PES WOMEN’S STANDING COMMITTEE
STANDING ORDERS
(Last revised on 30 November 2004)
Annex: proposed amendment to PES Statutes
1.Identity
The PES Women’s Standing Committee is an organisation within the Party of European Socialists (PES).
2.Name
The name of the Committee is the ‘PES Women’s Standing Committee’. However, for communication purposes the committee may be referred to as ‘PES Women’.
3.Full members
The following are full members and have the right to vote:
- one representative from the each of the full member parties of the PES
- one representative of ECOSY
- one representative of the Parliamentary Group of the PES
4.Associate members
The PES Women’s Standing Committee involves the following associate members in its work (without the right to vote):
- associate parties of the PES
- members of the Parliamentary Group of the PES on the European Parliament’s Women’s Rights Committee
- Socialist International Women
- CEE Network for Gender Issues
5.Objectives
The PES Women’s Standing Committee works to promote gender equality in Europe and within the PES and PES member parties. It seeks to fulfil this objective among others through:
- Information sharing about European and national policies, initiatives and studies
- Campaigns and common actions
- Common reactions to European policy and legislation
- Development of policies within the field of gender equality
- Adoptions of resolutions
- Press activities
- Putting pressure on national parties to give priority to gender equality
- Increasing and strengthening women's engagement and representation in the EU and ensuring their visibility in elections
- Bringing women citizens closer to European and social democratic values
6. President and Vice-Presidents
The PES Women’s Standing Committee elects a President and up to 3 vice-Presidents for a period of two and a half years. Their election coincides with each constituent election of the European Parliament. The first election will be held in July after the direct election of the European Parliament, and the second in January at the time of the second constituent election, so as to cover a period of five years corresponding to a full legislative term of the European Parliament.
7.Bureau
The PES Women’s Standing Committee elects a Bureau from among its members.
The Bureau comprises up to 10 members. The term of office of Bureau members covers a period of two and a half years and their elections are held in the same period as the election of the President and Vice-Presidents.
8.The Executive
The Executive is comprised of the President, Vice Presidents and Bureau. It meets as regularly as necessary to implement the decisions taken at meetings of PES Women.
It also meets to prepare PES Women’s contributions to the meetings of other PES bodies, in particular the PES Presidency and the PES Congress.
The Executive ensures that the vote of PES Women in these bodies reflects thorough consultation with members and takes into account the objectives of PES Women as stated in these standing orders.
The Executive undertakes to convene meetings of PES Women with a minimum notice of one month and to circulate preparatory documents in good time.
9.Meetings
Members of the PES Women’s Standing Committee must meet no less than three times a year for ordinary members’ meetings.
10.Voting procedure
Wherever possible, decisions will be made on the basis of consensus. If a consensus cannot be reached, the voting procedure in article 7 of the PES Statutes will be used. Only full members (as stated above) have the right to vote.
11.Yearly Conference
The President, Vice-Presidents and the Bureau undertakes to organise one theme-based conference a year for representatives from member parties, members of the PES Group of the European Parliament and affiliated women’s organisations.
12.Role of PES Women’s Standing Committee in PES bodies
The PES Women’s Standing Committee can submit proposals to the PES Congress and defend them before it.
The President and one of the Vice- Presidents are delegated ex officio to the PES Congress, where they each have a right of vote.
The members of the Bureau of the PES Women’s Standing Committee are delegated with consultative status to the PES Congress.
The President or one of the Vice-Presidents has a right of vote for the PES Presidency.
The President or President's delegate attends meetings of the PES Coordination Committee.
The vote of the delegates of PES Women in PES bodies must pay strict reference to the objectives of PES Women (as stated above).
13.Financing
Each member or associate party will be asked to set aside an annual amount for the purpose of financing the travel and accommodation costs of delegates to the PES Women’s Standing Committee to enable it at least to attend the meetings fixed in the annual calendar.
ANNEX
Proposed amendment to PES Statutes
To replace article 4 of the PES Statutes:
“The PES Women’s Standing Committee is an organisation within the Party of European Socialists. The following are full members and have the right to vote:
- one representative from the each of the full member parties of the PES
- one representative of ECOSY
- one representative of the Parliamentary Group of the PES
It involves the following in its work (without the right to vote):
- associate parties of the PES
- members of the Parliamentary Group of the PES on the European Parliament’s Women’s Rights Committee
- Socialist International Women
- CEE Network for Gender Issues
The PES Women’s Standing Committee’s elects a President, up to three Vice-Presidents and up to 10 bureau members every two and half years.
The objective of the PES Women’s Standing Committee is to promote gender equality in Europe and within the PES and PES member parties.”
Already in statutes - should keep them in original articles
The PES Women’s Standing Committee can submit proposals to the Congress and defend them before it (Article 8.3).
The chair and one of the vice-chairs are delegated ex officio to the PES Congress, where they each have a right of vote. (Article 10, 1.V).
The members of the Bureau of the PES Women’s Standing Committee are delegated with consultative status to the PES Congress (Article 10, 2).
The chair or one of the vice-chairs have a right of vote for the PES Presidency (Article 17).
The chair or chair's delegate attend meetings of the PES Coordination Committee (Article 26).
