governance

n. government; management; control

Governance makes decisions that define expectations, grant power, or verify performance. It consists either of a separate process or of a specific part of management or leadership processes. Sometimes people set up a government to administer these processes and systems. In the case of a business or of a non-profit organization, governance develops and manages consistent, cohesive policies, processes and decision-rights for a given area of responsibility. For example, managing at a corporate level might involve evolving policies on privacy, on internal investment, and on the use of data.
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Noun
1. the persons (or committees or departments etc.) who make up a body for the purpose of administering something; "he claims that the present administration is corrupt"; "the governance of an association is responsible to its members"; "he quickly became recognized as a member of the establishment"
(synonym) administration, governing body, establishment, brass, organization, organisation
(hypernym) body
(hyponym) Curia
(part-holonym) government, authorities, regime
(member-meronym) advisory board, planning board
(part-meronym) hierarchy, power structure, pecking order
2. the act of governing; exercising authority; "regulations for the governing of state prisons"; "he had considerable experience of government"
(synonym) government, governing, government activity
(hypernym) social control
(hyponym) misgovernment, misrule
(derivation) govern, rule
(class) progressive, reformist, reform-minded

(n.)
Exercise of authority; control; government; arrangement.
  

The debate on European governance, launched by the Commission in its White Paper of July 2001, concerns all the rules, procedures and practices affecting how powers are exercised within the European Union. The aim is to adopt new forms of governance that bring the Union closer to European citizens, make it more effective, reinforce democracy in Europe and consolidate the legitimacy of the institutions. The Union must reform itself in order to fill the democratic deficit of its institutions. This governance should lie in the framing and implementation of better and more consistent policies associating civil society organisations and the European institutions. It also entails improving the quality of European legislation, making it clearer and more effective. Moreover, the European Union must contribute to the debate on world governance and play an important role in improving the operation of international institutions.

See:

•Community and intergovernmental methods
•Debate on the future of the European Union
•Democratic deficit
•European Convention
•Institutional balance and democratic legitimacy
•Laeken Declaration 
•Simplification of legislation 
•Treaty of Nice
•Transparency (access to documents) 
•Transparency of Council proceedings