PPI Statutes

PPNZ applied for admission to PPI. This page is for comments on the PPI statutes (as they were before the 12-13 Mar 2011 PPI conference), which were approved by [ECSR 5].

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An Executive Council Special Resolution was passed stating that PPNZ approves of this document and the PPI Rules of Procedure, and that the PPI contact is authorized to sign them on behalf of PPNZ.

Imo, the PPI contact (role and which EC member it is) should be defined by an ECR. Currently it is only defined by unofficial procedure (Pervach)

PREAMBLE
Pirate Parties International exists to help establish, to support and promote, and to maintain communication and co-operation between pirate parties around the world. Pirate Parties International is not a political or authoritative entity.

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENTS
I. Name
 * (1) The name of the association is Pirate Parties International (PPI).
 * (2) The association is not for profit. The rights and duties of the association and its Members shall be disjunct.

'''Comment: i.e. our principles will not be affected, PPI is not a political union. No action needed before adoption''' (Pervach)

TASKS AND AIMS
II. Goals
 * (1) The goals of the association are:
 * (a) to act according to the  major interests and goals of its Members,
 * (b) to raise awareness and widen the spread of the pirate movement, and
 * (c) to unify the pirate movement and strengthen its bonds internally and

externally.
 * (2) To accomplish these objectives the association shall, among other things:
 * (a) provide for and extend communication between the Members of the association,
 * (b) assist in the foundation of new pirate parties,
 * (c) organize and coordinate global campaigns and events,
 * (d) act as mediator for any disputes between Members if requested to do so,
 * (e) share information and coordinate research on the core pirate topics,
 * (f) contact NGO's, administrations and international organizations, and
 * (g) act as a contact centre for the pirate movement.

'''Comment: No requirements on PPNZ, and this content was generally understood when the initial decision was made. No action needed before adoption''' (Pervach)

MEMBERSHIP
III. Membership
 * (1) Members of Pirate Parties International can become Parties and Party-related organizations that do not have the goal of participating in elections.
 * (2) The number of Members is unlimited, but may not be less than two.
 * (3) Requests for Membership shall be submitted to the Board in writing. They shall include contact information and a statement on the adoption of the statutes and internal regulations of the association, in addition to a copy of the statutes and by-laws and the political program of the applicant party and information on the background and organization of said applicant. The Board will transmit the application to the General Assembly.
 * (4) The General Assembly is authorized to grant, at its own discretion, the applicant one of the following Member status in Pirate Parties International
 * (a) Ordinary Member:
 * (b) Observer Member

'''Comment: PPNZ is eligible, need to specify our application is for ordinary membership (will consult EC). Apart from ensuring our own application is in order, no action necessary before adoption''' (Pervach)

IV. Ordinary Members
 * (1) The Ordinary Members are the founding Members and those accepted by the General Assembly according to section III, paragraph (4). To Ordinary Membership are eligible Members that
 * (a) adhere to these statutes and the goals of the association as laid down by these statutes,
 * (b) use the inflection of the word „pirate“ in their name, and
 * (c) have an inner order based on democratic principles.
 * (2) There can be only one Ordinary Member per country.
 * (3) The General Assembly is authorized to grant Member status in Pirate Parties International to any Pirate party, which subscribes to the association’s principles and accepts its statutes and internal regulations.
 * (4) Ordinary Members have the right to
 * (a) sit and vote in the General Assembly,
 * (b) nominate candidates for any body of the association, and
 * (c) submit motions to the General Assembly.

'''Comment: This is all consistent with PPNZ's Constitution. No action needed before adoption by ECSR''' (Pervach)

V. Observer Members
 * (1) An applicant that does not meet the criteria for Ordinary Membership may be granted Observer Member status by the General Assembly.
 * (2) Observer Members have the right to
 * (a) sit in the General Assembly but with no voting right,
 * (b) nominate candidates for any body of the association, and
 * (c) submit motions to the General Assembly.

Comment: No action needed before adoption (Pervach)

VI. Multiple applicants from one country
 * (1) Only one Organization from any one country can be recognized for Ordinary Membership in Pirate Parties International. A National Pirate Organization may consist of more than one Pirate Party participating in a Federation based on the common Pirate purpose. It is the responsibility of each Federation to ensure that all its constituent Associations meet the requirements  of these statutes.

'''Comment: This will prevent PPNZ chapters or YPNZ becoming an ordinary PPI member. PPAk/YPNZ Interim President should be consulted before adoption - Done''' (Pervach)

VII. Termination of Membership
 * (1) Any Member may resign from Pirate Parties International at any time. The Member gives notice to the Board of the decision to resign by registered letter. Members that resign are obliged to fulfill their financial obligations toward the association for all previous years.
 * (2) The suspension and the exclusion of a Member may only be decided by the General Assembly. A proposal for the exclusion of a Member may only be submitted by the Board, or by a tenth of Members from three different continents.
 * (3) A Member’s affiliation ceases automatically upon dissolution, disqualification, liquidation or in cases of temporary administration, court-ordered settlement or insolvency. The Membership also ends automatically when this Member does no longer fulfill the criteria that were necessary for its preliminary recognition as a Member.

'''Comment: All standard. No action necessary before adoption by ECSR''' (Pervach)

VIII. Membership Register
 * (1) The Board keeps a Membership register at the PPI Headquarters of Pirate Parties International. This register lists the name, legal form, address of the registered office, identity of the representative and, where applicable, the registration number in accordance with existing legislation and/or regulations. All Members may consult this register at the registered office of the PPI Headquarters.

Comment: slight privacy issue, (only Noel) to be consulted before adoption - Done (Pervach)

GENERAL ASSEMBLY
IX. General Assembly
 * (1) The General Assembly is the supreme body of Pirate Parties International and is composed of all the Members of that association. The General Assembly shall meet at least once a year.
 * (2) Extraordinary sessions can be held at the request of one third of the Members or by a decision of the Board.
 * (3) The General Assembly decides with the majority of the votes, one vote per Member.
 * (4) Member Organizations are represented at any meeting of the General Assembly by a delegate or delegates not exceeding six from any one Member Organization.
 * (5) The presence of one third of the Ordinary Members shall constitute a quorum.
 * (6) The General Assembly shall adopt its own rules of procedure.
 * (7) Meetings of the General Assembly will be announced at least 5 weeks prior to the meeting. The invitation will be sent out by the Board to all Members and published on the homepage of Pirate Parties International website.

'''Comment: We get the same vote as Sweden or Germany. No action necessary before adoption''' (Pervach)

'''Comment: No action necessary before adoption, however a notification of "5 weeks prior to the meeting" seems a bit excessive for a small party like us. ''' (goamn)

X. Functions of the General Assembly
 * (1) The functions of the General Assembly are:
 * (a) to consider the policies and standards of the Pirate Movement throughout the world and take such action as shall further the purpose of Pirate Parties International,
 * (b) to formulate the general policy of Pirate Parties International,
 * (c) to consider applications for Membership and decide as to the expulsion of

Members,
 * (d) to hold elections of the Board, and other committees,
 * (e) to consider reports and recommendations presented by the Board,
 * (f) to consider recommendations brought forward by Member Organizations,
 * (g) to consider proposed amendments to these statutes, and
 * (h) to exercise other functions resulting from these statutes.

'''Comment: PPI works for it's members, not vice-versa. No action needed before adoption''' (Pervach)

'''Comment: No action necessary before adoption. ''' (goamn)

XI. Voting
 * (1) Each Ordinary Member shall have one vote and resolutions shall be taken by a simple majority of the Members present or represented and voting. In the event of a tie, the motion is defeated.
 * (2) Decisions concerning the admission of new Members (section III. paragraph 4), the expulsion of Members (section VII, paragraph 2), the determination of the annual affiliation fee (section XVI, paragraph 1) and the amendment of this Statutes (section XX), shall be passed by a two thirds majority of the votes cast.
 * (3) An Ordinary Member which is unable to be present at a meeting of the General Assembly may vote  by proxy given to another Member Organization, but no  Member Organization may accept more than one proxy.
 * (4) In appropriate circumstances determined by the Board, there may be a postal referendum to Ordinary Members between meetings of the General Assembly when the same rules as to voting, majority and in the event of a tie shall apply.
 * (5) Any Ordinary Member which has failed to pay its annual affiliation fee up to and including the end of the fiscal year preceding the General Assembly meeting shall forfeit its right to vote at that meeting of the General Assembly, unless remission or postponement of dues has received prior authorization from the Board.
 * (6) Remote participation must be possible for all meetings of the General Assembly.

'''Comment: we could give our proxy vote to another PP as long as it is the only proxy vote they have. No action necessary before adoption by ECSR''' (Pervach)

BOARD
XII. Board
 * (1) Pirate Parties International is managed by the Board, the executive organ. Its Members shall consider the interests of the Pirate Movement as a whole and shall neither consider themselves, nor be considered, as representing any particular Member or non-member Organization or Region.
 * (2) The Board is composed of:
 * (a) two Co-Chairmen,
 * (b) one Treasurer,
 * (c) three Board members, and
 * (d) one Chief Administration Officer
 * (3) Other positions, including, but not limited to
 * (a) Social, Media and Grassroots Officer,
 * (b) Translation and News Officer,
 * (c) Chief Technical Officer, and
 * (d) Ideology Leader may be created by the Board
 * (4) The Board is elected by the General Assembly at the regular sessions or if an extraordinary session is requested for that purpose.

XIII. Functions of the Board
 * (1) The functions of the Board are:
 * (a) to act on behalf of the General Assembly between its meetings; to give effect to its decisions, recommendations and policies; and to represent it at international and national events,
 * (b) to promote the Pirate Movement throughout the world by means of visits, correspondence, training courses and other appropriate action,
 * (c) to advise and assist Member Organizations,
 * (d) to recommend the admission of Organizations applying for Membership,
 * (e) to prepare the agenda and procedure of the meetings of the General Assembly, giving consideration to suggestions from Member Organizations, and appoint the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the General Assembly meeting,
 * (f) to appoint the Secretary General of Pirate Parties International, and to appoint his Deputy or Deputies upon a recommendation of the Secretary General; and to supervise the management of the PPI Headquarters,
 * (g) to approve the annual budget and ﬁnancial statements of the PPI Headquarters,
 * (h) to accept the responsibility for the raising of additional funds, and
 * (i) to exercise other functions resulting from this Statutes and its By-Laws.
 * (2) The Board governs its actions according to the decisions of the General Assembly and in spirit of the majority of the programs of the Ordinary Members of Pirate Parties International.
 * (3) One natural person named by each Ordinary Member not represented in the Board shall be admitted with the right to participate in the Board meetings without the right to vote.
 * (4) The Board adopts rules of procedure that specify the provisions of internal regulations and voting rules.
 * (5) One of the Co-Chairmen or the Chief Administrative Officer convenes, opens, suspends, and closes the sessions and meetings and presides over them to ensure the observance of procedure, communicates the points of concern, and informs the Board about absences. In the absence of one of the Co-Chairmen or the Chief Administrative Officer another member of the Board can be delegated to perform all his functions.
 * (6) The Board must meet regularly and not less than once a month. The form of the meeting is free.
 * (7) The meetings are public unless one third of the members of the Board vote in favor of a non-public meeting. The decision to hold a secret meeting must be motivated. Minutes of public meetings have to be published not less than two weeks after the meeting. The Board has to inform the General Assembly on its next meeting on the fact of non-public meetings.
 * (8) A Board member may resign at any moment. In case of vacancy a substitute may be appointed by the Board until the next General Assembly. If the position of both Co-Chairmen or the Chief Administrative Officer is vacant, an extraordinary session of the General Assembly has to be held within the next six (6) months. Vacancies among other elected members of the Board shall be ﬁlled for the remainder of the term still to be served by the resigning or deceased holder of the seat by the runners-up in order of election, at the election in which the resigning or deceased member was elected.

Comment: No action necessary before adoption (Pervach)

PPI HEADQUARTERS
XIV. PPI Headquarters
 * (1) PPI Headquarters shall be incorporated in accordance with the law of the country in which its international headquarters are located in order to enjoy the status of a juristic person. It should be a non profit organization.
 * (2) The PPI Headquarters shall serve as the Secretariat of Pirate Parties International. It shall comprise the Secretary General of the Pirate Parties International and such staff as the Organization may require. The Secretary General shall be appointed by the Board and shall be the chief administrative officer of Pirate Parties International.
 * (3) The PPI Headquarters shall consist of its international headquarters and any regional offices.
 * (4) The PPI Headquarters shall be responsible for all administrative and financial matters, and shall report on them and present them for confirmation to the Board at least once a year.

Comment: No action necessary before adoption (Pervach)

FINANCE
XV. Funding
 * (1) Pirate Parties International expenditure shall be covered by:
 * (a) affiliation fees from the Ordinary Members parties and those with Observer status,
 * (b) donations, or
 * (c) other legal contributions.

XVI. Affiliation Fees
 * (1) The amount of the fee is determined annually by the General Assembly.
 * (2) The affiliation fees and contributions shall be fixed in relation to the finances and membership of parties.

XVII. Treasurer
 * (1) The Treasurer, in agreement with the Board, drafts the budget and the financial procedure, which must then be approved by the General Assembly.
 * (2) The Treasurer supervises the Pirate Parties International budget and reports to the Board every three months.
 * (3) The Board is responsible for the sound financial management of Pirate Parties International.

XVIII. Borrowing Powers
 * (1) Those officials empowered to operate the bank accounts of Pirate Parties International have the authority to borrow money as follows:
 * (1) Up to ten percent of the annual budget needs the approval the Secretary General.
 * (2) Over ten percent of the annual budget needs the approval of three quarters of the Board.

Comment: This should be brought to the EC's attention specifically before adoption by ECSR - Done (Pervach)

XIX. Lay Auditors
 * (1) Three lay auditors shall be appointed by the General Assembly to inspect the accounts of Pirate Parties International on a yearly basis.

Comment: no action necessary before adoption by ECSR except for 18.1.2 (Pervach)

AMENDMENTS
XX. Amendments
 * (1) This Statutes can only be amended by a vote of at least two thirds of the total Members of the General Assembly, on a regular or extraordinary meeting.
 * (2) The amendments can be proposed by any Member of Pirate Parties International at least four weeks before the meeting of the General Assembly in writing to the Board. The Board will send out the proposals to all Members at least one week before the meeting of the General Assembly.

XXI. Liquidation.
 * (1) The organization can only be dissolved by a vote of at least two thirds of the total Members of the General Assembly, on an extraordinary meeting called for this purpose only.
 * (2) In the event of the liquidation of Pirate Parties International, after the settlement of contractual obligations to staff and other obligations, the remaining financial means shall be transferred to an NGO that is acting in the spirit of the the principles of Pirate Parties International as defined by the Statutes.

Comment: This is all standard, no action necessary before adoption by ECSR (Pervach)