EPISTLE Organization

Principles

EPISTLE is a virtual organisation with no employees, no funding, and no legal status.

The membership of EPISTLE is open to those organisations that are consortia of companies working to develop standards for information management and prepared to commit resources with other members to achieve commonly agreed objectives.

Individual companies and other organisations may attend EPISTLE meetings on an observer basis, but are encouraged to join or form a consortium that is a full member of EPISTLE. Observers may only speak on invitation of the chair of the meeting concerned, and may be asked to leave the meeting at the discretion of the chair.

Membership

The founding members under this new constitution are:

• PISTEP
• POSC/Caesar
• USPI-NL

Cost Sharing

Technical expertise is volunteered by the consortia, and their member organisations. Secretariat services for the various Working Groups and Committees are paid for on an equal basis by the member organisations.

Management Committee

The Management Committee consists of nominated representatives of member organisations and the leaders of the working groups. The role of the Management Committee is to steer the work programme, and to ensure objectives set for Working Groups are met, as well as information exchange and co-ordination. The Management Committee will elect from its membership a Chairman on an annual basis.

Management Committee Meetings are open to Observers unless the Management Committee decides to go into closed session.

The Management Committee:

• Identifies Work Items on which member organisations may wish to collaborate.
  It is satisfactory if only some member organisations wish to collaborate on a particular item.
• Agrees priorities for suggested work items.
  Priorities are determined by willingness to commit resources and natural dependencies
• Agrees positions EPISTLE takes.
  Consensus is sought. The minimum requirement for an EPISTLE position is a two thirds majority of voting members.
• Receives and endorses as EPISTLE documents certain results of Work Items.
  No document may claim to be an "approved" EPISTLE document without the endorsement of the Management Committee.
• Resolves any issues related to membership.
• Shall take into account the spirit as well as the facts in any case.
• Elects its Chairman on an annual basis.
• Provides direction to the EPISTLE chairman.
• Resolves any issues related to discipline.
• Shall take into account the spirit as well as the facts in any case.
• Has the final say on any matter relating to EPISTLE.

The Chairman acts on behalf of the Management Committee and has the following authorities and responsibilities.

• To call EPISTLE meetings, ensuring dates are convenient for most members.
• To prepare the agenda for EPISTLE meetings, ensuring that topics members wish to be addressed are prioritised and covered in accordance with EPISTLE priorities.
• To Chair EPISTLE meetings.
• Ensure meetings identify and achieve EPISTLE objectives.
• Ensure members are listened to.
• Strive for consensus.
• Ensure issues are resolved or acknowledged.
• Ensure an appropriate report of proceedings is issued.
• To represent EPISTLE externally, in which they shall identify and represent the views of the EPISTLE membership (rather than personal views).
• To delegate these authorities to other EPISTLE members.

Working Groups

Working Groups are created from time to time to undertake specific tasks as agreed by the Management Committee. The leader of a Working Group is nominated by the Group and endorsed by the Management Committee. The leader is responsible for preparing and proposing the work plan for the group, and budget for secretariat services required by the Working Group. This must be scrutinised and approved by the Management Committee. Any budget agreed by the Management Committee is funded on an equal basis by each of the members.

E&OE. Copyright © 2001 European Process Industries STEP Technical Liaison Executive

Last modified: 2000-07-02