Annual Report ELSA International 2011/2012
ABOUT ELSA The Association
eLsA Members x 38,000
The European Law Students’ Association, ELSA, is an international, independent, non-political and non-profit-making organisation comprised and run by and for law students and young lawyers. Founded in 1981 by law students from Austria, Hungary, Poland and West Germany, ELSA is today the world’s largest independent law students’ association.
Contact: elsa@elsa.org Website: www.elsa.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/elsa.org Twitter: twitter.com/elsainfo
eLsA Local Groups x 226
eLsA National Groups x 41
eLsA International
eLsA International Phone: +32 2 646 26 26 Fax: + 32 2 646 29 23 E-mail: elsa@elsa.org
VISION
"A JUST WORLD IN WHICH THERE IS RESPECT FOR HUMAN DIGNITY AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY"
Corporate Partner of ELSA
ELSA’s Members ELSA’s members are internationally minded individuals who have interest for foreign legal systems and practices. Through our activities such as seminars, conferences, law schools, moot court competitions, legal writing, legal research and the Student Trainee Exchange Programme, our members acquire a broader cultural understanding and legal expertise.
Human Rights Partner of ELSA CMS_LawTax_CMYK_over100.eps
English Language Partner of ELSA
Our Special Status ELSA has gained a special status with several international institutions. In 2000, ELSA was granted Participatory Status with the Council of Europe. ELSA has Consultative Status with several United Nations bodies; UN ECOSOC, UNCITRAL, UNESCO & WIPO.
Auditing Partner of ELSA
LLM Partners of ELSA
ELSA is present in 41 countries Albania, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Montenegro, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and United Kingdom. 2
Marketing & IT Partner of ELSA
Media Partner of ELSA
Foreword
Introduction to the Annual Report of ELSA International 2011/2012
“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success”
Henry Ford
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uring the term 2011/2012 the European Law Students Association (ELSA) was performing another year of Bartosz Balewski President numerous activities all over EuELSA International 2012/2013 rope. Association run by and for law students and young lawyers keeps on developing and reaching new, higher goals, which were set by the whole international network. More than 35 000 ELSA members during the whole academic year were striving in one direction - to bring all of us closer to our vision: “a just world in which there is respect for human dignity and cultural diversity”.
international moot courts and an increasing number of the national ones, persuade the international Network of ELSA to reform the structure of the association.
ELSA members repeated the vision many times last year, as 2012 was the 20th Anniversary of its existence. In 1992, during an International Council Meeting, members of the association decided on the core values of ELSA. This milestone made then reminds us about the aim of our work, about the goals of each project that we organise. It is also a reminder that we need to keep developing in order to adjust our association to the world that is constantly changing. Bearing that in mind, ELSA was increasing its number of activities throughout the term 2011/2012, improving its structure and expanding to new countries and new law faculties in Europe.
ELSA on the international level is cooperating with several partners, who share the vision of ELSA and by their contribution allow us to increase the numbers of initiatives that can be undertaken during each year. At the beginning of year 2012, IE Law School from Madrid decided to join this pool of partners. After Queen Mary School of Law, IE Law School becomes the second L.LM. Partner of ELSA. With the support of these prestigious Law Schools, the association can constantly enhance the academic quality of its events and plan more of them, in order to satisfy the needs of the growing network.
In 2012, for the 10th time, ELSA organised the ELSA Moot Court Competition on World Trade Organisation Law. At the same time, the International Board decides on strengthening the cooperation with Council of Europe, Human Rights Partner of ELSA, by initiating the organisation of the Human Rights Moot Court Competition. These two big
In this publication, you can find a brief summary of the most important events that took place during the term 2011/2012. These are only small samples of what happened in ELSA from 1st August 2011 to the last day of July 2012. To know more, please read the rest of this Annual Report. I hope you will enjoy your reading!
During the International Council Meeting in Algarve, Portugal, held in spring 2012, ELSA made a very important decision on enlarging the International Board by adding an additional officer – Vice President for Moot Court Competition. From the 2012/2013 on, supreme executive body of ELSA will consist of eight people. The decision taken by the Network reflects the importance of practical legal skills that our association wants to deliver to European law students with its activities.
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Annual Report ELSA International 2011/2012
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Foreword
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Milestones 2011/2012
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ELSA For Children Legal Research Group
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ELSA and its cooperation with the Council of Europe
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4th IFP Essay Competition
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ELSA Delegations
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Student Trainee Exchange Programme
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CMS Cameron McKenna: Traineeship opportunities in London
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The European Human Rights Moot Court Competition
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ELSA Moot Court Competition
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Market research - explore your market
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International Focus Programme Final Conference
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Internal Area Meetings - increased opportunities for exchange
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CMS Legal - Corporate Partner of ELSA International
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State of the Network Report
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Enlarging the International Board
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ELSA Development Foundation
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Final Accounts
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Milestones of 2011/2012
Milestones of ELSA during the term 2011/2012
“Thinking about progress” During 2011/2012, ELSA had many great achievements. How well did the association do in accordance to its Strategic Plan?
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he term 2011/2012 was the fourth year of implementation of the five-year Strategic Bartosz Balewski Plan for ELSA. Long term planning President for the whole international network of ELSA International 2012/2013 the association was introduced for the first time in 2008 during the International Council Meeting in Lisbon. Since then, ELSA on all levels of its operations has common goals, which were prepared in order to strengthen the most valuable areas of activities. Special focus on The Student Trainee Exchange Programme, the exchange between ELSA Groups from different countries and field of legal education, were, once more, the focal points of the work of ELSA. ELSA members in the academic year 2011/2012 visited a great number of institutions all over Europe and more and more often, all over the world. Visits to the session of UN ECOSOC, UNCITRAL or World Intellectual Property Organisation were playing an important role in the field of legal education, more than ever before. The association sees that the best way to educate its members and law students is by providing these unique opportunities, which cannot be provided by universities. From testimonials of the students who attended these sessions, we can conclude that even just attendance in a meeting where lawmakers gather to discuss new treaties, resolutions and other laws, allows the true understanding of how the institutional system works. From the very beginning of the existence of the European Law Students’ Association, the aims of ELSA are to
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By providing more than one hundred international traineeships for ELSA members in 2011/2012, ELSA put the bar high in comparison to the previous years. develop professional and student relations of an international character in the field of law. Preparation of its members for professional life in an international environment and contribution to the exchange of scholar experience along with stimulation of mutual understanding play the key role in activities of ELSA. Through numerous Study Visits, exchanges between ELSA’s Local Groups, the association is constantly providing this opportunity to its members in order to fulfil the aforementioned goals. A special focus on this type of events once again procure the bigger number of exchanges in the year 2011/2012. By providing more than one hundred international traineeships for ELSA members in 2011/2012, ELSA put the bar high in comparison to the previous years. A unique opportunity for law students to go abroad to take a traineeship is something that stands as the benefit of a membership in the association. One of the employers who are giving the possibility for law students from all over Europe to take part in the traineeship exchange programme is CMS Cameron McKenna in London. They provided ELSA with an article for this Annual Report, whih you can read on page 15.
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ELSA for Children
Contributing to Children’s Rights through academic research
The ELSA for Children Legal Research Group “How does legislation protect child victims from sexual violence in the national legal framework in Europe?”
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hroughout the year 2012, the ELSA for Children Legal Research Group investigated the protection of child Vasco Silva victims from sexual violence in the Vice President for national legal framework in coopeAcademic Activities ration with the Council of Europe. ELSA International The international community needed more information on Children’s Rights and the protection of children against sexual violence. The ELSA for Children Legal Research Group aimed at high quality academic results through legal comparison. This was a unique chance for law students to contribute to the legal knowledge on Children’s Rights internationally. The ELSA for Children LRG is ELSA’s project in cooperation with the Council of Europe in its campaign focusing on Children’s Rights, namely “The Council of Europe ONE in FIVE campaign to stop sexual violence against children”. The Legal Research Group aims at promoting Children’s Rights to law students and young lawyers who are enthusiastic about ELSA and its involvement within Human Rights. The Council of Europe ONE in FIVE campaign to stop sexual violence against children was launched on the 29th of November 2010 in Rome, Italy, and since then ELSA has sought to contribute by promoting the campaign throughout the Network. In recognition of the issue ELSA launched the ELSA for Children Legal Research Group. The project will be a compilation of national reports, each of which will seek to
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The output of all researches will be presented in March 2013, in Brussels. The reports will be published on a dedicated section of the Council of Europe ONE in FIVE campaign to stop sexual violence against children website. analyse the relevant national laws regarding Children’s Rights. The ELSA for Children Legal Research Group aimed to ensure a consistent approach in order to facilitate high quality legal comparison. The international community lacks consistent and detailed information on Children’s Rights and the protection of children against sexual violence. In our opinion ELSA was particularly well placed to carry out this research task, since we are active in 41 countries in Europe. The ELSA for Children Legal Research Group aimed to include a National Research Group (NRG) from each ELSA country. The research was developed in 24 countries. These National Research Groups were coordinated on international level by the International Coordination Committee led by the International Coordinator. Each National Research Group, led by a National Coordinator, consisted of up to 10 students and young lawyers who have presented an interest and focus on Human Rights and
synergy magazine
ELSA for Children
Children’s Rights. The results of the ELSA for Children Legal Research Group will be presented at an international conference in March 2013. The project was launched during the ELSA International Council Meeting in Palermo, Italy on 29th of October. The ELSA for Children LRG approached the issue of protection of child victims from sexual violence in the national legal framework. Each national team had firstly to investigate what research was already available and what research was underway for instance in the respective Ministry of Legal Affairs in preparation to pave the way for the ratification of the Lanzarote Convention. This approach provided information on what kind of measures of protection to child victims and perpetrators exist and or that should be in place and how the legislation should be or has been amended. The research has also investigated what monitoring and complaints mechanisms are or will be in place. The researchers were provided with developed Academic Framework guidelines to base their research. The aim was to have one National Research Group in each of the 42 National Groups in ELSA. The number of groups reached was 24. Each National Research Group was coordinated by the National Coordinator, appointed by ELSA International. The National Coordinator reported to the International Coordination Committee about the on-going research.
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At least one Academic Advisor was appointed for each NRG by ELSA International. A person who wanted to become a National Researcher in the ELSA for Children LRG was supposed to apply by filling out an application form and send it to the respective National Coordinator. The application procedure was opened on the 1st of March. The National Researchers’ applications were considered and evaluated by the National Coordinators and a selection of applications was sent to ELSA International for the final decision to be taken.
The project will be a compilation of national reports, each of which will seek to analyse the relevant national laws regarding Children’s Rights.
Researchers were selected according to their academic qualities and ELSA career. All members of the ELSA for Children LRG were appointed by ELSA International. The final reports of each NRG were submitted by the National Coordinator of each NRG after it was reviewed by the Academic Advisor of each NRG. Each NRG was invited to have its own mailing list where the communication within the NRG could run. The communication of each NRG with the Academic Advisor was reported via e-mail. The output of all NRGs will be presented in March 2013, in Brussels. The reports will be published on the Council of Europe ONE in FIVE campaign to stop sexual violence against children website.
When it comes to the responsibilities of all parties involved on the project those were structured in the following way. For the International Coordination Committee (ICC) the responsibilities of the International Coordinator were to develop and coordinate the tasks relating to ELSA for Children LRG and to ensure good communication between members of the ICC as well as the National Coordinators. The Academic Coordinators were responsible for communicating with the Academic Advisory Board and National Academic Advisors, developing the Formatting guidelines for the research report, developing the Academic Framework of the research together with the Advisory Board develop and keeping track
ELSA for Childen
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We would also like to thank for all the support given to the project by the Council of Europe, especially to the Directorate of Communications and the Children Rights’ Division. of the on-going research in the NRGs. The Fundraising Coordinator had to create a fundraising strategy and to research on possible sponsors and supporters as well as grants possibilities. The Marketing Coordinator had to create a marketing strategy customised to the different marketing channels, to supervise advertising and promotion of the project and to be responsible for public relations (press, social media etc.). Finally, the Outreach Coordinator had to promote public awareness and understanding of the research and its contributions to legal education. When it comes to the roles of the National Coordinators, they were responsible for recruiting National Researchers, promoting the project in general as well as the opportunities to become a part of the LRG, collecting and analysing National Researchers’ applications and submitting the detailed recommendations for the appointments to the International Coordination Committee (ICC).They also had to coordinate the work of the National Researchers, to support National Researchers and update the International Coordination Committee about the development of the on-going research, to find an Academic Advisor who would review the research, to maintain communication with the NRGs in order to share knowledge and experience, to implement the marketing strategy, to work on public relations in the respective countries and to raise public awareness and understanding of the research’s importance. The National Coordinators were provided with Guidelines created by the ICC. An essential group involved in the legal research project were the National Researchers who had to carry on the research itself and to produce an ELSA for Children National Research Group Report (NRG report) in accordance with the Academic Framework supplied by the International Coordination Committee. They also had to undertake all reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy of the content of the report and to credit all sources used in the manner stipulated in the Formatting Guidelines supplied by the ICC. The other responsibilities of the NRs were to keep communication with the National Coordinator and the ICC if needed as well as to report to them on a regular basis and to comply with all dead8
lines set out by the National Coordinator and or the ICC. The last group of people involved in the project were the National Academic Advisors, responsible for monitoring the academic progress of the research in the respective countries, analising and evaluating the reports’ progress in the National Research Groups, assisting the National Coordinator in academic related issues and reviewing the report of the National Research Group. During the term 2012/2013, a call for the Organising Committee for the Final Conference of ELSA for Children was issued. Until the end of the mandate of the International Board 2011/2012, the project went through different phases of conceptualisation, creation of the structure, calling for all ELSA members involved and partial development of the research that would be concluded already in November 2012. It is our pleasure to thank all the students and academics that had dedicated their time and passion to this project, hoping that it comes to a good end in 2013. We would also like to thank for all the support given to the project by the Council of Europe, especially to the Directorate of Communications and the Children Rights’ Division.
ELSA and the Council of Europe
ELSA and the Council of Europe
Deeper cooperation and new challenges During 2011/2012, ELSA worked intensively on a large number of projects in line with the Council of Europe’s activities.
Barbara Orkwiszewska Director for Public Relations and Publications of Commu-
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n particular, this 5th year of cooperation was marked by two big-scale projects: ‘ELSA for Children’ and the ‘European Human Rights Moot Court Competition’ (EHRMCC).
nications, Council of Europe
‘ELSA for Children’, based on the ‘One in Five’ Campaign, has been investigating the national legislations on the protection of children against sexual violence to help establish a more comprehensive legislation in the field. The EHRMCC – the first ever event of this kind in English – will be so far the most expansive and challenging project to be carried out by both institutions. It is open to all faculties of law in the ELSA and the Council of Europe’s member countries. Because of the scope of the project, ELSA’s 2011/2012 board considered its relevance and feasibility and explored funding opportunities to support it. Moreover. it established the Rules and Procedures of the Competition and promoted it through the network. In addition, ELSA International managed in 2011 and 2012 a legal research group dedicated to the right to health intended to enhance the Council of Europe’s ‘European Social Charter’ celebrating its 50th anniversary. The best results have been recently published on the Council of Europe’s website. Furthermore, the Directorate of Communications arran-
ged for the Council of Europe’s representatives to attend ELSA’s conferences. As a result, the International Council Meeting held in Palermo in October 2011 was attended by the journalist, Mr Martyn Bond, who delivered a keynote lecture on the subject of ‘Living together – Diversity and Freedom in 21st century Europe’ and led a seminar on the Council of Europe’s Convention against the sexual exploitation of children. As in previous years, the Council of Europe supplied information and visibility material to various academic events organised by ELSA at local, national and international levels. It is also worth noting that 4 in-depth articles prepared by the Council of Europe’s officials and reflecting contemporary issues of relevance to young European lawyers appeared in the 2011 and 2012 editions of the ‘Synergy’ magazine. All these initiatives clearly show a mutual interest of both institutions in building the co-operation and partnership. The Council of Europe and its Directorate of Communications strongly support the Association of 35,000 law students and young lawyers to become even more familiar with the Strasbourg institution and its legal and human rights activities. The 2011/2012 board of ELSA contributed in a very tangible and visible way to move forward in this way. This report gives us an opportunity to congratulate the whole board, chaired by Niousha Nademi, on the valuable work they did to forge closer ties between our institutions. We wish all of them the best of luck for their future endeavours. 9
Legal Writing
Essay competition on Health Law
The 4th International Focus Programme Essay Competition “Right to Healthcare: The right to health care has been generally accepted as a fundamental human right, though merely a social right and therefore not legally enforceable in court
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n 2011/2012, ELSA International aimed at contributing Vasco Silva Vice President for towards legal education and Academic Activities especially in the field of Health ELSA International Law. ELSA aimed to contribute to increased academic knowledge, ability of logical thinking and written English legal skills of European law students.
We found that an international essay competition was the best way for law students to maximize their participation and be rewarded for their significant effort.
The implementation of the International Focus Programme goes through a variety of events, like seminars, institutional study visits, law schools, etc. However we found that an international essay competition was the best way for law students to maximize their participation and be rewarded for their significant effort. In that direction, several ELSA Groups under the umbrella of the IFP, joined their efforts to provide their members with a unique opportunity to compete at European level by presenting their academic views and concerns on hot legal topics that touch upon Health Law.
Health Law. The 3rd edition of IFP Essay Competition on Health Law had gone on in the Network during last 6 months. The results of the 3rd edition were announced during the International Council Meeting in Palermo.
The International Focus Programme (IFP) of ELSA International is decided by the Council of ELSA for a period of time and projects. As stated in the Council Meeting Decision Book, ELSA International is responsible for organising the IFP Essay Competition annually focused on the IFP Topic. The IFP topic was Intellectual Property Law before it was decided as Health Law in the International Council Meeting, which was held in Malta in March 2010. Therefore the IFP Essay Competition was organized on IP Law for three years, changing after to 10
During the term 2011/2012, ELSA International was also responsible for the organisation of the 4th IFP Essay Competition that addressed the following topic: “Right to Healthcare: The right to health care has been generally accepted as a fundamental human right, though merely a social right and therefore not legally enforceable in court. Nonetheless, some legal systems recognise the justifiability of the right to health. This has created opportunities to individual patients claiming healthcare access. How will healthcare claims affect health care systems?” The competition was open for law students and young lawyers around from Europe. The competition was launched through a separate website, http://www.elsa-essaycompetition.org. The Academic Partner of this edition of
Legal Writing
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The Academic Partner of this edition of the IFP Essay Competition was the Erasmus Observatory on Health Law of Rotterdam. the IFP Essay Competition was the Erasmus Observatory on Health Law of Rotterdam, being responsible for providing ELSA International with the topic and for evaluating the essays according to the Rules of the Competition.
the London School of English, who will also be publicly awarded in a ceremony of the European Social Charter in Strasbourg in 2013. The runner-up will receive the tuition fee of the Summer School on Health Law and Ethics in the Erasmus Observatory on Health Law, 2013. The second runner-up will be awarded withL free participation in the IFP Final Conference in Gdansk, Poland, May 2013. We would like to thank our partners for the support given to this competition!
Regarding the prizes, the 4th edition of the IFP Essay Competition counted with the support of the European Social Charter of the Council of Europe that published the three best essays in its website. ELSA International also offered to publish the same essays on its website. The winner of the competition will be awarded with the tuition fee of Legal English course at
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We would like to thank our partners for the support given to this competition.
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ELSA Delegations
Being an ELSA delegate
A unique experience to be part of international action! ELSA offers its members uniqie opportunities to meetings, conferences as an ELSA delegate.
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LSA Delegations are groups of students and young lawVice President for Seminar & Conferences yers who have been apELSA International 2012/2013 pointed by the International Board to represent ELSA during the most important sessions of the main international organisations and the meetings of other international partners. Federica Toscano
Thanks to this, being one of our core activities, ELSA members can sit next to national delegates and representatives of the most important NGOs and experience, as observers, how decisions and policies are created at the international level. It also allows them to deepen their knowledge on relevant discussed issues. This is possible because ELSA has gained a good name and reputation in the international legal community: several International Institutions have recognised the high value and quality of ELSA past and current projects and therefore decided to grant special status to our organisation, become our partners and cooperate with us on different levels. In the last two years the area of Seminars and Conferences decided to put a special focus on ELSA Delegations, with the aim to raise the number of offers for our members and consequently the number of applications. We can report a success of this strategy: during the year 2011/2012 we sent 12
35 ELSA Delegations, meaning 155 ELSA Delegates, selected between 315 applications. As the chart displays, we assisted to a consistent increase: In three years the number of applications increased by 239% and the number of delegates sent to institutions by 237%. This increase was also due to the quality of the offer. The greatest number of Delegations (25) was sent to United Nations in Geneva or Austria, in particular to Hu-
ELSA Delegations
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We can report a success of this strategy: during the year 2011/2012 we sent 35 ELSA Delegations, meaning 155 ELSA Delegates, selected between 315 applications. man Rights Bodies, like the Human Rights Council, and to Sessions of ECOSOC, but also to UNCITRAL. However, this year 9 out of 25 Delegations were sent to New York, and one group of ELSA Members had the incredible opportunity to be part of the Conference on Sustainable Development Rio+20, which took place in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012. ELSA Members with a strong interest in Intellectual Property Law had also a lot of opportunities during our term to strengthen their knowledge. They could apply for 4 sessions at the World Intellectual Property Organisation, were ELSA has Observer Status since year 2005. Furthermore, four students were sent to the two Euro Conferences organised by the International Trademark Association (INTA).
As the chart displays, we assisted to a consistent increase: In three years the number of applications arose 239% and the number of delegates sent to institutions 237%.
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Student Trainee Exchange Programme
The traineeship programme of ELSA is growing
Facing new challenges in the area of exchange ELSA has introduced a programme of exchange in 1984 and it has grown ever since. STEP, the Student Trainee Exchange Programme has an important role in a life of an ELSA Member.
Dena Dervanovic Vice President for STEP ELSA International 2012/2013
ELSA has introduced a programme of exchange in 1984 and it has grown ever since. STEP, the Student Trainee Exchange Programme has an important role in a life of an ELSA Member.
It provides opportunities of going abroad for traineeships, gaining practical experience in legal systems of other countries. The enrichment that STEP provides results in the overall legal education of our members, but also shows that our members belong to the category of highly qualified students and future lawyers, as we have witnessed from the experiences of our employers. Having been a system with a tradition that lasts more than 20 years, STEP has gone through a lot of changes in the way of functioning. The year 2011/2012 commenced one of those changes. Namely, before 2011, there was an am-
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Having been a system with a tradition that has lasted for more than 20 years, STEP has gone through a lot of changes in the way of functioning.
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bition of increasing the number of traineeship opportunities for ELSA members and there was a lot of brainstorming on methods of doing so. During the International Council Meeting held in Palermo, Italy in autumn 2011, STEP officers gathered into a group and worked on ways of improving the opportunities for ELSA Members. The result of this was to test a new system of publishing traineeships. Namely, instead of working on a real-time update basis, a trial period of the so-called STEP Calendar was decided upon. This meant that there will be a deadline-based system that will collect all traineeships and publish them cumulatively. The date for this was set in spring 2012. This decision was followed by hard work by all officers and big endeavours for working for the same goal, reflecting the purpose and means of ELSA. The result was an outstanding increase of the number of traineeship opportunities offered for ELSA members. Over the past years, the amount of traineeships per annum was 86, but in the year 2011/2012, with the aforementioned trial system reached 132 traineeships in total. Also, the number of members applying for these opportunities abroad rose exponentially. This success rate is a fact ELSA is particularly proud of and will continue down the same path of augmentation flux of good-quality opportunities for its members.
Student Trainee Exchange Programme
Number of Traineeships
Number of Student applications
Number of Traineeships
Number of Student applications 132 1004
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791
86
708
55 355
2008/2009
2009/2010
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2010/2011
2011/2012
2008/2009
2009/2010
2010/2011
2011/2012
This success rate is a fact ELSA is particularly proud of and will continue down the same path of augmentation flux of good-quality opportunities for its members.
CMS Cameron McKenna
Traineeship opportunities in London
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MS Cameron McKenna forms part of CMS, Europe's leading network of law firms with 10 partner firms spanning 53 offices across Simon Pilcher 28 countries. We aim to recruit the Graduate Recruitment Partner brightest candidates who have a foCMS Cameron McKenna cus on international issues and part of this strategy means targeting exceptional European students and graduates. Our partnership with ELSA has helped us to engage with exceptional candidates from across Europe and the recent success of the STEP programme is demonstrated through feedback from both the business and the ELSA trainee themselves. Nora Frizberg recently spent three months in our Insurance Department and described her experience as providing
"great exposure to a successful firm working in a huge global market and international environment". She was able to gain trainee level experience and proved an invaluable asset to the firm, with her supervisor praising her contributions to several high-profile, multi-jurisdictional matters. We look forward to continuing our sponsorship of the STEP programme and working with ELSA in the future
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We look forward to continuing our sponsorship of the STEP programme and working with ELSA in the future 15
Moot Court Competitions
New Moot Court Competition project
The European Human Rights Moot Court Competition “It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it.”, Eleanor Roosevelt.
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LSA believes in the same – our vision is “A just world in which there is respect Corinna Mückenheim Vice President for for human dignity and cultural diMoot Court Competitions versity.” In order to reach this goal, ELSA International 2012/2013 to teach our members and to educate young lawyers, ELSA has taken the step to set the basis for a new project – the European Human Rights Moot Court Competition. After developing the idea over the past years, the competition was finally launched on the 15th of July 2012. This new Moot Court Competition is a simulation on the procedures of the European Court of Human Rights and the only Europe wide project on Human Rights in English. The Council of Europe is supporting ELSA in its outmost way.
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The first case deals with the topic on the sterilization of an HIV infected woman after giving birth in the fictitious country of Orosia. 16
The first case deals with the topic on the sterilization of an HIV infected woman after giving birth in the fictitious country of Orosia. The competition is divided into two parts. Firstly, the teams will have to send in written submission for the applicant and respondent party. Out of all these submissions, Human Rights experts from all over Europe will chose the best 16 teams. They will then have the unique opportunity to participate in the European Final from the 24th until the 28th of February 2013 which will take place at the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. This competition will be a huge opportunity for all our members and the network to strengthen our Vision and thus, to raise awareness on the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms which exists since 1953. Besides the honour for the teams to present their oral pleadings in front of high qualified Human Rights Judges, the winning team will be awarded with the “Council of Europe Prize” – a traineeship at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg for the period of one month. Thus, the winning team will get a real inside perspective of the work of the Court. For further information: www.humanrightsmootcourt.org.
Moot Court Competitions
Celebration of the 10th anniversary
ELSA Moot Court Competition on WTO Law Back in 2002 ELSA International had the idea of starting a project which turned out to become the flagship of ELSA 10 years later – the ELSA Moot Court Competition on WTO law, also know as the EMC2.
The EMC2 is a simulated hearing of the Dispute Settlement Body of the law of the World Trade OrCorinna MĂźckenheim Vice President for ganization in cooperation with Moot Court Competitions the WTO. Each year a Case Author ELSA International 2012/2013 which is a WTO law expert creates a fictitious case on a critical topic in this area. Students from all over the world prepare submissions for the complainant and respondent party. After this period, the teams will participate in either the International Written Round or one of the Regional Rounds all over the globe: AllAmerica, Europe, Asia-Pacific and soon hopefully also in Africa. Finally, the best teams from all these Regional Rounds will have the chance to present their thoughts and arguments against other high qualified universities from other countries at the WTO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The EMC2 started with only a few preliminary written rounds, national rounds in Europe and only the Final Oral Round in Geneva. Over the past 10 years the competition developed in the outmost way: various Regional Rounds were built up all over the world, expansion to Africa, last year a team from Iran, more than 80 teams applying and a long standing and continuous support from WTO experts. The Final Oral Round of the 10th edition of the EMC2
was celebrated in Montpellier, France with the support of ELSA Montpellier. 16 Teams from all over the world came to this breathtaking city in Europe and were pleading against a case on cement export and trade for 1 week. Finally, the Graduate Institute from University Geneva, Switzerland could convince the Panel most and thus, after a long period, a European team brought the trophy back to Europe. The winning teams of each Regional Round, the Final Oral Round and the best written submissions will be awarded with prizes from our sponsors IELPO LL.M. in Barcelona and the World Trade Institute in Bern to partially participate in their programs. On top of that each team will meet WTO officials and well-known trade law experts from all over the world. Over the past 10 years, the participation in the EMC2 became a huge asset for young law students in order to develop their future career in this sector. The long preparation period gives students a deep knowledge of the WTO law and the needed skills to draft the submissions. Universities, law firms and other institutions see the competition as a prestigious and unique opportunity to train future trade lawyers in the best possible way. The 11th edition was launched September 2012 and we are looking forward to the 20th anniversary of the EMC2!
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Market Research
During the term 2011/2012, ELSA conducted a market research
A chance to explore the wants and needs of ELSA members Together with Flycatcher International, ELSA conducted a market research survey during the spring 2011. Here is a short report about the important project.
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LSA is an association that is constantly growing. New Anders Liljeberg members connect to our Vice President for Marketing Network, new events are organised ELSA International 2012/2013 and new partners decide to support us. The market of non-governmental organisations is also constantly growing. New actors pop up and you have to work hard to make your organisation stand out from others. The question is – how can this be done without knowing what your members and target groups are looking for?
In the beginning of May 2012, ELSA launched the market research through its mailing lists, social media accounts and other communication channels.
We often talk about “knowing our market” or “knowing our customer”. Market Research is usually used as a tool for this purpose. ELSA has a cycle of conducting a market research survey at least every fifth year. However, this is, of course, something that can be considered more often in order to explore our market. The term 2011/2012 was the year according to the five-year cycle when a market research should be conducted.
Apart from the Strategic Planning process, the results can be used for so much more. Looking at particular events organised in the association, we can study how to target our members and how to organise events and projects in order to fulfil the wishes, wants and needs of our members and other European law students.
Conducting a market research is a process itself. In addition to the survey, you also need to analyse the results and to make a plan on how to use the results in the development of ELSA and in the regular work within ELSA. Market research results can be made for a lot of different purposes. First and foremost, the ELSA Market Research is conducted in order to secure a proper strategic planning that is also carried out every fifth year.
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In the beginning of May 2012, ELSA launched the market research through its mailing lists, social media accounts and other communication channels. After several weeks of hard work preparing the questions, setting up the survey and evaluating the need of certain questions, it was time to fly. The flight was supported by Flycatcher International, a Dutch marketing company that was a great help in the process. The survey was online until June and during the summer we were glad to receive the first results of the market
Market Research
RESPONSES Response Low response quality surveys*
ELSA members
nonmembers
total
2405
1775
4180
2
4
6
Which legal profession or field of work would you find most attractive?
1. Lawyer in an international organisation 2. Lawyer in an EU institution
Are you interested in applying for a 2% 1% job abroad after finishing you studies? 15%
3. Attorney in a large law firm
3% 1% 16%
4. Judge in a court
47% 43%
definitely
5. Attorney in a mid-sized law firm (less than 50 lawyers)
probably probably not
35%
definitely not 37% members
not applicable
total
research. The results indicated several interesting and significant characteristics of our members. From different kind of questions, we had results about our members’ interest in attending traineeships, taking LL.M. courses, improving their legal writing etc. Some of the results of the market research are interesting to present and to bring up in this article. You will shortly be presented some of the results regarding our members, events and projects. What do you think is the main reason why to join ELSA? The possibility to meet new people and to create a social network were the answers that had a more significant expression. Reasons such as improving organisational skills and getting a more competitive CV were also frequently mentioned. When you have become an ELSA member you are usually looking for more. After exploring the possibilities to meet new people and to get an international network, you might also look for other things that our Association has to offer. More than 50 % of our current members are looking for international traineeships in ELSA today. Luckily, we have a successful traineeship programme (STEP) which provides our members with these opportunities. Moreover, ELSA organises several events such as international conferences and what we call Summer Law Schools. Organising these kind of events usually demands
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We are curious about the future and we hope that so are you!
knowledge about our members and how to target the possible participants of the events. In the results of the survey, we could see that our members (and also non-members) are very interested in these kinds of activities. In addition, ELSA aims at contributing to legal education through academic projects. In the market research survey, the participants were asked about which skills or topics that they think are missing or do not get enough attention in their current studies. Skills such as drafting legal documents, legal writing and legal argumentation were frequenly mentioned among the participants and this is something that we will take into consideration when planning our future activities. The research results aim at the entire ELSA Network to get to know the Association better and to give proper tools for better planning and for a strong development of ELSA. We are curious about the future and we hope that so are you!
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International Focus Programme
International Focus Programme Mid Evaluation Conference
“Mental Health & Human Rights” The International Focus Programme Mid Evaluation Conference on Health Law was focused on 4 days of lectures and debates, and was the biggest part of an International Festival which also included movies, cultural visits, artistic workshops and exhibitions.
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he International Focus Programme mid evaluation conference Atonella Biasi Director for International on Health Law was focused on Focus Programme 4 days of lectures and debates, and ELSA International 2012/2013 was the biggest part of an International Festival which also included movies, cultural visits, artistic workshops and exhibitions. “Mental Health & Human Rights”, “Places of care and care of places”, “Law, Mental diseases and right to assistance”, “Mental diseases and medical treatment”, “People with mental diseases and the various situations of everyday life” were the main topics analysed. Academic programme and academic advisors Some of the problems that were discussed during the academic programme were centred upon the fact that the psychiatric hospital in Trieste (as well as all the other hospitals in Italy) was indeed a city within the city, and the relevant legal provisions used to focus on the protection and safety of “healthy” citizens rather than on the health improvement of the patients. The aim of the conference was to increase interest in this specific topic and awareness among people, not only law students, but also other young people, potential ELSA members, citizens, by sharing the Italian experience and comparing it with the situation in other countries in order to discuss about the real condition of people affected by mental diseases and their relatives and to analyse the level of protection of their rights in Europe. For these reasons, the conference had many Academic Advisors, experts in different law areas, but 20
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The aim of the conference was to increase interest in this specific topic and awareness among people. also psychiatrists. Speakers from several countries supported the conference; this includes Italy, Spain, Czech Republic, The Netherlands, Malta, Serbia and Austria. The final programme of the conference attracted participants from all over Europe and different National Groups, including Italy, Georgia, Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Greece, Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Portugal. During the four days of the conference, the academic programme of the Mid Evaluation Conference “Mental Health & Human Rights” covered a great number of topics, which were presented by leading professors. Below, you can find a list with some of the topics and speakers: • Mental disease as disability (Prof. Josè Antonio Seoane, University of La Coruña, Spain) • Legal (in)capacity and capacity-ehancing paradigms, concepts and tools (Dr. Mariassunta Piccinni, University of Padua, Italy) • Principle of equality, discriminations, human and civil rights violations towards pople affected by mental disease in Europe: formal and substantive analogies – outlines (Dr. Jan Pfeiffer, European De-Institutionalisation Expert Group, Prague, Czech Republic )
International Focus Programme
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During the four days of the conference, the academic programme of the Mid Evaluation Conference “Mental Health & Human Rights” covered the great number of topics, which were presented by leading professors. • The action of the WHO in the development and implementation of national legislation on mental health (Prof. Maria Grazia Giannichedda, Franco and Franca Basaglia Foundation, Faculty of Political Sociology, University of Sassari, Italy and member of the Faculty of Human Rights and Mental Health Legislation of WHO). • The organisation of health services for people affected by mental diseases (Dr. Roberto Mezzina, Head of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training Mental Health Department of Trieste, Italy). The experience of Franco Basaglia and of the Psychitric Hospital in Trieste, and the deinstitutionalization process (Prof. Franco Rotelli, President of the Franco Basaglia Conference for Mental Health in the World, Trieste, Italy). • The role of the family in providing cares to people with mental disorders (Dr. Connie Magro, EUFAMI, Malta). • The role of the person affected by mental diseases in medical decisions, duties of information and dialogue with the therapist (Dr. Hajrija Mujovic-Zornic, University of Belgrade, Serbia). • Mental illness in the family. The Associations of families with members affected by mental diseases in Italy (Gisella Trincas, National President of UNASAM, National Union of the Associations for Mental Health, Cagliari, Italy). • The regulation of the medical treatment of the person with mental disease in Europe (Dr. Andre Den Exter, Erasmus Observatory on Health Law, Rotterdam, The Netherlands). • Mental disease and contract: national law and proposal for a Common European Sales Law (Prof. Fabio Padovini, University of Trieste, Italy – Dr. Cristina Ulessi, University of Trieste, Italy). • Mental Health and Work (Dr. Christina Hießl, University of Ecomomy and Business, Wien). • A need hard to manifest: the mental health of homeless, immigrants and Roma population (Dr. Ernesto Venturini, Director of the Mental Health Department of Imola, Italy).
The Mid Evaluation Conference was an important step for the International Focus Programme. The IFP partner of ELSA, the Erasmus Observatory on Health Law in Rotterdam, was directly involved in the academic programme. Mr. Andre Den Exter from the Observatory participated as a speaker with an interesting contribution. Cultural programme Thanks to the support of the Municipality of Trieste and to the Touristic Office of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, participants had the chance to visit the beautiful city of Trieste and its most characteristic and famous places and hidden corners. On April 20th and 21st, divided into several groups, they visited Miramare Castle, with its gardens and the sea reserve, the Saint Justus Castle and Cathedral, the Grotta Gigante, the largest tourist cave in the world, the Risiera of San Sabba, National Monument and only Nazi concentration camp with crematorium in Italy, the Revoltella Museum, the Theater Museum Carlo Schmidl and the main churches of the city. The cultural programme, in addition to the visits, also included an artistic and photo exhibition about places of care in Italy and Europe and a live performance by different artists interpreting the theme of mental diseases .
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Internal Meetings
New Internal Meetings for ELSA Officers
Increased opportunities for exchange of knowledge in ELSA During the term 2011/2012, ELSA presented new internal Area Meetings for active ELSA officers working with our Key Area activities and also for officers having a supporting role in the ELSA Network.
D
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uring the term 2011/2012 ELSA officers all over Europe had the change Anette Aav to gather for the first Supporting Secretary General Area Meeting (SAM) that was held ELSA International 2012/2013 in Bordeaux, France and Key Area Meeting (KAM) that was held in Turku, Finland, both at the end of summer, in September. But what is the story behind these area meetings and why were they necessary?
“Exchange” is one of the key factors in the core activities of ELSA, as well as in the work of the officers all around the Network who are organising the activities!
Until the beginning of that term, the ELSA officers had a chance to officially meet during two International Council Meeting (ICM), two International Presidents’ Meetings (IPM) and three area meetings that were the International STEP and Marketing Meeting (ISMM), the Joint Internal and Financial Management Meeting (JIF) and the United S&C and AA Meeting (USA).
The problem with the area meetings was the unfortunate truth – there were not many participants attending these events. Since cancelling the meetings was not an option, International Board of ELSA 2010/2011 suggested after evaluations and debates during previous terms a change in the internal meetings structure: as a result SAM and KAM were created. The first one gathered the Supporting Area officers – the Secretaries General, the Treasurers and the Vice Presidents for Marketing, The second one gathered Key Area officers – Vice Presidents of Academic Activities, Vice Presidents of Seminars and Conferences and Vice Presidents for STEP.
The Council is the highest decision making body of ELSA and thus, all the boards of the national ELSA groups are invited to make Network-wide decisions at the ICM. IPM is the statutory meeting of ELSA presidents to engage in a preparatory work and discussion before the ICM-s. As from ISMM, JIF and USA, they were the area meeting for other officers in the board to meet and exchange the knowledge within their area. ISMM was a meeting for the Vice Presidents of Academic Activities and Vice Presidents for Seminars and Conferences. JIF was a meeting for Secretaries General and the Treasurers and USA was a meeting for the Vice Presidents for Marketing and Vice Presidents for STEP. 22
The current structure of Area Meetings has many benefits. Firstly, since the meetings were held at the end of the summer and thus before the ICM, it adds an extra event for the officers to meet each other, to get to know ELSA colleagues at the beginning of the term and hence, to share ideas and visions for the upcoming year. Why is this important?
Internal Meetings
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SAM and KAM also carry the function of adding extra value to transition and offering an opportunity for the officers to gain missing knowledge from officers in the Network and from the International Board.
“Exchange” is one of the key factors in the core activities of ELSA, as well as in the work of officers all over the Network who organise activities. Sharing ideas and tools has always been the strength that leads us to successful results. In addition, exchange between officers of the different areas in ELSA is also as valuable as exchange within the area itself. Joining the area meetings has been a valuable opportunity to exchange knowledge. Another benefit deriving from the participation to an area meeting is consolidation of knowledge gained during transition. July and August are the months during
which the newly elected officers are trained by their predecessors about their tasks and duties. Gathering with colleagues right after this transition period has an important effect on strengthening the knowledge. In the first ever SAM there were 32 participants from 12 different countries, the first KAM had 30 participants from 13 countries. These numbers already show an increase of the number of participants and show the opportunities of an increased exchange in all levels of ELSA. Which is why we can say that the changes made have been successful.
CMS Legal, Corporate Partner of ELSA International
Shared comittment to excellece in legal training
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he last twelve months have been a period of growth and expansion for CMS. Despite the challenging market conditions across Europe and turbulence in the world economy, we increased our Isabel Scholes fee income which, for the second year Director of communications CMS Legal Services EEIG running, amounted to an equivalent of over $1 billion. For the first time, we were ranked in three major industry league tables - the Lawyer UK Top 100 (ranked 8th), Am Law 2012 Global 100 (ranked 22nd) and Legal Business Global 100 (23rd). Our success would not be possible without our people. Like all major law firms, CMS is constantly engaged in the “war for talent”. This means retaining the best and brightest lawyers who can deliver exceptional service to our clients. As soon as they begin working at CMS, all lawyers receive training via a multi-year program which supports them at key stages of their careers. Beginning with an induction
course, CMS provides associate, new partner and experienced partner training in association with the IMD Business School in Lausanne. Another key aspect of the “war for talent” is the recruitment of the future generations of lawyers who will ensure the success of our organisation. To this end, we have teamed up with ELSA as its main corporate sponsor. As well as sharing our European footprint, ELSA shares our commitment to excellence in legal training as well as our emphasis on cultural awareness and understanding. CMS values its cooperation with ELSA and is delighted to be able to align itself with an organisation of talent that shares our ambition.
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ELSA shares our commitment to excellence in legal training as well as our emphasis on cultural awareness and understanding. 23
State of the Network Report
State of the Network Report
An important tool for statistics of our Network The State of the Network Report is conducted twice a year and contains questions asked to all National Groups of ELSA.
T
he term 2011/2012 was special to ELSA in many ways. In this annual report you Anette Aav will have the chance to read about Secretary General ELSA International 2012/2013 the main event and projects, while this article will focus on the main numbers of this term. Statistics have been gathered through two questionnaires, one collected in October 2011 and the other one in March 2012. The State of the Network (SotN) questionnaire is distributed to all the ELSA groups in the Network with the aim of gathering the latest data concerning the Network and to share it in the International Council Meeting with other ELSA groups in different workshop sessions. At the beginning of the term on the 1st of August, ELSA was comprising of 42 National Groups out of which ELSA Armenia, ELSA Azerbaijan, ELSA France, ELSA Iceland, ELSA Ireland, ELSA Kazakhstan, ELSA Luxembourg, ELSA Russian Federation and ELSA United Kingdom were Observer groups and ELSA Albania, ELSA Austria, ELSA Belgium, ELSA Bosnia and Herzegovina, ELSA Bulgaria, ELSA Croatia, ELSA Czech Republic, ELSA Denmark, ELSA Estonia, ELSA Finland, ELSA Georgia, ELSA Germany, ELSA Greece, ELSA Hungary, ELSA Italy, ELSA Latvia, ELSA Lithuania, ELSA Malta, ELSA Montenegro, ELSA Norway, ELSA Poland, ELSA Portugal, ELSA Republic of Macedonia, ELSA Romania, ELSA Serbia, ELSA Slovak Republic, ELSA Slovenia, ELSA Spain, ELSA Sweden, ELSA Switzerland, ELSA The Netherlands, ELSA Turkey and ELSA Ukraine were Members.
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The term 2011/2012 was special to ELSA in many ways. In this annual report you will have the chance to read about the main event and projects, while this article will focus on the main numbers of the term. During the Council Meeting held October, ELSA Azerbaijan and ELSA France obtained Membership status, which allowed them to gain voting rights at the upcoming Council Meeting in spring. During the spring Council Meeting held in March, ELSA United Kingdom succeeded with its Membership Application and was welcomed as a new Observer Group in the Network – ELSA Cyprus. ELSA operates primarily through local groups. At the beginning of the term the number of local groups was 216, while at the end of the term the number had grown to 230. ELSA can now count 331 law faculties all over Europe. The number of members grew from 32 783 to 34 955, which is a growth of 6,6%. Out of the 42 National Groups, 35 plan their activities through a One Year Operational Plan (OYOP) that is compiled at the beginning of the term in office by each board. The OYOP collects aims and means planned for the term. Natio-
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State of the Network Report
ELSA operates primarily through local groups. At the beginning of the term the number of local groups was 216, while at the end of the term the number had grown to 230.
bers clearly show the diversity of the Network. Other information about general partners of the national groups are displayed in the chart below.
nal OYOPs reflect the OYOP of the International Board of ELSA as well as the goals of the national groups and their local groups.
The core activities of ELSA are divided into 3 Key Areas – Academic Activities, Seminars and Conferences and Student Trainee Exchange Programme. Within these areas the officers of ELSA also have a focus on Human Rights events. During the last term the Network reported ten Human Rights events and around 28 international events organised. It is interesting to remark that during this term a lot of National Groups organised Moot Court Competitions as displayed in the chart below.
Concerning External Relations, 31 national groups of ELSA are cooperating with different NGO-s in their countries. However, the spring SotN, filled in by 41 national groups, shows that 13 do not have a general partner while one group has 27 general partners. These Num-
With respect to the financial perspective of the national groups at the beginning of the term (the information is from the autumn SotN and based on responses from 40national groups) 15 national groups that applied for a grant and 21 that intend to apply, whereas 11 did not apply or did not plan to apply.
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Moot Court Competitions
Vice President for Moot Court Competitions
Enlarging the International Board of ELSA! ELSA International now consists of eight permanent board members with the Vice President for Moot Court Competitions as a newly created board position.
T
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he International Board of ELSA has always consisted of 7 permanent posiCorinna Mückenheim Vice President for tions – President, Secretary General, Moot Court Competitions Treasurer, Vice President for MarkeELSA International 2012/2013 ting, Vice President for Academic Activities, Vice President for the Student Trainee Exchange Programme, Vice President for Seminars and Conferences.
The Council of ELSA has voted upon enlarging the International Board from seven to eight board positions and creating the Vice President for Moot Court Competitions.
The Board was always supported by several assistants and directors – one of them being the Director for Moot Court Competitions. This person was the head of organising the biggest, world-wide and prestigious competition - the ELSA Moot Court Competition on WTO law (EMC2). However, this Director was not living in the house or working fulltime.
man Rights Moot Court Competition. This competition is a simulation on procedures of the European Court of Human Rights and is the only Europe-wide English competition on this topic. Since both competitions cause an enormous administrative work, the International Board had decided to permanently appoint a Director for Moot Court Competitions living in Brussels in the headquarters of ELSA as well.
Due to the fact that the cooperation with ELSA`s Human Rights Partner the Council of Europe has developed over the time, ELSA and the Council of Europe decided to start a new big project together – The European Hu-
Since the Director for Moot Court Competitions was only an appointed Board Member dealing with the two biggest projects of the entire ELSA Network but not having, for example, voting rights in the board meetings, during the International Council Meeting in Algarve, Portugal, the Council of ELSA has voted upon enlarging the International Board from 7 to 8 board positions and creating the Vice President for Moot Court Competitions.
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The Board was always supported by several assistants and directors – one of them being the Director for Moot Court Competitions. 26
During the new term of the International Board 2012/2013, Ms. Corinna Mückenheim was appointed as the Director for Moot Court Competitions. During the following International Council Meeting in Batumi, Georgia, Ms. Mückenheim was elected as the first Vice President for Moot Court Competitions in the history of ELSA.
ELSA Development Foundation
The ELSA Development Foundation
Overcoming structural weaknessesss in the ELSA Network The ELSA Development Foundation (EDF) is a foundation financed collectively by ELSA International and ELSA National Groups to help overcome structural weaknesses within the Network.
A
ll activities offered through the ELSA Network are not the only way to benefit from this unique community. The ELSA Alpo Lahtinen Treasurer Development Foundation is a tool to ELSA International 2012/2013 channel financial resources in the Network to the groups that are in greatest need of these resources. The Foundation is financed by annual contributions from the National Groups and it distributes grants for ELSA activities that help the beneficiary groups to become self-sustainable members of the Network. Term 2011/2012 saw two major changes in the function of the Foundation. First change was exclusion of ELSA International from both beneficiary and financer sides of the support rendering the role of the central association as purely administrative. This change helps to introduce administrative transparency to the Foundation. Another change was the creation of a new Mode of Support C.3 “Financial assistance for events constituting an activity for officers of ELSA”. With this new Mode of Support EDF has the possibility to support practically every ELSA activity. This situation will put even more pressure on the applicants and the Board of Directors to direct the resources of the Foundation in the most beneficial way. What does “overcoming the structural weaknesses within the Network”, mentioned as the goal of the Foundation in the Council Meeting Decision Book of ELSA, mean? It is financial support for activities where relatively moderate injection of funds will produce a large multiplier effect, especially in terms of human resources or even existence of Member Groups. Activities and applications indicating middle
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The support remains as special measure for situations where small amounts make big difference.
and long-term benefits for the organiser and participants will be favoured over individual activities with no connection to the applicants’ pursuit of self-sustainability. So far, the factor limiting the potential of the Foundation is still lack of capital. With the new regulations EDF will be able to grant approximately EUR 10,000.00 annually. This amount is insufficient to address the main expenses taking place in the Network due to organisation of international events and travels to these events. Thus, the support remains as special measure for situations where small amounts make big difference. Future developments for the EDF could be establishment of the Foundation as standard means to offer support for the whole ELSA Network and to direct this support for the groups needing it most. External funding would greatly increase the capacity of the Foundation to support activities, but at the same time it would require a concentrated effort in research and making EDF known among external stakeholders. This would require additional human resources dedicating their time for fundraising for the foundation and thus for the whole ELSA Network. 27
Final Accounts
Final Accounts ELSA International 2011/2012
Balance sheet
Assets
7/31/2012 EUR
7/31/2011 EUR
Liabilities
7/31/2012 EUR
7/31/2011 EUR
Opening Balances Prior period adjustment Profit/Loss
53,901.75 0.00 -48,208.60 5,693.15
15,032.40 12,500.00 26,369.35 53,901.75
Current Assets
Provision for bad debts
4,602.55
14,570.32
Debtors Control Account Receivables from Members Recievables from Externals Total Debtors
Provision for ELSA House Provision for EC grant
0.00 0.00
1,000.00 3,828.00
Total Capital & Reserves
10,295.70
73,300.07
Creditors Control Account Accounts Payable Payable to EDF Credit Card bill
22,079.38 25,004.90 1,578.94
5,093.31 18,765.08 2,395.02
Deferred Revenue
33,498.87
45,983.98
Total Liabilities
82,162.09
72,237.39
Total Capital & Liabilities
92,457.79
145,537.46
Fixed Assets Software and fonts Office Equipment Assets under construction Total Fixed Assets
Capital 569.53 4,321.74 0.00 4,891.27
21,867.53 9,262.48 31,130.01
853.78 4,842.56 50,000.00 55,696.34
29,221.51 10,338.62 39,560.13
Deposits and Cash Current Account PayPal EMC² Current Account Rent Deposit Bank Account Petty Cash Savings Account Total Deposits and cash Prepayments
Liabilities 21,223.41 14.94 5,282.20 14,139.28 2,027.78 5,533.34 48,220.95
29,114.56 0.00 94.55 13,990.63 80.98 5,491.95 48,772.67
246.00
1,508.32
7,969.56
0.00
Total Current Assets
87,566.52
89,841.12
Total Assets
92,457.79
145,537.46
Accrued Revenue
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Final Accounts
General profit and loss
Administrative Income 33,399.95
Income from Members Partnership income Marketing income Grants Miscellaneous Income Total Administrative Income
26,097.79 54,469.55 5,850.00 11,894.98 131,712.27
Projects Income Income EMC2 Miscellaneous project income Total Projects Income
43,983.62 2,263.13 46,246.75
Total Income
177,959.02
Administrative Expenditure The ELSA House Office and communication Administration Internal Meetings Travel Allowance of the International Board Marketing ELSA International Previous term Contingency Depreciation Total Administrative Expenditure
37,127.98 4,749.71 2,618.97 8,311.46 13,485.70 28,800.00 45,997.55 653.54 19,410.78 52,142.07 213,297.76
Projects Expenditures Expenditutes EMC2 Miscellaneous project expenses
9,932.74 2,937.12
Total Projects Expenditures
12,869.86
Total Expenditures
226,167.62
Grand Total
-48,208.60
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FInal Accounts
Adminisrative profit and loss
Administrative Income Income from Members Membership Fee Observership Administration Fee ELSA ONLINE Fee
33,399.95 17,999.98 400.00 14,999.97
Partnership income
26,097.79
Externals ELS
24,793.27 1,304.52
Marketing income
54,469.55 15,785.00 19,084.55 19,600.00
Links Project Synergy autumn edition Synergy spring edition
Grants
5,850.00
European Commission grant
5,850.00
Miscellaneous Income
11,894.98
Bank Interest Miscellaneous Income Provision for bad debts Provision for the ELSA House Provision for EACEA Grant
257.63 1,677.58 5,131.77 1,000.00 3,828.00
Administrative Income total
131,712.27
Administrative Expenditures The ELSA House Rent Heating Electricity Water Repairs Insurance
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37,127.98 28,245.01 4,204.93 3,638.02 733.32 82.00 224.70
Office and communication
4,749.71
Day to day office supplies Upgrade Office facilities Phone and Fax Internet Post Housing of Server
1,731.50 199.00 1,580.05 362.37 546.79 330.00
Administration
2,618.97
EDF contribution by EI Bank charges Representation Miscellaneous
855.35 143.24 302.32 1,318.06
Internal Meetings
8,311.46
Autumn ICM Spring ICM Other internal meetings
3,367.73 2,714.75 2,228.98
Travel Meetings with externals Meetings within the Network Auditors‘ travels Directors‘ travels
13,485.70 4,045.51 6,178.88 2,132.44 1,128.87
Allowance of the International Board
28,800.00
Marketing
45,997.55 5,050.22 18,921.00 22,026.33
General marketing Synergy autumn edition Synergy spring edition
ELSA International Previous term
653.54
Contingency
19,410.78
Depreciation
52,142.07
Depreciation of office equipment Depreciation of software and fonts Impairment of assets
1,857.82 284.25 50,000.00
Administrative Expenditures Total
213,297.76
Administrative Profit
-81,585.49
Final Accounts
Projects profit and loss
Projects Income Income EMC2 EMC² Sponsorship EMC² Registration Miscellaneous project income Christmas cocktail TBBQ Visits to the House Projects Income Total
43,983.62 27,818.68 16,164.94 2,263.13 260.00 893.13 1,110.00 46,246.75
Projects Expenses Expenditutes EMC2
9,932.74
Miscellaneous project expenses ITP Refreshment Weekend TBBQ OYOP Weekend Visits to the House Christmas Cocktail
2,937.12 1,058.54 230.85 181.48 1,233.71 232.54
Projects Expenditures Total
12,869.86
Projects Profit
33,376.89
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ELSA International 239 Boulevard GĂŠnĂŠral Jacques B-1050 Brussels, Belgium Phone: +32 2 646 26 26 Fax: + 32 2 646 29 23 E-mail: elsa@elsa.org
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Website: www.elsa.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/elsa.org Twitter: www.twitter.com/elsainfo