INTERNAL RULES
1.AIMS
1.1.To study, define and represent the "urban demand" for telematics applications and to express it to the European Institutions.
1.2.To promote and coordinate the development of new telematics applications which will serve urban (re)development.
1.3.To promote the exchanges of experience and the implementation of common telematics projects in European cities and towns.
1.4.To carry out detailed analysis of significant pilot projects integrating a range of teleservices (covering for example the following fields: teleworking, economic development with an emphasis on SMEs, quality of life for disadvantaged people, public administration, education and training, environment, health care, teledemocracy) in the same geographical area, in order to demonstrate the benefits of telematics and the transferability from these pilot areas to other urban areas.
1.5To carry out specific activities in line with the TeleCities Policy statement as approved by members at each Annual General Meeting.
2.CONDITIONS OF MEMBERSHIP
2.1.Full membership of TeleCities is open to all cities, which are members of Eurocities.
2.2.Full membership is also open to all EU, EFTA[1] and NAS[2] cities and towns with more than 50.000 inhabitants, which are not members of Eurocities, and have democratically elected city councils, on the annual payment of the full membership fee (see table - Annexe 1). The same NAS applicants may also opt for Associate membership on the annual payment of half of the full membership fee (see table - Annexe 1).
2.3.Smaller cities under 50.000 inhabitants may either apply to full membership status (in compliance with point 2.2) on the annual payment of half of the full membership fee or become TeleCities members via their National Branch (if one exists). The minimum fee is corresponding to 10% of the full membership fee.In the latter case, fee payments shall be made to the coordinating city responsible for the National Branch.
2.4.Associate membership is open to other organisations (Regional Authorities, Chambers of Commerce, Research Institutes, Universities, Technology Parks) from EU and EFTA, on the annual payment of the full membership fee (see table – Annexe 1). Other organisations from NAS[2] and outside the EU and EFTA, may apply for Associate membership on the annual payment of half of the full membership fee (see table – Annexe 1).
2.5.Private sector companies may also apply for Associate membership status, on the annual payment of an ad hoc membership fee (see table – Annexe 1), corresponding to a list of specific services. Half of the full membership fee is applied to SME’s, defined according to the definition of the European Commission.
2.6.Membership may be sought by written application to the TeleCities Coordination Office and may be granted subject to the approval of the TeleCities Steering Committee.
2.7.The written application must be made on the appropriate official application form. Each city/town shall appoint an elected representative and a technical expert who will attend the meetings and actively participate in joint tasks approved by the network.
2.8.Membership of TeleCities may be terminated at any time, but must be made by recorded letter to the Steering Committee, with three-months notice. In this event, no refund of fees will be paid.
2.9.Any member who ceases to comply with the conditions of membership will automatically lose its right to membership of the network. The final decision regarding membership will be taken by the Steering Committee.
3.THE STEERING COMMITTEE
3.1.Membership of the Steering Committee is only open to full members of TeleCities.
3.2.The number of seats on the Steering Committee is defined by the number of EU Member States of which members of the Association are a part of, up to a maximum of 25 members. The Steering Committee includes an elected President, a Vice-President, plus the former President of TeleCities as a non-voting membe.
3.3.The President, the Vice-President, the former President, the Financial Adviser and TCO constitute the TeleCities Administrative Board (TAB), to take urgent decisions. The SC will be immediately informed of such decisions.
3.4.Elections to the posts on the Steering Committee will be held at the Annual General Meeting.
3.5.No more than one city/town of any one EU member state should be elected to the Steering Committee at the same time. A second city/town of any one member state may be elected to the Steering Committee only when no other city from a country not represented has been selected by the electorate. A third city/town of any one country will not be elected to the Steering Committee even if it is selected by the electorate. This in order to respect the geographical assignment criterion.
3.6Observer status membership of the Steering Committee may be granted at the discretion of the Steering Committee subject to ratification by the AGM.
3.7.The Steering Committee will meet at least three times a year. One of these meetings should take place during the Annual General Meeting.
3.8The Steering Committee will appoint one of its members as TeleCities Treasurer. The Treasurer will oversee the management of TeleCities income and expenses and will present an annual financial review at each AGM.
4.ELECTION OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE
4.1.Nominations for election to the Steering Committee must be received by the TeleCities Coordination Office not later than one month prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting.
4.2.Voting in the elections for the Steering Committee will take place by secret ballot on the basis of a simple majority. In the event of a tie there will be a re-ballot.
4.3.Full members not represented at the Annual General Meeting can vote by proxy or by post.
4.4The Steering Committee members will be appointed for TWO terms, renewable at the discretion of the Annual General Meeting, the term being the period between two Annual General Meetings. These terms have to be syncronised with the Presidency and Vice-Presidency terms. NAS Members being elected in 2005 will be limited to a first ONE-year term.
4.5.In the event that there are insufficient nominations, the unfilled posts will remain vacant until the next AGM, unless additional cities/towns come forward during the AGM.
5.ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT AND OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT
5.1.The President and the Vice-President will be appointed at the AGM by secret ballot.
5.2.The President and the Vice-President are appointed for two terms, subject to formal approval by vote of the Annual General Meeting at the end of the first term, the term being the period between two Annual General Meetings. This clause does not exclude the Vice-President standing for the position of President.
5.3.Nominations for the election of the President and Vice-President must be received by the TeleCities Coordination Office not later than one month prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting.
6.RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE
6.1.General supervision of the TeleCities budget and activities.
6.2.Determination of the establishment, continuation and termination of working groups and projects where these operate in the name of TeleCities.
6.3.Liaison with national associations of local authorities.
6.4.Definition of the Internal Rules subject to approval by the AGM.
6.5.Determination of the work programme and the Policy statement of TeleCities in conjunction with the Annual General Meeting.
6.6.Decision on the location of the next Annual General Meeting and the conferences/seminars that TeleCities organises.
6.7.Definition of the membership fees subject to approval by the AGM.
6.8.Preparation of the annual work programme, the Policy statement and the budget.
6.9.Decisions on subcontractors
6.10.Decisions in the event of any internal conflict.
7.RESPONSIBILITIES OF ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD
7.1.Liaison with the Eurocities Executive Committee.
7.2Official external representation of the network (towards European Institutions, conferences, regional and international organisations, etc.)
7.3Mandate from the Steering Committee to take decisions on urgent matters.
8.ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
8.1.Members of the Network will hold an Annual General Meeting once a year.
8.2.At the Annual General Meeting, the overall programme, budget, membership report, strategic developments and membership fees for the year ahead will be discussed and approved. Work progress will be evaluated.
8.3.At every other Annual General Meeting, elections to the elected posts on the Steering Committee will be held.
8.4Only full members are entitled to vote at the Annual General Meeting.
9.COORDINATION OFFICE
9.1.The TeleCities Coordination Office is running within the Eurocities office.
9.2.The Secretary General is appointed by the TeleCities Steering Committee, in agreement with the Eurocities Executive Director, and works in close collaboration with the Eurocities Secretariat.
9.3.The TeleCities Coordination Office is responsible for the day-to-day running of the network, and for establishing and maintaining contacts with the European institutions.
9.4.The TeleCities Coordination Office staff is responsible to the Steering Committee and through it to the Annual General Meeting, and to the Executive Director of Eurocities in his/her day-to-day work, and thereby to the Eurocities Executive Committee.
9.5.The Coordination Office is responsible to the Executive Committee of Eurocities for all matters relating to the budget.
10.FINANCING
10.1.Membership fees, as approved by the Annual General Meeting, will be published in the Internal Rules.
10.2.All payments must be made in the first six months of the year of membership, in accordance with article 10.1. Any city or town which has not paid its fee in time will be considered as having resigned from the network and will thus forgo its voting rights at that meeting.
- National branches
11.1.Members may establish national branches as part of the European TeleCities network.
11.2National branches may work as coordinating platforms for current TeleCities members at the national level.
11.3Small cities under 50 000 inhabitants not wishing to become full members may apply for TeleCities membership via their National Branch, if any. This entitles them to receive the TeleCities eNewsbrief by the TeleCities Coordination Office and any specific services that the National Branch coordinating city is responsible to provide.
Annexe 1
Proposed Schedule for payment of annual fees to TELECITIES for 2003
(in euro)
FullMembers / Associate
Members / National
Branches
Cities and towns / in
EU & EFTA / > 50 000 inhabitants / 4.000 € / - / -
< 50 000 inhabitants / 2.000 € / - / 0.04 € / inhab (400 € mini)
outside
EU & EFTA / in NAS > 50 000 inhabitants / 4.000 € / 2.000 € / -
outside NAS / - / 2.000 € / -
Other public organisations / in
EU & EFTA / - / 4.000 € / -
outside
EU, EFTA & in NAS / - / 2.000 € / -
Private companies / - / 10.000 € / -
SMEs / - / 2.000 € / -
Annexe 2
Proposed Table of Services / Memberships Status for 2002
MEMBERSHIP / Full Members / Associate Members / National BranchesSERVICES/
RIGHTS
Right to vote during the AGM / X
Newsbrief /
X
/ X / XFree Participation to Conferences / X / X
Free participation to
Working Groups / X / X
Website / X / X / X
(public part)
1
[1] EFTA includes the following countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
[2] NAS (Newly Associated States)
[2]