| Internal Structural Document: | Internal Rules of Procedure (2023 Proposal) |
|---|---|
| Proposer: | FYEG |
| Status: | Accepted |
| Submitted: | 04/13/2023, 17:14 |
The Advisory Committee ensures the transfer of knowledge within FYEG and acts as a conflict resolution body. It is electedappointed for two years at the General Assembly. The Advisory Committee is composed of 5 members. Action by the Advisory
1. Member Organizations
2. General Assembly
3. Election and Voting Procedures
4. Bodies
5. Relations with other organisations
6. Event Management
7. Financial Management
Annex 1: Organisation of the General Assembly 22
Annex 2: Working Group Guidelines 28
Annex 3: Safer Spaces Policy
General Principles
FYEG will have minimal statutes that only contain what legally matters and they
will be revised in case the Belgian law changes. All other matters will be taken
care of in the IRPs.
The IRPs must never contradict the statutes, they can elaborate.
The IRPs shall be facilitating and helping with decision-making processes as
well as the organisation of the federation. There shall be no more rules than
necessary.
This document shall be accessible to every MO on the website.
All acts, invoices, publications, official letters and websites, in electronic
form or not, emanating from the association must mention:
- its full or abbreviated name, immediately preceded or followed by “AISBL” or
“international non-profit association”,
- the precise indication of its registered office,
- its company number,
- the terms "register of legal persons" or the abbreviation "RPM" followed by
the indication of the court of the registered office of the legal person,
- if applicable, their email address and website,
- the number of at least one account held by the association with a credit
institution established in Belgium,
- if applicable, the indication that the association is in liquidation.
The association is made up of member organisations only and has three categories
of member organisations:
Full members
Candidate members
Associate members
Membership criteria are detailed in the Statutes.
Conditions of admission of candidate member organisations are detailed in the
Statutes.
Conditions of admission of full member organisations are detailed in the
Statutes.
In addition, a candidate member organisation must apply for full membership
latest at the General Assembly three years after it has received its candidate
member organisation status. If the candidate member organisation does not apply
for full membership in the third year of its candidacy, the Executive Committee
can propose the suspension or exclusion of the candidate member organisation.
Conditions of admission of associate member organisations are detailed in the
Statutes.
Conditions for the resignation of members are detailed in the Statutes.
Conditions for the suspension of members are detailed in the Statutes.
The Executive Committee has a right to propose the suspension of a member
organisation to the General Assembly in the following cases (not limited to):
• no update or other contact is made between a member and the FYEG Executive
Committee between two General Assemblies,
• the member organisation doesn’t fulfil one or more of the membership criteria,
• the member organisation didn’t pay their membership fee,
• major changes that happened in the member organisation, which need to be
investigated by the EC.
The suspension of a member is pronounced by the General Assembly by a two-thirds
majority, in line with the Status.
The suspension of a member means that the organisation loses its voting rights.
When a member is suspended, the Executive Committee:
1. informs the member organisation about the suspension via an e-mail and
explain the consequences
2. makes all reasonable efforts to enable the member to regain its full
membership
3. creates a report on this process and presents it at the following General
Assembly.
Conditions for the exclusion of members are detailed in the Statutes.
The Executive Committee has a right to propose the exclusion of a member
organisation to the General Assembly. The exclusion of a member is pronounced by
the General Assembly by a two-thirds majority. As detailed in the Status, the
exclusion of a member is only valid if the following conditions have been met:
the proposal for exclusion is explicitly indicated in the convocation of the
General Assembly,
the member in question was heard if they so wished,
the assembly brings together at least two-thirds of the full members, whether
they are present or represented.
The exclusion of an MO means that this organisation is not listed as a member
organisation anymore and hence loses all of its rights within FYEG. Following an
exclusion, an organisation that wishes to rejoin FYEG is expected to follow the
entire membership procedure, as a new organisation would.
The rejoining organisation is required to inform GA about changes that happened
in their organisation since leaving FYEG and explanation of their decision about
rejoining.
A full member organisation that is present at the General Assembly and that has
not paid the membership fee can not vote.
In case a member organisation is not present at the General Assembly and has not
paid the membership fee, the Presidency will be notified and the matter will be
noted in the minutes of the General Assembly.
If a member organisation has not paid the membership fee for two consecutive
years, the General Assembly will vote on a suspension.
If a member organisation has not paid the membership fee for three consecutive
years, the General Assembly will vote on an exclusion.
FYEG has an annual membership fee. The ceiling is stated in the Statutes.
Each full member organisation shall pay an annual membership fee to FYEG. This
membership fee shall correspond to 1 % of the total incomes of their previous
year’s realised budget with a minimum of 50 EUR for the EU and European Economic
Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and Switzerland and the United Kingdom,
and 25 EUR for all other European countries.
By way of derogation to the previous paragraph, the General Assembly may decide,
in duly justified cases, to lower the amount of the membership fee that a Member
Organisation shall pay, following a recommendation of the Executive Committee.
Requests for lowering the Membership fee shall be sent by a Member Organisation
to the Executive Committee at the latest 2 weeks before the GA.
Each full MO shall pay their membership fee for the running year on the first
evening of the GA at the latest, if it has not already been transferred earlier.
Full MOs are requested to provide their annual budget statement for the previous
year at the latest. A document listing the amount of the membership fee paid by
each MO and the way it has been calculated must be annexed to the financial
report of the year in question.
The Executive Committee presents a review of the FYEG Member Organisations as
part of the Executive Committee Report. The review can include the following
information:
Overview of the region and its meetings and activities,
The Member Organisations' engagement with FYEG activities during the year,
Major changes to the Member Organisation.
In case of major changes (change of organisations' name, split in the
organisation, merge with another organisation, change of political affiliation,
etc.), the Executive Committee can propose the General Assembly to vote on that
change. The General Assembly may, among other options, take note of the change
or suspend the membership of the organisation to give sufficient time to the
Executive Committee to look into the situation.
Each MO should keep FYEG updated about:
- changes in the board
- valid contact addresses for the MO list and the website
- activities
FYEG will provide the Member Organisations with:
- information about statutory meetings
- minutes and reports from statutory meetings and long ECMs
- a newsletter containing information and participation possibilities in current
activities
- regularly updated contacts of other Member Organisations
The General Assembly is the highest decision body. The General Assembly is
composed of one or two delegates per full member organisation, candidate member
organisation and associate member organisation.
MOs should strive to send delegations to GA that are gender-balanced and consist
of delegates maximum aged 30 years old. If the organisation is unable to find
delegates within the age limit, they can send older delegates aged 31-35.
The delegates can be asked to pay a participation fee for the General Assembly.
People who are employed by FYEG or are members of the FYEG Executive Committee
cannot be delegates to the general assembly.
The power of the General Assembly is detailed in the Statutes.
The Statutes state that a decision of the General Assembly is required in the
following cases:
- the approval of the annual financial report of the previous year and the
budget of the upcoming year,
- the adoption and amendment of the Statutes,
- the adoption and amendment of the IRPs,
- the adoption and amendment of the Political Platform
- the election and dismissal of the executive committee,
- the admission, suspension and exclusion of members.
In addition, a decision of the General Assembly is required in the following
cases:
- the adoption and amendment of the Activity plan for the upcoming year,
- the adoption and amendment of Resolutions,
- the election of the Secretary-General,
- the election of the Financial Control and Advisory Committee,
- the election of the Editorial Board of Ecosprinter,
- the election of the FYEG representative to the European Green Party Committee,
- the approval of the Advisory Committee
- the approval of the Presidency of the General Assembly
- Decision about joining (or leaving) membership with other
organisations/networks
The General Assembly also hears the following reports:
- Activity Report
- Executive Committee and Secretary General Report
- FYEG's Representative to the EGP Committee
- Ecosprinter Editorial Board report
- Financial Control and Advisory Committee report
- Advisory Committee report
The Administrative Board and the Executive Committee summons the annual General
Assembly. FYEG Member Organisations are summoned to the General Assembly via e-
mail. The convocation contains the agenda, date, time and place of the General
Assembly.
General Assembly is presided in line with the Meeting Rules (Annex - 1)
The rules for holding extraordinary General Assembly are detailed in the
Statutes.
The call for hosting the General Assembly must be sent out by latest 1st of
October of every year with a one month deadline. The selection of the hosting
organisation is done by the Executive Committee.
The remaining deadlines are structured as follows:
12 Weeks before the General Assembly the Executive Committee must send out a
call for:
Registration
the executive committee (if applicable)
the secretary general (if applicable)
the financial control and advisory committee
the ecosprinter editorial board
the FYEG representative to the EGP committee
the presidency
10 weeks before the General Assembly:
The Executive Committee must also organise an online information session,
explaining the functioning of the General Assembly and promoting the different
open positions.
9 weeks before the General Assembly is the deadline for:
applications of presidency
6 weeks before the General Assembly is the deadline for:
registration of delegates
applications of organisations for associate, candidate or full membership
applications of Secretary General candidates
applications for the FYEG nominee to the EGP Committee
4 Weeks before the General Assembly is the deadline for:
submission of resolutions
amendments to the Political Platform, the Internal Rules and Procedures and the
Strategic Plan
Reports and Plans to be sent out to Member Organisations
Executive Committee candidates
Financial Control and Advisory Committee candidates
Ecosprinter Editorial Board candidates
the submission of proposals to add point to the GA agenda, any such proposal
must be signed by one-twentieth of the full member organisations, as detailed in
the Statutes
In case the number of candidates is less than the number of positions open
and/or if the gender quota is not met, the Executive Committee will re-open the
call for additional candidates of the underrepresented gender and/or positions
with lacking candidates.
3 weeks before the General Assembly is the deadline for:
publication of Candidacies
publication of Executive Committee recommendations on candidating member
organisations (for full or candidate membership)
publication of Executive Committee recommendations on exclusion and/or
suspension of member organisations
sending the GA agenda, as detailed in the Statutes
2 weeks before the General Assembly is the deadline for:
publication of support for candidates
1 week before the General Assembly is the deadline for:
amendments to the resolutions, Activity Plan and Financial Plan
Other deadlines:
The deadline for submitting emergency resolutions must be 2 days before the
start of the General Assembly. At the end of the General Assembly's first day,
the assembly sets a deadline for amendments to the emergency resolutions.
At the general assembly Full Member Organisations and the Executive Committee
have the right to submit resolutions, and amendments to resolutions, the
political platform, the activity and financial plan, the strategic plan, the
statutes and the IRPs, bearing in mind the deadlines specified under 2.4.
Support of 3 Full Member Organizations is needed in order to table an emergency
resolution.
The General Assembly confirms the Presidency proposed by the Executive Committee
before any other decisions are made.
The Presidency then:
chairs the meetings and discussions at the General Assembly
prepares the resolutions, amendments and voting procedures for the General
Assembly
is responsible for taking the minutes of the General Assembly
The Presidency:
consists of four to six people who must not be candidates to any positions
at the General Assembly.
can be suspended and simultaneously replaced with an absolute two-third
majority by the assembly. Such a vote of no-confidence can be demanded by
at least 5% of the delegates, who must present people for the new
Presidency.
A participation fee to the General Assembly can be set up if the Treasurer finds
it necessary.
The following participants of the General Assembly are exempt from paying the
participation fee:
One delegate per Full, Candidate and Associate Member Organisation,
Executive Committee members
the Secretary-General and office
members of the Presidency
If a full Member Organisation sends a second delegate the participation fee is
halved in case at least one of the two delegates self-identifies as women,
intersex, nonbinary, trans or agender. Treasurer can grant exemption or lowering
of the fee to participant that request it.
Full reimbursement of travel costs is granted to:
one delegate per full, candidate or associate Member Organisation
Executive Committee members
the Secretary-General and the office
candidates for the Executive Committee elections
candidates for the Secretary-General elections, provided they have
received approval by the pre-selection committee
candidates for the FYEG Representative to the EGP Committee, provided they
have received approval by the pre-selection committee
members of the presidency
The Treasurer can decide to reimburse travel costs for:
delegates of organisations applying for candidate membership in FYEG
candidates for all open positions
the second delegate of a full, candidate or associate Member Organisation
if at least one delegate self-identifies as women, intersex, nonbinary,
trans or agender.
In line with the Statutes, each Member Organisation has the right to attend the
General Assembly. Only Full Member Organisations have voting rights and each
Full Member Organisation has two votes.
In line with the Statutes, the General Assembly deliberates validly only if 50 %
+ 1 of the Full Member Organisations are present or represented. The Statutes
detail the steps to follow in case the attendance quorum is not reached.
In line with the Statutes, in principle all decisions in FYEG are taken by a
simple majority of votes registered for the General Assembly. When voting,
abstention is always an option. When the vote relates to decisions concerning
persons or Member Organisations, the ballot is always secret. The voting body
can decide to have other voting procedures processed through secret ballot.
Definitions
Votes registered at General Assembly - the number of Member Organisations and
their delegates who are registered for the General Assembly and have voted in
the determination of the General Assembly quorum
Votes cast - the number of votes that were submitted.
Simple majority
Majority of the votes cast, i.e. the number of “Yes” votes exceed the number of
“No” votes.
Abstentions are not considered in the count.
Examples:
Out of 20 votes: 11 yes, 9 no, 0 abstentions: passed; 1 yes, 0 no, 19
abstentions: passed.
10 yes; 10 no; 0 abstentions. not passed. 10 yes, 9 no, 1 abstention: passed.
Absolute majority
To pass "yes" should reach the majority (half+1, or half + 0.5 in case of odd
number) of the number of votes registered at the General Assembly.
Note that it is number of votes registered, not number of votes cast. This means
that if less than half of the voters are present and vote, this majority can
never be reached.
Examples:
20 voters registered: need 11 or more yes votes.
21 voters registered: need 11 or more yes votes.
22 voters registered: need 12 or more yes votes.
Simple two-thirds majority
Two thirds of the votes cast.
Absolute two-thirds majority
Two thirds of the number of votes registered.
Note that it is the number of votes registered, not the number of votes cast.
This means that if less than two thirds of the voters are present and vote this
majority can never be reached.
Examples:
20 voters: need 14 yes or more votes.
21 voters registered: need 14 or more yes votes.
22 voters registered: need 15 or more yes votes.
FYEG uses a Single Transferable Vote (STV) electoral system with a standard
droop quota. Mathematically, this is the next integer larger than V / (n+1) when
V = the total number of valid votes and n is the number of positions available.
Specifically recommended is the Scottish STV system.
The main principle is to rank all the candidates according to the voter's
preferences for each candidate. Where 1 is the first preference 2 the second
preference and so on.
Voters can rank all candidates even if the number of candidates exceeds the
number of positions. Voters can decide to not rank some of the candidates even
if this means leaving the ballot partially blank.
Only a completely blank ballot counts as abstention, an abstention counts under
the exception below.
If a simple majority of all ballots cast do not rank the candidate with any
numbers they are excluded from the election.
0 - All ballots are inspected to determine that candidates have received a
simple majority of any kind of ranking on cast ballots. If not, they will be
excluded from the election.
1 – The candidates who have reached the election quota (i.e. election threshold)
are elected.
2 – If some positions are still available, the following process starts:
2a – The left-over votes on candidates reaching the election threshold are
redistributed according to second preferences, using the Single Transferable
Vote system of distribution.
2b – If one or more candidates have reached the election threshold, that/those
candidate(s) are elected in order from highest to lowest vote count. The process
then starts again from point (2).
2c – If no candidate reaches the threshold in this way, the candidate with the
lowest amount of votes is removed from the election. The ballot-papers that
ranked this candidate as their first remaining preference are redistributed
according to their second preference. The process is then restarted (1).
2d - If, following the calculation of the election result, one or more
candidates is elected who is ineligible due to quota regulations, these
candidates (who had the least number of votes) are removed from the pool of
candidates and the entire election is recalculated. That is to say, the election
is recalculated, and each time the ineligible candidate would have received a
preference vote, the vote instead goes to the voter’s next preference.
At the General Assembly:
Concerning the Executive Committee elections:
The spokespersons and the treasurer are elected separately from the rest of the
Executive Committee positions.
Concerning the Advisory Committee:
The newly elected Executive Committee will present the proposed Advisory
Committee to the General Assembly. The General Assembly ratifies the proposed
Advisory Committee by a simple majority vote.
Between General Assemblies:
Concerning the replacement of a resigned Executive Committee member:
If an Executive Committee member resigns, a new Executive Committee member can
be elected to replace them.
The Executive Committee will publishes a call for candidates for the vacant
position. Candidates will be elected via an electronic vote.
Any replaced EC member will have full voting rights in the Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee can call for an electronic vote between General
Assemblies in urgent matters. It is the duty of the Executive Committee to
provide enough information for the full Member Organisations to make an informed
decision.
Each full Member Organisation has 2 votes. When voting, abstention is always an
option.
The voting period is set to two weeks with a one week reminder.
The Statutes, the Internal Rules and Procedures, the Strategic Plan and the
Political Platform cannot be subject to any electronic vote between the General
Assemblies.
Results will be announced within one week after the closing of the vote and
include detailed information.
In the case of a tie between two points of substance, the vote shall be held
again. If the result is once again a tie, the body voting may choose to vote
once more, table the discussion to later in the meeting, or decide by some form
of chance. Note that this paragraph is not intended to apply to ties between
“yes”, “no”, or “abstain” where some point of substance requires a majority to
pass.
If the tie occurs between two candidates in an election, and only one may be
elected, a vote shall be held to decide between them. If the result is once
again a tie, the body voting may choose to vote once more or decide by some form
of chance. At any point during this, either candidate may choose to withdraw.
Two thirds of the Executive Committee can propose dismissal of an Executive
Committee member.
The Full Member Organisations vote on the proposed resignation through
electronic vote.
The vote is based on two letters: a letter of justification from the majority of
Executive Committee members proposing the dismissal and an optional letter of
defence from the Executive Committee member.
If at least one third of the full MOs participate in the vote and a two third
majority is reached the Executive Committee member is dismissed.
The Executive Committee can propose dismissal of the Secretary General, with
two-thirds of the votes of the members of the EC. The Member Organisations must
be notified within 8 days about the decision and the Executive Committee must
appoint a Secretary-General ad interim within 8 weeks after the decision of the
Executive Committee. The Secretary General ad interim will continue until the
election of a new Secretary General at the subsequent General Assembly.
In all elected bodies there must be a minimum of 50% of people that self-
identify as women, intersex, nonbinary, trans or agender.
If there is only one position in a body, there is no quota. However it is
encouraged that people that self-identify as women, intersex, nonbinary, trans
or agender alternate in this position.
In line with the Statutes, the association is administered by an administrative
board composed of three people, appointed by the general assembly amongst the
Secretary-General, the co-spokespeople and the treasurer.
The Executive Committee members are responsible for making strategic and
political decisions about the organisation during their mandate and between
General Assemblies.
The Executive Committee is composed of eight people:
who are elected by the General Assembly with a two-year mandate
whose mandate can be renewed two times
in case of by-election, the term only counts as a mandate if it exceeds 6 months
an EC member can not hold two mandates in the same role
An EC candidate must not be older than 32 on the year of election.
A mandate is the period between one Annual GA and the second to next Annual GA.
Within the EC there are two spokespersons, who must not be from the same Member
Organisation, the treasurer and five additional members. The gender quota
applies to the spokespersons.
The Executive Committee:
is responsible for the relations with the Member Organisations,
has the right to make statements on behalf of FYEG, in line with the political
platform
oversees the implementation of the activity plan as decided by the General
Assembly
receives and handles applications from organisations that wish to join FYEG and
produces a report for the General Assembly including voting recommendation
can engage FYEG in partnerships with external movements, networks and
organisations
select members of non-elected temporary bodies and provides political support to
them (such as the prep-teams, working groups, task forces etc.)
The Executive Committee members represent FYEG to its partners, member
organisations and other stakeholders.
The Spokespersons:
Coordinate the Executive Committee
Represent FYEG to the public and are a contact point for people from outside the
Federation.
Represent FYEG with the Partners and attend European Green Party Committee
meetings
Are responsible for the secretariat
The mandate of the spokespersons is further stated in the internal delegation
order of FYEG, adopted by the Executive Committee on an annual basis.
The Treasurer is responsible for the yearly budget of FYEG. The treasurer works
closely together with the Secretary General and the Office, that ensures the
daily financial management of the organisation. The treasurer:
prepares the financial report to the Executive Committee and to the General
Assembly
prepares a budget plan for the General Assembly
has regular meetings with the Office to check the budget
The mandate of the treasurer is further stated in the internal delegation order
of FYEG, adopted by the Executive Committee on an annual basis
The Secretary General is elected for a three year mandate at the General
Assembly. The mandate can only be renewed once. The total duration of the
mandate of the Secretary-General can not exceed two mandates and the time held
as "interim Secretary-General" is not counted as part of a mandate.
The tasks of the Secretary General include:
the legal representation of the organisation
Managing the FYEG Secretariat and making sure that each office member fulfils
their responsibilities and tasks
Facilitating and assisting the work of the Executive Committee
Overseeing the HR processes
Overseeing the execution of FYEG Activity Plan
Overseeing FYEG finances, including fundraising, reporting, handling FYEG bank
accounts, accounting,
Making sure that the statutory deadlines and process are respected
Overseeing the organisation of the statutory activities
Overseeing FYEG's external communications and campaigns
Monitoring key political events and policy developments on the European level to
serve as a resource for FYEG's political work
Maintaining good contacts with FYEG's partners and Member Organisations and
other stakeholders
If mandated by the Executive Committee, the Secretary General can externally
represent FYEG and its position
As outlined in the Statutes and the Rule Book of the European Green Party, the
Committee is the executive body of the European Green Party and is responsible
for its political and strategical development and functioning within the budget
and the guidelines approved by the Congress. The Committee consists of 13
members, out of which 4 are elected for specific functions, 8 regular members
and 1 seat nominated by FYEG.
The Committee mandate is 3 years. Members may not serve more than three terms.
The Committee’s general tasks and responsibilities are further detailed in the
European Green Party Statutes.
FYEG nominates one member to the EGP Committee. Hereafter, this person will be
referred to as the representative. This representative cannot hold any of the
four specific posts of the Petit Committee (Co-Chairs, Treasurer and the
Secretary General). The nomination of this FYEG representative will follow the
Committee elections deadlines.
FYEG's representative is elected at the General Assembly. They must not be older
than 35 years old at the year of election. They are required to attend at least
one live Executive Committee meeting every year. Moreover they must submit a
report to the General Assembly every year, detailing the work that they have
done in the EGP Committee. They can be asked to attend more FYEG Executive
Committee meetings and FYEG events to represent the EGP Committee.
At the General Assembly, members of the Financial Control and Advisory Committee
(FCAC) are elected for a two year mandate.
The FCAC is composed of two members. Its members must not be members of the
Executive Committee nor financially depending on FYEG.
The FCAC’s tasks include:
At least one meeting a year, dedicated to checking FYEG’s finances. A written
report of this meeting must be submitted to the EC, thereby providing an
internal audit.
the presentation of this yearly report to the delegates at the GA. The financial
report that is to be presented to the GA and all other relevant material have to
be ready and at disposal for the meeting.
Providing recommendations to FYEG Treasurer and Secretary General regarding the
financial management and the financial orientations of FYEG.
It is recommended that the EC and the office share relevant information related
to the finances of the organisation to FCAC throughout the year.
In addition to the Secretary General, FYEG may recruit employees for its Office.
In principle, all recruitments are made after an open and public call. The
decision on the selected candidate is done in line with the internal delegation
order of the FYEG, adopted by the Executive Committee on an annual basis.
The Executive Committee adopts “Guidelines and Rules for the Office” in line
with legal requirements. This document is made available to all employees,
especially when new employees are recruited.
Salaries are decided upon in line with the internal delegation order of the
FYEG, based on the financial plans adopted by the General Assembly.
The Advisory Committee ensures the transfer of knowledge within FYEG and acts as
a conflict resolution body. It is electedappointed for two years at the General Assembly.
The Advisory Committee is composed of 5 members. Action by the Advisory
Committee is taken only upon request by Executive Committee members of other
bodies of FYEG. Its tasks are:
providing their shared experience on a specific subject
assisting in conflict resolution between Executive Committee members, members of
other Bodies and/or office
providing general or specific mentorship for Executive Committee members on an
individual needs basis.
If requested by the Executive Committee, advising the Executive Committee on
organisational and structural matters
In order to enable the Advisory Committee to fulfil this tasks it is granted the
following:
one-way access to the email-list of the Executive Committee throughout the year,
meaning the possibility to read conversations but not actively take part
access to the online storing spaces of the Executive Committee, without editing
rights.
attendance at online or offline meetings of the Executive Committee
During its duty, the Advisory Committee must respect the secrecy of internal
matters. At the General Assembly, the Advisory Committee must present a brief
overview of the functioning of the Executive Committee and office. If prompted,
the Advisory Committee make recommendation within 8 weeks, after oral or written
consultation of involved parties, and to the best of all members’ knowledge.
Recommendation of the Advisory Committee have to be provided in written form to
parties involved.
Working groups have the following functions within FYEG :
helping with the acquirement and create professional documents on current and
selected topics
providing the groundwork for the formulation of political positions
promoting the involvement of Member Organisations and green activists in FYEG
Working Groups
providing space for a debate between young Green activists on the European level
supporting the Executive Committee, office and prep-teams in the organisation of
events and campaigns
supporting the Executive Committee and Prep-teams in policy related preparations
for FYEG events
Working groups are formed by the Executive Committee, with a defined scope, aim,
working area and timeframe. This defined scope is outlined by the Executive
Committee responsible for the working group and working group coordinators at
the start of the mandate to complement FYEG's priorities. The creation of a
working group may be planned in the annual activity plan adopted by the General
Assembly but the Executive Committee may also decide to create ad-hoc working
groups.
Working groups must not work against the political platform of FYEG. Further
details on how to form, manage and communicate Working Groups is detailed in the
Annex - 2 Working Groups Guidelines.
The Ecosprinter is the Member Organisations magazine of FYEG and is created by
an autonomous editorial board, elected at the General Assembly. The Ecosprinter
is published online and FYEG should strive for a printed version.
The mission of the Ecosprinter is to:
provide a forum for commentary and internal debate
provide the spaces for blogs and articles of members of FYEG
inform about European Green policies and politics
report and comment about culture, politics and discussions they believe are of
importance.
The Ecosprinter Editorial Board:
consist of four members of which only one may be an EC member
has to be gender-balanced
can elect an Editor-in-Chief among its members
work on the mission and development of the Ecosprinter
In case there is not a consensus within the Ecosprinter Editorial Board on the
election of the Editor-in-Chief, or an absolute majority, the Executive
Committee can appoint the Editor-in-Chief. The role of the editor in chief is to
coordinate the work of the Ecosprinter Editorial Board and ensure that the
mission of the Ecosprinter is fulfilled.
In case a decision needs to be taken and a member of an FYEG body has a conflict
of interest, financial or moral, they must inform the other members of the body
before the decision is taken and the following procedure applies:
- the nature of the conflict of interest must appear in the minutes of the
meeting,
- the person with a conflict of interest may not participate in the debate and
the vote related to the decision in question.
- except for the Executive Committee itself, the body in question is allowed to
delegate this decision to the Executive Committee,
- when the decision is delegated to a second body, the first body may still
execute the decision.
If someone neglects to disclose a conflict of interest, any other member who is
aware of the conflict must inform the rest of the members before the debate and
decision takes place. Without the member concerned by the conflict of interest
present, the body decides by a vote whether or not this member can participate
in the debate and the vote. This decision must be mentioned in the minutes of
the meeting. The body is allowed to delegate this decision.
In case the majority of members present or represented are in a position of
conflict of interest, the decision must be delegated to the Executive Committee.
In case the majority of members of the Executive Committee are in a position of
conflict of interest, the decision must be delegated to the General Assembly.
This chapter does not apply when the decision in question relates to usual
transactions, entered into under normal market conditions and guarantees for
transactions of the same nature.
FYEG may:
become a member of other organisations/networks
become a temporary or permanent partner of other
organisations/networks/alliances
set up new organisations and networks
The Executive Committee may take the decision to become a temporary or permanent
partner of other organisation/networks/alliances. The decision to become a
member of other organisations/networks or to set up new organisations/networks
should be approved by the General Assembly.
Furthermore the EC must:
provide a list of organisations that FYEG is a member of, as well as a
description of FYEG’s rights and responsibilities and the contact details of the
concerned organisations
report at the GA about all the partnerships FYEG has maintained during the year
and provide details upon request by a MO
FYEG is the official youth wing of the European Green Party (EGP). Relations
between FYEG and EGP are further specified in the EGP-FYEG relationship
agreement.
FYEG and Cooperation and Development Network (CDN) are sister organisations and
cooperate together to their mutual benefit. Relations between FYEG and CDN are
further specified in the CDN-FYEG relationship agreement.
FYEG supports the building and working of Global Young Greens (GYG), striving to
help GYG with financial and organisational matters.
Participants to an event are selected in line with the internal delegation order
of the FYEG, striving for gender, age and geographical balance.
The Executive Committee decides if the event is open to all or only to the
delegates of Member Organisations.
The FYEG Safer Spaces Policy and the Anti Sexual Harassment protocol shall be
communicated and presented to all participants.
A Prep Team is a temporary bodies, created for the planning, organisation and
follow-up of specific projects.
A Prep Team is set up via an open call procedure.
In line with the internal delegation order of the FYEG, the final decisions on
the Prep Team's composition and all necessary replacements are done by the
responsible Executive Committee member. They must always:
strive for gender and geographical balance
ensure compliance to specific set of rules imposed by partners and funders
A Prep Team can take decisions concerning their project independently. If
needed, a Prep Team can consult the Executive Committee in order to solve
possible internal problems.
Organisers of the event shall make sure that underaged participants are not
exposed to dangerous situations involving alcohol or illegal drugs.
This shall be ensured by, among others, the following measures:
Participants below 16 and those for whom it is forbidden by domestic laws, shall
not consume alcohol or illegal drugs, and one shall not offer any to them. In
the event that this does take place, all parties responsible must be banned from
the rest of the programme. Moreover, their respective MO(s) shall be notified by
the Executive Committee upon violation of these rules;
Alcohol and illegal drugs shall not be consumed during the official sessions
part of the programme;
FYEG shall look into organising sessions and parties in other places than those
where alcohol consumption is central, such as bars or clubs;
Members of the Executive Committee and the Prep Team shall lead by example and
abstain from excessively drinking alcohol and from using illegal drugs during an
event. Additionally, two people, from either the Executive Committee or the Prep
Team, should be appointed to stay sober during the programme.
The FYEG financial year starts on 1st of January and ends on 31st of December as
is reflected in FYEG budget. The financial management of FYEG is done through
the decision-making, execution and control of different bodies in line with
Belgian law and the delegation order adopted by each Executive Committee.
FYEG’s internal financial management is organised as follows:
The General Assembly approves of the yearly Budget Report and amends and adopts
the yearly Budget Plan
The Executive Committee approves the General Budget Plan and Report presented by
the Treasurer, before they are submitted to the General Assembly.
The Treasurer regularly monitors the implementation of the overall budget and
accounting and keeps the rest of the Executive Committee updated
The Secretariat manages all the practicalities to realise the adopted budget
under the supervision of the Secretary-General
The Financial Control and Advisory Committee (FCAC) monitors and reviews the
financial reports and plans once per year before they are presented at the
General Assembly. The FCAC also monitors the financial management processes and
practices. It submits a report to the General Assembly
A certified auditor provides an external audit in line with legal requirements.
The reimbursement rules, procedures and deadlines are shared with the
participants of each events. Each event and activity has its own rules,
procedures and deadlines in line with the rules and procedures of the funders of
the activity.
As a general principle a person can ask for reimbursement of the travel cost if:
the participant attended at least 75% of the meeting
all relevant receipts and proof of travel have been handed in within the
deadline communicated for each activity
Exceptions to these rules regarding participants can only be made in
consultation with the Treasurer.
Train and other public transport travel costs are reimbursed on the basis of a
2nd class ticket or a 1st class if that option is cheaper.
For night trips over 500 km the couchette fee (2nd class) can be covered
Bike trips over 10 km are reimbursed by 1 EUR / km with a maximum of the price
of a second class train ticket and with an absolute maximum of 100 EUR
For trips where the travel by train or bus takes more than 12 hours, a plane
ticket will be reimbursed on the basis of an economy class ticket. A plane
ticket can also be reimbursed if the destination was over 750 km or train-
traveling is not possible because of pressing time-table reasons.
Taxi costs will be reimbursed if local transport is not available and if
requested in advance from the organisers.
The necessity of using a private car must be justified in writing and approved
in advance. Travel by car may be reimbursed by 0.2 EUR/km. Depending on the
activity, specific reimbursement rules may apply.
Car sharing should be approved in advance and should be cheaper than public
transportation. The costs have to be documented.
FYEG uses the official conversion rates of the European Commission for
currencies other than Euro:
ec.europa.eu/budget/contracts_grants/info_contracts/inforeuro/inforeuro_en.cfm
based on the date of expense if no other donor guidelines apply. Exceptions are
payments with credit cards when the documented conversion rates of the credit
card company apply based on credit card payments statements.
A participation fee to any activity can be demanded and fixed by the Executive
Committee, in line with the delegation order.
The members of the Executive Committee can be reimbursed for food expenses up to
maximum 30€ per person for meetings covering an entire day and up to 15€ per
person for half-day meetings with at least 4 hours of work.
Food reimbursement for other volunteers are fixed by the participating
conditions for each event and meeting.
FYEG can only cover costs for vegetarian and vegan food. At every event, vegan
food should be offered and its consumption encouraged.
If requested and possible child care will be provided for the Secretary-General,
FYEG Office, Executive Committee members, speakers and Prep Team members in
order to allow full presence at an event. The child care support can take the
form of: covering the travel and accommodation costs for an extra person to
provide child care on the spot during the event, covering the fee for a child
care professional during the event etc. All the costs should be approved by the
Treasurer.
The members of FYEG Executive Committee are entitled to a monthly allowance up
to a maximum of 100 EUR per month. The FYEG EC members are free to claim the
allowance depending on their need.
The allowance is meant to cover preparation and participation in the following
meetings:
FYEG activities, including regular EC meetings;
EGP Committee Meetings and Councils;
Study Visits to Member Organisations approved by the EC;
Other events or meetings approved by the EC.
In addition to the monthly allowance, Executive Committee members are entitled
to reimbursement for their costs for travel, accommodation, food and child care
costs when travelling, in accordance with the FYEG reimbursement rules.
Reimbursement for expenses while travelling can only cover expenses for up to
the limit of 1 day before and 1 day after the event/meeting.
The EC member in question makes sure the allowance is declared in line with the
fiscal rules of their country of fiscal residence. FYEG declines responsibility
for any tax liability.
Applicant Organisations
Organisations that are applying to become an Associate, Candidate or Full Member
of the Federation of Young European Greens should send their application to the
Executive Committee before the deadlines set in the Internal Rules and
Procedures.
Their application shall contain:
a letter signed by their board stating the reason and motivation for their
application
a copy of the original statutes and a translated version in English
a copy of their political platform (or comparable document) and a
translated version in English
a filled-in questionnaire provided to them by the Executive Committee that
includes questions on the number of its members, age limit, list of
activities, budget and all other possibly relevant information.
Executive Committee candidates
Candidates for the Executive Committee shall provide in their application form:
Filled-in application form that will be made available online
A motivation letter,
An Outline of their plans are for the organisation or their vision for
FYEG
Detailed CV
Candidates must be proposed by their member organisation and seconded by
another FYEG member organisation.
One nomination letter from the Member Organisation they belong to. If that
is not possible the Member Organisation, of which the candidate is from,
must provide an explanation for the rejection of nomination and the
possible candidate has the right to provide a letter of justification. The
letter will be shared with the delegates of the General Assembly. The
General Assembly will decide, through a vote by two-third majority,
whether this person is admitted as a candidate or not.
Multiple positions holding
FYEG strives to have non-cumulation of positions.
Executive Committee members have to be able to combine their commitments to FYEG
with whatever other tasks they may have. Candidates to the Executive Committee
have to lay open what other mandates and functions they have.
Secretary General candidates:
Secretary General candidates’ application must include:
a CV
a comprehensive motivation letter, explaining how experiences match the
profile, what the candidate thinks they can contribute to FYEG. It should
also establish a vision of a European political youth organisation’s role.
Special emphasis is given to experiences within FYEG and other Young Green
Organisations.
the contact details of two references, preferably employers, supervisors
or tutors
Further requirements and procedure:
A committee for a pre-selection of the candidates will be set up. The
committee will consist of 4 people: a current FYEG EC member, a former
FYEG Secretary General or office coordinator, one full MO representative
and a 4th member (NGO professional worker).
Only applications including all required documents and sent before the
given deadline will be examined taking into consideration both political
and professional skills of the candidates. These candidates will be given
a written assignment and interview if this is possible.
The committee will assess the candidates’ experience and skills.
Candidates will be given a month to campaign and are expected to present
themselves at the GA. The final decision on the Sec-Gen of FYEG lies with
the final vote of the GA of the organisation.
In case a candidate is not recommended by the committee, they will still
be able to apply for the position and present themselves at the GA, but
the candidacy will not be endorsed by the EC.
In case the Secretary-General wants to renew their mandate and if by the
closing of the deadline for the applications for the Secretary-General
there are no other applications received, there is no need for the
Selection Committee.
FYEG’s Representative to the EGP Committee Candidates:
Candidates to FYEG’s Representative to the EGP Committee must provide:
A motivation letter,
An outline of their plans are for the organisation or their vision for
EGP, specifically as FYEG nominee
Detailed CV, highlighting their experiences in FYEG and FYEG Member
Organisations
A nomination letter from the Member Organisation they belong(ed) to. If
that is not possible the Member Organisation, of which the candidate is
from, must provide an explanation for the rejection of nomination and the
possible candidate has the right to provide a letter of justification.
Further requirements and procedure:
A committee for a pre-selection of the candidates will be set up. The
committee will consist of 4 people: one current/former FYEG EC member, a
current/former FYEG Co-Spokesperson, a current/former FYEG Secretary
General, and one full Member Organisation representative).
Only applications including all required documents and sent before the
given deadline will be examined taking into consideration both political
and professional skills of the candidates. These candidates will be given
an interview if this is possible.
The committee will assess the candidates’ experience and skills.
Candidates are expected to present themselves at the General Assembly. The
final decision on the nominee of FYEG to the EGP Committee is made by the
General Assembly.
In case a candidate is not recommended by the committee, they will still
be able to apply for the position and present themselves at the General
Assembly, but the candidacy will not be endorsed by the EC.
Financial Control and Advisory Committee:
Candidates for the Financial Control and Advisory Committee shall provide:
A motivation letter, highlighting their experience in financial management
Detailed CV
Ecosprinter Editorial Board:
Candidates for the Financial Control and Advisory Committee shall provide:
A motivation letter
Detailed CV
These meeting rules regulate the formal sessions of the General Assembly. The
goal of these meeting rules is to make sure that all participants have an as
similar understanding of the formalities of the General Assembly as possible.
Presidency
The General Assembly is presided over by the Presidency. The Presidency consists
of four to six people, who must not be candidates to any positions at the
General Assembly. In line with the Internal Rules and Procedures, the Presidency
is selected by the Executive Committee by an open-call. The General Assembly
confirms the Presidency proposed by the Executive Committee before any other
decisions are made.
The Presidency should elect a chair among themselves. The Chair is the main
point of contact for the Executive Committee and the Office during and after the
General Assembly.
The chair is responsible for making sure that the rest of the Presidency
delivers their tasks assigned to them and that all the documents related to the
General Assembly (adopted resolutions, minutes, votes and voting cards, and
other adopted documents) are finalised handed over the Office and the Executive
Committee in the following month after the General Assembly.
The Presidency:
chairs the meetings and discussions at the General Assembly
prepares the resolutions, amendments and voting procedures for the General
Assembly
is responsible for taking the minutes of the General Assembly
decides who speaks, who takes part in discussion and who can also be
suspended from discussions.
Can call emergency sessions to the agenda. However this change would need
confirmation by a simple two-thirds majority of the full members.
Agenda:
The agenda of the General Assembly is adopted with a simple majority on the
first day of the General Assembly.
In line with the Statutes, if the member organisations want to add a point to
the General Assembly agenda, they should communicate it to the Executive
Committee at least 10 days in advance and their proposal must be signed by one-
twentieth of the full members.
The agenda can only be changed with a simple two-thirds majority of the full
members. Proposed changes to the agenda have to be presented in written form to
the presidency.
Documents that are noted, amended, approved, disapproved at the General
Assembly:
The power and the role of the General Assembly is detailed in the Internal Rules
and Procedures.
The Executive Committee, the Secretary General, the Ecosprinter Editorial Board,
the Financial Control and Advisory Committee and the Advisory Committee presents
their reports for the previous years. These reports are heard by the GA, not
voted.
The Treasurer presents the annual accounts and financial report of the previous
financial year and the budget and the financial plan of the upcoming year. These
documents can be amended and voted.
The Executive Committee presents the Activity Plan and the Strategy Plan (if
applicable) for the upcoming year(s). These documents can be amended and voted.
The deadlines for presenting and amending these documents are detailed in the
Internal Rules and Procedures.
The Presidency is responsible for organising Compromise Amendment Sessions (CAS)
to try and find compromises on amendments, so that documents have a higher
chance of being adopted.
Compromise Amendment Sessions (CAS):
The Compromise Amendment Sessions are called CAS in short. Everyone who has
speaking rights at the General Assembly can attend the compromise amendment
session, and it’s advised that all member organisations with voting rights do
so.
Compromises are made between the member organisations or the body that proposed
the original document and the member organisations or the body that proposed the
amendment subject to compromise. It is advised to include other interested
Member Organisations in this compromise process so as to further broaden
consensus.
Amendments to existing documents (Statutes, Internal Rules and Procedures,
Political Platform) are only subjected to compromise if the compromise is in the
scope of an already submitted amendments. The Presidency may declare a
compromise amendment ineligible if its scope is different from the original
amendment.
During the Compromise Amendment Session, the proposer of the resolution presents
their resolution. The proposer of the amendment presents their amendment. At
this point other parties can declare their positions towards the amendment. The
proposer of the resolution can adapt the amendments or seek a compromise. If a
compromise is reached, it is shared with the delegates of the General Assembly.
Unless a Full Member Organisation or the Executive Committee disputes the
compromise, it is considered adopted. If the compromise is disputed, the
compromise will be sought until the last day of the General Assembly.
It is encouraged that the CAS sessions are organised in advance of the General
Assembly, following the deadline for amendments which is one week before the
General Assembly. The CAS session can happen online.
In the voting, firstly the compromised amendments on the document as whole are
voted. Afterwards, the document itself is voted on.
Resolutions
Each resolution should have an international and/or European angle
Each resolution should be supported by at least one Member Organisation
A resolution should always have a call to action
A resolution should preferably be around 5,000 characters but definitely
not more than 10,000
The Executive Committee can recommend review of certain resolutions to the
Presidency.
The Presidency can suggest/demand the proposers of the resolution to withdraw
their resolution or to postpone the resolution to the further General
Assemblies.
Speaking rights and debates:
Speaking rights are open to all members of FYEG bodies, and all registered
participants of the General Assembly.
The presidency ultimately decides which individuals are given the opportunity to
speak.
The speaking time for debates is proposed by the presidency at the beginning of
every debate based on the content of the debate and the time assigned for the
current session in the agenda.
The presidency can change the assigned speaking time based on the time left of
the session to better fit the agenda, as they see fit. This might include
cutting breaks.
The General Assembly can overrule (with a simple two thirds majority) the
presidency’s proposals for speaking time. In such cases the new Agenda proposal
must be submitted to the Presidency in a written form.
During sessions where debates will take place, participants will be able to
submit ‘speaker cards’ before the session. These cards will note if they are
for/against, their Member Organisation and their gender.
In vue of the received speaker cards, the Presidency will define the speaker
list. Speakers may still be taken from the floor for balance, but those who
submit cards will be prioritised
The presidency will ensure gender balance on the speaking list. This is done
through a strict quotation of the list. Only as many men are allowed to speak as
non-men are on the list. The only exception is if people are on the list who
haven’t participated in the debate up to that point. They will be chosen before
persons that have already made plenty of contributions.
The only exceptions to the speakers list are technical points. If someone has a
technical point, they must signal the presidency and will be given the floor
after the current speaker.
Types of debate:
Open debate: The debate is open to speakers willing to speak for or against the
resolution or amendment being discussed, as well as for contributions that are
neither opposed nor in favour. This debate is often used during the Compromise
Amendment Sessions.
Con-Pro: The debate is organised by an alternation of speakers against and for
the resolution or amendment being discussed. This debate is often used during
the Voting Session of the amendments that goes to vote and the resolutions.
It should be noted that all the compromises should be reached before the voting
session and the point of the con-pro debate is not to reach a compromise but to
explain the positions. Therefore the presidency is encouraged to do only one
round of con-pro debates, and if more than one rounds occur time is monitored by
the presidency to ensure that overall the ‘pro’ and ‘con’ sides are both
allocated equivalent speaking time.
Quorum, voting and majorities:
Quorum, voting rules and majorities are defined in the Internal Rules of
Procedures.
Voting rules and majorities are defined in the Internal Rules of Procedures
A quorum check will be called before the voting sessions.
Safer Spaces
The General Assembly is a space where everybody feels safe, and has an equal
opportunity to be heard. The Presidency is responsible for chairing the General
Assembly in line with FYEG’s Safer Spaces regulations. The presidency can ban a
participant for misconduct for the remainder of a session.
Annex 2: Working Group Guidelines
These guidelines are to serve the Working Groups and the Working Group
coordinators.
Working Group rights and responsibilities:
Working group functions are detailed in the FYEG’s Internal Rules of Procedures.
FYEG Working Groups are based on direct democracy and the inclusion of all its
members. Most of the Working Group meetings happen online, through the channels
of internal communication available to them. Working Group members can have
access to usage of the internal communication tools available to FYEG (such as
online meeting softwares). As set out in the Internal Rules of Procedures, the
EC is responsible for setting up a new Working Group and for ending the term of
a Working Group.
Working Groups can (and not only):
Support FYEG and its bodies in developing policy documents
Provide feedback to FYEG’s internal policies and documents
Create campaigns
Create guidelines, templates, training material, and similar material
All the Working Group activities must be in line with the FYEG Political
Platform.
Only FYEG’s Executive Committee (EC) has the mandate to speak on behalf of the
organisation and engage in partnerships with other organisations. Therefore, any
external communication or partnership request needs their approval.
When the Working Group has a request for content to be shared via FYEG’s
official channels, firstly, it should be approved by the member of the Executive
Committee responsible for the Working Group (hereinafter EC Responsible).
Moreover, if the Working Group decides to engage in external partnerships, sign
letters of external partners (i.e. organisations other than Green Political
Organisations), etc. this must also be approved by the EC Responsible for the
Working Group.
Finally, if the Working Group needs support from the FYEG Office in matters of
communication, administration, finances, etc. the Working Group should
communicate a detailed concept, through the Working Group coordinator, to the EC
Responsible in a timely manner.
Executive Committee responsibilities:
The EC Responsible is the person appointed among the EC members to be
responsible for the Working Group.
They are responsible for:
Initial setup of the Working Group: defining the aims, scope, timeframe,
publishing a call for Working Group members and coordinators
Choosing the first members of the Working Group and the Working Group
coordinators
Meeting with the coordinators to explain their roles and responsibilities
Attend meetings where needed/wanted to (optional) - but in general, it is
more important to be aware what they are up to
Keeping track of all their activities and being aware of how the Working
Group is progressing and what they are up to
Providing political advice and making sure the Working Group acts in line
with FYEG’s Political Platform
Updating the Working Group on FYEG activities related to their topics and
purposes
The EC responsible has the possibility to exclude someone from the Working Group
on the recommendation of the coordinators or at least three members of the
group. The EC has to be informed of the decision. The person has the possibility
to appeal to the Advisory Committee.
Working Group coordinator responsibilities
A working group should have two coordinators, at least one of them self-
identifying as women, intersex, nonbinary, trans or agender.
If it is impossible to find two coordinators even after the EC responsible’s
best efforts to do so, an exemption can be made if approved by the FYEG EC. In
this case, it is required that either the EC responsible or the Working Group
coordinator self-identifies as female, intersex, nonbinary, trans or agender,
Working Group coordinator tasks are as follows:
Set meetings and agendas for Working Group and notifying members of action
points afterwards (online Working Group meetings should strive to be
planned at least once every two weeks, excluding holidays and exceptional
circumstances)
Set up the main communication channels
Main point of contact for EC Responsible
Keep the EC Responsible up to date on what’s happening in the Working
Group
Keep Working Group members informed and updated on EC’s feedback and
recommendations
Steer direction: set priorities, what themes/projects they work on,
oversee the work
Coordinate the creation of a Working Group activity plan, guided be the
objectives and goals set out at the beginning
Set up subgroups (if necessary or desired)
They do not need to be involved in every single project or attend every
meeting, but in their absence should delegate project or meeting
moderation to someone else, and keep themselves updated on progress
Annex 3: Safer Spaces Policy
Safer spaces are evolving and not static. We have high expectations on how we
behave towards each other in our meetings, actions and social spaces. Making a
space safer means different things depending on the group of people involved as
each group has different needs. This policy aims to be considered in every
meeting involving FYEG, but the document should evolve as we learn and grow.
As an organisation we build social relationships inside and outside of meetings
and actions. We commit to this Safer Spaces policy wherever we are together,
this includes ensuring that ALL spaces are inclusive and harmless.
If someone violates these agreements a discussion or mediation process can
happen, depending on the wishes of the person who was affected. If a serious
violation happens to the extent that someone feels unsafe, they can be asked to
leave the space and/or speak with one member of the Awareness Group. If
necessary, the Sexual Harassment Protocol will be activated.
1. Respect! Racism, as well as ageism, GSRM-phobia , sexism, ableism or
prejudice based on ethnicity, nationality, class, gender, gender presentation,
language ability, asylum status or religious affiliation is unacceptable and
will be challenged. FYEG has a zero-tolerance policy with any kind of
discrimination, even though we acknowledge that there can be different levels in
a breach of a safe space.
2. Be aware of your privileges! Including racial, class and gender privilege
and/or less obvious or invisible hierarchies. Think about how your words,
opinions and feelings are influenced and who they might exclude or harm.
3. Consent! Respect each other’s physical and emotional boundaries, always get
explicit verbal consent before touching someone or crossing boundaries. Don’t
assume your physical & emotional boundaries are the same as other people’s.
4. Friendly use of language! Be aware of the language you use in discussion and
how you relate to others. Try to speak slowly and clearly and use uncomplicated
language especially when non-natives speakers are involved in the conversation.
5. Don’t anticipate yourself! Avoid assuming the opinions and identifications of
other participants.
6. Learning; if you don’t understand something, just ask. You may be directed to
a book, website or skill share to learn more. It’s ok to make mistakes. Please
show appreciation for the hard work of others and be considerate when you offer
criticism.
7. Everyone has their turn; give each person the time and space to speak. In
large groups, or for groups using facilitation: Raise your hand to speak.
8. Calling out; if you have acted or spoken harmfully, even if unintentionally,
expect that someone will bring this up to you. If this happens, listen and
reflect on what they are saying even if you think they may be wrong. Don’t try
to absolve yourself of responsibility.
This policy should be expanded with specific measures and practices to promote
the creation of safer spaces.
FYEG has a zero-tolerance policy on sexual harassment at all its events, within
all its structures and during all activities. This protocol is applicable for
those participating in an FYEG activity (General Assembly, Strategic Planning
Committee, Working Group Meeting or any other activity), members of a Member
Organization (MO), or members of an online structure of FYEG, referred to as
“this organization” from now onwards in this protocol.
Anyone who is subject to sexual harassment can approach one of the designated
contact points responsible for receiving complaints of sexual harassment. The
Executive Committee will designate an Awareness Group for anyone presenting
allegations of physical, verbal or online sexual harassment. In accordance with
the IRPs, the Awareness Group will be formed by two persons from the EC who are
of different genders. Additionally, every Prep - Team will designate one person
to be an independent contact person in our projects. However, this person shall
always inform the official contact points if a procedure starts, in the case of
their absence, the main contact will be the Project Manager.
When one of these procedures is open in the organization, the EC as a whole must
be informed of the procedure without details of the people involved or the
presented allegations to respect confidentiality. If a case involves someone
from the EC, the case will be brought to the Advisory Committee (AC). The
Advisory Committee will act as contact points when a case arises, following this
protocol. However, the EC will not be informed until a final decision is made.
Important note:
These procedures will follow general principles such as the privacy of the
survivor, confidentiality of the process and survivor’s choice and preference.
We respect the presumption of innocence of any alleged harasser which is why
this procedure is in place and has been approved in the General Assembly.
However, as a feminist organization, we also believe in the principle of
believing the survivor and putting the burden of the proof on the alleged
harasser.
This procedure might be applied to an internal case of a MO if this case is
related to FYEG activity or if the people involved take part in any FYEG
structure. However, we will not be able to extend sanctions or disciplinary
measures beyond FYEG. MOs can however adapt this protocol to their own
organization.
When the designated people receive a complaint of sexual harassment, they shall:
1. Immediately record the dates, times and facts of the incident(s);
2. ascertain the views of the survivor as to what outcome they want, ensure the
survivor feels safe and ensure the survivor is separated from the alleged
offender unless the survivor wishes otherwise;
3. ensure that the survivor and the alleged harasser understands FYEG protocol
for dealing with the complaint;
4. discuss and agree the next steps with the alleged survivor, informal, formal
or outside complaints procedure (police, hospital, embassy, etc.), on the
understanding that choosing to resolve the matter informally does not preclude
the survivor from pursuing a formal complaint if they are not satisfied with the
outcome;
5. keep a confidential record of all discussions. Records will be destroyed if
the alleged survivor requests it, or before the change to a new EC. However, a
record of sanctions and a brief description of the reason will be kept in a safe
place;
6. respect the choice of the survivor;
7. and ensure that the survivor knows that they can lodge the complaint outside
of FYEG through the relevant country/legal framework.
INFORMAL COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
If the survivor wishes to deal with the matter informally, the designated person
will:
• Approach the alleged harasser saying that the behaviour is offensive,
unwelcome and must be stopped;
• Inform the harasser that FYEG has a zero tolerance policy on sexual harassment
and that disregarding this policy may result in the person’s exclusion from the
organization
• give an opportunity to the alleged harasser to respond to the complaint;
• ensure that the alleged harasser understands the complaints mechanism;
• facilitate discussion between both parties to achieve an informal resolution
which is acceptable to the complainant, provided the alleged survivor agrees,
• ensure that a confidential record is kept of what happened;
• follow up after the outcome of the complaints mechanism to ensure that the
behaviour has stopped and that there is no risk of its repetition;
• And ensure that the above is done accurately and at the latest within 10 days
of the complaint being made. During events, the procedure shall take place
within 48 hours.
FORMAL COMPLAINTS PROCEDURES
If the survivor wants to make a formal complaint or if the informal complaint
mechanism has not led to a satisfactory outcome for the survivor, the formal
complaint mechanism should be used to resolve the matter.
The designated person who initially received the complaint will communicate to
the rest of contact points the opening of a formal complaint procedure. The EC
will be informed of this, respecting the confidentiality of the alleged survivor
and the allegations. The designated person who initially received the complaint
will carry out the investigation with the assistance of the Awareness Group and
the independent contact person at the moment in which allegations were
presented, if any. They will help the investigator with the analysis and
decision making process. A procedure for online harassment shall be developed.
The person carrying out the investigation will:
• interview the survivor and the alleged harasser separately
• interview other relevant third parties separately
• decide whether the incident qualifies as sexual harassment within the meaning
of this protocol
• produce a report detailing the investigations, findings and any
recommendations
• if the harassment took place, decide what the appropriate remedy for the
survivor is, in consultation with the survivor (i.e. an apology, a change of
structure, suspension..,)
• follow up to ensure that the recommendations are implemented, that the
behaviour has stopped and that the survivor is satisfied with the outcome
• if it cannot determine that the harassment took place, they may still make
recommendations to ensure proper functioning of the organization
• keep a record of all actions taken
• ensure that all records concerning the matter are kept confidential
• ensure that the process is done as quickly as possible and in any event within
15 days of the complaint being made
The general rule is to avoid the presence of the alleged harasser in those
places/structures in which the alleged survivor moves. It is vital that the
wishes and needs of the survivors are incorporated into the outcome of the
complaints mechanism.
A data protection protocol will be developed.
OUTSIDE COMPLAINT MECHANISM
This protocol seeks to create a fast and appropriate response to allegations of
sexual harassment. However, it does not seek to substitute existing regulation
and legislation on this issue. We want to make clear that FYEG wants to be fully
supportive with every decision of the alleged survivor.
A person who has been subject to sexual harassment can at any time make a
complaint outside of the organization. Even though this organization cannot
offer legal advice, the contact point(s) will accompany the person to the
instance this person prefers (hospital, police, ombudsperson, law courts,
embassies, etc.) if they request it.
SANCTIONS AND DISCIPLINARY MEASURES
Anyone who has been found to have sexually harassed another person under the
terms of this policy may be sanctioned. Sanctions may include but are not
limited to one of the following :
• Verbal or written warning
• Suspension from an elected or non-elected FYEG structure, in line with FYEG
IRPs when appropriate
• Dismissal/expulsion
Depending on the seriousness of the allegations, the EC, upon request of the
Awareness Group may suspend someone from taking part in any FYEG structure or
activity during the duration of the process. Confidentiality of the survivor
will be maintained.
In case of sexual harassment, violence or discrimination by a member of an
elected body within FYEG (Financial Control Committee, Advisory Committee or
Ecosprinter Board) the EC can exclude the offender after consulting the full
MOs. (cf. 2.2.2). If the case arises within the EC, the Advisory Committee can
exclude the offender after consulting the full MOs.
The nature of the sanctions will depend on the gravity and extent of the
harassment. Suitable deterrent sanctions will be applied to ensure that
incidents of sexual harassment are not treated as trivial. Certain serious
cases, including physical violence, will result in the immediate dismissal of
the harasser.
Guidelines for persons of contact
Read the protocol and understand every aspect
What is sexual harassment? It is unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature which:
Violates your dignity
Makes you feel intimidated, degraded or humiliated
Creates a hostile or offensive environment
Sexual harassment “can include, but is not limited to”, these examples:
Touching, pinching, stroking, squeezing, or brushing against someone
Leering or ogling
Making LGBTIAQ+-phobic or GSRM (Gender, Sexual and Romantic Minorities)-
phobic comments and sexually suggestive signals, winking
Sending unwanted e-mails, text messages, posting sexually-explicit jokes
or content on FYEG communication channels
Sexual comments or jokes
Making insults based on a person’s sex or rating their sexuality
Turning work discussions to sexual topics
Physical behaviour, including unwanted sexual advances, touching and
various forms of sexual assault
Displaying pictures, photos or drawings of a sexual nature
Remember: Whether harassing intentionally or unintentionally, we all have a
responsibility to monitor our behaviour and respect each other. Anyone who
reports an incident has the right to remain anonymous. They also have the right
to feel safe and respected.
Listen and Support
It's tough to be prepared when someone tells you that they have been the
survivor of sexual harassment. Remember, you can only provide support
Support and understanding are essential. It takes a lot of courage for a
survivor to share their experience;
Try to provide a safe/non-judgmental environment, emotional comfort and support
for the survivor to express feelings;
Let them know that they can talk with you. Listen. Don’t rush to provide
solutions.
Believe
The most common reason people choose not to tell anyone about sexual abuse is
the fear that the listener won’t believe them. People rarely lie or exaggerate
about abuse; if someone tells you, it’s because they trust you and needs someone
to talk to.
People rarely make up stories of abuse. It is not necessary for you to decide if
they were “really hurt.” If the survivor says they were hurt, that should be
enough
Believe what the person tells you. It may have been difficult for them to talk
to you and trust you. Unless proven wrong harassment has happened.
Reassure
Sexual assault is NEVER the survivor’s fault. No one asks to be sexually
assaulted by what they wear, say or do. Let the survivor know that only the
perpetrator is to blame;
The survivor needs to hear that fears, anxieties, guilt and anger are normal,
understandable and acceptable emotions;
Remember, no one ever deserves to be abused or harassed.
Be Patient
Don’t press for details – let the person decide how much to tell you. Ask them
how you can help;
Survivors have to struggle with complex decisions and feelings of powerlessness,
trying to make decisions for them may only increase that sense of powerlessness;
You can be supportive by helping them to identify all the available options and
then help them by supporting their decision making process (here refer to the
protocol).
The survivor can’t just “forget it” or just move on. Recovery is a long term
process and each individual moves at their own pace
Encourage
Encourage the survivor to seek medical attention, report the assault, and or
contact a professional if needed. Remember, the survivor must ultimately make
the decision as to what to do. They are the experts in their own lives. Don’t
push. Remember, support their choices no matter what they decide.
Respect Privacy - Confidentiality
Don’t tell others what the survivor tells you. Let the individual decide who
they will tell. It is important not to share information with others who are not
involved;
If you do need to share information for their safety, get permission by letting
them know what you will share and with whom it will be shared; ie. the rest of
contact points in case of a formal complaint
Establish Safety
An important part of helping the survivor is to identify ways in which the
survivor can re-establish their sense of physical and emotional safety. You are
a step in the process. Ask them what would make them feel safe and how you can
help them accomplish this.
If the stalking or harassment is ongoing, help them to develop a plan of what to
do if they are in immediate danger. Having a specific plan and preparing in
advance can be important if the harassment escalates.
Things you can say
It is hard to know what to say to a person when they confide in you. Refrain
from asking a lot of questions, instead, support them with these phrases. Let
the person know that you believe that they have the strength and capacity to
heal.
● It’s not your fault
● I’m sorry this happened
● I believe you
● How can I help you?
● I am glad you told me
● I’ll support your choices
● You’re not alone
FYEG aims to use language in its communications and its events that reflects the
level of English spoken within an organisation of mostly non-native speakers.
FYEG promotes the use of inclusive and accessible language within the
organisation. FYEG attempts to reduce the shame of using simple language. We do
this to make sure that everyone feels welcome to participate and contribute.
The AC was defacto appointed, never elected and we want to clarify it with the IRPs. This was supposed to be part of the proposal but we overlooked this instance.
Comments