THE STATUTES      Principles      Goals      THE BYLAWS

 STATUTES 

The Network was founded on 27 September 1998, in the City of Luxembourg on the occasion of the Annual Meeting of European Person–/Client–Centred Organizations in Luxembourg.
The Statutes were agreed at the 2nd General Assembly on 26 September 1999 in Athens, Greece, and revised at the 3rd General Assembly on 25 and 26 November 2000 in Salgótarján, Hungary.

The terms "Person–Centered" and "Experiential" and the concepts and processes they encompass have an extensive, rich and evolving history. The choice of the phrase "Person–Centered and Experiential" is intended to promote continued dialogue and development; it is not intended to favor any particular understanding of these approaches and their relationship.


I. Principles

  1. The aim of the Network is to provide a European-wide forum for those professionals in science and practice who
    • have a commitment to the primary importance of the relationship between client and therapist in psychotherapy and counselling
    • hold as central to the therapeutic endeavor the client's actualising process and phenomenological world 
    • embody in their work those conditions and attitudes conducive to therapeutic movement first postulated by Carl Rogers
    • have a commitment to an understanding of both clients and therapists as persons, who are at the same time individuals and in relationship with others and their diverse environments and cultures
    • have an openness to the development  and elaboration of person-centred and experiential theory in light of current and future practice and research.

  2. This is in line with the principles of the World Association for Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapy and Counseling (WAPCEPC) and in accordance with the non-discrimination accord valid within the framework of the European Union.

II. Goals

The Network has the following goals:
• to further co-operation between person-centred associations and institutions in Europe, especially in the field of  psychotherapy and counselling, e. g. through common projects,
• to support/facilitate European person-centred associations, institutions and individuals in their work,
• to promote the person-centred paradigm and to support and encourage the scientific study as well as the improvement of practice in this paradigm, specifically in the field of psychotherapy and counselling,
• to engage in socio-political processes to ensure the continued contribution of the paradigm in health, social insurance, education, academic contexts etc.,
• to have a commitment to support and/or organize European PCA conferences,
• to foster the exchange of research, theory and practice among a variety of language groups through existing journals and other means,
• to exchange ideas with other psychotherapeutic and counselling orientations and to stimulate co-operation in the field of psychotherapy and counselling,
• to work together closely with the WAPCEPC and other person– /client–centred associations
• and to work together with the European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP), the European Association for Counselling (EAC) and other key associations.

III. Means

  1. The purpose of the association will be realized through idealistic and material means.
  2. Idealistic means are lectures, meetings, publications etc. Material means are admission fees, annual membership fees, contributions, donations, conference fees and other proceeds.

IV. Structure

  1. The structure of the Network corresponds to person-centred principles.
  2. The Network invites into its membership existing national person–/client–centred and experiential organizations, training institutes and other institutions in Europe which
    – adhere to its principles and its goals (see I. and II.),
    – are committed to clearly defined ethical standards,
    – have a commitment to psychotherapy and counselling training and/or further training according to state of the art person–centered training standards and national (if these exist) psychotherapy and/or counselling training standards.
    As far as psychotherapy, according to the EAP (European Association for Psychotherapy) regulations, is concerned, members acknowledge the standards of the EAP and, if not yet met, aim towards fulfilling them within a given period of time.
    As far as counselling, according to the EAC (European Association for Counselling) regulations, is concerned, members acknowledge the standards of the EAC and, if not yet met, aim towards fulfilling them within a given period of time.
  3. Persons or organizations, who, through personal or organizational effort and/or financial support, promote the interests of NEAPCEPC, can become Honorary Members on decision of the General Assembly.

  4. The principle of local autonomy is maintained. The authority of the Network can only be applied to its composition, to its way of working together and to its external relationships. It also applies to questions concerning the European Certificate of Psychotherapy. Any other decisions limiting the rights of national organizations require the ratification of the Members to become effective.

V. General Assembly

  1. The General Assembly, consisting of the Delegates of the Members of the Network, takes all essential decisions.
  2. Decisions are made unanimously whenever possible, as striving for consensus and compromise is an essential part of the self-understanding of person-centred principles in action.
  3. Each Member can send up to two Delegates. The Delegates of one organization have to agree on their vote on behalf of their organization.
  4. Network Members with up to 100 points have one vote, up to 1000 points two votes, with more than 1000 points three votes. (In figuring out the points members of a Network Member who have finished their training and do psychotherapeutic work as therapists or counsellors according to national regulations count for 1 point, other members of a Network Member, including trainees, count for half a point.)

VI. Board

  1. The Board consists of four to six people.
  2. The functions of the Board are threefold. Firstly to carry out the decisions and policies of the NEAPCEPC agreed in the General Assembly, secondly to manage ongoing matters and thirdly to deal with matters which may arise between meetings of the General Assembly if necessary.
  3. The tasks of the Board includee:
    - preparing the General Assembly
    - admiting new Members who have fulfilled the membership requirements (see IV.2.)
    - presenting a statement of the annual accounts and determining the budget for the next year, subject to the approval of the General Assembly
    - presenting a report of its work during the last year to the General Assembly.

VII. Auditors

  1. The General Assembly elects two auditors from different associations biannually.
  2. Their task is to examine all the financial affairs, including the annual financial statements of the NEAPCEPC.

VIII. Membership fee

  1. The Members pay a membership fee to meet the expenses of the NEAPCEPC.
  2. The level of the membership fee is decided by the General Assembly.

IX. Dissolution

  1. The dissolution of the NEAPCEPC needs a two thirds majority in the General Assembly if a consensus cannot be reached.
  2. In the event of the dissolution of the NEAPCEPC all money, goods or property owned by the NEAPCEPC, after satisfaction of all proper depts and liabilities, is transferred to the World Association for Person-Centered Psychotherapy and Counseling (WAPCEPC) or a similar association, if the WAPCEPC does not exist.

 BYLAWS 

The Bylaws in their present form were agreed at the 2nd General Assembly on September 26, 1999 in Athens, Greece.

I. Membership, Delegates, Guests

  1. Persons can be delegated by up to two Members.
  2. Members have to nominate at least one Delegate and notify the Board of this nomination and any subsequent change.
  3. Guests can be invited to the General Assembly, or parts of it, on the decision of the Board or the General Assembly. They have no vote.
  4. Delegates of European organizations which are not (yet) Members of the NEAPCEPC are welcome to participate as a guest at one General Assembly. They can be exluded from a part of the meeting by a decision of the General Assembly. They have no vote.
  5. Honorary Members can be invited to meetings or parts thereof. They have no vote.
  6. All applications for membership must be submitted to the Board.
  7. A Member can leave at the end of each calendar year with three months prior notification, from the year 2000.
  8. It is the responsibility of the Members to reimburse the expenses of their own Delegates.

II. General Assembly

  1. Decisions are made unanimously whenever possible. If a consensus (a result without a vote against) cannot be realised a further voting procedure will be necessary. A maximum of two votes on the same subject can be taken, with a discussion in between, before a majority decision is accepted.
  2. Votes concerning the formal processing of the meetings including the agenda are done by simple majority vote.
  3. If a consensus cannot be reached when electing there will be two rounds of voting to realise a two thirds majority and if this fails there will be a simple majority vote.
  4. If a consensus cannot be reached when changing the Statutes or the Bylaws a two thirds majority is required.
  5. Members can give their proxy vote(s) in written form to one other Member. Members can accept the proxy vote(s) of only one other Member.
  6. A quorum is constituted, if at least 50 % of the Members are present (including proxy votes). If a quorum is not constituted the next General Assembly constitutes a quorum anyway which has to be announced together with the invitation to the next General Assembly.
  7. The General Assembly meets annually.
  8. On demand of at least five Members an Extraordinary General Assembly has to be convened by the Board within a period of four months. The Members have to be informed about the date at least three months in advance.
  9. Items for the agenda, which can be proposed by any Member, must be sent to the Board not later than four months before the meeting in order to be put on the first provisional list. This first provisional agenda will be sent to Members not later than three months prior to the General Assembly along with all necessary supporting information including the invitation to the next General Assembly. Later suggestions, which can be proposed right up until the beginning of the meeting, are put on a second provisional list. The final list of items for the agenda is decided by the General Assembly.
  10. If an item was part of the first provisional list the Delegates of the Members are expected to have their organizations' mandate on the subject by the time of the General Assembly. If an item was not part of the first provisional list the Delegates are free (a) to decide or (b) to request the postponing of voting or (c) to decide provided that the association ratifies the provisional decision. In the latter case the vote becomes definite if the Board is not notified otherwise in writing or by fax or email within two months of the General Assembly. Decisions limiting the rights of the Members require the ratification of the Members to become effective in any case.
  11. The hosting association is responsible for the organization of the meeting of the General Assembly in cooperation with the Board.

III. Board

  1. The Board Members are elected for a period of two years.
  2. Re-election is possible not more than twice.
  3. If no new Board is elected the present Board continues until the next election.
  4. The Board can delegate tasks to other persons of a Member.
  5. The following functions of the Board are assigned to specific members of the Board on decision of the Board immediately after its election by the General Assembly:
    - the co-ordinator of the Board
    - the representative of the NEAPCEPC for foreign affairs and external relations
    - the treasurer: his responsibilites are the finances and bookkeeping
    - the secretary for membership issues
    - the secretary for correspondence issues
    - the contact person of the Board to the umbrella organizations: this contact person may not be the actual Delegate to an umbrella organization
    - the contact person for the next meeting of the General Assembly: this contact person may or may not be a person from the hosting organization; he or she is in charge of the preparation of the agenda, the facilitation and leading of the General Assembly, the responsibility for the minutes and the cooperation with the hosting association concerning the organization of the meeting.
  6. If a member of the Board resigns his or her post the Board can co-opt another person which must be ratified by the next General Assembly.
  7. The Board meets whenever necessary.
  8. The Board decides in the same spirit and way as the General Assembly.
  9. Voting can also be done by mail, e-mail or fax.
  10. Essential decisions which go beyond decisions of the General Assembly must be ratified by the next General Assembly.
  11. The members of the Board are granted a contribution towards their expenses provided that the NEAPCEPC’s financial situation allows it.

IV. The auditors

  1. The auditors must not belong to the organization of the treasurer.
  2. They submit a report to the General Assembly with a proposal to accept or reject the financial statement and the budget.

V. Admission and membership fee

  1. The membership fee is decided by the General Assembly at the suggestion of the Board. If no decision is made the membership fee remains unchanged.
  2. It has to be paid during the first three months of the calendar year.
  3. New members have to pay an admission fee at the level decided by the General Assembly, at the suggestion of the Board.

Membership fee for 1999 is EUR 130 / 260 / 390, 
membership fee since 2000 is EUR 150 / 300 / 450 annually.
For the time being the admission fee is EUR 150.