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STATUTES OF THE FEDERATION

Article 1 - The Federation of Green Parties of The Americas, here after called the Federation, is an association of political parties and organizations of the Americas that seek to cooperate, diffuse, and adopt the respect for all life forms within a socially equitable and environmentally sound program and committed to loving in harmony with nature.

Article 2 - The Federation principal office and forum shall be at (a fixed address) in Mexico City, Mexico.

Article 3 - The objectives of the Federation are:

a) To unify and strengthen the efforts of the green and ecological parties and Non Governmental Organizations and community groups committed to guaranteeing human rights, protecting the environment, preventing ware and

conflict, ensuring social justice, providing for socially equitable and environmentally sound employment and distribution of resources;

b) To create an organization that facilitates and encourages cooperation among green and ecology parties and Non Governmental Organizations that

share the purposes and actions of the Federation;

c) To establish solidarity with social, artistic, and cultural movements and to support the work of indigenous peoples, and of social justice, peace and labor groups will be a major goal of the Federation;

d) To stimulate and give support to those organizations which are in the process of establishing themselves as green or ecology parties;

e) To set up and maintain an urgent information and action network to address issues of international and transnational concern.

Article 4 - The Federation will be open to all green and ecological parties and Non Governmental Organizations and community groups.

Article 5 - The founding members are... [list of funding party names]

Article 6 - Officially constituted green or ecological parties may become members in the Federation through a recommendation by the Council and approval by the General Assembly.

Article 7 - Green or ecological parties that are in the process of being established shall have a voice and a vote in the functioning of the Federation.

Article 8 - [removed]

Article 9 - The Federation shall be composed of the following bodies:

The General Assembly;

The Council;

The Executive Committee;

The Technical Committees;

The Ombudsman.

Article 10 - The General Assembly may resolve any issue related to the Federation.

Article 11 – The duties of the General Assembly shall be:

1. To determine the general policy of the Federation.

To approve and amend this Statute;To approve and amend the Federation Program;d) To elect the Executive Committee;e) To elect the Ombudsman;f) To call and hold a general meeting every two years;g) To approve the Federation Budget and Financial Statements;

h) To approint the representatives for each region;

i)To receive annual and special reports that are to be prepared by the Council and by the Executive Committee.

Article 12 - The General Assembly  shall be integrated by two  representatives for each Party, with membership in  the Federation, who will have voice and vote.

Article 13 – The representatives are to be freely appointed by each associated party that shall formally send the respective representatives list to the Executive Committee, before each General Assembly Meeting.

Article 14 -- The NGO’s representatives shall be elected by the organizations having been associated with the Federation for at least two years, such representatives may be re-elected for one successive tenure.

Article 15 – The Council is the body in charge of regulating the decisions taken by the General Assembly and of indicating to the Executive Committee the actions to be taken by the Federation.

Article 15 – The Council shall:

1. Coordinate the initiatives and activities outlined in the Program, in the general policies, and in the Federation’s Statute;
2. Recommend amendments to the Statute to the General Assembly;
3. Approve and amend the Federation’s Internal Regulations;
4. Approve the Federation’s Annual Agenda;
5. Create Special Committees not foreseen in this Statute;
6. Elect the Executive Committee;
7. Appoint the Arbitration Committees members;
8. Admit or dismiss Federation members and observers;
9. Approve the Federation Budget and the Annual Balance Sheet;
10. White the annual activities report;
11. Call and hold one annual ordinary and special meetings by calling a plurality of members.

Article 17 – The Council shall be comprised of councilors assigned as follows:

1. Each party may appoint 2 councilors;
2. The associated parties having elected national congress representatives (senators and federal congressmen) may appoint 3 councilors;
3. The associated parties having elected 5 national congress representatives (senators and federal congressmen may appoint 4 councilors;
4. One NGO´s representative.

Article 18 – The councilors shall elect one councilor to act as the Chairman and one to act as the Vice-Chairman.

Article 19 The Chairman of the Council shall call and chair the meetings of both the Council and General Assembly.

Article 20 – The Executive Committee shall be in charge of carrying out the decisions made by the General Assembly and by the Council.

Article 21 – The Executive Committee Shall:

1. Plan, coordinate, control and organize the Federation activities in accordance with the Program, this Statute, the Internal Regulations and the policies as set forth by the General Assembly and by the Council;
2. Cooperate for a good performance by the Federation;
3. Maintain the Council well informed about the Federation activities;
4. Prepare the annual report for the Council members and provide information to the General Assembly whenever an ordinary meeting is held;
5. Propose amendments to the Internal Regulations.

Article 22 – The Executive Committee shall be comprised of:

1. Two Spokespersons, one man and one woman;
2. One General Secretary;
3. One Treasurer;
4. Other officers as defined in the International Regulations.

Article 23 – The spokespersons shall be elected by the Council for a two-year tenure, re-election allowed for one more successive tenure only.

Article 24 – The spokespersons shall speak on behalf of the Federation.

Article 25 – The Secretary General shall be elected by the Council for two (2) years, and he/she may not be elected for more than two successive tenures.

Article 26 – The Secretary General shall:

1. Perform the coordination, planning, organization and control of the Federation activities;
2. Represent the Federation in and out of court;
3. Sign documents on behalf of the Federation;
4. Jointly with the spokesperson, send reports and releases to the media;
5. Prepare the Federation Agenda.

Article 27 – The International Regulations shall define the function of the other Federation positions;

Article 28 – The Special Committees shall develop and execute specific duties in accordance with the Federation purposes.

Article 29 – The Federation shall maintain the following permanent Special Committees:

1. Finance, Quotas and Administration Committee;
2. Environment Committee;
3. Regional Committee;
4. Native Peoples and Traditional Communities Committee.

Article 30 – The Internal Regulations shall define how the committees shall act.

Article 31 – The Ombudsman is: the person responsible for the resolution of conflicts, and shall create mechanisms to facilitate relations involving the Federation and its associated bodies, and affiliated members of the associated political parties;

Article 32 – The Ombudsman shall;

1. Indicate to the Council the need to organize Arbitration Committees;
2. Evaluate, criticize and suggest actions aiming at the Federation best performance;
3. Receive and send suggestions to the Federations members who are party members;
4. Receive complains and accusations made by the Federation members or associates who are members of the associated parties;
5. Recommend actions in order to prevent, stop, and pinpoint responsibilities or remedy any irregular acts;
6. Act in order to maintain harmony within the Federation;
7. Submit reports to the Council involving the above mentioned items.

Article 33 – The Ombudsman shall be elected by the General Assembly for 2 years, and shall not be elected for more than two seccessive tenures.

Article 34 – The Ombudsman may participate in the General Assembly and in the Council’s and Executive Committee’s meetings: The Ombudsman shall be entitled to the right of free expression but not to voting rights.

Article 35 – The Ombudsman shall report directly to the Chairman of the Council.

Article 36 – the Council may constitute an Arbitration Committee to resolve doubts, stalemate situations and controversies arising between persons or members of parties, to examine irregular actions whenever the Spokesperson is unable to find an acceptable solution.

Article 37 - The Internal Regulations shall define the Arbitration Committee´s mode of actuation.

Article 38 – The Internal Regulations shall regulate the financial contributions from each Federation associated party.

Article 39 – The Internal Regulations shall specify the rules pertinent to the Federation´s budget, staff and installation of the main offices.

Article 40 - Each members of each body of the Federation shall be entitle to one vote.

Article 41 – The decisions of the Federation bodies made by voting shall be approved by plurality of votes, except in the following cases:

1. In order to amend the Statute and/or Internal Regulations, the votes of two thirds of the associated parties votes shall be necessary;
2. In order to dissolve, merge or incorporate the Federation, three fourths of the associated parties votes shall be necessary;

Article 42 – The documents to be issued by the Federation shall be translated into Spanish, English and Portuguese.

Article 43 - Eventually, the Spokespersons massages may be conveyed in the language (s) of the country to which they are directed.

Article 44 – The Federation shall approve this Program and these Internal Regulations within 12 months as from the date this Statute have been approved.

Article 45 – Until the approval of the Internal Regulations, the Executive Committee may create the structure as deemed necessary to allow the Federation to operate efficiently.

Article 46 – At least 40% of the members elected must be women and at least 40% men.

Article 47 – This Statute shall be in force as of the date of the foundation of the Pan-American Federation of Green Parties on 03/23/98 in Ilhabela, Sao Paulo. Foundation for Partido Verde Ecologista de México, Green Party of Canada; The Greens/Green Party USA; Association State Green Parties (USA); Movimiento de Integridad Nacional (Venezuela); Partido Verde (Brasil); Partido del Sol (Uruguay).

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