the 
sent 
person who will sign them or take responsibility 
-   financial documents (as per BUDG guidelines) 
for them) 
- minutes of meetings, especially with other  -   e-mails and other texts circulated within an 
institutions or external stakeholders, and, for 
informal exchange of views between colleagues. 
important meetings, briefings/speaking/defensive 
- exchanges on short lived matters (such as 
etc. 
invitations)  

 
information received/sent from/to other -   information on one's personal situation   
institutions  or external stakeholders  
 
-   contributions to interservice consultations or pre-
consultations  
-   documents, even informal (e-mails or notes to the 
file) that attest situations or events, justify 
decisions made or otherwise explain the 
development of official actions 
-     instructions notes, guidelines 
 
 
 

Document Outline