This year’s AGM is especially important for the Network, as 2018 marks the final year of Equinet’s current Strategic Plan that has guided the work of the Network since 2015. In 2018 the Executive Board has embarked on the journey towards proposing and delivering a new Strategic Plan for our European Network for the period 2019-2022. On 7 November, the General Assembly of Members, as the highest decision-making body of Equinet, will vote on the Equinet Strategic Plan 2019 – 2022 and Work Plan 2019 to be implemented through the Board, the Secretariat and the members.

Besides deciding on governance and membership issues, equality bodies will have the opportunity to engage with relevant stakeholders and partners of Equinet to discuss key policy and legislative developments as regards equality and non-discrimination at European and international levels. Specifically, this year’s AGM will address important issues on the equality agenda in an open plenary format, including:

• EU priorities on equality and non-discrimination and the contribution of equality bodies
• Implementation of European Standards for national equality bodies
• Upcoming Elections of the Parliament of the European Union
• United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and
• Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) post-2020 of the European Union (Rights and Values Programme).

Additionally, small group discussions will take place on:

• National level visibility and implementation of Standards for equality bodies
• Priorities for Equality Bodies in 2019 & Brainstorming on Equinet priorities for Work Plan 2020
• Equality bodies supporting strong equality focus under the MFF post-2020 Rights and Values Programme at MS level
  

These small group discussions will allow Equinet members to elaborate on these topics in a more in-depth manner, with an added value of possible synergies and development of unified strategies and approaches to address common concerns.

Agenda

Agenda_EquinetAGM18

Registration

Please use the following form to register for the Equinet AGM 2018 by Monday, 15 October 2018.

Venue

The AGM will be held at Bedford Hotel & Congress Centre, Rue du Midi 135, 1000 Brussels.

Contact details

For inquiries regarding the Annual General Meeting, please contact Mher Hakobyan, Assistant Officer by email: mher.hakobyan@equineteurope.org or telephone: +32 (0) 2 212 3186

For Equinet member equality bodies only

All updates relevant to Equinet members, including voting documents for the AGM, are regularly updated on the internal section of our website in the coming weeks.

Further information on the Strategic Planning process is available in the members’ area of the Equinet website.

Your Participation Costs

Pursuant to the decision of the Equinet AGM in 2009 and considering Equinet budgetary limitations, the costs relating to member representatives’ participation in the Equinet AGM will not be covered from the Equinet budget. Equinet Member organisations are expected to cover the cost of their travel and accommodation for the Equinet AGM. In case your organisation is not in the position to cover the costs of your participation, it is possible to send a formal request for financial support to the Equinet Secretariat by contacting Yannick Godin (Yannick.Godin@equineteurope.org). Equinet will review your request and will do its utmost, within the constraints of its available budget, to try and give a positive answer to it.

Accommodation

Equinet has reserved rooms a Bedford Hotel & Congress Centre, but participants will have to pay for their rooms directly upon arrival.

Travel arrangements

Travel arrangements should be made by participants themselves.