Minutes

Monthly EC Skype Meeting

Saturday, March 7, 2015

15:00 p.m. CET

 

A.  Due to technical difficulties, the meeting was first called to order with the serenity prayer at 15:00.

 

B.  Roll Call of European Countries:  Majbrit, Denmark, WSO European Chair 

                                                               Will, Germany, WSO EC Secretary 

                                                              Martin, UK, WSO Trustee

                                                             Dennis, Russia

                        Jeffrey, Prague

                        Daniel, Holland

Geny, Hungary (could not take part due to technical problems)

 

C.  A quorum was established

 

D.  EC Country Updates: 

Martin: UK

They had last IG meeting by Skype, and are consistently improving on how they order books. A box of books also got stuck in customs. The groups grow very slowly, but there are more groups now than a year ago. Also, English speaking meetings across Europe can have their meetings listed on the UK IG website. 

Jeffrey: Prague

There has been an English-speaking meeting in Prague since the 90s. The group has gotten smaller, but English-speaking AA has gotten bigger. As a result, the ACA meeting is getting bigger as well. A local Czech ACA group started about a year ago, too. The fellowship is hoping to grow a little bit bigger, bit by bit. 

Will: Germany

There are currently two groups. One has around 7 people, the other about 10-15. Getting literature is also a bit of an issue. There have been a lot of requests from interested people throughout Germany, at times where there are not any meetings. The groups in Munich have been trying to divvy up contact requests as well as possible. 

Daniel: Holland

Is not representing an IG, but he is a member of an IG. His IG has been relocating its meetings, because a center that used to hold the meetings has closed down. They’ve been putting a lot of energy into finding new locations. One meeting is still looking for a new location. The meetings were huge a few years back, 30-40 people. Over the last years, this has gone down to perhaps 5-15. 

Majbrit: Denmark

The Danish IG has had a difficult 9 months in terms of its structure. There were two people selling literature, but then they just stopped. They still have a couple of hundred books, but no one to handle the books. Now the emails have just gone haywire. Everyone is writing in looking for books. There are currently 37 meetings all over Denmark, so it is a major problem, but they found a solution. The first Danish edition has a lot of errors, but they are in the process of editing it to have a new batch printed. They are still deciding whether not to go ahead and order the books as they are now or wait for the editing to be finished. Denmark has a lot of money at the moment, as a member of the WSO M will have to bring this up. 

       

E.  Old Business: 

 

 

F.  New Business: 

 

1) Topic:  That the Board recognize the European Region as part of the service structure of WSO.

Background:  Over the last year, the European Committee has seen a great increase in interest and volunteers on the European continent, and need to formalize the service structure to have a cohesive approach.  By organizing into a Region, the European Region will service the European groups and Intergroups, host events to foster service and be able to use 7th Tradition donations to do outreach and fund its operations.  The European Region will serve as an information gateway between and among the European groups and Intergroups and the WSO's European Committee.

Through open discussions, a general consensus was reached:

The EC was originally organized by the WSO, but at the rate that the service work is growing, it would be a good thing to create a European Region. In accordance with an inverted-pyramid service structure, it would make sense for this topic to go back to the European fellowship. Then IGs can get a group conscience and ask questions or bring a motion forward to establish a European Region. A European Region would be affiliated with the WSO, but the region would be autonomous and would represent the IGs. In terms of finances, there would be an opportunity to get literature at reduced costs, the 7th traditions founds would go to the European Region after it has been established, and after costs the surplus would go to WSO. 

Motion to end the EC was seconded. 

Announcements:  The next EC Skype Meeting is scheduled 

for 

the 4th of April at 14:00 p.m. CET on 

acaeurope

 

The meeting closed with the Serenity Prayer.