Organisation of chats in the Commission

Transcription

1 Organisation of chats in the Commission Description Online Chats are an interactive way to discuss topical issues. Chats on EUROPA were established in order to give the possibility of an 'open dialogue' between the Commissioners and the public on European current affairs. The online Chat takes place over the Internet on a scheduled date and time and is promoted in advance. The Commissioners are available for a few hours to answer questions submitted by the public. They are assisted in this task by a number of support staff, including a team of expert advisors, interpreters and typists. Anyone may join the discussion, which is carried out in real-time using Internet Relay Chat facilities. The Chat is held in the 11 official languages of the EU via direct interpretation. Definitions Online Chat A real-time discussion between Commissioners and members of the public choosing to join the discussion on a given issue. Real-time In the context of Chats, this means that the questions and answers are posted as they are given and at the time they are submitted. Internet Relay Chat (IRC) The technology used to conduct Chat sessions. Background Several Chats have already been held on EUROPA. Chats are jointly organised by the DG, SCIC, DG ADMIN-DI and DG COMM. Several factors, both technical and logistical, must be taken into account in organising a Chat on Europa. A number of preparations must be made before the Chat, including activities concerning the promotion and general organisation of the Chat. It takes between 6 and 8 weeks to organise a Chat and this period is required to prepare the Chat announcement, promote the Chat and set up the event itself.

2 The Chat lasts approximately 2 hours, and may involve from 20 to 40 Commission and support staff, as well as a number of online participants and observers. People participate in the Chat via the EUROPA Chats site, and after the session complete transcripts of the session are made available on the EUROPA website. Procedure This section will explain the sequence of events concerning both the preparation and the conduct of a Chat. There are 3 distinct phases, each involving specific actions: Before the Chat 1. Once the DG has decided to organise a Chat, the following details must be decided: the date of the Chat the subject of the Chat the main language of the Chat the people that will be involved The existing Plan/Checklist needs to be adapted to the requirements of each Chat. This Plan lists detailed actions and tasks (to be customised to the needs of every Chat) indicating deadlines and appointing the people/parties responsible for each task. 2. Announcing the Chat involves 4 separate steps: drafting the announcement (DG) translating the announcement into the other 10 languages (DG) publishing the announcement at the special address attributed to the Chat on EUROPA. (DG COMM) The model of the link to be used is: example: setting up a mailbox for questions sent by prior to the Chat (DG) The model of the Mailbox to be used is: Chat-<Commissioner_Name>@ec.europa.eu example: Chat- Lamy@ec.europa.eu 3. Promotion

3 The Chat is promoted via several means: online promotion via the online press & media, the representations, the delegations and on the EUROPA website. This is the joint responsibility of DG organising the Chat and DG COMM. The Chat can only be promoted once the Chat announcement has been published on EUROPA. Statistics on consultation of the Chat announcement are generated by DG ADMIN- DI, in order to provide an indication of the level of interest in the forthcoming event. 4. Briefings In order to be sure that all parties involved understand their roles and responsibilities, a briefing for the Commissioner's Team can be scheduled (provisionally) to explain in detail how the Chat will be conducted (Presentation in Power Point format). A second briefing will be given by SCIC just before the Chat, covering the practical details. During the Chat 1. Handling the questions: the tasks involved in replying to the questions are split between different teams and people. the Commissioner's Team answers the questions the Political Moderator distributes the questions between the Commissioner and the Experts the Online Moderator moderates the Chat session in progress the Interpreters translate the questions and answers the Typists transcribe questions and answers the Technical support deals with problems as they arise 2. Mailbox A Mailbox is set up by the DG before every Chat so that people can send their questions in advance. The Mailbox questions are inserted into the session by the Mailbox Manager, with the authorisation of the Online Moderator. They are answered by the Commissioner and the Experts during the Chat. The Mailbox Manager must also monitor all language channels. After the Chat 1. Transcripts

4 Complete versions of the entire transcripts of the different channels of the Chat are published by DG COMM on the EUROPA web site the day after the Chat The transcripts of the different channels of the Chat grouping the questions with their answers for easy reading are prepared by the DG and are published on EUROPA 1-2 weeks after the Chat. 2. Individual responses Replies to Mailbox questions, that were not answered during the Chat session, are given by the DG after the Chat and sent by directly to the person that posted the question. 3. Post-Chat report DG ADMIN-DI produces a report after the Chat providing statistics concerning participation in the Chat (including the number of participants, number of questions received, breakdown by language channel, etc.). How to organise a Chat: All steps involved Calendar Actions Responsible Before Chat -10/9 weeks 1. Commitment (DOR): date, subject, main language of the Chat, responsible (in Word format) -8 weeks 2. Preparing the Chat announcement in one language DG -7/6 weeks Launching tendering procedures for the required equipment following Commission financial rules -6 weeks 3. Translating the announcement into the other 10 languages DG -6 weeks 4. Setting-up of the Mailbox and appointing the Mailbox Manager DG/SCIC SCIC -6 weeks 5. Publishing the Chat announcement DG COMM -6 weeks 6. Requesting the generation of statistics on the consultation of the announcement 7. Promotion -6 weeks EUROPA Chat HP DG COMM -4 weeks Online press DG -4/3 weeks Promotion on EUROPA Server (Commissioner, DG and thematic sites) DG DG DG

5 -4/3 weeks Institutions, Representations, Delegations, Information relays and networks -3 weeks DG Mailing list, NGOs DG -1 week Promotion on EUROPA Server (EUROPA HP, What's New, News, Commission HP) -5 weeks 8. Setting-up of the Team of Experts of the Commissioner DG -5 weeks 9. Preparing the Seating plan of the teams SCIC -5/4 weeks 10. Making the order for the required equipment SCIC -3/2 weeks 11. Dispatching and distributing the documents to the Chat participants DG COMM DG COMM SCIC/DG -3/2 weeks 12. Briefing provisional (in Power Point format) DG COMM -1 week 13. Final preparations & actions (checklist) SCIC -1 week 14. Adapting the Chat applet interface DG ADMIN-DI -1 day 15. Publishing the press release DG/CABINET During Chat After Chat 1. Installing/supervising general set-up SCIC 2. Configuring individual PCs SCIC 3. Control of the Chat server DG ADMIN-DI 4. Practical briefing of the Interpreters and Experts before the Chat 5. Handling the questions DG SCIC 6. Online moderation DG COMM 7. Inserting the Mailbox questions into the Chat session DG 8. Generating the statistics of participation during the Chat session SCIC + 1 day 1. Post-Chat Report DG ADMIN-DI + 1 day 2. Adapting the post-chat announcement page DG COMM + 1 day 3. Converting into PDF and publishing the transcripts, integrating the webcam images +1/2 weeks 4. Replying to the Mailbox questions not answered during the Chat +1/2 weeks 5. Editing the transcripts DG DG COMM +1/2 weeks 6. Publishing the edited transcripts on EUROPA DG COMM DG How to organise a Chat: Who does What?

6 Responsible Actions Calendar DG/Cabinet Before Chat 1. Commitment (DOR): providing budgeting information for SCIC, date, subject, main language of the Chat, people responsible (in Word format) -10/9 weeks 2. Preparing the Chat announcement in one language -8 weeks 3. Translating the announcement into the other 10 languages -6 weeks 4. Setting-up of the Mailbox and appointing the Mailbox Manager 5. Requesting the generation of statistics on the consultation of the announcement -6 weeks -6 weeks 6. Setting-up of the Team of Experts of the Commissioner -5 weeks 7. Promotion Online press -4 weeks Promotion on EUROPA Server (Commissioner, DG and thematic sites) -4/3 weeks DG Mailing list, NGOs -3 weeks 8. Distributing the Chat related documents to the Commissioner's Team -3/2 weeks 9. Publishing the press release -1 day 10. Handling the questions 11. Inserting the Mailbox questions into the Chat session 12. Replying to Mailbox questions not answered during the Chat During Chat After Chat +1/2 weeks 13. Editing the transcripts +1/2 weeks

7 DG COMM Before Chat 1. Publishing the Chat announcement -6 weeks 2. Promotion: EUROPA Chat HP -6 weeks 3. Promotion: Institutions, Representations, Delegations, Information relays and networks 4. Promotion on EUROPA Server (EUROPA HP, What's New, News, Commission HP) -4/3 weeks -1 week 5. Briefing (provisional) (in Power Point format) -3/2 weeks 6. Online moderation During Chat After Chat 7. Adapting the post-chat announcement page +1 day 8. Converting into PDF and publishing the transcripts, integrating the webcam images +1 day 9. Publishing the edited transcripts on EUROPA +1/2 weeks SCIC Before Chat 1. DOR reception -10/9 weeks 2. Reservation of the chat room based on availability -9/8 weeks 3. Budgeting based on information received from DG -9/8 weeks 4. Composition of specially trained volunteers interpreters -8/7 weeks 5. Launching tendering procedures for the required equipment following Commission financial rules -7/6 weeks 6. Making the order for the required equipment - 5/4 weeks 7. Seating plan of the Teams -5 weeks 8. Final preparations & actions (checklist) -1 week 1. Installing/supervising general set-up 2. Practical briefing before the Chat 3. Generating the statistics of participation during the Chat session During Chat

8 DG ADMIN- DI Before Chat 1. Adapting the Chat applet interface -1 week 2. Control of the Chat server During Chat After Chat 3. Post-Chat Report + 1 day Chat Announcement: Guidelines Drafting the announcement Once the decision to hold a Chat has been taken, the DG has to draft an announcement that will be used to promote the Chat. The promotion begins about 6 weeks before the scheduled date of the Chat. The announcement has to be approximately one page long and must provide sufficient information about the Chat. It should therefore, contain the following elements: Subject/Title of the Chat The main body of the announcement should contain the following information: Date of the Chat Time of the Chat Name of the Commissioner Short explanation of the subject Photo of the Commissioner (provisional) Please consult: Example of an announcement of a previous Chat Chat terminology Translating the announcement

9 Once the text of the announcement is drafted, the DG needs to provide translations in all 11 official languages of the European Union. Publishing the announcement The announcement is published in 11 languages at the special address for the specific chat on the EUROPA website. A model of the address is as follows: For example: Notes: The Mailbox should be operational when the announcement is published. Statistics concerning the consultation of the Chat announcement, designed to give an idea of the level of interest in the Chat, are produced at the request of the DG and generated by the Data Centre (DG ADMIN-DI). Chat announcement: Example Green Week - The Sixth Environment Action Programme As part of Environment Directorate-General's Green Week Conference and Exhibition programme, EU Environment Commissioner Margot Wallström invites anyone with an active interest in current and future EU environmental policies and actions to take part in an Internet chat with her on Tuesday 24 April The chat will focus on the European Commission's "Sixth Environment Action Programme" and the lines, in the 11 official languages, will be open from to CET. So, don't miss this unique opportunity to take part in a constructive dialogue with Commissioner Wallstrom. Prepare your questions now! She will do her utmost to answer as many questions as possible within the allocated time.

10 Questions may be sent in advance to: Chat- Questions should be as short as possible, 256 characters maximum. For further practical information on how to take part in the chat, please see our "Joining the chat" page. Chat Mailbox Guidelines: Things to do before, during and after the event The DG is responsible for setting up a Mailbox dedicated exclusively to the Chat. The objective of the Mailbox is to enable people to send questions by prior to the Chat which will be inserted into the Chat session and answered by the Commissioner and his Team of Experts. The Mailbox has to be operational on the day that the Chat announcement is published (6 weeks before the Chat). There is a fixed model to be used for the Mailbox: Chat-<Commissioner_Name>@ec.europa.eu For example: Chat-Lamy@ec.europa.eu The DG has to appoint a person that will assume the role of the Mailbox Manager. He/She has responsibilities before, during and after the Chat: Before the Chat The Mailbox Manager is responsible for receiving the s containing questions (in all languages) that are sent before the Chat. The mailbox is closed 2 days before the scheduled date for the Chat. The Mailbox Manager should collect all the questions received until that time and prepare a document listing the questions. Format of the Document: The document must be prepared in Notepad, that means in.txt format [each question in the Notepad document - without the Word Wrap (Notepad option) selected - should be in one line; gaps will cause the question to break up when introduced into the Chat session].

11 Content management: The way the document is prepared is important for facilitating the introduction of questions into the Chat session: questions should be separated in languages and prioritised in each language according to their importance. When the document is ready, the Mailbox Manager should save it on a floppy disk, which he/she will use on the day of the Chat. During the Chat During the Chat, the Mailbox Manager is responsible for introducing the Mailbox questions into the online discussion. Questions (according to their original language) should be introduced into the appropriate language channel. The Online Moderator indicates to the Mailbox Manager when to insert questions into the main language channel. With regards to the other 10 language channels, the Mailbox Manager monitors their progress and activity and introduces questions on his/her initiative when he/she deems necessary. All language channels should be kept active, so questions should be introduced on low activity languages channels in order to encourage participants and increase the flow. After the Chat The number of Mailbox questions answered during a Chat depends on how active it is. There are cases where the flow of the Chat does not leave time for all the Mailbox questions to be introduced into the online discussion. In that case, the Mailbox Manager has to make sure that the questions that are left, are answered afterwards and sent personally by to the people who initially posted them. Promotion of a Chat: Guidelines The Chat is promoted in the following areas: Online press and media Institutions, Representations, Delegations, ECSA-Jean Monnet, Information relays and networks, Europa Plus, etc EUROPA server Promotional activities can only begin once the Chat announcement has been published on EUROPA.

12 Note: For the calendar and those responsible for each promotion action please see the "Procedure document". How to promote an upcoming Chat event in the online press and media The online promotion for the press and media should start between three to four weeks before the Chat. The main European online newspapers have been regrouped in a list, which also provides the mailbox addresses where the information should be sent. A short message (see below) describing the Chat (including topic, date, time, name of the Commissioner and short description of the subject of the Chat) in 11 languages should be prepared. This message should be sent (in the appropriate language) to each of the addresses in the list for registration on the site. Example of message On the xxx between 18:00 and 20:00 (CET), the European Commission is organising a Chat on the Internet with Mr/Mrs xxxx, Commissioner in charge of xxxxx. The subject of the Chat will be xxxx - an open debate on xxxx, etc. Further information can be found on the EUROPA website at Some sites don't provide an address to which contributions may be sent, but instead provide an online form to be filled-out. Follow the instructions which are provided with the registration form. A copy of every announcement request should be kept for future reference. One or two days before the event, a review of which press sites have announced the Chat event should be conducted. Promotion in the Institutions, Representations, Delegations, ECSA-Jean Monnet, Information relays and Networks, and Europa Plus To inform the parties listed above about an upcoming Chat, a message (see below) should be sent to the following contact people three to four weeks prior to the event:

13 Info-Points Europe: Giancarlo Pau Information relays and networks: Patricia Robins Delegations: Louis Hersom ECSA-Jean Monnet: Luciano di Fonzo Representations: Marilyn Carruthers Example of message Subject: Chat Promotion: Delegations, Representations, Information relays and networks, ECSA Network, Institutions, etc As far as the text of the Message is concerned, the following text may be used as an example or as a template: We wish to inform you about the organisation of a Chat with Commissioner xxx, on the xxxx. As usual, we rely on you to communicate this information to the representations, the delegations, the information relays and networks, ECSA network, the institutions, etc. The announcement is as follows: On the xxx between 18:00 and 20:00 (CET), the European Commission is organising a Chat on the Internet with Mr/Mrs xxxx, Commissioner in charge of xxxxx. The subject of the Chat will be xxxx - an open debate on xxxx, etc. Further information can be found on the EUROPA website at The information is available in 11 languages. As for previous chats, we would be very grateful if you could announce the event on your respective websites with links to the EUROPA website. Would you also be as kind as to let us know when the announcements are on-line?

14 Promotion on EUROPA A short announcement informing the public about the forthcoming Chat event is placed on various pages of the EUROPA web site. Please see the following examples of announcements of previous Chats: Chat with the Commissioner for Regional Policy Michel Barnier (26 March) Chat with Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy, and Development and Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Poul Nielson (2 April) The announcement should be placed (For the calendar and those responsible for each promotional activity please see ";Procedure document") at the following locations: The EUROPA Chats HP [ The Home Page of the Commissioner's Web site [ <name_commissioner>/index_xx.htm] The Home Page of the DG organising the chat [ The Home Page of the thematic site(s) [ One week before the Chat, a short announcement should be placed at the following addresses: EUROPA Home Page [ What's new on EUROPA [ News [ The Commission Home Page [ Promotion of a Chat: Contact List (Online press and media)

15 For detailed instructions on how to promote an upcoming Chat event in the online press and media consult "Guidelines for Promotion" Germany Name Website address Die Welt Die Zeit Süddeutsche Zeitung Frankfurter Allgemeine online form to fill-out Snafu Austria (in DE) Name Website address Kurier Austria Presse Agentur Der Standard Die Furche Luxembourg (in DE) Name Website address Luxemburger Wort Luxembourg (in FR) Name Website address Tageblatt Lux France Name Website address Agence France Presse Le Figaro Les Echos Libération Libération Le Monde Le Monde La Tribune Belgium (in FR)

16 Name Website address Belga Le Soir L'Echo de la Bourse La Libre Belgique Vers L'avenir Belgium (in NL) Name Website address Het Volk De Standaard Nieuwsblad De Financieel Economische Tijd The Netherlands Haarlems Dagblad Name Website address damiate.hdc.nl Het Parool Nederlands Dagblad De Gelderlander De Groninger Internet Courant online form to fill-out online form to fill-out Het Financieele Dagblad online form to fill-out Spain Name Website address ABC El Mundo El Pais EFE La Vanguardia Italy Name Website address Notizia La Repubblica Il Corriere della Sera Il Sole 24 ore ANSA La Stampa

17 Portugal Name Website address Jornal de Noticias Publico Expresso Diario de Noticias Denmark Name Website address Dagbladet Information Danske Nyheder Børsen Politiken Berlingske Tidende Sweden Name Website address Dagens Industri Aftonbladet Dagens Nyheter Expressen Svenska Dagbladet Göteborg Posten UK Name Website address BBC Financial Times The Independent The Times (London) The Guardian The Economist Ireland Name Website address Irish Times Irish Independent

18 Irish News Finland Name Website address Helsingin Sanomat Turun Sanomat Greece Name Website address To BHMA Ta Nea Eleftherotypia Kerdos (financial) Kathimerini Eastern Europe (in EN) Name Central Europe Online Interfax Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Russia Today Website Other Name Worldwide news CNN Euronews Europemedia.com MSNBC News New York Times Infobeat Media Central News Wire Yahoo Newsworld AJR Newslink Newspapers on www The internet Press Media Info Links Website

19 Note: The addresses of journals/newspapers may change. In this case your will be sent back with the message: 'Host unknown'. To find the new address of the given journal/newspaper, consult their internet site (internet address indicated in the 2 nd column of this table). Commissioner's Team: Appointment of the participants and definition of the seating plan Introduction The purpose of the seating plan is to optimise the arrangement of the participants physically present, facilitating the essential and frequent communication between them during the Chat. Of particular note, the Online Moderator must be placed close to the Political Moderator, Commissioner(s) and Mailbox Manager. Apart from showing where everyone is supposed to sit during the Chat, the seating plan also indicates the type and placement of various posts (see below). Setting-up of the Commissioner's Team As part of the preparation in setting-up the Commissioner's Team (Political Moderator, Experts, Mailbox Manager, and Typists) and the seating plan, the following tables should be filled out. The first table is used to indicate the type of keyboard required (AZERTY, QWERTY, etc.) for the various (standard) posts. General Alias Post Type of keyboard Moderator Online Moderator Statistics PC with Internet connection Mailbox Mailbox Manager

20 PC projecting the main Chat channel Already available in the room 1 Webcamera Total: PCs Once the Team of Experts of the Commissioner's has been appointed, the name of each Expert and the corresponding type of keyboard required (AZERTY, QWERTY, etc.) should be indicated for each post. Commissioner's Team Alias Name Type of keyboard CommissionerM Political Moderator Commissioner1 Expert1 Commissioner2 Expert2 Commissioner3 Expert3 Commissioner4 Expert4 Commissioner5 Expert5 Commissioner6 Expert6 Commissioner7 Expert7 Commissioner8 Expert8 Commissioner9 Expert9 Commissioner<n> Expert<n> Total: xx PCs Note: The Commissioner's post is usually in the middle of the Team. Seating Plan

21 How to participate in a Chat A number of participants take part in a Chat, each one playing a specific role. For the successful conduct of a Chat all participants are needed and their work is complementary. The participants are the following: the General Co-ordinator the Commissioner and his Team of Experts

22 the Political Moderator the Online Moderator the Mailbox Manager the Team of Interpreters the Secretarial team the Technical Assistance Team During the Chat: The Online Moderator opens and closes the chat and is responsible for the general moderation to ensure that the Chat runs smoothly. The questions that come in are distributed by the Political Moderator to the Commissioner and his Team of Experts, according to their field of expertise. Questions are also inserted into the session (from the Chat Mailbox) by the Mailbox Manager. The Commissioner and the Experts are responsible for answering all questions, which they then post with the help of the Secretarial Team. In the case of questions in a language other than the main language of the Chat, the Interpreters step in and translate the questions and answers. The Technical Assistance Team is there to assure the management of all technical matters. Finally, the General Co-ordinator is responsible for the general organisation to ensure that the Chat is conducted successfully. The Roles and Responsibilities of every participant are explicitly defined. Documentation is attributed to every participant according to his/her role. The purpose of this documentation is to inform each participant about everything he/she needs to know in order to perform his/her role. The documents contain details about the necessary preparation, the specific tasks during the Chat, and general advice. The documentation is exhaustive and its consultation is therefore compulsory for each participant. General Co-ordinator The General Co-ordinator is responsible for ensuring that the Chat is carried out successfully. Once the Chat has started, he/she makes sure that the internal communication between all the participants runs smoothly (mainly between the Political Moderator, the Online

23 Moderator, the Interpreters, the Technical Assistance Team and external parties such as the Data Centre). Commissioner & Team of Experts The Commissioner and his/her Team of Experts answer all questions asked during the session which are related to the subject of the Chat. The Commissioner generally replies to questions of a political nature as well as to any others that he/she chooses to answer. The Commissioner and his Team of Experts should carefully examine the documents listed below in preparation for the Chat: Chat Participants: All you need to know during the Chat session (message format, languages, screen description, scenario) How to structure your answers Chat Participants: Roles and responsibilities during the session Political Moderator The Political Moderator is the person from the Commissioner's team who is responsible for distributing the questions between the Commissioner and the Experts. He/She may point out to the Commissioner those questions of particular interest to him/her. The Political Moderator has to make sure that he/she distributes all the questions that come in and that the Team responds quickly. He/She is also responsible for the internal communication between the Commissioner and his/her Team and for the external communications between the Commissioner and his/her Experts and the other participants. The Political Moderator works together with the Online Moderator in tackling some questions of a general nature. The Political Moderator should carefully examine the documents listed below in preparation for the Chat:

24 Chat participants: All you need to know during the Chat session (message format, languages, screen description, scenario) Chat Participants: Roles and responsibilities during the session Online Moderator The Online Moderator is responsible for opening and closing the Chat session and for moderating the Chat in progress by: controlling the pace of the Chat, either by speeding up or slowing down; eliminating any questions which are not related to the topic or are otherwise inappropriate; expelling troublemakers if necessary; authorising the launch of questions from the Chat Mailbox (according to the pace) He/She works in close cooperation with the Political Moderator. They decide together on particular questions that are to be answered by the Online Moderator and not the Commissioner's Team (for example questions that require clarification or that are not related to the topic). The Online Moderator also works in close cooperation with the Mailbox Manager. He/She indicates to the Mailbox Manager when question(s) should be launched from the mailbox, to the main language channel, which is the channel that the Online Moderator follows. He/She is assisted by a person who is responsible for ensuring that the communication between the Online Moderator and the other participants of the Chat runs smoothly. The Online Moderator is also responsible for opening a private communication channel with the Data Centre. Mailbox Manager The Mailbox Manager launches questions from the Chat Mailbox.

25 With regards to the main language channel (either English or French), the Mailbox Manager launches questions when authorised to do so by the Online Moderator. With regards to the other 10 language channels, the Mailbox Manager is responsible for monitoring them to check whether they are active. If a channel is not active enough, then he/she should launch questions (on his/her initiative) to increase the flow. The Mailbox Manager should carefully examine the documents listed below in preparation for the Chat: Chat Mailbox Guidelines: Things to do before, during and after the Chat Chat Participants: All you need to know during the Chat session (message format, languages, screen description, scenario) How to introduce Mailbox questions Chat Participants: Roles and responsibilities during the session Team of Interpreters The Interpreters are responsible for handling the questions submitted in any language other than the working language of the Chat. These questions are translated into the working language of the Chat, and the corresponding responses are then translated from the working language back to the original language of the question. The Interpreters also act as moderators of their language channels. As such, they may reject questions which are not related to the topic or are otherwise inappropriate, encourage questions and generally monitor the pace of the Chat in their language channel. The Interpreters should carefully examine the documents listed below in preparation for the Chat: Chat Participants: Roles and responsibilities during the session Secretarial Team

26 The Secretarial Team types the messages and answers given by the Commissioner, and/or the Experts, and/or the Interpreters. The Secretarial Team should carefully examine the documents listed below in preparation for the Chat: How to structure your answers Chat Participants: Roles and responsibilities during the session Technical Assistance Team The Technical Assistance Team ensures the equipment, software, and connections necessary for the smooth and effective functioning of the Chat. They are also available to provide assistance to the participants of the Chat in case of problems or technical difficulties. Chat Participants All you need to know during the session (message format, languages, screen description, scenario) Content 1. Main points concerning messages and languages 2. Screen of the Commissioner's Team 3. Scenario of the Chat 1. Main points concerning messages and languages The Chat participants reply in real time to the questions posed by people connected to the Chat session. The questions and answers are transmitted in text format. The software used for the conduct of Chat sessions is called mirc (Internet Relay Chat). In every Chat there is one main language channel: English (EN) or French (FR) and 10 other language channels. Every chat is conducted in all 11 languages of the European Union and therefore there are 11 language channels in total.

27 The Commissioner and his/her Team of Experts work only in the main language channel: they read the questions in either EN or FR and reply respectively in either EN or FR. Participants may send questions in any of the 11 languages: If a question is sent in the main working language (either EN or FR), then the Commissioner's team sees it on its screen (main language channel) immediately and follows the procedure for replying. If a question is sent in any other language, then it goes through the Interpreters. The Interpreters work in all languages. They receive the question through one of the 10 language channels (other than the main one), they translate it into the main working language (either EN or FR) and they send it to the main language channel, which is visible to the Commissioner's Team. The Commissioner's Team then replies in the main working language (either EN or FR) and introduces its reply into the Chat session. The Interpreters then translate the answer back into the original language and post it into the respective language channel, where the reply can be seen by the person who asked the question. The language prefix placed by the Commissioner's Team before the answer enables the Interpreters to identify those answers they must translate see (Message Flow). 2. Screen of the Commissioner's Team The screen is divided into three main areas: A - Dialogue Area - all messages sent during the Chat session appear in chronological order here. The text scrolls automatically, but it is possible to return to previous messages by using the scroll bar on the right; however do not forget to return to the discussion. B - Coding zone of your reply - the replies are typed in this area. After typing the reply the return key should be hit to send the message. The cursor must be at the end of the text before hitting the return key. Once the message has been sent, it is irretrievable; it can't be cancelled or 'taken back'. IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to the limitations of the software used, each answer MUST be less than 256 characters in length (about 2-3 lines).

28 C - List of Participants - all participants connected to the Chat at any time are listed in this area. This is of no particular use to the Commissioner's Team; it appears for information purposes only. 3. Scenario of the Chat The Chat lasts for 2 hours. It begins with the 'Welcome' message from the Commissioner's. This is a simple message prepared by the Commissioner and the Political Moderator before the Chat, welcoming the participants to the session. As soon as the Welcome message is posted the Online Moderator opens the floor for the participants to begin asking their questions. During the Chat session, the Political Moderator distributes the incoming questions to the Commissioner's Team and they, in turn, reply. Some aspects of the Chat are discussed between the Political Moderator and the Online Moderator. The interpreters take part in the process by translating questions and answers when necessary.

29 At the end of the two-hour session, the Commissioner sends a 'Closing' message announcing the end of the Chat and the Online Moderator closes the Chat session immediately after. Note: Before the Chat, a last practical briefing takes place to repeat the main points and make sure that all participants are confident and aware of their respective roles. During this time, participants will have the opportunity to practice posting replies and familiarise themselves with the general workings of the Chat. How to structure your answers Commissioner's Team: How to structure your answers Main Language Channel: ENGLISH The purpose of this document is to show how to structure answers during the Chat session. In every answer there are 4 important elements to be included: the Question No. (as given by the system) the 'nickname' of the person that asked the question a short description of the question the answer These four elements together must not exceed 256 characters. Attention should be drawn to the following points: The system automatically numbers the incoming questions. The number of the question to which you are replying must be indicated in the answer (as the first element). The questions received in other languages will appear on the screen in English with the prefix of their original language (ES. as indicated in example 2). The same prefix must be included in the beginning of the answer.

30 The questions from the Chat Mailbox will be indicated by the prefix <Mailbox>. This prefix should be included in the answer (as indicated in example 3). Examples 1. Questions arriving directly in English <John> [Question No.] [question in English] How to structure the answer: Question No., to John, short description of the question: answer in English 2. Questions which have been translated into English <Int ES> [Question No.] From Pedro: [question translated into English] How to structure the answer: Question No., ES, to Pedro, short description of the question : answer in English 3. Questions (in English) introduced into the Chat session by the Mailbox Manager <Mailbox> [Question No.] Barbara: [question in English] How to structure the answer: Question No., to Mailbox, John, short description of the question: answer in English 4. Questions (in other languages) introduced into the Chat session by the Mailbox Manager <Int ES> [Question No.], From Mailbox (Barbara): [question translated into English] How to structure the answer: Question No., ES, to Mailbox, Barbara, short description of the question: answer in English IMPORTANT NOTE: The answers must be less than 256 characters in length. Equipe du Commissaire: comment structurer vos réponses Principal canal linguistique: FRANCAIS

31 Le but de ce document est d'expliquer comment les réponses doivent être structurées au cours du Chat. Dans chaque réponse, quatre éléments importants seront inclus: le n de la question (tel que généré par le système) le 'surnom' de la personne ayant posé la question un bref rappel de la question la réponse Au total, ces quatre éléments ne dépasseront pas 256 caractères. Il convient en outre d'attirer l'attention sur les points suivants : Les questions entrantes sont automatiquement numérotées. Le numéro de la question à laquelle vous répondez doit figurer au début de la réponse (comme premier élément). Les questions transmises dans d'autres langues apparaîtront à l'écran précédée du préfixe de la langue originale (ES dans l'exemple 2). Le même préfixe devra figurer au début de la réponse. Les questions tirées de la boîte aux lettres ('Chat Mailbox') seront précédées du préfixe <Mailbox>. Le même préfixe devra figurer dans la réponse (voir l'exemple 3). Exemples 1. Questions posées directement en français <Jean> [n de la question] [question en Français] Comment structurer la réponse: n de la question, à Jean, courte description de la question: réponse en français 2. Questions qui ont été traduites en français <Int ES> [n de la question] De Pedro: [question traduite en français] Comment structurer la réponse: n de la question, ES, à Pedro, courte description de la question: réponse en français 3. Questions (en français) lancées dans le débat par l'intermédiaire de la boîte aux lettres <Mailbox> [n de la question] Barbara: [question en français] Comment structurer la réponse: n de la question, à Mailbox, Barbara, courte description de la question: réponse en français

32 4. Questions (dans d'autres langues) lancées dans le débat par l'intermédiaire de la boîte aux lettres <Int ES> [n de la question] De Mailbox (Barbara): [question traduite en français] Comment structurer la réponse: n de la question, ES, à Mailbox, Barbara, courte description de la question: réponse en français REMARQUE IMPORTANTE : Les réponses ne doivent pas dépasser 256 caractères. Chat Participants: Roles and responsibilities during the session The General Co-ordinator The General Co-ordinator is responsible for ensuring that the Chat is carried out successfully. Once the Chat has started, he/she makes sure that the internal communication between all the participants runs smoothly (mainly between the Political Moderator, the Online Moderator, the Interpreters, the Technical Assistance Team and external parties such as the Data Centre). The Commissioner and his/her Team of Experts The Commissioner and his/her Team of Experts answer all questions asked during the Chat which are related to the subject of the Chat. The Commissioner generally replies to questions of a political nature as well as to any others that he/she chooses to answer. The Political Moderator The Political Moderator is the person from the Commissioner's team who is responsible for distributing the questions between the Commissioner and the Experts. He/She may point out to the Commissioner those questions of particular interest to him/her. The Political Moderator has to make sure that he/she distributes all the questions that come in and that the Team responds quickly. He/She is also responsible for the internal communication between the

33 Commissioner and his/her Team and for the external communications between the Commissioner and his/her Experts and the other participants. The Political Moderator works together with the Online Moderator in tackling some questions of a general nature. Online Moderator The Online Moderator is responsible for opening and closing the Chat session and for moderating the Chat in progress by: controlling the pace of the Chat, either by speeding up or slowing down; eliminating any questions which are not related to the topic or are otherwise inappropriate; expelling troublemakers if necessary; authorising the launch of questions from the Chat Mailbox (according to the pace) He/She works in close cooperation with the Political Moderator. They decide together on particular questions that are to be answered by the Online Moderator and not the Commissioner's Team (for example questions that require clarification or that are not related to the topic). The Online Moderator also works in close cooperation with the Mailbox Manager. He/She indicates to the Mailbox Manager when question(s) should be launched from the mailbox, to the main language channel, which is the channel that the Online Moderator follows. He/She is assisted by a person who is responsible for ensuring that the communication between the Online Moderator and the other participants of the Chat runs smoothly. The Online Moderator is also responsible for opening a private communication channel with the Data Centre. Mailbox Manager The Mailbox Manager launches questions from the Chat Mailbox. With regards to the main language channel (either English or French), the Mailbox manager launches questions when authorised to do so by the Online Moderator.

34 With regards to the other 10 language channels, the Mailbox Manager is responsible for monitoring them to check whether they are active. If a channel is not active enough, then he should launch questions (on his own initiative) to increase the flow. Team of Interpreters The Interpreters are responsible for handling the questions submitted in any language other than the working language of the Chat. These questions are translated into the working language of the Chat, and the corresponding responses are then translated from the working language back to the original language of the question. The Interpreters also act as moderators of their language channels. As such, they may reject questions which are not related to the topic or are otherwise inappropriate, encourage questions and generally monitor the pace of the Chat in their language channel. The Secretarial Team/The Typists The Secretarial Team types the messages and answers given by the Commissioner, and/or the Experts, and/or the Interpreters. Technical Assistance Team The Technical Assistance Team ensures the equipment, software, and connections necessary for the smooth and effective functioning of the Chat. They are also available to provide assistance to the participants of the Chat in case of problems or technical difficulties. Chat Announcement: Request for Statistics on Consultations Once the Chat announcement is published on the EUROPA server ( the statistics on the consultation of the chat announcement are initiated by the DG and generated by DG ADMIN-DI, in order to estimate interest in the event. A request should be sent to DG ADMIN-DI to the attention of Jürgen Schoebel (Juergen.Schoebel@ec.europa.eu) indicating the:

35 URL of the Chat announcement Time period during which the statistics should be gathered (starting date) The following is an example of the message to be sent: Subject: Chat xxxx statistics Message text: Request to initiate the generation of statistics on a weekly basis for the following address: tm (xx=da, de, etc) (For example: Time period: from <date when the Chat announcement was published> These consultation statistics are generated and provided on a weekly basis by DG ADMIN-DI. Participation during the Chat session: Statistics In order to see how popular the Chat is, the IRC software used during the Chat allows to generate statistics indicating the number of sessions that are active in each of the language channels. To retrieve this information, go to the status bar, click on 'list channels', and select 'get list' from the menu. The information retrieved should be used by SCIC to fill in the following table while the Chat is progressing: Channel 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 #da #de #el #en #es #fi #fr #it