Minutes of the EAPN Executive Committee Meeting

Minutes of the EAPN Executive Committee meeting,

10 June 2009 - Venue: Bildungszentrum der Arbeiterkammer, Vienna

Present: Michaela Moser (AT), Ludo Horemans (BE), Douhomir Minev (BG), Ninetta Kazantzis(CY), Karel Schwarz (CZ), Ari Saarto (FI), Olivier Marguery (FR), Manfred Mohr replacing Anita Morhard (DE), Yota Arvaniti (GR), Izabella Marton (HU), Patrick Burke (IE),Letizia Cesarini Sforza (IT), Jurate Matikoviene replacing Ruta Lapinskaite (LT),Karin Manderscheid (LU), Edgar Busutill(MT), Alida Smeekes (NL), Vigdis Von Ely replacing Rolf Solvang (NO), Kamila Ploweic (PL), Julio Paiva (PT), Cristina Loghin (RO), Ivan Lesay (SK), Carlos Susias (ES), Sonja Wallbom (SE), Peter Kelly (UK), Patricia Alert (ENOPF), Goran Larsson (Salvation Army).

Apologies:Ole Meldgaard (Dk), Maciej Kucharczyk (AGE).

Staff: Fintan Farrell, Philippe Lemmens.

Chair: Ludo Horemans

Key Decisions / Décisions clé
Agreement to propose acceptance to the GA of EAPN Slovenia and of the European Consumer Debt Network / Accord de proposer l’acceptation à l’Assemblée Générale d’EAPN Slovénie et du Réseau Européen de dettes des consommateurs
Draft EAPN work programme for 2010 was agreed / Le projet de programme de travail EAPN pour 2010 a été accepté
Exco members to help to identify members of their Network to be involved in the national juries for the journalist competition for the European Year against poverty. / Les membresEXCO doivent identifier des membres de leurs réseaux à être impliqués dans les jurys nationaux dans la compétition des journalistes pour l’année européenne contre la pauvreté

Before the start of the meeting Goran thanked the members of the Exco and the EAPN secretariat for all their support which he said has absolutely helped him through his illness. His treatment was now working very well and he feels to be the “luckiest man be able to be at the GA” and that he now feels the joy to be alive each day.

1)Approval of the agenda: Agenda was adopted

2) Approval of the minutes of 20-21 March: The minutes were agreed

3) Matters arising: No matters arising

4) Final Preparation for the General Assembly:

Applications for membership:The full papers have now been received and sent to the GA delegates to support the application from EAPN Slovenia. The Exco re stated its intention to give a positive advice on this application to the GA. An application was also received from the European Organisation ‘European Consumer Debt Network’ and the application has been sent to the GA delegates. Michaela presented this application as she has been closely involved in the development of this Network. Ludo informed that this Network was recently accepted into membership of the Social Platform. There was some concerns that an organisation addressing debt issues is not automatically an anti poverty organisation. After some further clarifications regarding the orientation of the organisation as one that takes a strong approach towards combating poverty it is was agreed that the ExecutiveCommittee would recommend to the GA acceptance of this application.

Reminder re procedures and appointment of the procedures committee:Olivier, Ludo, Patricia, Letizia and Fintan were appointed to the procedures committee.

Final check on the Programme:All was in order with the programme. Michaela gave some information about expected media coverage and asked Exco members to let her know if there are within their delegations people with experience of rural poverty.

Resolutions:There was some discussion about the Italian resolution relating to deadlines for sending documents to members for discussion. There was some concern that a strict interpretation of this resolution could delay or prevent EAPN from making timely input. It was clarified that the resolution was written in a way that did not apply to all EAPN inputs (for example letters to Ministers) but that the intention was to ensure a better working method for EAPN and to ensure real input form the EAPN members. With this in mind the Exco members were happy to recommend acceptance of this resolution.

Practical Arrangements: Michaela provided some additional information about the practical arrangements.

Final Declaration:Fintan outlined the ideas behind the draft final declaration and how they come from the discussions we had at the last Exco in relation to the key messages for 2010 and how it builds on the five key messages that have emerged from the work we have done under the frame of the ‘EU We want’.

Work Programme 2010:Fintan presented the draft work programme for 2010 and how it builds on the agreement we established at the last Exco in relation to the EAPN approach to the 2010 year. A second focus will be on trying to ensure delivery of the policy legacy that we have developed in our post 2010 position paper which will be further discussed at this GA. It was also noted that while the draft work programme provides a frame for our work the proposed EAPN working groups would still have to fill in some of the details for their respective work areas. There was a positive acceptance of the draft work programme.

6) Financial Report

Realised Budget 2008: All of the documents are ready and have been sent to the GA Delegates. Concern was expressed that there does not seem to be a difference between EAPN’s overall budget and the EAPN Budget for the Commission. Some explanation was given about the conditions applied to being a core funded Network from the Commission which leads to this reality. However it was agreed that the Exco or a sub group of the Exco along with the Vice President in charge of finances should look more closely at issues and the reality in relation to funding of EAPN.

Executed Budget 2009: Philippe presented an updated budget for 2009. All is in order but to meet the matching funds requirements we need Networks to raise funds to match the funds available through the contracts with Networks.

EAPN Budget 2010: The draft budget has been sent to the delegates to the GA. The draft budget assumes some additional once off support from the Commission to support our work in 2010 as the year against poverty and social exclusion. However there is no guarantee that this additional money will be available and if not then we will have to adjust our budget accordingly. There was one question about the cost of travel allocated in the projected budget which seemed lower than the current travel allowance of 340 Euro. It was explained that the figure in the projected budget is the average figure which we expect to pay for travels and so we will still apply the 340 euros as a ceiling figure for booking tickets.

EAPN Fund:No developments.

7) Update re preparation for 2010: Fintan gave an update re preparation for 2010 year. He told Exco members that they would receive an invitation to nominate people to be involved in the journalist awards for 2010 and that it was important that they responded to this request.

8) Reflection on the experience gained from participating in the ExCo (2006-2009):

Prior to the meeting Fintan had circulated the document developed at the induction session for this Executive group on ‘Goals to be achieved over the life time of this Exco’. Exco members were asked to reflect on this document and to identify to what extent they had achieved what they set out to do and to what extent they had met blocks to achieving what they hoped. In the discussion at the Exco the following points were made:

Achievements:

• EAPN profile has grown at National, EU and international levels
• Important steps forward made on the participation of people experiencing poverty at National and EU levels. The European meetings of People Experiencing Poverty are an important event in the EU calendar and have stimulated developments in most Member States
• In many cases National Networks have become stronger
• Succeeded to increase our membership to reflect the enlarged EU is an important development
• We have made a significant start on the development of a campaign approach
• Made some progress in addressing language problems
• We have made a good start on preparing for 2010
• Despite difficult political context we have succeeded to keep poverty and social exclusion in the EU agenda.

Barriers:

• Political, economic and social situation now quite different than 2006. We have not succeeded to contribute to makean impact on the overall levels of poverty. It has been a difficult political period in which to get social and poverty issues addressed highly on the agenda
• The enlarged Exco makes it difficult to organiseour work/meetings. While we have made some changes to address this there is still a need to organise the work of the Exco in a different way
• We still miss out on using the full potential of the members of the Exco, language barriers contributes to this
• We still need a more realistic planning and a better way to decide on priorities.

9) Bureau 2009 -2011:

Reminder re procedure and selection of who will oversee the procedure: Exco members were reminded of the procedure for the election of the Bureau. It was agreed that Sonja would chair the section of the meeting on Saturday dealing with the election of the new Bureau.

Presentation of the candidates for the Bureau:Candidates for the Bureau presented themselves and their motivation

10) AOB- none

Minutes of the EAPN Executive Committee meeting,

13 June 2009 - Venue: Bildungszentrum der Arbeitkammer, Vienna

Present: Michaela Moser (AT), Ludo Horemans (BE), Douhomir Minev (BG), Nikos Satsias replacing Ninetta Kazantzis (CY), Katarina Klamkova replacing Karel Schwarz (CZ), Per Thomsen (DK), Juha Mikkonen (FI), Olivier Marguery (FR), Manfred Mohr (DE), Yota Arvaniti (GR), Izabella Marton (HU), Anna Visser replacing Louise Richardson (IE), Letizia Cesarini Sforza (IT), Karin Manderscheid (LU), Edgar Busutill (MT), Quinta Ansem (NL), Vigdis Von Ely (NO), Kamila Ploweic (PL), Julio Paiva (PT), Cristina Loghin (RO), Ivan Lesay (SK), Carlos Susias (ES), Sonja Wallbom (SE), Patricia Alert (ENOPF), Goran Larsson (Salvation Army).

Apologies: Arunas Svitojius (LT), ClareCaves (UK), Ibrahim Nouhoum (SL), Maciej Kucharczyk (AGE).

Staff: Fintan Farrell, Amana Ferro.

Chair: Ludo Horemans

Key Decisions / Décisions clé
The Bureau to develop a proposal about the role and number of members for the Bureau for discussion and decision at the September Executive. / Le Bureau doit développer une proposition sur le rôle et nombre des membres pour le Bureau pour discussion et décision à l’EXCO de septembre
Ludo Horemans elected as President with Michaela Moser (first Vice President), Izabella Marton, Karl Schwarz and Olivier Marguery as Vice Presidents. / Ludo Horemans élu en tant que Président avec Michaela Moser (première Vice-Présidente), Izabelle Marton, Karel Schwarz et Olivier Marguery en tant que Vice-Présidents

Proxies:

Executive Member / Proxy
Karel Schwarz / Edgar Busutill
Arunas Svitojus / Kamila Plowiec
ClareCaves / Patricia Alert
Louise Richardson / Michaela Moser
Maciej Kucharczyk / Goran Larsson

1) Approval of the agenda: Agenda was adopted

2) Review of the General Assembly and follow up of outstanding issues:

There were no outstanding issues to be followed up from the GA. Building on the positive assessments that had already been expressed in the plenary Exco members expressed their thanks to Michaela and her colleagues for organising such a great GA. Some additional Comments were made as follows:

• The French delegation while finding the workshops very interesting expects the GA to be the place to discuss key political orientations and strategic directions for EAPN and this has been lacking from EAPN General Assemblies. These discussions should be prepared through key papers developed and sent to the delegates well in advance of the GA which outline key options which should be discussed by the delegates to the GA and decision taken at the GA.
• We need to better link the conclusions of the workshops and the content of the final declaration.
• We should consider revising our procedures with regards to amendments especially in relation to the final declaration.
• 4 presentations that were quite long are too much for a workshop and does not allow time for exchange.
• Resolutions with country specific proposals can be a way to know what the key concerns in that country are.
• Some delegates felt that there were strong political discussions at this GA and that as Exco members we have to take responsibility to make the GA political. The Exco approved the agenda for the GA.
• We need to have more concrete discussions that can facilitate our work when we go back home. We need a better balance in our topics and we need to be careful not to lose people who attend who are not so used to these political discussions.
• It was a very innovative GA, any criticism is meant positively.
• Part of the difficulty is that the Network is not as well developed in some countries as it is at EU level so it is hard to overcome this imbalance.
• Perhaps we didn’t show enough how the political choices we are making at the GA are embedded and build on previous discussions and debates in EAPN. We need to show better the way we are developing EAPN, building on previous work and to show better the political thinking informing our work.
• The Plenary after the workshops did not work so well and perhaps it was a conceptual mistake the way we planned ‘personal feed backs’ form the workshops.

3) Election of the Bureau 2009-2012:

Ludo presented the proposal to have a Bureau of six people instead of five as was envisaged as a number of Executive members had approached him with this suggestion. He clarified that according to our statutes and standing orders the setting of the number of people for the Bureau is a competence of the Executive Committee. The fact that the Network has enlarged could be a reason to enlarge the Bureau so as to maintain a similar proportionality between the numbers on the Bureau and the numbers on the Executive. There were discussions with people presenting arguments in favour and against the proposal. A vote was then taking on the proposal and 9 voted in favour of the proposal, 17 against and 1 abstention. A second proposal was then considered that the Bureau develop on what is currently written in the Executive hand book on the role of the Bureau and if thought useful to suggest expanding the number of Bureau members and the justification for such a change. This proposal should be sent to the Executive before their September meeting and a discussion and decision should be had on the proposal at that meeting. This proposal had 20 votes in favour, 0 against and 7 abstentions. (Action: Bureau)

The Executive then took the decision that all possible teams of five from the six candidates presenting themselves for the Bureau should be considered as potential Bureau teams and be submitted for the vote. Given the candidates available it would be difficulty to apply geographical balance criteria and so it was seen by the majority that a one to four gender balance would be an option. The three extra potential bureau teams were then added to the ballot paper.

At this stage Sonja took over the chairing of the meeting. The Executive Members were reminded of the motivations of the candidates for the Bureau. Sonja, Fintan and Ninetta were agreed as the tellers for the count,Exco members were reminded of the voting procedure and voting papers were distributed.

As Team 5 received 203 votes, well above the required half plus one 136 votes (27 multiplied by 10 divided by 2 plus 1) Sonja confirmed that this team with Ludo Horemans as President and Vice Presidents; Michaela Moser, Izabella Marton, Karl Schwartz and Olivier Marguery was elected as the EAPN Bureau members for the mandate 2009-2012. Michaela was then confirmed as first Vice President with no votes against and no abstentions.

Ludo then resumed as chair, he thanked the Executive members for re electing him as President, he welcomed the new Bureau team which would bring a lot of experience to the work and he acknowledged that Manfred had been the one to lose out in the vote and that he hoped that they would find the best way to use to the full his talents in this Executive.

4) AOB:As there was no further business Ludo closed the meeting.