European Forum of
National Laity Committes

Standing Orders

Article 101

The Standing Orders regulations are subject to the Forum Constitution norms.

THE STATUTORY ASSEMBLY

Article 102

The Statutory Assembly is convoked by the President or upon request by five National Presidents.

Article 103

The draft agenda for the Assembly is circulated by the Steering Committee at least 3 months beforehand. Within 1 month of receiving the draft agenda, National Presidents may forward to the Steering Committee items to be included in the agenda, which shall be circulated at least one month before the meeting.

Article 104

Each delegation has three votes. The right to vote shall depend on the payment of the membership fee.

Article 105

In the event of the absence of the President or of his/her appointed chairperson, the chair is taken by the most senior member, who ensures that the Assembly appoints a chairperson from among its members.

Article 106

The Assembly’s secretary is the Secretary of the Forum. In case of absence, the Assembly appoints a secretary to its meeting.

Article 107

The Statutory Assembly may consider only items on its agenda, as agreed at the beginning of its meeting.

Article 108

If a National Committee’s delegation wishes to put forward a motion other than a motion on procedure and which is not on the draft agenda circulated three months beforehand, it must be introduced before the beginning of the meeting in a written text to the Assembly’s chairperson, duly signed by the National President or his official delegate and similarly seconded by at least two other delegations.

Article 109

Observers participate in its deliberation without voting right.

Article 110

Decisions are made by a simple majority of votes cast unless they refer to amendments to the Constitution, where there must be a majority of two thirds of the valid votes cast. In the case of a tie after further discussion a second vote is taken. In case of a further tie, the chairperson’s vote prevails.

Voting will be by show of hands unless a secret ballot is requested by a member or for issues of a personal nature.

Article 111

Simultaneous translation will be provided for the three Forum working languages.

Article 112

The Secretary sees to it, in co-operation with the Steering Committee, that the minutes of the Statutory Assembly are circulated within three months after its meeting.

THE STUDY ASSEMBLY

Article 113

In order to promote dialogue and debate among the National Committees, Study Assemblies shall be organised at least every two years.

Article 114

National Committees and observers can delegate up to five persons to the Study Assemblies, not counting persons from the host country performing logistic or administrative tasks.

The Presidents’ Council can invite persons external to the Forum, e.g. as speakers.

Article 115

Studies can be delegated or contracted and external experts can be called to co-operate. Before being issued in the name of the Forum, resulting documents, motions or letters must be approved by the decision-taking bodies of the Forum, according to article 6.

THE PRESIDENTS’ COUNCIL

Article 116

The Presidents’ Council meets at least once a year. In-between, it works by e-mail or other means of communication. Votes expressed outside formal meetings in oral or internet instructions must be confirmed in written form, paper or fax.

Article 117

The Steering Committee circulates within the Presidents’ Council draft agendas for the meetings to come.

The draft agenda for the Presidents’ Council is circulated at least one month beforehand. Within two weeks of receiving the draft agenda, National Presidents may forward to the Steering Committee items to be included in the agenda, which will be available at the beginning of the meeting.

Article 118

The Presidents’ Council takes its decision by the simple majority of its members present.

A National President can delegate one of its members to meetings, but cannot give mandate to a member of another National Committee.

In deliberations by mail, decisions are taken by absolute majority of the members of the Presidents’ Council.

Article 119

In the event of the absence of the President or of his/her appointed chairperson, the chair is taken by the most senior member, who ensures that the Council appoints a chairperson from among its members.

In the event of the absence of the Secretary, the Council appoints a temporary replacement.

Article 120

The Presidents’ Council shall elect a Treasurer and a Secretary for a four year period from among its own members. The Treasurer and the Secretary can be coopted from outside the Council, following agreement with the National Committee to which he or she belongs.

Unless other dispositions are agreed upon with the National Committees involved, the National Committee to which the Secretary belongs shall be responsible for the Forum Secretariat.

Article 121

The acting Secretary sees to it that the decisions taken are distributed to the participants as soon as possible and in the appropriate languages.

Article 122

The Presidents’ Council may invite to meetings any person whose duties or expertise may prove to be of value.

Article 123

Each member with a voting right casts a single vote, which cannot be delegated to a member of another delegation.

Except by mail, decisions are taken by a simple majority of votes cast. In the case of a tie after further discussion a second vote is taken. In the event of a further tie, the chairperson’s vote prevails.

Voting will be by show of hands unless a secret ballot is requested by a member or for issues of a personal nature.

THE STEERING COMMITTEE

Article 124

With the exception of the President of the Forum, the members of the Steering Committee are elected by the Presidents’ Council. It shall consist of seven members, including the President, the Secretary and the Treasurer.

Members are elected from amongst the members of the Forum for a four year mandate, renewable once.

After standing down for a period of two years, they may be re-elected.

Article 125

The Steering Committee meets in general at least three times a year. In-between, it works by e-mail or by other means of communication.

THE COMMITTEE OF RESOLUTIONS

Article 126

When a resolution or motion is voted by the Statutory Assembly, it can, on its own initiative or on a proposal from the Steering Committee, create a Resolution Commission which, in the spirit which governed the vote and in dialogue with the Steering Committee, perfects the drafting of it and supervises the translations.

THE FINANCES

Article 127

The membership fee due is decided upon by the Statutory Assembly for two years.

The second year, the Presidents’ Council acting on request of the Steering Committee or Treasurer, can decide to adjust the amount to the average European consumer price index (Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices HICP) published by the European Central Bank. The reference period runs from 1st January to 31st December.

The annual membership fees shall be paid before 31st March of the respective year.

Article 128

When a new National Committee is admitted to the Forum, the Statutory Assembly decides, at the suggestion of the Steering Committee, to which contribution group this country will belong.

Article 129

The financial year of the Forum runs from 1st January to 31st December. At that time the accounts shall be closed, the balance sheet will be drawn up and audited by an Auditor appointed from the Statutory Assembly. All the financial documents will be sent to the National Committees one month before the opening of the Statutory Assembly.

THE LANGUAGES OF THE FORUM

Article 130

The official languages of the Forum are English, French and German. The Steering Committee will ensure that all communications and documents intended for the Statutory and Study Assemblies are competently translated into these languages and circulated with minimum delay.

The Presidents’ Council and Steering Committee’s own documents are circulated in one of the Forum’s languages upon which they agree.

Article 131

Simultaneous translation will be provided between the three Forum working languages, at least for plenary sessions of the Statutory and Study Assemblies.

AMENDMENTS

Article 132

Amendments to Standing Orders can be introduced to the Steering Committee by a National Committee or by the Presidents’ Council. According to article 110, they are decided upon by the Statutory Assembly by simple majority of votes cast.


Text adopted by the Statutory Assembly on July 16, 1984 in Dublin, corrected on July 8, 1986 in Paris, modified on July 4, 1990 in Vienna, on July 8, 1992 in Antwerp and on July 13, 1994 in Ljubljana, on May 27, 2006 in Saarbrücken, on July 5, 2008 in Bratislava and on July 10, 2010 in Birmingham.