CONSTITUTION

PURPOSE 

Article 1

The European Forum of National Laity Committees (hereafter referred to as the Forum) is an instrument of collaboration between the National Committees and Councils of the Catholic Laity in European countries which will be referred to hereafter as National Committees. It has no authority over National Committees, but it is an advocate for the European Laity.

Article 2

The Forum aims:

1.  To facilitate the exchange of experiences and information between members on questions of European importance, especially in relation to problems concerning the Church’s mission in the world and pastoral work.

2.   To promote studies on present day problems in the Church and in the world.

3.   To maintain contacts and enhance co-operation with:

a)   The Council of European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE) and other Church instruments at European level;

b)   The Pontifical Council for the Laity;

c)   International Catholic Organisations with structures at European level, or holding regular meetings at that level;

d)   Churches and organisations of other Christian traditions, as  well as European or international ecumenical movements.

4.   To maintain contact with, co-operate with, or address analyses or motions to the European, national or community authorities, civil and political organisations, and public opinion, for the promotion of Christian values.

MEMBERSHIP

Article 3

National Committees having the approval of their episcopate are eligible as members of the Forum.

Article 4

The Presidents’ Council of the Forum is entitled to decide that this condition is met and to admit those National Committees which request membership.

Article 5

A National Committee can lose membership of the Forum by dissolution, resignation or exclusion. Dissolution or resignation operates without delay. Exclusion can be decided only by the Statutory Assembly, ruling by a two-thirds majority.

STRUCTURE

Article 6

The decision-taking bodies of the Forum are its Statutory Assembly and Presidents’ Council.

Other bodies are the Steering Committee and the President.

THE STATUTORY ASSEMBLY

Article 7 

The Statutory Assembly is the main decision-taking body of the Forum. It sets the general orientations, aims and missions of the Forum.

It votes and amends the Constitution and Standing Orders of the Forum and it elects its President.

The Statutory Assembly may delegate, by rule or ad hoc decisions, competencies and a general decision capacity to the Presidents’ Council. Other devolutions will be restricted to specific matters, and performed under the authority, control and responsibility of the delegating body.

Article 8 

The Statutory Assembly is composed of delegations of the National Committees who are members of the Forum.

Article 9

The voting rules are set by the Standing Orders.

Article 10

The following may be invited as observers:

-        Representatives of the Council of European Episcopal Conferences;

-        Representatives of organisations of the Church at European level;

-        Representatives of the Pontifical Council for the Laity;

-        Representatives of laity from European countries not represented in the Forum;

-        Ecumenical observers;

-        Other persons with specific contributions to make to the work of the Forum.

Article 11

The Statutory Assembly shall meet at least once every two years.

THE PRESIDENTS’ COUNCIL

Article 12

The Presidents’ Council is composed of the President of the Forum and of the presidents of the National Committees, who are members of the Forum.

A National President can delegate his membership, permanently or occasionally, to another member of his/her National Committee. Whenever this occurs, the delegate enjoys all the rights and shares all the obligations of his/her constituency.

Article 13

The Presidents’ Council collegially rules the Forum between the meetings of the Statutory Assembly and along the lines drawn by it. It represents the Forum to the outside world.

THE PRESIDENT

Article 14

The President of the Forum is elected by the Statutory Assembly  from among the members of the Forum for a four year mandate, renewable once.

Article 15

The President has a general mission of animation and coordination of the Forum activities. He/she is responsible for the functioning of the Forum bodies. He/she takes or proposes initiatives in close connection with the decision-taking bodies. He/she represents the Forum, implementing its policies.

Article 16

The President chairs the assemblies, the Presidents’ Council and the Steering Committee. With the agreement of the body concerned, he/she can delegate the chair of meetings.

THE STEERING COMMITTEE

Article 17

The Steering Committee is the Executive body of the Statutory Assembly and Presidents’ Council, and is responsible to them.

It takes part in the President’s general mission of animation and coordination of the Forum.

It deals with current affairs, prepares Study and Statutory Assemblies, and Presidents’ Council meetings.

It submits draft programmes, agendas and procedures for those meetings, in accordance with the Standing Orders and with the corresponding body’s instructions.

Article 18

The Steering Committee can – for particular purposes -  invite member(s) from among participants of the previous Statutory Assembly or among persons in charge of National Committees, members of the Forum.

THE FINANCES 

Article 19

National Committees pay dues, the amount of which is determined by the Statutory Assembly.

The Forum may also receive contributions from other sources.

Article 20

The Treasurer presents a financial report and budget for approval by the Statutory Assembly.

The Statutory Assembly appoints an Auditor in order to examine and report on the financial accounts.

AMENDMENTS 

Article 21

Proposed amendments to the Constitution must be presented in writing to the Steering Committee, which in turn informs the Presidents’ Council, along with its opinion on the proposals. The Presidents must have been informed at least three months before the date of the Statutory Assembly.

No amendment shall be deemed carried unless with the approval of at least two thirds of the valid votes cast in the Statutory Assembly.

Text adopted by the Statutory Assembly on July 16, 1984 in Dublin and completed on July 4, 1990 in Vienna, modified on May 27, 2006 in Saarbrücken, and on July 5, 2008 in Bratislava.

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.

Every two years the Steering Committee will be partially renewed by the Presidents’ Council, in principle alternating by two members, not counting the President, the Secretary and the Treasurer.

Members are elected from amongst the members of the Forum for a four year mandate, renewable once. In 2008, as a transition measure, two members shall be elected for a two year mandate.

After standing down for a period of two years, they may be 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 consumer price index of the country in which the Treasurer makes payments. 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, and on July 5, 2008 in Bratislava.