The idea of an ePCoP is related to practice alliances of people, who work together in a network and have to solve similar responsibilities. The community acts to a large extent self-organized with one another for exchange of practices and findings, and to provide mutual support. An important goal of a Community of Practice is the learning advancement of individuals and also the learning process as a whole in a community. Existing knowledge and experience can be developed further to make a more efficient treatment of tasks possible. For an effective community there is a necessity for an intensive communication and a common interest. Members of the ePCoP are ex-pected to learn from one another, and to contribute with the specific expertise of every individual. Tasks within the ePCoP can be seen individual.

A common community of practice has a structure, where people are not voted for a role. Instead they are there because of their expertise and their acceptance or rejection through the other members of the group. Out of the process of communication are several more active or inactive members, moderators and experts. There can also be several subgroups or external persons as guests in this community.
The approach to reach sustainable engagement and integration in eParticipation is to establish different eParticipation Specific Interest Groups (SIGs), which collaborate in this eParticipation community.

To build relationships with practitioners in the public, voluntary and community sectors, in civil society generally and with the ICT industry to assist in shaping research activity and priorities, four Specific Interest Groups have been set up in the course of DEMO-net activities:

• SIG ICT-industry: The role of the industry specific interest group is to assist in shaping the research agenda and to bring in the expertise and advice of industry practitioner partners on areas. Registered users can access their protected workspace here.

• SIG Governments and Executive: The SIG Government Executives will experience a good opportunity to get involved in the DEMO-net research agendas and in carrying out joint works of empirical work with researchers of DEMO-net. This may include new challenges to be addressed to realise the i2010 Policy Action “4. Transparency and democratic engagement”, as agreed by Ministers at the Lisbon Conference in September 2007. Registered users can access their protected workspace here.

• SIG Politicians and elected representatives: The aim of the SIG Politicians and elected representatives is to create a community space where political actors and decision-makers can share experiences and search for ideas on how to enhance public participation using ICT. Registered users can access their protected workspace here.
• SIG Community interest groups: To establish a platform and SIG with a dual core function: integrating perspectives, knowledge and reflections from the general public, citi-zens and civil society into eParticipation development (covering issues such as practical demands, views, experiences, knowledge etc.) and for transferring DEMO-net results into civil society practice in order to contribute to the overall engagement of practitioner experts from community interest groups in the ePCoP and, hence, in DEMO-net. Registered users can access their protected workspace here.