Minutes: EC Phone Conference 28.11.2011

Federation of Young European Greens FYEG Telephone conference Agenda/Minutes

When: Monday, 28st November

Opening of the meeting

Selecting the secretary and the moderators of the meeting

secretary: nic, moderation: jakob

Confirming of quorum and validity of meeting

Attendance: Terry, Merja, Jakob, Nic,Maggie, Nikola, Gaya

Missing: Steva

The meeting is valid when at least four of the EC members are present.

Approving the agenda

The agenda was approved as it is!

Personal updates

The personal updates were provided.

Office update

Skip (Steva Missing) ??

GEF contract

“Employees” (Jakob)

was in contact with Zofia and Bea:

-Bea is doing very well, we are happy to have her.

- Zofia handles this week's newsletter

-Debriefing of previous intern (Morana):TO-DO:Nic+Steva find a date to Skype, Nic will produce report

FYEG statutory activities

1) Next ECM, reminder

3rd-5th february: proposal for changes, might take a bit longer than just the weekend (bc joint session with PPYO)

we moved the ECM to the first weekend of february!!!

Jakob might be in Italia already (so just weekend)

Draft agenda: TO-DO:Terry will make a proposal

2) GA application:

-Catalan application

-Choice of venue and date

Application phase has ended

Proposal: 1st weekend of May in Barcelona (Catalunya aka Spain)

NB: This date seems not to work for Catalan MEP, however we must avoid clash with EGP Council and can get other great invitees

-FInal vote

Unanymous. In favor.GA will be in Barcelona,first weekend of May.

-Communication with host MO, GA responsible: TO-DO Nic (Mo-Responsible) and Jakob will handle communication with locals. Nic shares Luxembourg docs with Jakob.

Communication

1) Newsletters (Jakob)

Jakob shares proposal for comments, then it goes out.

-Agreed, we thank Zofia

2) Ecosprinter (Jakob)

No updates, we are working on getting it back online.

3) Communication strategy of FYEG (Jakob)

- Max started discussion on WG list and some of EC members should take care of the process

Discussion:

Content:

Some headlines and indications, needs further discussion,

Max made a few points, no big discussion yet. Deals with MO-communication, important topic.

Technical stuff:

Max needs to open the doc for those who have no gmail account, so everyone can edit. This needs to be fixed.

TO-DO: Jakob tells Max to make it open for everyone, EC reads it until next EC-PC, we have an internal discussion on e-list and push the debate.We decide next week who pushes the EC line.

Networking

1) MO´s

- Merja: The Finnish YG, together with other Nordic countries, propose to hold an FYEG event in Finland in 2012/13, on the topic of EU politics.

Possible link with the initiative of the Democracy WG. (synergy,cf. WG point)

Terry: This links makes sense.

Agreed

Practicalities: Time: We should look at the second half of 2012: 1st of February deadline with the Finnish National Agency. FYEG would be a partner, the Finnish YGs (if agreement) would help with technicalities. We would draft a description and try to get everyone interested gathered around this concrete proposal.

- Terry: Right-wing populism initiative of German Young Greens:

At the moment, this is still individuals. The idea is to apply nationall via YiA. We should be partners and delegate an EC member. Application will be handed in 1st of February.

TO-DO: Jakob will talk to Max, find out more

1.1) WG’s

General comments:

- usage of Google docs should be enhanced

- Democracy WG have started to brainstorm and to worm up to organize Seminar on EU Institution. There has already been writen some ideas about content of the event. WG members asked Nikola about fundraise possibilities and got response that EC would discuss this issues and try to fit it in FYEG working plan taking into consideration place, date and duration. Nikola is supposed to come back with some guidelines about this in order to make them able to proceed work on this isssue in practical sense as well.

Regionalism WG:

Call for new members on the way, will be in newsletter.

Update needed: Stickers (Office!)

2) GYG

- GYG congress

Funding group did not meet last week, some lack of leadership.

Proposal for funding sent to Reinhard, hopefully phone conference this week.

3) CDN (Jakob)

Date change: Balkans Regional (no alism) Meeting, will be moved from December 2011 to January 2012, stays in Albania.This affects the campaign team meeting which was supposed to happen at the same time.

Caucasus Regional Meeting:

Gaya attends the meeting in Georgia.

4) Falafel Network (Nikola)

- Nikola has collected some contacts and have to intensify communication on this matter.

- seminar in EU Parliamet will be used for further promotion of Falafel

- Work on Networking Meeting has to be relaunched asap

5) Youth Forum:

- PPYOs:

We want more to happen. Link this to concrete issues in order to raise more interest.

- Youth in Action:

- action website - FYEG promoting

- advocacy training in Brussels - no updates yet

Parliamentary Funding - skip for now

Election procedures- PPYOs plan to organise a thematic square at the next COMEM on democratic electoral procedures and how does it work in the YFJ

Political work

11.0 Death of YiA Program [Consider out of minutes]

Clarification/overview: (Terry)

What we know now: YiA runs out in 2013, question of sucessor program. Demand for more coordination of youth policies. Commission read this as: let's have one single program. They envision a single program called "Erasmus for all", this was not covered by any inputs, neither from youth nor from national governments.

Problems: Administrative grants have disappeared. Non-Formal Education and Civil Soicety aspects are weak

to non-existent. One form would serve for anything between a university's Erasmus application and volunteer-based youth NGOs.

Negotiations: YFJ is involved, started efforts to oppose this. However some national youth councils, feel that the YFJ is not radical enough.

Common line for FYEG:

This is bad and we oppose it.

Existing measures and actions:

- Joint-PR: We are angry, we are many.

-FYEG PR: TO-DO: Maggie drafts, we all collaborate and put it online

-Website: We will add the angry banner. TO-DO: tell her Hector

FYEG's own measures and internal task division:

Maggie will be our main player.

-YFJ: Push them (gently) to take a stronger stance, specifically their elected board.

-PPYOs: Consult with others, try to fight together on a single-issue campaign.

-MEPs: We should act through the green and youth-friendly YOUTH-intergroup. The EP is expected to be against, but we should talk to all FYEG-friendly MEPs in the GGEP.

-National level: This goes through MOs and National Youth Councils. We need to put this information forward.TO-DO: Maggie drafts an alarming message.

-6th of December: Informal breakfast on the issue. TO-DO: Steva eats.

11.1 Political Platform Process- (Nic)

Writing is in progress, internal deadlines set.

The third draft will contain inputs from the WG meeting and Paris Meeting IF they were consensual. We will also provide hints and tips for writing amendments, to structure the debate at the GA the best possible and give the presidency something to work with.

Target for publication of 3rd draft: January 6th aka Serbian Christmas

TO-DO: Nic sends report to Hector (website).

11.2 Green Group

Proposal to Reinhard sent, soon to be sent to the bureau.

Ska´s comments on letter to MEPs, either sent next week or beginning of January. Be open about our demands. Proposal: Send in January, spread it in the EP.

Agreed

11.3 EGP

All is fine.

11.4 Neo Prasinoi vs B90/Grüne

Our MO was unhappy about the invitation of their former PM to Green Congress in Germany. We are not really responsible, will reply stating that.

Agreed.

Finances:

(skip)

Projects

13.1 Running projects:

13.2 Project's preparation

- COP17 Workshop (Jakob):

Things are working out well. Looks like all speakers have confirmed, still some tweaking with the synchronisation between side-events and the main thing, as well as Press Work.

We aim to form a block on the street protest,plan to have a seperate action.

Jakob will forward current agenda to EC list

- Gender Study Session (Merja):

Generally fine. Still hunting for a key-speaker for an important session.

Proposal: Reach out to EGGO, via Delfina. TO-DO: Merja contacts Delfina,sees if we can get a speaker from Barcelona

Clarification needed: Steva's participation to the event in order to reimburse the pax

- Campaign (Jakob)

Confident that things will work. (minimum) Ideas revolve around concerted action, handing over of "lists of demands" in several countries.

13.3 Projects to be applied

- LGBTQ seminars (Terry)

Not many news now. Positive outlook, still need a final figure on the GEF money. Local interest and enthousiasm is strong. EGP has been a bit undecisive with placing their conference on the calendar, we should move and create facts.Skype conference next saturday

13.3 Projects with sent applications

- Winter camp (maggie)

Call for prep-team, period ended, we have applicants, however there's still a huge gender disbalance. Proposal: Extend deadline.

TO-DO: Maggie sends reminder to Hector for website (CC to Jakob, for newsletter)

- FYEG-CDN Study Session (Steva)

skip

13.4 Projects initiatives):

- Green Leaders, marko (steva)

skip

- Eu Young Green Leaders Seminar (Nikola)

-Nikola goes there on the 30th to meet Europeans,then from 5th to 8th to meet all participants

- Agenda of both meetings has been sent and any kind of ideas regarding presentation of FYEG or contacts with present people

Any Other Business

FYI: Individual supporters meeting is taking place in Vienna:

Jakob visits and represents us there.

Closing of the meeting