Notice
From release 3.3 onwards, the individual templates (Core, Standardised & Harmonised) can be found on the ECL as configurations of the structurally merged components (Site header, Page header & Footer), which now have a single, dedicated page. Concurrently, the EWG (Europa Web Guide) has also been updated to better accommodate information regarding the optionality of components & elements per site type. Please follow the corresponding links found in the table below for more information.
| Knowledge base | New location | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| ECL (Europa component library) | EC Site header - Harmonised config. | EC Page header - Harmonised config. | EC Footer - Harmonised config. |
| EWG (Europa web guide) | Guidelines for EC branded Harmonised website |
On this page you will find information related to the European Commission branded Harmonised group 1 websites that host specific content that answers a particular communication purpose, in particular:
- Web information systems : Providing a user-friendly interface to generate, disclose and/or filter large, detailed amounts of data stored in different systems
- Network websites : Websites or platforms set up and managed by the European Commission (as a service provider) to encourage and facilitate interaction among a specific, non European Commission target audience
- Internal policy websites : Providing information on internal working methods of the EU institutions, standards and guidelines. Resources for institutions’ employees, partners and service providers
Anatomy
| Elements | Mandatory | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Global banner | yes | the Global banner is the official EU stamp that gives a visual indicator and easy access to EU institutions and bodies sites, guaranteeing the user visits an official EU website |
| Harmonised site header | yes | the Harmonised site header is present on every page. It communicates the European Commission brand and provides basic structure and guidance. The site header is composed of several mandatory and optional elements such as:European Commission logoLoginLanguage selectEuropa search formClass nameSite nameMenu |
| Harmonised page header | yes | the Harmonised page header gives context and information to the user on what the page is about. It is present on every page, just below the site header, except for the homepage. The page header is composed of mandatory and optional elements such as:BreadcrumbMetaPage titleIntroduction |
| Harmonised footer | yes | the Harmonised footer is present on every page. It provides supplementary information such as copyright, legal, privacy, social media, contact information and links to other important sections within the European Commission ecosystem. The footer is composed of mandatory and optional elements such as:Local contentCorporate content |
NOTE: On the Page body section, when components are available, use components from ECL.
Do's
- make sure the pages contain all the elements in the anatomy table above
Don'ts
- do not replace pages only on existing websites as this will create visual inconsistencies, this must be done at a site level
When to use
- the Harmonised template must be used for all new development and can also be introduced on existing pages to replace a previous template, but this should be done on a site basis, not page by page
When not to use
- do not follow these guidelines when you are updating sites that fall under the Core or Standardised category
- do not follow these guidelines when you are updating sites that fall under events, campaigns or blogs - use Harmonised Group 2 instead