CALL TO THE 8th EPSU CONGRESS

As announced in EPSU Congress Circular No. 1 (2008), the 8th EPSU Congress will take place from 8 - 11 June 2009 at Flagey Conference Centre, Place Sainte-Croix, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium. Congress will start in the afternoon on 8 June and end at lunchtime on 11 June.

This circular is the call to send delegates to Congress.

Conference theme and working format

The slogan of the EPSU Congress will be:

Congress debates will be organised in theme based plenary sessions:

-# European Citizens have voted
-# Healthcare for all
-# Investing in Public Services
-# Priority for the European Social Model
-# Reclaiming Public Services
-# Sustainable Public Services.

The following resolutions will be submitted in the name of the EPSU Executive Committee. These are:

- R.1: Quality Public Services – Quality of Life;
- R.2: Collective Bargaining and Social Dialogue;
- R.3: Equal Pay;
- R.4: Health and Social Services;
- R.5: Local and Regional Government;
- R.6: National and European Administration;
- R.7: Utilities.

Affiliated unions already have sent their own resolutions within the delivery deadline of
8 December 2008 (EPSU Constitution, appendix 2, article 3); these and above mentioned resolutions will be circulated by separate mail.

The 8th EPSU Congress will be the formal launch of the proposed merger between EPSU and PSI Europe. Delegates will be invited to adopt proposed amendments to the EPSU Constitution underpinning the merger process.

Delegation entitlements

In accordance with the decision of the Executive Committee meeting of 25-26 November 2008, the total number of Congress voting delegates is to be limited to 650.

In accordance with the Standing Orders Governing Congress (EPSU Constitution, appendix 2, article 5-a), based on paid-up membership for the year 2007 and the decision of the Executive Committee meeting of 25-26 November 2008, voting delegate seats will be allocated as follows:

2 seats are allocated to each affiliated organisation having fulfilled its financial obligations to EPSU or PSI (in the case the trade unions in the countries that were not part of the geographic remit of EPSU) for the years 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 for up to 58.142 members. 1 additional seat for each further 58.142 paid members or part thereof.

Each gender should be equally represented in delegations attending Congress (EPSU Constitution article 4.2.5). Affiliated unions having joined EPSU in the course of the year prior to Congress are entitled to send full delegations with voting rights to the Congress provided they pay their affiliation fees due before Congress (EPSU Constitution article 4.2.5).

Affiliates are encouraged to include young representatives in their delegations.

The EPSU Executive Committee will meet directly after Congress. Delegations are recommended to include the Member of the Executive Committee. Similar we recommend that the countries that receive financial assistance include in the delegation the member of the Executive Committee.

Observers and technical staff from member organisations are not allowed to exceed half of the delegation entitlement (EPSU Constitution, appendix 2, article 5-f).

Please fill in and return the attached participation form by 15 February 2009 at the very latest.

Visas

At the time of writing, participants who need a visa to travel to Belgium should
send their passport details to the EPSU Secretariat: [email protected] by 15 February 2009 at the very latest.

Interpretation

Active interpretation will be provided in 10 languages (English, Czech, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish and Swedish); we have requested a number of passive languages to be confirmed in future correspondence. We will endeavour to further assist participants from Central and Eastern Europe (CEEC) through eventual financial assistance for travel and accommodation of interpreters/assistants.

Additional information

Congress documents and further information will be sent in due course.

Please do not forget the deadline: 15 February 2009 for all registration-related matters.

All pertinent Congress information can be found on the EPSU website at www.epsu.org/r/349

Looking forward to seeing you in Brussels,

Yours sincerely,

Carola Fischbach-Pyttel
General Secretary