ECREA INTERNAL REGULATIONS

To see ECREA Bylaws (newly called Internal regulations) valid in 2017 - 2024, click HERE.

The ECREA articles of association always have priority over the ECREA internal regulations. The ECREA internal regulations offer operationalisations of the ECREA articles of association. In case of contradictions, the ECREA articles of association take precedence.

Title I. The Advisory Board

1. The Advisory Board provides the Governing Body and the entire association with advice on the long-term strategies of the association and on its democratic, ethical and academic functioning.

2. The Governing Body decides on the composition of the Advisory Board, taking disciplinary, regional, gender, age and ethnic diversity into account. The members of the Advisory Board are appointed by the Governing Body for the period of 8 years. The mandate of the Advisory Board should not start in the same year as the mandate of the new Governing Body. Members of the Advisory Board elect the Chairperson of the Advisory Board for the term of four years by simple majority. The elections are organised by the Governing Body. In case of a tie, a second vote is organised; in case this vote is followed by another tie, the President decides. The chairperson of the Advisory Board may serve no more than two consecutive terms.

3. Former members of the Governing Body will be invited to become a member of the Advisory Board for two years. This term can be renewed by the Governing Body for another two year term.

4. Advisory Board member can resign from the Advisory Board by written notification to the Chair of the Advisory Board, who then notifies the General Secretary. The resignation is acknowledged by the Governing Body.

5. The Advisory Board can take the initiative to formulate advice on the long-term strategies of the association and on its democratic, ethical and academic functioning to the Governing Body. The Chair of the Advisory Board organises the deliberation within the Advisory Board and relays the advice to the President. The President then makes the advice available to all ECREA members. If one fifth of the members of the Advisory Board deem it necessary, the Chair of the Advisory Board initiates a deliberation on the issue at hand. The advice of the Advisory Board is to be approved by a simple majority of the Advisory Board. The Daily Governing Body and the Governing Body can then develop (or modify) policy initiatives on the basis of the advice. The Chair of the Advisory Board also handles the appeal if a Section, TWG or Network is suspended or cancelled (see article 39).

6. The Daily Governing Body can decide to consult the Advisory Board. The following procedure will be used:

a) The issue about which the Advisory Board is consulted is shared with the Chairperson by email.

b) At the same time, Advisory Board members are invited to post their views on the matter at hand on designated online tool and/or email.

c) The consultation will remain open for at least one month, and maximum two months. The duration of the consultation is announced when the Advisory Board members are invited to post their views.

d) After the consultation, the Chair of the Advisory Board prepares a short summary of expressed views and sends it to the ECREA President via email.

e) The Daily Governing Body and the Governing Body can then develop (or modify) initiatives on the basis of the consultation.

f) After the development (or modification) of initiatives, the Daily Governing Body reports back to the Chairperson of the Advisory Board.

Title II. Sections, Networks & Temporary Working Groups 

Sections, Networks & Temporary Working Groups

7. The Governing Body establishes Sections and Networks. Two types of Sections are established: Regular Sections (termed Sections), and Temporary Working Groups. The abbreviation of S/N/TWG (Sections, Networks and Temporary Working Groups) is used to refer to all three types of entities together.

8. The ECREA Sections are arenas for specialised knowledge in specific fields of media and communication research, which are organised thematically. ECREA Sections are permanent structures. All ECREA Sections together have two representatives in the Governing Body.

9. The ECREA Temporary Working Groups (TWGs) have the same remit as ECREA sections, but these TWGs will only be established for a term of 4 years. After the end of the term and upon request of the Chair of the TWG, they can be renewed by the Governing Body only once for 4 more years, or they can be granted the status of a Section (see also articles 24 and 31 of the internal regulations). All ECREA TWGs together have one representative in the Governing Body.

10. ECREA Networks group and represent specific socio-demographic categories of scholars. Like ECREA Sections, ECREA Networks are permanent structures, but ECREA Networks do not deal with specific fields of media and communication research. ECREA Networks acts as advocates for the categories of scholars they represent. All ECREA Networks together have one representative in the Governing Body.

11. A Section, Network or Temporary Working Group is always an integral part of ECREA. This firstly implies that the chairs and the vice-chairs should always be members of ECREA. Secondly, S/N/TWG aim to group ECREA members that are active within specific academic domains. S/N/TWG membership without ECREA membership is not allowed. Thirdly, the Governing Body maintains the ultimate decision-making power at all levels, but at the same time, S/N/TWG are granted a high degree of independence.

12. S/N/TWG have to deploy sufficient academic activities. These activities have to include the organisation of a full stream of panels at the European Communication Conferences (ECCs – see article 24 in the articles of association for Sections; the organisation of at least one panel at the European Communication Conferences (ECCs) for TWG and Networks (exact number of panels for TWGs and Networks is to be specified in ECC Terms of Reference); and the organisation of one event during the years when no ECC is organised for all S/N/TWG/. S/N/TWG report on a yearly basis to the Governing Body. S/N/TWG are also requested to establish an online presence.

13. A S/N/TWG needs to have a text describing its “Objectives”, and a document stipulating its internal rules. The latter document is termed a “Modus operandi” and minimally includes the rules for membership of the S/TWG/N, the organisation of the business meetings, and the election of Management Teams, in accordance with the articles of association and internal regulations. All documents are made available through the ECREA website.

Section, Temporary Working Group & Network Management

14. A S/N/TWG needs to have a Management Team consisting of chair(s), vice-chair(s) and a communication officer either a dedicated person or a role carried out by the other Management Team members.

15. The chair(s) or the vice-chair(s) can only be part of one S/N/TWG Management Team.

16. At least one member of the Management Team needs to have a PhD. In the case of a Network grouping young scholars, the requirement to have a PhD does not apply.

17. All the members of the Management Teams need to be ECREA members, or to become ECREA members within three months after their acceptance by the Governing Body.

18. Within the Management Teams of Sections, Networks and Temporary Working Groups regional, gender and age balance needs to be respected.

19. Each Management Team will send an annual activity report to the ECREA Section, Network and TWG coordinator, before the end of February of the following year.

20. Each member of the Management Team can only remain a member of a Management Team for a maximum uninterrupted term of eight years. In the case when a TWG is transformed into a Section, the Management Team of the new Section is entitled to the full term of eight years. After eight years the former Management Team member can reapply for the Management Team position.

21. If the S/N/TWG Management Team member resigns or becomes inactive, the S/N/TWG shall be managed by the remaining Management Team members. The remaining Management Team members shall oversee the section until the upcoming section elections. In the absence of a functioning Management Team extraordinary elections can be called. Resignation of the Management Team member shall be deemed as a formal letter of resignation submitted to the Section Coordinator. A Management Team member is considered inactive if they do not respond to emails sent by the Sections Coordinator within a period of three months.

22. Failure to fulfill the requirements listed in articles 11 to 20 of the internal regulations can lead to the suspension or cancellation of the S/N/TWG. This decision is made by the Governing Body (following article 17 of the articles of association), after (1) the S/N/TWG that is facing suspension or cancellation is heard, (2) the Sections, Networks, or TWGs (depending on whether it concerns a Section, Network, TWG that is facing suspension or cancellation) have been consulted (following article 26 of the internal regulations), and (3) the Advisory Board has been consulted (following article 6 of the internal regulations). After the decision to suspend or cancel a S/N/TWG, this S/N/TWG may appeal to the Chairperson of the Advisory Board, who will then invite the Governing Body to reconsider. After this reconsideration, the decision that is made by the Governing Body is final.

23. The whole staff of the Management Teams of the Sections will elect two members out of the individuals who belong to the Management Teams of the Sections (see article 7 of the articles of association), who will act as the Sections’ representatives in the Governing Body after they are approved by the General Assembly. These Sections’ representatives can take the initiative to organise or can be asked by the Daily Governing Body to organise consultations of the Sections Management Teams on Governing Body decisions, and will take responsibility for a number of more general tasks within the Governing Body. The Sections’ representatives can always seek assistance and advice from other members of the Section Management Teams.

24. The whole staff of the Management Teams of Temporary Working Groups will also elect one member of one of the TWG’s Management Teams (see article article 7 of the articles of association), who will act as the TWG representative in the Governing Body after they are approved by the General Assembly. This TWG representative can take the initiative to organise or can be asked by the Daily Governing Body to organise consultations of the TWG Management Teams on Governing Body decisions, and will take the responsibility for a number of more general tasks within the Governing Body. The TWG representative can always seek assistance and advice from other members of the TWG Management Teams.

25. The whole staff of the Management Teams of the Networks will elect one member of one of the Network’s Management Teams (see article 7 of the articles of association), who will act as the Networks’ representative in the Governing Body after they are approved by the General Assembly. This Networks’ representative can take the initiative to organise or can be asked by the Daily Governing Body to organise consultations of the Networks Management Teams on Governing Body decisions, and will take the responsibility for a number of more general tasks within the Governing Body. The Networks’ representative can always seek assistance and advice from other members of the Network Management Teams.

26. The Daily Governing Body can decide to consult the Management Teams of the Sections, Networks or TWGs (or all three entities together) on matters that relate to the Sections, Networks, or TWGs. The following procedure will be used:

a) The text about which the members of the Management Teams are consulted is posted via designated online tool and/or sent via email.

b) At the same time, Management Team members are invited to post their views via the designated online tool and/or email.

c) The consultation will remain open for minimal one month, and maximum two months. The duration of the consultation is announced when the Management Team members are invited to post their views.

d) After the consultation, the relevant S/N/TWG representative(s) publish(es) a short summary of expressed views on the designated online tool and/or is sent via email to Section, Networks and Temporary Working Group Co-ordinator.

e) The Daily Governing Body and the Governing Body can then develop (or modify) policy initiatives on the basis of the consultation.

f) After the development (or modification) of policy initiatives, the Daily Governing Body will publish a short summary of the policy initiatives on the designated online tool and/or via email.

27. The Governing Body has the power to suspend a S/N/TWG Management Team or a member of a S/N/TWG Management Team in cases where Management Committee or a member of the S/N/TWG Management Team repeatedly fail to comply with the internal regulations. New elections for Management Committees would be held as soon as feasible.

Establishing new TWGs and Sections

28. All new Sections start as TWG. After the first four years term, TWGs can apply to the Governing Body to become an ECREA Section (see articles 9 and 31 of the internal regulations).

29. A proposal for a new Temporary Working Group needs to include the following parts:

a) the name of the chair(s);

b) the names and agreement of the vice-chair(s);

c) the objectives document (examples can be found at the ECREA website - http://www.ecrea.eu, in the S/N/TWG areas);

d) the modus operandi document (see also http://www.ecrea.eu).

The following items should be taken into account for the selection of the chair(s) and vice-chair(s):

a) a TWG needs to have chair(s) and vice-chair(s);

b) at least one member of the Management Team needs to have a PhD;

c) all need to be ECREA members, or to become ECREA members within three months;

d) regional and gender balance needs to be respected;

e) they need to agree to organise as TWG one panel at the ECC, and another event in the years when there is no ECC;

f) they need to agree to send in a yearly activity report to the ECREA Section, TWG and Network coordinator;

g) they must agree to collaborate with other S/N/TWG and the Governing Body;

h) they need to accept that TWGs and Sections are always an inextricable part of ECREA.

30. A call for new TWGs is issued biennially. The proposal for a new TWG needs to be sent to the ECREA Section, TWG and Network coordinator, who might suggest the candidate-chair to alter the proposal. When accepted by the Daily Governing Body, the nominations for the chair and the vice-chairs will then be voted upon by the Governing Body. After the vote of acceptance by the Governing Body (and not before), the TWG can 'formally' launch itself in a way of its own choosing.

31. After a term of 4 years, the TWG ceases to exist, unless they have applied for the Governing Body who can decide to grant the TWG maximum one more term of 4 years, or to transform the TWG into a Section. After 8 years, TWG is either transformed into a Section or ceases to exist. The S/N/TWG coordinator will send a call for renewal or transformation to TWG Management Team no later than 8 months before the end of their term.

a) To apply for an extension the TWG needs to send a renewal application to S/N/TWG coordinator no later than 6 months before the end of their term. The application will be evaluated by the Governing Body, which can ask the TWG Management Team to revise the proposal. The vote is decided by a simple majority; in case of a tie, the President’s vote decides.

The criteria for evaluation of the proposals are:

• sufficient past activities of the TWG;
• European dimension of projects and outputs;
• plans for further development of the field;
• sufficiently large and diverse membership.

b) A TWG can apply for a change of a TWG status into a Section by sending an application for status transformation to S/N/TWG coordinator no later than 6 months before the end of their term. The application will be evaluated by the Governing Body, which can ask the TWG Management Team to complement the proposal. Before the Governing Body evaluates the application, consultations with existing Sections and Networks will be launched. The applicant TWG will be granted an opportunity to provide a response to the results of consultations prior to the Governing Body’s evaluation of the application. The results of consultations will be considered by the Governing Body. The application is approved or rejected by the Governing Body’s vote by a simple majority; in case of a tie, the President decides.

The criteria for evaluation of the proposals are:

• significance of the field and benefits of gaining permanent structure within ECREA;
• potential overlaps with already existing structures within ECREA;
• sufficient past activities of the TWG;
• European dimension of projects and outputs;
• plans for further development of the field;
• sufficiently large and diverse membership.

Establishing new networks

32. The application procedure described in articles 29, 30 and 31 of the internal regulations applies for new Network applications as well. In the case of a Network grouping young scholars, the requirement to have a PhD does not apply. In contrast to Sections, Networks do not start as TWG.

(Re-)elections for existing sections and networks

33. The election procedures are described by the Sections, TWGs and Networks and described in the shared modus operandi.

34. The out-going Management Teams will report on the candidates for the elections to the Section, TWG and Network coordinator less than one week before the elections.

35. The out-going Management Teams are responsible for writing up their last activity report, which also includes the outcome of the elections, including the voting outcome and the names, email addresses, affiliations of the new Management Team.

Changing S/N/TWG objectives and modus operandi documents

36. The objectives and modus operandi documents may be altered by the S/N/TWG, but alterations must always be approved by the Governing Body.

37. Alterations of S/N/TWG documents cannot go against the rules laid out in the articles of association and the internal regulations, nor can they contradict any of the other ECREA rules and Governing Body decisions.

Title III. The Organisation of ECREA Media and Communication Doctoral Summer School and the International Summer School Director 

38. ECREA organises Media and Communication Doctoral Summer School that is the main event for doctoral students in the media and communication and adjacent subjects. The Doctoral Summer School combines three crucial qualities: a supportive and inclusive atmosphere, top-quality activities and impeccable organisation. It is organised every year. The Doctoral Summer School is organised in collaboration with local organisers and the process is overseen by the International Summer School Director.

39. ECREA Governing Body appoints an International Summer School Director for a five-year period according to the following procedure:

a) call for interests will be announced nine months before the next Doctoral Summer School takes place;

b) nominations to the position will be sent to the ECREA Daily Governing Body with 1) a position statement, 2) a 1-page CV. The deadline for candidacies is six months before the elections;

c) The Governing Body conducts interviews with the candidates and appoints their preferred candidate for the International Summer School Director position;

d) The Director is approved (or not) by the General Assembly and takes up the position as the Governing Body member.

40. The organisation of the Doctoral Summer School is entrusted to a local host institution, which establishes a Local Organisational Committee (LOC). The LOC is given sufficient autonomy to give the Doctoral Summer School a characteristic tone and focus that reflects the local identity and areas of expertise while maintaining the key features of the Summer School as described in ECREA Media and Doctoral Summer School Host Guidelines.

41. The local host for the ECREA Doctoral Summer School is chosen by the following procedure:

a) At the latest 18-20 months before the planned date of the Doctoral Summer School, the Daily Governing Body will launch a call for candidates as local host institutions.

b) The call for local host institutions will include an ECREA Media and Doctoral Summer School Host Guidelines for organising ECREA Doctoral Summer School. This document outlines the objectives, and the requirements concerning the format, location, communication, distribution of tasks, management and governance, programme, language and finances.

c) In this call, candidate local host institutions are invited to express their interest in the organisation of the Doctoral Summer School. This expression of interest must take the form of a document where candidate local host institutions will: 1) Describe their general vision of the event (including the location, timing, duration, local character, and their organisational capacity); 2) Explicitly engage themselves to meet ECREA's requirements described in the Host Guidelines document and provide the basic information regarding the way their proposal will meet ECREA's requirements; 3) Propose a draft a financial plan; 4) Sketch out the strengths and weaknesses associated with the proposal.

d) After receipt of candidate proposals, the Daily Governing Body can organise interviews or request additional information.

e) The Governing Body will then select one institution to act as local host institution and possibly one runner-up to step in, in case the selected host encounters unforeseen difficulties.

f) After the selection procedure, the selected local host institution will be asked to develop a full organisational plan in close collaboration with the Summer School International Director.

g) The contract will be signed by the representatives nominated by the ECREA Governing Body after the approval of the Governing Body.

42. The International Summer School Director proposes to the Treasurer yearly support for the Doctoral Summer School, in the form of fee-waiving and travel stipends, and support for the participating lecturers. The LOC can request other support. The support request is discussed by the Governing Body and approved by the General Assembly together with the ECREA budget.

43. S/N/TWGs are invited to nominate lecturers to the Doctoral Summer School, ensuring disciplinary diversity and active ECREA involvement.

44. The International Summer School Director regularly updates the Governing Body about the developments of the Summer School.

45. Report from the Summer School is included in the Annual Report.

Title IV. The ECREA Book Series 

Series editors and editorial advisory board

46. The Governing Body mandates at least three members of the Governing Body who will act as series editors.

47. Book Series editors cannot be editors and co-editors of the books or authors and co-authors of chapters in ECREA Book Series books during their mandate. Other Governing Body members cannot be editors or co-editors of the books in ECREA book series during their mandate but can serve as chapter authors or co-authors.

Content

48. A preference is given to edited volumes that provide an overview of the work of the ECREA membership. At the same time, a degree of openness towards non-ECREA members is also considered to add value to the Book Series. For this reason, at least 50% of the chapters need to originate from ECREA members (individual or through institutional membership). For the same reason, at least 50% of the editors need to be an ECREA member, facilitating new memberships.

49. ECREA Book Series publications need to have a very clear theme on which they focus, which needs to be related to the focal points of ECREA (as described in article 3 of the ECREA articles of association). ECREA Book Series seeks to promote original, previously unpublished contributions. Although the Book Series is open to the wide diversity of disciplines and subjects present among ECREA members, choices of the series editors will also take into account the potential audience of a proposed book, and previous Book Series publications.

50. Preference is given to books in the English language. When a proposal is submitted in another European language, the Governing Body can decide to mandate the Book Series editors to open the negotiations with the publisher(s) and to make a proposal to the Governing Body.

Publisher

51. The publisher of the Book Series provides ECREA and the book editors with an agreed number of copies of the ECREA Book Series publications that are subsidised by ECREA. Moreover, ECREA and the editors should be able to purchase additional copies of the book at a discounted rate.

52. At least one publication in the ECREA Book Series is subsidised by ECREA per year as long as the budget allows for this. Other books can be included in the Book Series, on the condition that the editors provide additional subsidies to cover the publication costs.

Procedure

53. Each year, a call is launched which invites book proposals. Book Series proposals have to fulfill the requirements as set by ECREA and the publisher and will be sent to the Book Series editors.

54. The ECREA Book Series editors will be in charge of the first level review. The Governing Body decides to accept or reject the proposal made by the ECREA Book Series editors. The ECREA Book Series editors will then communicate the Governing Body decision to all proposers.

55. In addition to the Book Series contract ECREA has with the Publisher, the Publisher will offer a contract to the book’s editors of the individual volume. After having signed the contract, the book’s editors become responsible for observing the articles stipulated in the contract. Any breach of this contract will nullify ECREA’s engagement to provide the subsidy of the publication costs and to pay for the distribution costs, or any other engagement that ECREA has taken.

56. The editors are obliged to keep the Book Series editors informed on all their communication with the publisher and on any developments concerning the Book.

57. When the completed manuscript of the Book Series proposal has been sent to the publisher, it will be reviewed by the ECREA Book Series editors.

58. ECREA Governing Body can decide to launch additional book series or other publications.

Title V. Ethical Code of Conduct and Ethics Committee 

59. Every member of the association needs to abide to ECREA’s Ethical Code of Conduct’ published on ECREA website. The Ethical Codes of Conduct is written and amended by the Ethics Committee and approved by the General Assembly.

60. Suspicions of breaches to Ethical Code of Conduct by ECREA members or involving ECREA members need to be reported in writing to the Ethics Committee.

61. The Ethics Committee is responsible for investigating suspicions of breach of Ethical Code of Conduct, and for advising the Governing Body on appropriate mediation, actions, sanctions and warnings to be taken in such cases. Mediation, actions, sanctions and warnings will be stipulated in the Ethical Codes of Conduct.

62. The Ethics Committee consists of at least five and maximum of ten members, who are appointed by the Governing Body upon the nomination of the Advisory Board and approved by the General Assembly for the period of four years. The mandate of the Ethics Committee should not start in the same year as the mandate of the new Governing Body. The members of the Ethics Committee should not hold any other elected or nominated function or position (including a member of the Advisory Board, Governing Body or S/N/TWG management team) within ECREA and are expected to declare any potential conflict of interests.

63. The Ethics Committee coordinates amendments to the Ethical Code of Conduct. In case of amending Ethical Code of Conduct, the following procedure is used:

a) The amendments to the Ethical Code of Conduct can be requested by the Ethics Committee, Advisory Board, Governing Body, at least one third of the Sections, Networks and Temporary Working Groups management teams or at least one hundred of the Working Members.

b) The Ethics Committee issues a consultation on the requested amendments with the Advisory Board, Governing Body and S/N/TWG management teams. The call will remain open for at least one month and a maximum of two months. The duration of the consultation is announced when the members are invited to post their views.

c) The Ethics Committee sends the first draft of the amended Code of Conduct to the Governing Body for approval and opens a consultation with ECREA membership. The consultation will remain open for at least one month and a maximum of two months. The duration of the consultation is announced when the members are invited to post their views.

d) Based on the outcomes of the consultation, the Ethics Committee approves the second draft of the amendments to the internal regulations. In case of conflicting proposals, additional consultation with the Advisory Board is organised (in accordance with article 6 of the internal regulations).

e) The Governing Body votes on the approval of the amendments to the Ethical Code of Conduct.

f) The General Assembly votes on the approval of the amendments of the Ethical Code of Conduct.

Title VI. The ECREA websites, databases and mailing lists

64. ECREA is committed to the protection of the privacy of the users of its website and its mailing lists. Personal data collected via ECREA's websites and mailing lists are therefore processed in conformity with the European Regulation 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 (entered into force on 25 May 2018) on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (GDPR) and the Belgian Act of 30 July 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data.

65. ECREA collects data to provide the user with information and services specifically requested by the user and to inform the user about ECREA activities and academic information on communication and media studies-related conferences, vacancies, and publications. ECREA (including its S/TWG/N) will not disclose such personal data to third parties.

66. The user can access or rectify its personal data by modifying it personal profile on ECREA intranet or by simple request to be addressed by e-mail to the General Secretary.

Title VII. Amendments to the internal regulations 

67. Significant amendments to the internal regulations must be proposed by the Governing Body or by two-thirds of the working members of the association.

68. In case of the amendments to the internal regulations, the following procedure is used:

a) The Governing Body proposes a draft of the amended internal regulations and opens a consultation with ECREA membership. The consultation will remain open for at least one month, and maximum two months. The duration of the consultation is announced when the members are invited to post their views.

b) The Governing Body consults with the legal advisors about the legalities of the changes.

c) Based on the outcomes of the consultation, the Governing Body approves the second draft of the amendments to the internal regulations. In case of conflicting proposals, a consultation with the Advisory Board is organized (in accordance with article 6 of the internal regulations).

d) The Governing Body approves the amendments to the internal regulations.

e) The General Assembly approves the amendments of the internal regulations.

This version of internal regulations was confirmed at ECREA General Assembly 17-21 June 2024.