Brussels, 18 January 2017
Internal Rules of Procedure for ETUC Youth Committee
Adopted at the Executive Meeting of 14-15 December 2016
Framework and objectives of ETUC Youth Committee
The ETUC Youth Committee is an integral part of the ETUC. It is made up of youth representatives from ETUC affiliates. It organises its activities within the framework of the ETUC constitution, the operating means of the ETUC, and in keeping with the ETUC agenda.
Its main tasks are:
- to contribute to the work and agenda of the ETUC, ensuring that a youth perspective is part of ETUC policies through active the participation of its Bureau members in the Executive Committee, Statutory Committees and Working Groups;
- to promote trade unions, trade union membership and participation in trade unions amongst the youth;
- to adopt positions on matters affecting young people at work and in their living conditions;
- to develop action programmes and co-ordinate the activities on the basis of these action programmes also in collaboration with other European actors active in the field of youth rights protection;
- to develop a youth perspective on the ETUC policy agenda as well as developing specific youth initiatives. The committee also has a role in co-ordinating the representation of ETUC Youth in the above mentioned European actors;
- to organise seminars, conferences, study sessions, training and campaigns where appropriate, for the delegates and youth representatives of its member organisations;
- to support the work of the existent youth structures of ETUC affiliated organisations and encourage those with no structures to establish them.
Operation of ETUC Youth
The operation and activities of ETUC Youth are defined by:
- the ETUC Youth Committee, which meets twice a year;
- the Bureau (Steering Committee) which is composed of 8 elected members (see Annex).
The operating methods are set out below.
ETUC Youth Committee (YC)
The ETUC Youth Committee meets twice a year. Each ETUC member organisation (National Confederations and European Federations) may nominate 1 full member to attend the meetings. Members must be less than 35 years old at the day of the meeting. Members over 35 are not eligible. Members should be nominated by submitting an appointment letter signed by the General Secretary or the President of the respective organisation to the ETUC - Youth Secretariat.
The purpose of the YC is to share perspectives on issues raised, ETUC policies and to share ideas and best practice from their confederations. The views and feedback from the YC will also help shape the work of the Bureau and its members. They will make decisions, by a simple majority vote, where necessary.
Voting in the YC is done by mandate. Each organisation has one mandate. The transfer of mandates to other organisations is not allowed.
The YC is only competent to take decisions if at least 50% of member organisations which nominated a representative in the YC, are represented.
In case of urgent matters a written consultation, procedure can be adopted following the rules of procedure of the ETUC Executive Committee.
The Presidents of the PERC Youth Committee and ITUC Youth Committee are permanent invitees to the ETUC YC meetings; unless in exceptional circumstances and after agreement with the ETUC Secretariat, the costs of their participation are not reimbursed.
Bureau of the YC
A President, 2 Vice-presidents and 5 elected members of the YC make up the Bureau. The distribution of seats in the bureau according to the distribution stated attached.
Bureau Members represent the ETUC YC at external events, conferences, Social Dialogue negotiations and other bodies within the scope of the EU.
The Bureau works as a team in close co-operation with the ETUC Secretariat and Youth Officer. It plays a specific role within the YC in developing and implementing Committee policies.
In particular it:
- helps prepare and follow-up the day-to-day work of the YC;
- represents the YC in ETUC Committees and working groups;
- prepares and participates in seminars and other training activities organised by the YC;
- represents the YC in external meetings where required;
- reports back to the YC meetings on work and progress to date.
The Bureau may appoint experts on a temporary basis to assist it in its work.
The Bureau meets at least twice a year, before the meetings of the YC and maintains virtual contact throughout the year, and can meet as and when required at other times.
The President
- chairs the meetings of the YC and of the Bureau;
- at the first meeting distributes the tasks in coordination with Bureau members;
- represents the YC in various external youth organisations and institutions;
- is a member of the Executive Committee and meets with the ETUC Secretariat when needed.
The Vice-Presidents
- are deputy members of the ETUC Executive Committee;
- if the President resigns before the end of his/her mandate, the Vice-Presidents share his/her responsibilities until the next meeting of the YC where a new President and/or candidate from the President’s region will be elected.
Procedures for election
The members of the Bureau are appointed for a period of 2 years, after the YC meeting in which they have been elected. If a Bureau member resigns before the end of the mandate, the seat remains vacant until the next YC meeting, where a new member from the same region can be elected.
No member of the Bureau will hold the same position for more than one term, or any position for more than two terms for a total of 4 years.
At least 60 days before the YC meeting when elections takes place, the ETUC Youth Secretariat sends invitations to YC delegates to submit candidacies. Candidates must submit to the ETUC Youth secretariat their CV, support letter from their organisation and cover letter at least 30 days before the meeting. Candidates for the SC must be full members of the YC.
Gender balance must be respected among the YC and Bureau according to ETUC rules and in particular to the ETUC Constitution and the “Roadmap to achieve gender balance in the ETUC Statutory Bodies” adopted by the ETUC Executive Committee.
Bureau candidates must be less than 33 years old when elected, so as to ensure that the age limit of 35 years is respected and must be present at the elections in order to be eligible. If for unpredicted and extraordinary reasons a candidate cannot be present, he/she can be elected at the following YC meeting and the seat will remain vacant until then.
If two or more candidates from the same region obtain the same number of votes, a second ballot is held. It this ballot fails to break up the equal votes, then the youngest candidate is considered elected.
Secretariat
The youth secretariat shall service both the full YC and the Bureau and shall be provided with the necessary resources. Duties shall include calling the meetings (agenda and invitation) and providing documents, reports and minutes for all meetings.
The youth secretariat shall have the duty and responsibility to take day-to-day decisions, as and when necessary, in between meetings of the YC in cooperation with the President and Bureau.
The Youth secretariat sets the agenda in consultation with Bureau members.
Reimbursements
Reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses for the YC meetings will be made according to the “Internal Rules of Procedures for ETUC Committees and Working Groups”. This means that one member per country or group of countries shall be reimbursed (bearing in mind that the maximum number of reimbursements is restricted to 28 per meeting). The nomination of this member shall be made on the basis of an agreement between the organisations of a given country or group of countries.
As amended by the Youth Committee on 18/12/2014, in Brussels, ITUH