Use of the Internet and electronic mail

The use of the information technology (IT) equipment of the European Commission, in particular the email server and internet access, is in principle restricted to official use. However, incidental personal use of the email and internet servers of the Commission is permitted as long as such utilisation is not contrary to the interests of the Communities and remains within reasonable limits.

In this respect all Commission staff should refrain from disseminating email messages that are of a non-official character to a wide or even indiscriminate number of addressees or request the addressee(s) to distribute the message widely. This limitation applies regardless of the content of such messages (e.g. entertainment, charity, political campaigns or commercial ends etc) and is intended to safeguard server capacity and maintain the proper functioning of the service.

With respect to both the utilization of the email system and of the internet server, every member of Commission staff must at all times “carry out his duties and conduct himself solely with the interests of the communities in mind” (Article 11 (1) of the Staff Regulations) and “refrain from any action or behaviour which might reflect adversely upon his position” (Article 12 of the Staff Regulations). These obligations are designed, primarily, to ensure that officials and other staff of the Commission, in their conduct, present a dignified image which is in keeping with the particularly correct and respectable behaviour one is entitled to expect from Commission staff.

While all Commission staff enjoys the freedom of expression as guaranteed by Article 17a (1) of the Staff Regulations, staff is reminded that the email system of the Commission may not be used, whether intentionally or by negligence, contrary to the interest of the Communities, in particular, in any way that might be interpreted as insulting, disruptive or offensive by any other person, company or organisation. Such abuse may lead to an administrative investigation and even to disciplinary action.

The limitations on the freedom of expression determined by the interest of the service apply regardless of the number of addressees and irrespective of whether such a message is sent to internal or external actors. Comments, remarks or expressions of an insulting, disruptive or offensive content may neither be made directly to the person concerned nor vis-à-vis a third person as such statements are not justified by virtue of the freedom of expression provided for in Article 17a (1) of the Staff Regulations.

As the servers of the Commission are used by staff both directly from office premises and via remote access from other places, attention is drawn to the fact that normally emails or other messages that are sent through the server of the Commission will indicate the sender’s Commission email address with the cec.eu.int / ec.europa.eu suffix and thereby establish a link to the Commission.

With respect to the utilization of the internet, attention is drawn to the fact that the Commission server may not be used where offensive, racist, discriminatory, sexually explicit, obscene, pornographic or other equally inappropriate websites are accessed or where other personal use exceeds reasonable limits. Such abuse may likewise lead to an administrative investigation and to disciplinary action. In this respect, the Commission, moreover, reserves its right to block access to certain websites or categories of websites.

The Appointing Authority intends to follow-up more strictly infringements of the above rules and guidelines on the use of IT equipment.

In this context, staff is also reminded of the Optim@il Top 15 Guidelines for an effective e-mail use at the European Commission (accessible at the following website http://www.cc.cec/home/dgserv/digit/everybody/e_mail/use_email/brochure/index_en.htm),  Administrative Notice No. 88-2002 of 29.10.2002 on the acceptable use of the Commission E-mail system (see http://www.cc.cec/guide/publications/infoadm/2002/d154.htm ) and the terms and conditions of the use of the Internet and electronic mail from Commission equipment (see http://www.cc.cec/home/dgserv/sg/internet/index.cfm?lang=en&page=cond).