ERC´s structure is based on four bodies with clearly distinct responsibilities: the Regulatory Board, the Executive Directorate, the Advisory Council and the Auditor.
The Regulatory Board is ERC’s main face and stands as the body responsible for defining and implementing the regulatory activity. It comprises the chairman, the vice-chairman and three board members. Four of the five members of the regulatory board are elected by the Parliament by a majority of two thirds of the deputies and the fifth member is co-opted by the previously elected four. The chairman and the vice-chairman are elected from amongst the five members of the board. All members shall take office before the President of the Portuguese Parliament and have a 5-year term, not renewable, and remain in office until their effective replacement or termination of service.
The regulatory board meets once a week. Extraordinary meetings may be convened by the chairman, on his own initiative, or at the request by at least two of its members. The regulatory board decides by a majority of the votes cast, being required the vote in favour of at least three members.
The members of the regulatory board shall appear before the competent Committee of the Assembly of the Republic, to provide on request information or clarifications on their work.
ERC must inform the Portuguese Parliament of its decisions and activities, by means of a monthly report and also of an annual report on its regulatory activities, as well as the annual statement of accounts, for a debate, preceded of a hearing.
The members of the regulatory board are subject to the incompatibilities and impediments of holders of high public office. During their term of office, they are required to not retain interests of a financial nature or shares in companies that pursue mass media activities and carry out any other public function or professional activity, except with regard to part-time teaching duties in higher education. For two years following its termination, members aren’t allowed to hold any executive post in companies, unions, confederations or business associations of the mass media sector.
Currently, the Board is made up of:
President: Helena Sousa
Vice-President: Pedro Correia Gonçalves
Member: Telmo Gonçalves
Member: Carla Martins
Member: Rita Rola
The Executive Directorate is the body charged with the organization of services and the administrative and financial management.
ERC services are grouped in Departments, Units and Offices accountable to the Executive Directorate. The exceptions are the Support Office to the Regulatory Board, the Communication and External Relations Unit and the Administrative Offences Unit, which work under the direct responsibility of the Regulatory Board. The currently appointed Heads and Coordinators are:
- Mrs. Ana Isabel Ferreira – Legal Department and Administrative Offences Unit
- Mrs. Joana Duarte – Supervision Department
- Mrs. Maria João Caldeira – Management Department
- Mrs. Tânia de Morais Soares – Media Analysis Department
- Mrs. Adelaide de Jesus – Library, Documentation and Archive Unit
- to be designated - Media Transparency Unit
- Mrs. Catarina Rodrigues – Communication and External Relations Unit
- Mrs. Vanda Cruz – Registrations Unit
- to be designated - Data Protection Officer - (dpo@erc.pt)
ERC currently has a staff of 80 employees.
The Advisory Council is made up of representatives of both public and private entities representing relevant interests linked to the media and media-related sectors. The Advisory Council is a consultative body that takes part in the definition of the general guidelines for ERC activity.
The Auditor is the body responsible for monitoring the legality and effectiveness of the financial and asset management of ERC, as well as for providing advice on this field to the Regulatory Board. The audit firm Oliveira, Reis & Associados, SROC, Lda., which is represented by Mr. Carlos Grenha, is currently performing this task.