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