Statutes adopted by the formative congress on 13 April 1973 in Brussels and amended by the: 10th Congress on 16 March 1980 in Strasbourg, 15th congress on 16 May 1992 in Milan, 17th Congress on 18 April 1997 in Vienna, 20th Congress on 19 March 2004 in Genoa and 22nd Congress on 10th October 2008 in Paris.
IntroductionPersuaded that the division of the human race into sovereign states causes continuous wrongs, enmities, wars, sufferings and miseries,
Convinced that all peoples, groups and individuals have a natural right to organise their lives in accordance with their wishes and that common problems should be resolved on the basis of common democratic rights,
Inspired by the works of E. KANT, A. HAMILTON and P.J. PROUDHON who were amongst the first to turn their attention to our world of States and who developed the idea of unity in diversity, and are as a result considered the founders of federalism; committed to fighting for a society that is free, democratic and federal under the rule of law as the only guarantee of genuine social progress in Europe,
Different movements, independently founded, but with the same objectives have established themselves since the two world wars.
Taking as a basis for their current action previous studies, published texts, resolutions adopted at various times of their existence, and in particular the directives of Federal Union of 1939, the principles for a new Europe by the Europa-Union of Switzerland in February 1940, the Manifesto of Ventotene of July 1941, the declarations of the European Resistance Movements in Geneva in May 1944, the Hertenstein program of September 1946, the declaration of the first Congress of Montreux in 1947, the political resolution of Europa-Union Germany in May 1949, the Federalist Charter adopted by the second Congress of Montreux in 1964, and the declaration of principles of the M.F.E. accepted by the Congress of Nancy in April 1972,
After a 10-year separation, these Movements have decided to reunite. Their democratically elected delegates met on 13 April 1973 in Brussels to establish a supranational European organization with the object of fighting together in the most effective way for the creation of a European Federation. This European organization was named the Union of European Federalists.
Name, Seat and Term
1. The Association shall be named “Union of European Federalists” in English and the equivalent translation in any other language. It shall be known by the initials “U.E.F.”.
2. Its registered office shall be in The Hague. The office of the General Secretariat shall be established by the Executive Bureau in one of the Member States of the European Community.
3. The Association was established on 13 April 1973 for an indefinite period.
4. The Association assumes the character of a supranational organization.
The Association’s aims shall be to work for the creation of a European Federation, endowed with supranational institutions with limited but real sovereign powers and consisting of: a Federal Government; a Parliament elected by direct universal suffrage; a Federal Senate representing Member States and possibly the regions; and a Court of Justice. The European Federation will be bound to guarantee basic liberties, including the right of opposition and to ensure the maximum participation of citizens at all levels of government.
The U.E.F. shall be independent of all political parties and pursue its objectives in complete freedom.
1. Its role shall be to bring together citizens who desire to work for the federal unity of Europe; to act as a catalyst of democratic forces; and to organize and stimulate public debate on the political content of European Federation.
2. One of its aims shall be to bring together and organise, on a Europe-wide basis, individual members of the European Movement, of which U.E.F. is a constituent member.
The policy of the U.E.F. is set out in the political declarations of its congresses which shall be binding and shall guide the members in carrying out a common purpose.
Members and organizations on national level
1.The UEF shall consist of individual members who are direct members of the Association and who are associated through National Sections of the Association replenished with the “Groupe Europe” formed by members of the Association working in the framework of the European Union institutions.
2. Members shall be free to organize themselves at local, regional and national level in accordance with federalist and democratic principles. They can form national organizations. All these organizations shall become autonomous centres of action with freedom to pursue their respective activities within the general political framework determined by the Association at European level.
3. The National Sections are the organizations formed by members on a national level. Only one National Section per country may be accepted.
4. All basic and national organisations shall determine their own rules and procedures by agreement with the organization at the level immediately above. If such agreement is impossible, the matter shall be resolved by the Arbitration Board.
5. The annual subscription of members, fixed at a uniform rate by the Federal Committee at European level, after consultation with the National Sections, shall be collected by the National Sections and remitted to the General Secretariat of the U.E.F. through the National Sections.
6. The Federal Committee may authorize temporary exceptions in special circumstances.
Termination of membership
1. Membership of the U.E.F. shall cease:
a) upon death;
b) by resignation;
c) following notice to resign served by the Association where a member no longer conforms to the rules set out in the Statutes, fails to fulfil his obligations to the Association, or when the Association can no longer be reasonably expected to recognise a member as being suitably qualified to continue in membership;
d) as a result of exclusion; such exclusion can be pronounced only following action by a member in violation of the Statutes, rules or decisions of the Association or unjustified damage caused to the Association by a member.
2. Resignation must be submitted by a member in writing to the secretariat of his National Section or of the Groupe Europe, to take effect at the end of the calendar year, subject to four weeks notice. Members may withdraw from the organization earlier if they cannot reasonably maintain their membership for the remainder of the year.
3. Notice to resign served in the name of the Association and exclusion of a member shall require decision by the Executive Bureau which shall advise the member as soon as possible, stating reasons and the date from which the decision is to take effect. The member concerned shall have, for one month after receipt of the notice, the right of appeal against this decision to the Federal Committee; the notice must include a statement of the right of appeal. Membership shall be suspended during the appeal period and until the appeal is heard.
4. If membership terminates during the calendar year the full annual subscription shall remain payable.
Young European Federalists
1. Young federalists can organise themselves, in an autonomous organisation: the Young European Federalists (JEF). The relationship between JEF and the U.E.F. shall be determined by an agreement approved by the Federal Committee.
2. In addition to the rights conferred on Members in Art. 13, 17, 18 and 21 the international organisation of the Young European Federalists (JEF) has the right to appoint additional representatives in the governing organs of the U.E.F. The JEF representatives have the same rights and duties as the other delegates or members of the respective organs. In addition JEF members being at the same time members of the U.E.F. are eligible for positions in the U.E.F. organs according to the procedures applicable for ordinary U.E.F. members. JEF lays down in its statutes and rules of procedure the procedure for electing their representatives.
Organs of the Association
The organs of the U.E.F. shall be:
- the Congress,
- the Federal Committee,
- the Executive Bureau,
- the Secretary General
- the Arbitration Board.
Each organ may delegate part or all of its powers, subject only to limitations laid down by law or by these Statutes.
1. The Congress shall have full powers to determine the Association's policy.
2. It shall be the sole organ with powers to adopt or modify the provisions of the Statutes.
3. It shall elect the President of the U.E.F. from amongst its members by absolute majority vote of the delegates present or represented at the Congress.The President of the U.E.F. is of the Executive Bureau and Member of the Federal Committee at whose meetings he shall participate in this capacity. He shall take the Chair at meetings of the Congress until the election of the presidium of the Congress on recommendation of the Executive Bureau. If necessary, the Executive Bureau may delegate the Chair to other members.
4. The Congress shall elect the members of the Federal Committee in accordance with Articles 18 from amongst the U.E.F. members.
The Congress shall consist of delegates representing the total membership of the Association.
1. The delegates shall be elected democratically by and from amongst the members of the Association in the local or in their absence by the regional or in their absence by the national constituent organisations in accordance with procedures determined in each country as well as by the Groupe Europe.
2. The total number of delegates shall be fixed at 160 unless the Federal Committee decides otherwise.
3. Irrespective of the procedure for their election two delegates shall be allocated to each National Section and to Groupe Europe. The remaining delegates shall be allocated to the National Sections on the basis of the average membership fees paid by each section in the two years preceding the Congress.
4. The number of JEF delegates in the Congress of the U.E.F. equals an additional proportion of 10 % to the number of delegates elected by the constituent organisations of the U.E.F. Among these, one delegate should come from each national JEF section operating in an EU/EEA Member State, in which no UEF National Section exists.
Convening the Congress, participation & voting rights
1. The Congress shall meet every second calendar year since the previous Congress. Its meetings may be postponed by a decision of the Federal Committee, taken by a two-thirds majority of votes expressed.
2. The Congress shall be convened in writing with an agenda issued on the authority of the Federal Committee. A minimum of two months notice must be given.
3. The Federal Committee may convene a Congress whenever it feels necessary or if obliged by law or by the Statutes.
1. The Congress may be attended by delegates, members of the Federal Committee and the Secretary General.
2. Every delegate shall exercise one vote. A delegate unable to attend can authorize another delegate in writing to exercise his vote by proxy. No single delegate shall have more than one proxy.
1. The Federal Committee, that is the general assembly, is the sovereign organ of the UEF. It shall have full powers within the provisions of these Statutes and of the law. It is constituted every second year at the Congress by election and nomination by the Constituent Organizations.
2. The President takes the chair at the first Meeting of the Federal Committee after the Congress until the election of its Presidium of three persons.
3. The Federal Committee shall maintain the political direction of the UEF between Congresses.
4. The Federal Committee shall discharge the Executive Bureau of its management and approve the report and accounts referred to in Articles 20 and 30.
5. The Federal Committee shall elect from amongst its members one or more Vice-Presidents, and not less than five and not more than 15 members of the Executive Bureau with a maximum of two members per National Section for a period of two years, all of whom are eligible for re-election. The exact number of members to be elected must be fixed by the new Federal Committee.
6. The Federal Committee shall elect the Treasurer on proposal of the Executive Bureau.
7. The Federal Committee shall elect from among the members of UEF an Auditing Committee of two persons for a period of two years.
8. The Federal Committee shall appoint the Secretary-General for a period of two years. The Federal Committee can dismiss the Secretary General before the end of the period on the recommendation of the Executive Bureau if it appoints a new Secretary-General at the same time.
9. The Federal Committee shall draw up the Rules of Procedures of the U.E.F. as referred to in Art. 36.
1. One half of the membership of the Federal Committee shall be elected directly by the Congress from amongst U.E.F. members.
2. The remaining half shall be elected by the National Sections and the Groupe Europe before or during the Congress, according to the rules laid down by each of them. Each National Section as well as the Groupe Europe shall elect three members, with the following exceptions:
a) Organizations having paid membership fees in the two years preceding the Congress exceeding 1.000 members shall elect a supplementary member for every further 1000 members or fraction therefore;
b) Organizations having paid less than 200 membership fees in the two years preceding the Congress shall elect two members.
3. JEF can appoint 10 members of the Federal Committee. In addition JEF can nominate candidates for the directly elected members of Federal Committee by the U.E.F. Congress according to Para 1.
4. Members of the Federal Committee shall be elected to serve until the following Congress. They are eligible for re-election.
5. Every Member of the Federal Committee shall exercise one vote. A Member unable to attend can authorize another Member in writing to exercise his vote by proxy. No single Member shall have more than one proxy.
Between Congresses the Federal Committee can co-opt additional members of the U.E.F. up to 10 % of the number elected by the Congress. These members shall be elected from amongst the members of the U.E.F.
1. A member of the Federal Committee may be excluded or suspended from membership either by the Federal Committee or by the national delegation which has nominated the member.
2. A member shall cease to belong to the Federal Committee
a) when no longer a member of the U.E.F.
b) by resignation
c) on expiry of the member's term of office.
The Executive Bureau
1. The Executive Bureau shall administer the UEF. It shall organise the Congress.
2. It shall be answerable to the Federal Committee, to which it submits both the draft budget for the following year and a report of activities in the preceding year and shall render an account of its management during the preceding year together with all appropriate documentation. All accounts submitted must be audited by a chartered accountant.
3. It shall convene the Federal Committee and prepare its meetings.
1. The Executive Bureau shall consist of the President of the UEF, the Vice-President(s), the Treasurer and the other members elected by the Federal Committee.
2. The President or a Vice President of JEF, elected by the Executive Bureau of JEF for its full term in office, shall be ex-officio a member of the U.E.F. Executive Bureau. If necessary he can appoint a deputy from amongst the Vice Presidents of JEF. The Secretary General of JEF is an ex-officio-guest at the U.E.F. Executive Bureau meetings.
Administration & Representation
1. The Executive Bureau shall have full powers to undertake any action in and outside court in each and every case as required. Consequently any restriction on the capacity of the Executive Bureau, settled by law is not applicable.
2. The Association's official and legal representation is exercised by the President or jointly by one Vice-President and the Secretary General.
The Secretary General
1. The Secretary General shall be responsible for running the secretariat of the U.E.F. and carrying out the decisions delegated to him/her by the organs of the U.E.F.
2. The Secretary General participates at the meetings of the organs of the U.E.F., without the right to vote.
3. The Secretary General shall be responsible for corresponding with members and constituent organisations and co-ordinating their activities.
The Arbitration Board
The Arbitration Board shall consist of seven members elected by the Congress from amongst the members of the U.E.F. according to the rules of procedure. The Congress can dismiss them.
1. The Arbitration Board shall ensure application of the Statutes and rules which it shall interpret in specific cases, and rules in all possible conflicts between constituent organisations, between U.E.F. organs and constituent organisations or between constituent organisation and/or UEF organs and the members of UEF.
2. The Arbitration Board shall communicate its decisions to the Federal Committee.
3. The Arbitration Board may only delegate its powers of investigation.
Each party to a dispute can challenge a member of the Arbitration Board.
The Arbitration Board shall require a quorum of three members for its decisions.
Members of the Arbitration Board cannot be members of the Executive Bureau.
Funds their management
1. The funds of the U.E.F. shall consist of
a) membership subscriptions,
b) donations, bequests and legacies,
d) all other resources including profits.
2. Legacies can only be accepted free from liability for debts.
1. The Treasurer shall be responsible for management of the funds, for which he shall be answerable to the Federal Committee.
2. The report of the Treasurer must be accompanied by a report of the Auditing Committee.
In the event of the dissolution of the Association, its funds will be transferred to a European organization to be designated by the Federal Committee.
All decisions by organs of the U.E.F. shall be taken by the majority of votes cast, unless otherwise stated in these Statutes.
1. The elections of the members of the Federal Committee directly elected by the Congress according to Art. 17.1 takes place on the basis of a single list of candidates. Every Congress delegate has a number of votes equivalent to 2/3 of the total number of Federal Committee members to be elected. The minimum of votes expressed is 1/3 of this total number. The chair of the Congress shall encourage the delegates to use all of their votes to ensure a geographical and political diversity of the Federal Committee. The candidates with the highest number of votes are elected members.
2. The Federal Committee decides on the number of Vice Presidents it is going to elect. The candidates with the highest number of votes being supported by at least 50% of the votes expressed are elected.
3. The elections of the other members of the Executive Bureau takes place on the basis of a single list of candidates. Every Federal Committee member has a number of votes equivalent to 2/3 of the total number of Executive Bureau members to be elected. The candidates with the highest number of votes being supported by at least 1/4 of the votes expressed are elected.
4. If necessary one or more subsequent votes shall take place; the candidates of the first round and new candidates are eligible to run.
Rules of procedure
Rules of procedure shall be drawn up to implement the requirements of the Statutes. They shall be approved by a two-thirds majority of the Federal Committee and require the same majority for their amendment.
The Statutes and rules of the organs of all the National Sections as well as of the Groupe Europe must comply with these Statutes.
These Statutes can only be amended by a two-thirds majority of delegates present or represented at the Congress, subject to prior written notice included in the agenda for the Congress. Amendments must be examined by the Federal Committee, which shall express its view on them, in advance.
1. The U.E.F. may be dissolved by a two-thirds majority of delegates to the Congress acting on a proposal of the Federal Committee. All National Sections and the Groupe Europe must be given at least three months notice, before the Congress, of the Federal Committee's proposal.
2. In the case of the dissolution of the U.E.F. the Federal Committee shall take charge of its liquidation. During the period of liquidation these Statutes shall continue to apply as far as practicable.
All yearly terms in these Statutes refer to the calendar year.
The Federal Committee shall exercise all powers and responsibilities which are not otherwise delegated to other organs by law or by these Statutes.
UEF Statutes in .PDF version.
RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE UNION OF EUROPEAN FEDERALISTS (UEF)
As adopted by the UEF Federal Committee as referred to in Art.36 of the Statutes, on 12 October 2008 in Paris.
MembersChapter I : Members and constituent organisations
1. The U.E.F. shall encourage individual members to organise themselves at local, regional and national level, but as long as no constituent organisation is present (or not truly existing in practice) in the member’s country of residence, transitorily direct individual U.E.F. membership will be allowed and supported until such organisations do exist and are efficient.
2. Any individual may be a member of the UEF who accepts its aims, statutes and Rules of Procedure and pays an annual subscription, the amount of which is fixed in conformity with Article 6 of the Statutes.
1. Regional and local groups which organise themselves in accordance with federalist and democratic principles will be endowed with transitory direct U.E.F. membership, as long as no national constituent organisation is set. Regional and local U.E.F. groups will be encouraged to set up national organisations as soon as possible.
Constituent and candidate organisations
1. Acceptance of new constituent organisations to UEF depends on the approval of the Federal Committee of a proposal from the UEF Executive Bureau.
2. Constituent organisations are defined geographically. It is nevertheless possible for members, employees of the European Union institutions, to form a constituent group and be called "European Group".
Each year before the 1st of March constituent organizations shall send to the General Secretariat of UEF full information about the number of members and the composition of their governing organs.
With reference to Art. 6, par.1-3 of the statutes the following shall apply to new constituent organisations:
a) A group may be accepted as a candidate organisation by the Federal
Committee and be accepted as a full member constituent organisation by the Federal Committee after at least ONE year as a candidate organisation.
b) Organisations applying to the Federal Committee to become a candidate organisation, and candidate organisations applying to the FC to become a full constituent organisation, shall provide to the Federal Committee:
i) Their statutes
ii) List of current Bureau members and officers
iii) Membership list
iv) Other internal and publicity literature
v) A list of recent activities.
c) Candidate organisations shall pay no membership fees and have no voting rights.
d) A candidate organisation whose application for full membership is rejected by the FC, may reapply for full membership at the subsequent FC. If the second application should be rejected or no second application is made, the organisation’s status as a candidate organisation shall lapse automatically.
If candidate organisations do not apply for full membership within two years after having been accepted as candidate organisation, the organisation’s status as a candidate organisation shall lapse automatically.
Subscriptions and supervision
The Federal Committee shall fix the amount of the annual subscription in conformity with Art. 6, Part 5 of the Statutes at the latest at its last meeting of each year.
The payment of an annual subscription shall constitute one method of assessing the number of members of the UEF. The constituent organisation shall, at the request of the Executive Bureau, accept scrutiny of membership records of their offices, or provide the list of members with names and addresses.
The payment of membership fees shall be transferred to the account of UEF according to the following rules
- 1st instalment (50%): before the 1st of July of each year
- 2nd instalment (50%) before the 1st of October of each year
UEF “Liaison Committee”
A Liaison Committee will assemble organisations, which do not wish to join the UEF completely or do not fulfil membership requirements entirely, but share our federal aims and wish to co-operate with the U.E.F. They shall be endowed with a consultative voice in the UEF FC and Congress meetings, but no voting right, donating a minimum of € 100 per year (or minimum of € 250 in the case of European or international organisations).
Chapter II: Statutory Bodies
1) Voting shall be by showing of hands or voting cards. If requested by a delegate or member entitled to vote a secret ballot shall be organized.
2) Unless otherwise required by the Statutes or the Rules of Procedure, a vote is passed when approved by the majority of the votes expressed, abstentions counted.
3) For elections there shall normally be a secret ballot. In case of only one proposal for election it shall be possible – unless opposition is raised – to elect by showing of hands or delegates’ cards.
4) Procedural motions, Points of Order and Points of Information
a) Any delegate shall have the right to propose any of the following procedural motions. A procedural motion shall be adopted by consensus oR put to a vote immediately with a discussion of two one-minute speeches, by one speaker in favour and one against. The delegate can for example propose the following motions:
- A motion to change the membership of the Presidium.
- A motion to overrule a decision of the Presidium.
- A motion to close the list of speakers on a specific motion or
- A motion to move to the next business.
- A motion to restrict the time available to each speaker.
- A motion to exclude from the meeting person(s) causing a
- A motion to adopt or to amend the agenda or timetable.
- A motion to change the persons counting the votes.
- A motion to postpone the decision.
- A motion to move to an immediate vote.
b) Any delegate shall have the right to raise a point of order, that is, to draw the attention of the Presidium to the fact that the procedure or discussion is not in accordance with the rules of procedure or the statutes or previously agreed procedural motions.
c) The Presidium may at its discretion allow points of information to be made.
Points of information are to be brief and must relate to facts and not give an opinion. The Presidium may choose not to accept such points if a delegate is abusing the procedure to gain additional speaking rights or if time for debate is limited.
1. Only members of the statutory body concerned and constituent organizations are eligible for submitting resolutions.
2. Only resolutions submitted before the deadline will be taken up.
3. Last minute compromise amendments may be proposed by the ‘rapporteurs’.
Emergency Resolutions may be tabled, if put forward by the Executive Bureau or the Presidium of the Congress, once the Bureau has been discharged or by 10% of the members of the statutory body concerned coming from at least three constituent organisations.
The minutes of the meetings of the Congress, the Executive Bureau, the Federal Committee as well as of other possible meetings that require minutes shall be written by a person appointed by the Secretary-General and having no other responsibilities during the meeting.
Minutes of all meetings may record resolutions, decisions, motions and votes with all necessary explanatory information. A summary of the decisions taken of all statutory meetings may be circulated to all delegates and member organisations. The Congress may be tape-recorded. Decisions of the Congress and draft minutes of Federal Committee meetings may be made available to all delegates and member organisations not later than six weeks after the meeting.
Final minutes of the Bureau meetings shall be made available to all Federal Committee members and member organisations at least four times a year.
The Credential Committee shall consist of the Treasurer, the Secretary General or his representative, and at least three members appointed by the Federal Committee.
Rules of Procedure for the CongressArt. 14
1. The Congress elects for its meetings:
A) A presidium consisting of three members to chair the Congress on proposal of the Executive Bureau according to article 12.3 of the Statutes. The Congress Presidium shall be responsible for the functioning of the Congress.
B) The Committee of Tellers consisting of at least three persons who are not candidates for the position to be elected.
C) One chair and one rapporteur for each Political Commission and Working Group.
D) A Resolution Committee consisting of three members and, in addition, of the rapporteurs. The task of this Committee will be to examine the resolutions and if need be, to propose modifications.
2. The Congress shall be required to vote only on resolutions, motions or agendas reviewed by a resolutions committee.
The Congress elects half of the members of the FC. The nomination of half of the members of the Federal Committee elected by the constituent organisations shall take place after the direct election of the individual members by the Congress.
Notice of meetingsArt. 16
1. A minimum of two months notice must be given to the members.
2. Proposals for motions and recommendations coming from the Executive Bureau, President or constituent organisations shall be submitted to the General Secretariat at least four weeks before the Congress.
3. Subject to the approval of the Resolution Committee emergency motions may be submitted at the Congress by at least five percent of the total number of delegates present representing at least three constituent organizations.
Election of the President of the UEF
1. A nomination for the office of President of the UEF shall be valid provided it is signed by 10% of delegates or at least three constituent organisations. Each nomination must have the written consent of the nominee.
2. Each nominee shall present himself to the plenary of the Congress before a vote is taken.
2. No delegate or constituent organisation may sign more than one nomination.
The Federal Committee - Notice of meetings
1. The Federal Committee shall meet at least twice each year.
2. The Executive Bureau shall convene meetings of the Federal Committee.
3. The Executive Bureau shall convene the Federal Committee at the request of 1/5 of its members.
4. The Federal Committee shall elect a presidium of not less than 3 of its members to chair its meeting. The Presidium shall be responsible for the functioning of the Federal Committee.
5. The Federal Committee shall elect the Vice-Presidents and the other members of the Executive Bureau at its first meeting immediately following the Congress. Each nominee shall present himself to the plenary of the Federal Committee before a vote is taken.
6. Notice of meeting, including the proposed agenda and the draft resolutions, must be sent out at least six full weeks in advance.
The Executive Bureau
1) The President shall convene at least four meetings of the Executive Bureau each year.
2) The President must convene the Executive Bureau if requested by 1/3 of its members.
The President must convene the Bureau if requested to do so by 1/3 of its members.
The Arbitration Board
Nominations to the Arbitration Board must be signed by 10% of the delegates coming from at least three countries. All nominations must have the written consent of the constituent organisations.
An appeal may be lodged with the Arbitration Board through the General Secretariat by:
1. Any individual member of the UEF
2. Any constituent organisation
3. Any organ of the UEF.
The Arbitration Board may establish its own Rules of Procedure and elect its own Chairperson and elect a rapporteur for each case.
Members of the Arbitration Board may be present at meetings of the Federal Committee. They have no vote.
The General Secretariat
1. The General Secretariat shall operate in close co-operation with JEF-Europe.
2. The Secretary-General employs the staff of the Secretariat in consultation with the President and the Treasurer.
Rules of Procedure in .PDF version.