Newropeans-Networks is an informal network of organisation and individuals belonging to European civil society (associations, foundations, universities, regions, media, companies, research centres, ...) who share the same conviction that the main challenge ahead of the European construction lies in democratizing the UE itself. Based on volunteering, every action of Newropeans wishes to associate in it interested partners willing to contribute to its implementation. The statuses of Newropeans are the following :

NEWROPEANS
Non-profit association

ARTICLE 1 – NAME :

A non-profit association of Dutch law is established between the undersigned and those adhering to these statutes. This association is named : «Newropeans».

ARTICLE 2 – OBJECT :

Newropeans is a network of trans-European associations meant to promote the democratisation of the European Union. Its activities cover all fields related to the democratisation process and it may utilize all legal means at its disposal to obtain this objective. French and English are the two working languages within the Newropeans. Languages of communication of Newropeans include potentially all languages spoken by EU citizens.
To achieve its aim, the association will develop several projects, the administration of which will be determined by the Office of the Board of Directors.


ARTICLE 3 – REGISTERED OFFICE :

The registered office of the association is at Postbus 440, 6500 AK
Nijmegen. It can be transferred to another location within the European Union by the sole decision of the executive committee. The ratification of the General Assembly will be necessary for any transfer outside France.



ARTICLE 4 – MEMBERS :

Newropeans is open to any citizen of the European Union wishing to contribute actively to the democratisation of the European Union. A citizen becomes a member of Newropeans by means of payment of dues set each year by the General Assembly of the Newropeans network.

Legal entities can become partners according to a statute specifically defined by Newropeans, which will ensure that each year the partner actively collaborates or takes an active part in carrying out projects, failing which it will no longer be regarded as a Newropeans partner.

ARTICLE 5 – REMOVAL FROM MEMBERSHIP :

Member status is cancelled in the following cases :
- resignation, death
- non-payment of the annual membership fee
- illegal behaviour inside or outside the association
- activities or verbal expression which oppose the democratisation process of the EU which is the association’s objective.

The decision to cancel membership is made by the executive Committee of Newropeans, consequent to the advisory opinion of the Members’ Commission and a hearing of the person concerned by the Board of Directors. The decision is enforceable as soon as it is announced. The member concerned can appeal the decision before the next General Assembly, which is required to hear him and to hear the position of the executive Committee and the opinion of the Members’ Commission. On a simple majority, the General Assembly may cancel the decision of the executive Committee. In this case, the member is immediately reinstated.

ARTICLE 6 –ADMINISTRATION :

The administration of Newropeans is established on two main levels :
- the trans-European level, on the one hand, an executive level including in particular the European executive Committee of the network, the European General Assembly of the network and the Newropeans Sector Groups (trans-European);
- the local/regional level made up of the Local Newropeans Networks, bringing together the members and partners of Newropeans at the municipal or local level. This level and that of the Newropeans Sector Groups are simply administrative levels of the organisation.


1) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The association is headed by the executive Committee of Newropeans.
The Executive Committee is made up of at least 35 members (15 during the first year of the association), of at least 15 nationalities of the EU (5 during the first year of the association) of whom at least 20 are full members. Each full member is responsible for one area. Deputy members take part in the debates of the executive committee but do not vote. They become full members as vacancies emerge. If the number of full members goes below 20 due to a number of vacancies greater than the number of deputy members available, a new election of the Executive Committee will have to be held within a six-month period.
The Executive Committee is elected for three years by the General Assembly of Newropeans according to a one-ballot majority poll, with a fixed list. At any time, the Newropeans General Assembly may replace the Executive Committee by a vote of no confidence, favoring an alternate list winning at least 50%+1, with a quorum of at least 60% of the members having voted. The leading candidate of the elected list becomes president of Newropeans and chairs the Executive Committee. The names of the candidates for the positions of Secretary General and of Treasurer should be specified when the lists are introduced for the election of the Executive Committee. Each candidate on the listsshould be capable of carrying out the functions required, including the language skills required.

The executive Committee administers either by email or teleconference at the President’s initiative, either by arranging a meeting convened by the President or by request of a quarter of its members.
It rules by a simple majority vote; if candidates fail to gain absolute majority, the President’s vote is a casting vote. Any inexcused absence may be considered to be a resignation, to be confirmed by the majority of full members of the executive committee at the President’s initiative. The working languages of the executive Committee are French and English, untranslated.

The President, the Treasurer and the Secretary General constitute the Office of the Executive Committee.
The Office is responsible for the day-to-day management of the association. To do this, it has the most extensive executive and financial authority. It is accountable to the Executive Committee.

2) GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The Newropeans General Assembly is made up of all members (physical persons) whose membership with Newropeans is up to date.
It also includes representatives of partners (legal entities) of Newropeans according to the terms defined by Newropeans.

It can take a dual form, both physical and virtual, by taking place in the form either of a physical meeting of all members, a virtual meeting of all members, or a physical meeting of some of the members together with a virtual meeting of all members. Voting through Internet is one of the electoral processes used by Newropeans.
If the number of members becomes larger 100,000, Newropeans will set up a Representative Assembly, made of representatives elected by members. It will be possible to invest it with the powers of the General Assembly, with the exception of the authority to elect the Executive Committee.

The General Assembly elects a Members’ Commission every three years, which validates the updating of the electoral list of the General Assembly.
Communication within the General Assembly will be carried out in the five following languages : English, French, German, Spanish and Polish.

· Ordinary meetings :
The President of the association convenes the General Assembly at least once a year to provide information about the activities and the management of the association and to submit for approval the ethical and financial reports of the closed year.
The President first sends to every member of the assembly the agenda and the resolutions put to the vote. In case of electronic voting, each member has a period of 7 days from the receipt of the email to vote on the resolutions proposed (for/against/abstention). If a member does not respond within seven days, it will be considered to be an abstention. The members that do not have access to the Internet are invited to vote without meeting and have an additional period of seven days to have their vote sent.
In the case of a physical meeting, the convening and agenda are sent at least 15 days before the meeting. The President of the association, together with the members of the Office, chairs the General Assembly.
The General Assembly rules by a majority of the members present in person or represented, the number of proxies being limited to one per person. The quorum is 40% of the members.


· Special meetings :
Special meetings are convened either by the Executive Committee or by request of at least 25% of the association’s members, according to the same terms specified in the article above. The quorum is 40% of the members.

ARTICLE 7 – RESOURCES :

The financial resources of the association include, among others :
- subscriptions of members and entrance fees ;
- subsidies and sponsorships ;
- individual gifts and contributions of all kinds;
- inheritance income, service and revenues.



ARTICLE 8 – RULES OF PROCEDURE

A rule of procedure may be defined, in particular to settle any details not defined by statute concerning the internal management of the association and its administration.


ARTICLE 9 – STATUTORY CHANGES

Changes to the Newropeans statutes are suggested by the Executive Committee or by at least 10% of the members, in the form of amendments to the statutes. They are validated if they obtain at least 50% of the votes, after a vote in which at least 50% of the association’s members have participated.

ARTICLE 10 – DISSOLUTION :

In case of a dissolution pronounced by at least two thirds of the members of the General Assembly, one or several liquidators are appointed by it, and assets, if necessary, will be allotted according to the ad hoc Dutch law.



Executed in Paris, December 13, 2004