The Constitution

The constitution have been voted on the 1st of April 2016 at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. It can be changed by the future representative of the European Student Council.

Today, on the 1st of April 2016, we, students and teachers from France, Greece and Romania, who participate in the eTwinning project “European school Days for High school students” are gathered here, in the European Parliament. We have taken part in the preparation of the project, we have searched and studied about each other, we have discussed during the workshops, attended as part of this gathering, we have known each other, discussing, debating, but also having fun and finding what we have in common.

At the end of our meeting we decided to express our thoughts and decisions.

Declaration of principles

We declare that we are different in our nationalities, traditions, languages, customs, skin colors, religions, political or social beliefs and these characteristics are what makes us humans. We like our differences and we respect one another for that.
We declare that we know, remember and respect our nations’ history, the fights and the struggles of our people for freedom, equality, prosperity and progress. These are what makes us realize that we, as humans, are afraid of the same things, hope the same things, dream of the same things, give our daily’s efforts for the same values, stand in solidarity for the same ideas.
We declare that we together are determined to fight for our common European values. These values are: respect and protection of our human rights, acceptance and tolerance of our differences, freedom, equality, democracy, solidarity among the people of Europe and prosperity for all.
We declare that we, as children or grandchildren of immigrants or refugees, most of us from different countries or even different continents, now we all feel and are Europeans and we keep our eyes, our minds and borders open to human suffering and human struggle for survival, always trying to help in a spirit of humanism.
We declare that we know the starting points, the historical, cultural, social, political and economic conditions that have formed, influenced and determined Europe, as it is today, and we strongly state that we, as young persons, will give all our efforts and strength to ensure that facts and mistakes of the past will not happen again.
We declare that the Europe we dream of living in is a Europe of peace, happiness, prosperity, respect of human rights, tolerance and acceptance.

To support these declarations, we unanimously decide to create a Council of Students of Europe, the constitution of which will be the following.

Preamble

To promote solidarity and communication between students from high schools in Europe, a council of elected students from high schools has been created at the European Parliament of Strasbourg on April the 1st, 2016.

The Student European Council is a body which promotes European citizenship and bring with it European ideals but remains, however, neutral from political and religious points of view. It excludes any form of discrimination and does not support any political message except a better cooperation between European citizens and students from high schools.

This Council could have its headquarters in the European Parliament of Strasbourg and regularly meet there with the authorization of the European Parliament.

Article. 1. Name of the Council

This Council, bringing together students from 15 to 18 years old (19 years old if a students is still in High school), must be able to cover and provide the following required ideas:

Europe: it brings together students from Europe
High school: its members are students from high schools – or the equivalent level, according to all partner countries.
Representability: its members are representing high school students from Europe.
High schools’ life: for any given European country, this country will participate to in the transmission of information and an improvement of improving the life in high schools in Europe.

For evident organization and communication reasons, the official name of the council should be in English. Each partner country should have its own translation.

The name of the council is “European Student Council”

Article. 2. State members

The council will recruits its representatives within the European Union.

Article. 3. An etwinning project

This project is based on an eTwinning project. Its preparation and creation has been facilitated on the Twinspace. It is obvious that in the future, preparation of the future meetings should be made through eTwinning.

The Council should be fundamentally associated to the eTwinning platform to ensure a better visibility in partner countries, the possibility of a collaborative work despite geographical distance, a safe and protected electronic environment and the recognition from an official device of the European Commission and the European Schoolnet.

As such, the representatives would not be able to come from a school which is not registered on eTwinning.

Article. 4. Elections and mandates of the representatives

Paragraph 1. Date of the elections

The elections will to be held every year between October the 1st and November the 30th.

Paragraph 2. Applications

Voting systems will be held in each partner countries with the support and agreement of each ministry of Education.

As an interim solution, it has been decided that the representatives could be chosen among the participants who took part to the first session.

Paragraph 3. Mandates of representatives:

Students, members of the Council are chosen for a term of two years. A strict balance between girls and boys must be observed: each national delegation should have five girls and five boys.

They have to be registered in the eTwinning project as soon as they are elected and be active in this project which prepares meetings in Strasbourg. They have to be active at least in one eTwinning project.

If leaving high school before the end of its term, or in the event of being unable to fulfil his/her duties, he/she will be replaced by an alternate from the same country. Each partner country should consider its own rules of replacement.

Article. 5. Meetings

Paragraph 1. Meeting place :

The city of Strasbourg proposes to install this Council in Strasbourg, in the European Parliament with the agreement of the European Parliament.

This Council will be able to meet in ordinary sessions every year in Strasbourg.

This council is also warmly invited by the city of Strasbourg to extend its meetings at the “Lieu d’Europe”.

Paragraph 2. Frequency of meetings:

The council should meet every year, from February to March before Easter, outside the summer school holidays and outside of the plenary sessions.

Paragraph 3. Representatives’ supervision :

Each country should have one adult, teacher, headmaster, leader for the project. This person should be registered on eTwinning, having completed at least one project. The supervision means to control work and progress.

The NSS should take part in the project as a supervisor.

Each national delegation should be supervised by at least two adults during the meetings. The choice of supervisors remains with the country concerned.

Paragraph 4.Language used for communicating:

Language used for communicating on the Twinspace should be English, the most common used language. However, if they wish, students could share in the language they want.

Article. 6. Working principles

Paragraph 1.Agenda :

Before each meeting, an agenda should have been planned. This agenda will be discussed and preliminary worked on the project’s Twinspace, by every representatives.

This agenda will be planned depending on the needs expressed by the students and deliberated during the session.

Paragraph 2.Meetings’ reviews:

At the conclusion of each meeting, the council should provide a review of discussions and propositions, useful information for all European Students.

The council, during its annual sessions, could be in charge with reviewing these status.

Paragraph 3.President and Vice President:

The council will elect its own president and vice-president. They should be elected during the first session after the speeches of each candidate.

President and vice-president should come from two different countries.

A representative shall not be elected if he/she has to leave the Council before the next session.

Elections should be organized and a president/vice-president preliminary chosen regarding the next session if necessary.

Article. 7. Competences

This Council will work towards the high school life in every member states. Its decisions should not be binding measures but should be seen as advice, proposals and support for a European cooperation.

The competences of the council will be:

Promoting the European citizenship among the high schools of Europe.
Supporting the European students in discovering the different possibilities of European mobility.
Promoting an association network for high school students.
Supporting students in taking part to the EU political life, by promoting the participation to the European elections for those old enough to vote.
Sharing students’ experiences and exchanging good practices.
Taking part in the high schools’ policies against bullying, hate speech, racism and discrimination and policies promoting equality between boys and girls, tolerance and acceptance of the difference, respect of the Human rights and environmental issues.
Promoting a strict equality between European Students irrespective of their origins, religion, social conditions.
Ensuring communication for its works and reviews.

Article. 8. Communication

The Council will ensure its communication through the eTwinning platform but also with its own website. This website should be available in English and in the official languages of every members.

In each delegation students should be designated as responsible for this site and communication.

The council should have its own Facebook page and ensure its effective presence on the social networks.

Article. 9. Modification of statuts

These rules could be changed if accepted by a majority of two thirds of the voters.