ABOUT US

STATUTES

EUROPEAN SENIOR ORGANISATION – ESO
(Federation of Retired People of the PES)

PREAMBLE

The European Senior Organization – ESO (Federation of Retired People of the PES) is an association recognised by the Party of European Socialists (PES), which works on the basis of the regulations laid out in the statutes of the PES and adheres to the objectives of the latter, as set in the preamble of its statutes.
The ESO coordinates the efforts of its member organisations, in order to represent and defend the interests of the elderly in Europe.



Article 1
Name, seat and field of activity

The association is named European Senior Organization – ESO (Federation of Retired People of the PES) and has its seat in Vienna. Its activity encompasses all of Europe.



Article 2
Objectives and tasks

The ESO has the following objectives and tasks:

To uphold and spread the fundamental ideas of the Party of European Socialists (PES), as well as implement its objectives and programme in the framework of its work.

To promote and safeguard the economic, social and cultural interests of the elderly in Europe.

 
The ESO aims to improve the social status and position in society of older people in Europe, and therefore to develop programmes on the topics of age, solidarity between generations, medical care, protection of consumers, social security (fundamental right to a retirement benefit) and economic protection (pensions and annuities) and to strengthen the participation and active involvement of the elderly in the community, society and in European politics.

To represent and defend the interest of elderly people in the European bodies, in particular in the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council.

The work of the ESO is not to generate any profits, its activity serves the public interest.



Article 3
Membership

Can be members of the ESO all seniors’ organisations and associations, the aim of which is the fulfilment of the tasks and objectives laid under Article 2 of the statutes. Likewise, can be members all departments and/or persons responsible for senior policy within the PES member, associate and observer parties .

Final decisions on the admission of members are taken by the Executive Committee.

Withdrawal can follow any time, however obligations are still binding. Withdrawal from the federation must be justified to the Executive Committee in writing.
 


Article 4
Rights and duties of members

All members have the right to vote and are eligible. These rights are exercised by the representatives sent by the member organisations.

All members must pay the membership fee and abide by the present statutes.



Article 5
Financial means

The work of the ESO is financed by the membership fees of the members, as well as aids, donations and subsidies.

The amount of the annual membership fee for members is set by the Executive Committee by a 2/3 majority.



Article 6
Bodies

The bodies of the ESO are:

• the Congress
• the Executive Committee
• the Presidium
• the Auditors
• the Arbitration Body

Article 7
The Congress

The Congress convenes every three years.

All delegates to the Congress are invited in writing at least four weeks in advance. The agenda for the Congress must soon follow the convocation of the Congress. The Congress is called to convene by the Executive Committee.

Motions to the Congress are to be filed at the latest two weeks before the Congress and are to be addressed to the Executive Committee in writing.

The Congress decides on:

• the guidelines and programme
• amendments to the statutes
• the dissolution of the federation
• receipt and approval of the financial report and accounts
• discharge of the Executive Committee
• the discussion and decision on any other questions remaining on the agenda.

The Congress elects a President, up to ten vice-presidents, 2 auditors and two substitutes, as well as, upon proposal of the President, the Secretary General and the Treasurer for a period of three years.

The Congress is made up of:
the members of the Executive Committee
the delegates of the seniors’ organisations and associations, as well as the delegates from departments and/or the representatives responsible for senior policy in the member , associate and observer parties of the PES.
 
The number of participants to the Congress and the number of representatives in the delegations of the single organisations (as well as parties) is determined by the Executive Committee upon proposal of the Secretary General.

The Congress can take decisions if it has been convened according to the proper procedure foreseen by the federation and if more than half of the delegates are present. A quarter of an hour after the opening, the Congress can take decisions irrespective of the number of delegates.

Elections and decisions in the Congress are taken by simple majority. Decisions changing the statute of the organisation or related to its dissolution, are however taken by a qualified majority of 2/3 of the valid cast votes.

The Congress is chaired by the President of the federation, or if s/he is unable to sit in the chair, by one of the vice-presidents.



Article 8
The Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is the body setting the tasks and work of the ESO, between Congresses and following the guidelines set by the Congress; it takes all the decisions that contribute to the implementation of the statutory aims of the ESO. It also decides in particular on the disaffiliation of a member organisation.

The Executive Committee is composed of :
the members of the Presidium
two representatives per member of the ESO (see Art. 3, pt.1),

The Executive Committee can invite as guests for the purpose of cooperation, representatives of the European institutions as well as representatives of important organisations fighting for the interests of the senior citizens.

The Executive Committee is convoked by the President, who also chairs it. It can take decisions, if all its members have been invited and at least a third of them are present.

The Executive Committee takes decisions with simple majority; in the event of a tied vote, the President has the casting vote.



Article 9
Presidium

The President, the vice-president, the treasurer and the Secretary General make up the Presidium.

The tasks of the Presidium are :
to decide upon urgent measures, that arise from the Programme of the ESO,
to attend to current duties
work and time-scheduling
to nominate one or more deputy Secretary general/s upon recommendation of the elected President.

The President represents the ESO. If s/he is unable to, the Secretary general or one of the vice-presidents takes over this task.

In case the Secretary general or the treasurer needs to be replaced, the Executive Committee, upon proposal of the President, appoints a Secretary General or Treasurer for the rest of the term.

The seat of the secretariat general is determined by the Presidium by consensus.

The prescriptions laid in Art. 8 § 4 and 5 are to be applied in their spirit.

 

Article 10
The Secretary General

The Secretary General has the following duties:
to carry out routine administrative tasks
to run the Secretariat
to manage the finances, jointly with the treasurer
to prepare the meetings and carry out the decisions of the Congress, the Executive Committee and the Presidium.



Article 11
The Auditors

As specified under article 7 of the present statutes, the audit is carried out by the auditors elected for a period of three years or by their substitutes.

The auditors check the current affairs of the federation and examine the accounts. They are to report to the Congress on the results of the inspection of the books and are to propose the motion for the discharge of the Executive Committee.

The auditors or their substitutes may not have any other function within the ESO.


 
Article 12
The Arbitration Body

The Arbitration Body settles all disputes arising within the organisation.

The Arbitration Body is made up of representatives of the member organisations. Each party in dispute appoints a judge of arbitration within a time limit set by the Executive Committee. These two members elect a third representative from a neutral member organisation as chair of the Arbitration Body.

The Arbitration Body takes its decisions in the presence of all its members and with simple majority.

The decisions of the Arbitration Body are definitive within the organisation.



Article 13
Dissolution

The voluntary dissolution of the organisation can only be decided by an extraordinary Congress called to this effect, and only with a 2/3 majority of the valid cast votes.

This Congress also decides upon the use of the assets - if the organisation has indeed assets – with simple majority.

In case of dissolution or cessation of activities related to the defence of the purposes of the organisation, and should the need arise, the available assets of the organisations may not profit the members of the organisation under any circumstances whatsoever, but are to be used solely and in their entirety for purposes that are for the benefit of the public in accordance to the spirit of BAO paragraphs 34 and following.