EMCY Statutes

Preamble

The European Union of Music Competitions for Youth (EMCY) is a Europe-wide network collaborating globally, encompassing national and international music competitions for young people. Since its foundation in Brussels in 1970, EMCY develops, coordinates, and maintains a system of music competitions that serve to promote and inspire young musicians.
EMCY is established to foster youth cultural cooperation, intercultural dialogue, culture for peace, the development of young musical talents, the implementation of high-quality standards, and transparency in national and international music competitions for youth.
The activities of EMCY are guided by the fundamental values of humanity as defined in Article 2 of the EU Treaty of Lisbon, the United Nations Charter, and the Constitution of UNESCO.
EMCY supports multilateral and multicultural cooperation, democratic principles of human dignity, fundamental human values and justice, democracy, equality, mutual respect, the rule of law, basic human rights, environmental sustainability, and the pursuit of peace. EMCY remains committed to these values and supports its members in fully and comprehensively implementing them. Furthermore, EMCY is open to promoting and upholding additional values and initiatives that align with its mission and vision.
Guided by EMCY’s core values and commitment to music education and practice, EMCY collaborates with organizations worldwide that share similar values. EMCY promotes integrity through EMCY Quality Standards, supporting both established competitions and new initiatives that strive for excellence and impact. EMCY and its members work together to engage a wide range of youth audiences through a variety of projects aimed at improving music education and disseminating music to young people worldwide.
EMCY is a non-profit organization registered under German Law in Munich (Germany). It is governed by an international board elected by the General Assembly.

1. Name, Legal Status and Legal Seat

The Association bears the name “Europäische Union der Musikwettbewerbe für die Jugend – European Union of Music Competitions for Youth – EMCY – e.V.” (Union européenne des concours de musique pour la Jeunesse), henceforth abbreviated to EMCY. European countries, for the purposes of EMCY, are defined in accordance with the regional classifications established by the United Nations and the Council of Europe. EMCY is an international association in the legal form of an association according to German law and is registered under the number VR 16803 at the Munich Register of Associations.
EMCY has its legal seat in Munich.
The Association works only and directly for non-profit purposes within the meaning of “tax-privileged purposes” of 52 Abs. 1 and Abs.2, Nr. 5 Abgabenordnung (regulation of taxation).
The funds of the Association may only be used for statutory purposes. The members receive no contribution from the funds of the Association. No person may be favored through expenditure unrelated to the purposes of the Association or through disproportionately high payments.
The Association’s work is not for profit. It does not pursue aims primarily serving its own economic interest.
The activities of EMCY are governed by the following rules of procedure:
- Internal regulations for admission and exclusion of members;
- Quality Standards for member competitions;
- Regulations for the organization of EMCY projects.

2. Aims and Tasks

The aim of the Association is to develop and promote pre-professional musical education for young talents up to the age of 25, as well as to foster cooperation and exchanges for youth music competitions at both the European and global levels.
- The Association is dedicated to the support and promotion of:
  - Art and culture,
  - The education and training of young musicians.

The statutory aims are realized primarily through:
- Recommending prize winners of member competitions to participate in worldwide projects that align with the purposes of the statutes.
- Organizing EMCY projects and supporting member projects, including, but not limited to, concerts, tours, master classes, workshops, and initiatives across all media forms, to further the educational, artistic, and personal development of competition participants. These efforts promote youth cultural cooperation, intercultural dialogue, and contribute to fostering a culture for peace. By promoting transnational mobility and international experience, EMCY enhances audience development, especially among young people, fosters cooperation between young composers and musicians, and supports comprehensive training in various media.
- Supporting and advising competition organizers. This support is provided to both member and non-profit competitions based on music-educational principles, ensuring quality and addressing the interests of young musicians across all disciplines and musical styles. EMCY offers guidance on organizational structure, quality standards, and public relations measures (including websites, newsletters, flyers, and regional, national, European, and international publications).
- Applying, maintaining, and promoting EMCY’s Quality Standards.
- Developing and fostering a network of youth music competition organizers through conferences and workshops. These initiatives aim to facilitate cooperation, exchange music-educational experiences, and support bilateral and multilateral partnerships among member competitions. EMCY promotes the exchange of best practices in organizing competitions, supporting young musicians, and enhancing audience development. It collaborates with other European and non-European organizations and global networks to advance these objectives.
- Raising awareness among national, European, and global authorities, as well as the audience at large, about the importance of music education, musical training, and the substantial benefits of music competitions in nurturing and supporting exceptionally talented young people.
- Representing the specific interests of youth music competitions in national and international organizations.

3. Members

Members of EMCY are legal entities.
Types of Membership
- Ordinary Members are legal entities that regularly organize music competitions, primarily targeting children and young people under the age of 25 on a national and/or international level in Europe. Each competition must designate its legal representatives and officially notify EMCY of their identities.
- Individual Members are members of the Board by virtue of their office.
- Honorary Members may be appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Board in recognition of special services.
- Associate Members are legal entities that regularly organize music competitions, primarily targeting children and young people under the age of 25 on a national and/or international level outside Europe. The limit for associate members is set at 30% of the organization’s total membership.
- Cooperation Partners are organizations admitted by decision of the Board, contributing significantly to the mission and objectives of EMCY. These partners collaborate with EMCY in various capacities, including participation in activities and advisory roles during General Assembly meetings. Unlike formal members, cooperation partners do not hold voting rights in the association.
Acceptance and Termination of Membership
- The Board decides on the admission of new ordinary and/or associate members after consulting with the existing ordinary EMCY members, in accordance with the Internal Regulations for the Admission and Exclusion of EMCY Member Competitions.
- Membership terminates upon withdrawal or cessation of activities by a member at the end of the calendar year. Notice of withdrawal must be communicated in writing by the official representative of the competition to the EMCY office by September 30th.
- The Board decides on the exclusion of ordinary and/or associate members in cases of serious violations of the values, aims, statutes, decisions, Quality Standards, or interests of EMCY. An excluded member may appeal to the internal disciplinary committee of the Association. The decision of the disciplinary committee is final. The procedures for appeal are outlined in the internal regulations.

4. Organs

The organs of EMCY are:
- General Assembly
- Board
- Disciplinary Committee

5. General Assembly

The ordinary members, individual members, and associate members constitute the General Assembly, which is the highest body of EMCY and usually meets every two years.
The General Assembly is convened by the Board in writing at least two months in advance, stating the items on the agenda.
EMCY recognizes the importance of conducting General Assemblies in person, but in exceptional circumstances, the Board will decide whether to hold the assembly physically with members present, virtually (via any electronic means, such as video-conferencing), or both.
If the Assembly is exclusively held in person, Member Competitions may be represented by proxy.
If the Board determines that a General Assembly must be conducted online or in a hybrid format, elections and/or votes will be conducted online.
The General Assembly constitutes a quorum, irrespective of the number of members present, provided all members have been duly invited. Decisions require a simple majority of votes. Decisions regarding statutory changes and the dissolution of the Association must be announced in the agenda sent with the invitation and require a majority of ¾ of the votes.
Each ordinary member has one vote and decides upon the delegate who exercises this vote. Each ordinary member can vote on behalf of one additional member, provided the proxy is presented to the office in writing.
Each individual member has one vote.
Each associate member has one vote and decides upon the delegate who exercises this vote.
Each person with voting rights can exercise a maximum of three votes.
Tasks of the General Assembly are:
- Election of the Board, which includes the President, two Vice-Presidents, and two members of the Board
- Statutory changes
- Decisions about priorities of the work program
- Approval of the activity and financial reports
- Approval of the annual financial statements and the budget
- Discharge of the Board
- Election of auditors
- Election of the Disciplinary Committee
- Determination of the amount of membership fees
- Establishment of working groups
- Appointment of honorary members

The General Assembly can issue internal regulations in which further tasks and procedures are determined.

6. Board

The Board is composed of five members:
- President
- Two Vice Presidents:
  - One Vice President with expertise in the area of national competitions.
  - One Vice President with expertise in the area of international competitions.
- Two Board Members:
  - One Board Member with expertise in the area of national competitions.
  - One Board Member with expertise in the area of international competitions.

The Board shall be elected for a period of four years and shall remain in office until a new Board is elected by the General Assembly.
- If a Board member resigns during their term of office, they will be replaced by the next available Board member in their field of expertise (national or international competition expert), or by a designated stand-in, in order of preference.
- In the event of the President’s resignation, the remaining members of the Board will decide which of the Vice-Presidents shall become President. The next member of the Board shall then become Vice-President.
- If the remaining Board fails to achieve a clear majority decision on the next President, an Extraordinary General Assembly must be promptly convened within three months for the election of both the Board and the President.
To address potential vacancies, the General Assembly elects two substitute members as stand-ins: one expert for national competitions and one for international competitions. The next General Assembly must confirm the positions temporarily filled by these stand-ins. If the successors are not confirmed in their new positions at the time of their re-election, they shall resume their previous positions, and new elections for the positions will be called.
Extraordinary snap elections of the EMCY Board can be called at any General Assembly on the initiative of the Board or by half (½) of the EMCY members.
The President and the Vice-Presidents are the Executive Board according to §26 of the German Civil Code (Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch – BGB) and thereby is an individual judicial and extrajudicial representative of the Association.
Appointment of Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General
- The Board may appoint a Secretary General and, if necessary, a Deputy Secretary General.
- The Secretary General acts as the legal representative of EMCY in accordance with 30 of the German Civil Code (Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch – BGB), overseeing the ongoing administration of EMCY, ensuring alignment with Board directives and strategic objectives, and managing financial oversight within approved budgets and policies. The objectives of their role are defined by the Board and encompass responsibilities related to EMCY’s tasks and activities, excluding transactions that exceed the approved budget or the Association’s assets. The Secretary General should work in accordance with the values and mission of EMCY. The specific responsibilities of the Secretary General shall be further detailed in a formal job description approved by the Board.
- At its discretion, the Board may appoint a Deputy Secretary General to assist the Secretary General in executing their duties and responsibilities as outlined above.
- The terms and conditions of employment for the Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General (if applicable) shall be established in a formal employment contract executed by the Board.
Duties and Powers of the Board
The Board shall have the following primary duties and powers, subject to any limitations set forth in these Statutes:
- Management and Oversight: Oversee and manage the overall affairs of EMCY, implementing the decisions of the General Assembly and ensuring that EMCY operations are conducted in accordance with sound governance principles.
- Strategic Planning: Develop and recommend the Association’s strategic direction for approval by the General Assembly.
- Financial Management
  - Budgeting: Prepare the annual budget for presentation and approval by the General Assembly.
  - Financial Oversight: Make financial decisions within the framework of the approved budget and establish internal control, risk management, and financial reporting procedures to ensure the financial health of the Association.
- General Assembly
  - Meetings: Convene and lead meetings of the General Assembly, including preparation of relevant materials.
  - Statutory Amendments: Consider proposed amendments to the Statutes and recommend them, as appropriate, for the General Assembly’s consideration.
- Membership and Compliance
  - Continuously monitor compliance of EMCY members with their obligations towards the values, statutes, and Quality Standards of EMCY.
  - Compliance Measures: Take appropriate actions to address any identified non-compliance with statutory requirements.
- Representation and Administration
  - External Representation: Represent EMCY in its dealings with external parties and stakeholders.
  - Internal Management: Provide guidance and oversight to the Secretary General.
  - Operational Framework: Establish operational guidelines and determine the location of the EMCY office.
- Public Image: Implement the approved public relations strategy and actions to enhance EMCY’s public image.
Internal Regulations and Remuneration
- Board Operations: Formulate and maintain internal regulations for the Board, which may further define its tasks and procedures.
- Remuneration: Board members are not remunerated for their duties, except for reimbursement of personal expenses incurred while performing their roles, as defined by the Board. If a Board member provides specific services, they may receive compensation for those services, provided the rationale and amount of such compensation have been pre-approved by a decision of the other Board members.
Honorary Committee: The Board can establish an Honorary Committee. Further tasks and procedures are regulated by internal regulations.

7. Disciplinary Committee

The General Assembly establishes a Disciplinary Committee composed of three members, who may be internal or external to the Association. The committee members are elected by the General Assembly and must not be members of the Board.
Committee members are elected for a term of four years.
The Disciplinary Committee is responsible for hearing appeals related to Association penalties, particularly those concerning exclusion decisions (see 3 Nr. 3.3).

8. General

The financial year shall coincide with the calendar year.
Auditing of the Association’s finances shall be conducted by auditors elected by the General Assembly.
Board members shall be liable for the Association’s legal transactions solely within the financial limits of the Association.
Each member competition operates autonomously and is responsible for its own activities and financing of projects.
Decisions made during meetings shall be recorded in minutes maintained by the secretary
- The minutes are subject to formal and legal approval at the subsequent meeting.
In case of ambiguity, the German version of the statutes shall prevail.

9. Dissolution of the Association

Decisions regarding the dissolution of the Association can only be made during a General Assembly if the intention to dissolve the Association is explicitly stated in the agenda sent with the invitation to the meeting. The decision to dissolve the Association requires a three-fourths (¾) majority of the votes cast.
In the event of the dissolution or termination of the Association, the assets of the Association shall be transferred to a legal entity under public law in Germany, or to another charitable organization in Germany, dedicated to promoting the arts.