The LYMEC Bureau proposes to organise the next 2023 LYMEC Autumn Congress between 10-12 November 2023 in Riga, Latvia. 

The event will take place between Friday, 10 November 2023 and Sunday, 12 November 2023. 

This event is co-funded by the Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament. 

You can find here the draft agenda of the Congress. 

Please do not book any travels before receiving a confirmation by the Secretariat that your application has been accepted. This should happen after the registrations are closed by the beginning of September! 

We are ensuring accommodation for participants paying the full participation fee for 2 nights (Fri-Sun) in double shared rooms. 

The Congress will start on Friday, 10 November 2023 in the afternoon (at 16 h 00 local time) and last until Sunday, 12 November 2023. 

The general timeline is as follows: 

• Tuesday, 18 July: Opening of the registrations
• Friday, 25 August at 10 h 00 am CEST: Deadline to register 
• Friday, 15 September: 8 weeks deadline to Congress 
• Tuesday, 10 October between 18 h 30 and 20 h 00 pm CEST: Online Q/A - information session on Openslides + Newbies session
• Friday, 13 October: 4 weeks deadline to Congress
• Friday, 20 October: 3 weeks deadline to Congress - final date for changes in delegations (including type of participation) 
• Friday, 27 October: 2 weeks deadline to Congress
• Friday, 3 November: 1 week deadline to Congress
• Saturday, 4 November at 10 h 00 am CET: Online Working Groups on resolutions and amendments 

Delegations 

Please note that just like any other Congress, there are limited places to this Congress in Riga (and online).

We guarantee for member organisations:

• Full members get 3 spots for delegates available in-person
• Associate members get 2 spots for delegates available in-person
• Additional 3 delegates per organisation can connect online for full members
• Additional 2 delegates per organisation can connect online for associate members 

Full member organisations can therefore have a maximum amount of 6 delegates while there is a maximum of 4 delegates for associate member organisations.

In case further spots are available after the registration process ends for in-person attendance, we will allocate the available spots starting with 'Delegate 4' of the full member organisations with most members (January 2023 data). 

We guarantee for the IMS:

• 3 voting delegates in-person
• 2 steering Committee members in-person 
• 2 extra individual members in-person, selected in accordance with this criteria
• 4 additional individual members on top of that to be selected to attend online in accordance with the same criteria

By registering for this event you agree to our updated privacy policy and understand that your personal data will be shared with the European Liberal Forum -for administrative purposes since we are this time using their registration system- as well as with the Congress hotel. 

Delegates should be of 18 years of age because of insurance reasons (and not older than 35 years at the moment of the event). We ask the International Officers to register their respective delegations (please only do it one time through the form). 

If you have trouble with the registration, please contact the office ([email protected]). The requests will be handled as soon as possible during office opening hours (Mon-Thu 09-17, Fri 09-14:30).

Participation fees 

The fee will cover accommodation, meals, conference room, staff and logistical costs.

• The fee for the Congress including accommodation in double rooms Friday-Sunday and meals, is 100 EUR. 
• If you are already based in Riga or for other reasons are not in need of accommodation, the participation fee for Congress is 50 EUR (including meals).
• Reduced participation fee can be requested with proper explanation and justifications on the reasons of the request through the registration form - 50 EUR fee would apply if granted by the Bureau on case by case decision. 
• No participation fee will be collected from online participants. 

The application deadline for reduced participation fee were on Friday, 25 August at 10 h 00 am CEST at the registrations deadline. 

Freedom Fund 

The Bureau is happy to consider the use of the LYMEC Freedom Fund, making it possible for even more member organisations to be present at our Congresses! The Freedom Fund can provide financially strained member organisations with a travel reimbursement (or at least partially) for participation in LYMEC Congresses. The aim is to increase the democratic aspect of the Congress by enabling more member organisations to exercise their voting rights and take part in the highest decision-making body of the organisation.

If you need support from the Freedom Fund, please contact us at [email protected] AND [email protected] by Friday, 25 August at 10 h 00 am CEST.  

Applications will be assessed by the Bureau and decisions made on case by case basis. 

LYMEC delegation to ALDE Party Congress elections 

1. Call for applications open until Friday, 13 October 2023 at the end of the day for the elections page. 
2. Candidates website + Debate: in the two weeks before the Congress.  
3. Elections at the Congress: 11 November 2023. 

Cancellation and fees: 

If a participant cancels participation within three (3) weeks before the starting date of the
event, the participant will be charged a cancellation fee of:

• 50 euros, if participation is cancelled between two (2) and three (3) weeks prior to
  the start of the event;
• 75 euros, if participation is cancelled between two (2) weeks and forty-eight (48)
  hours prior to the start of the event. 

Cancellation within 48 hours prior to the event is considered a no-show:

• If a participation fee was charged for the event, a no-show fee of 50 euros will be charged on
  top of the participation fee.
• If no participation fees were charged for the event, a no-show fee of 100 euros will be
  charged.

Visa

LYMEC can assist with Visa applications for those in need. LYMEC can't cover these extraordinary expenses but will help the participants with the application processes (invitation letters). Please reach out to [email protected] if you have such a request! 

Privacy and GDPR

Events organised by European Liberal Youth (LYMEC) may be audio- and video-recorded as well as web-streamed. A photographer and/or a cameraman, contracted by LYMEC, may have access to the meeting room in order to take pictures and videos for communication and publication purposes. Videos and pictures taken by the photographer and/or cameraman, contracted by LYMEC, may also be published on the LYMEC website and on related social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, etc.). They may also be used in other media and means of communication in order to pass on information about the event and activities of LYMEC. The European Liberal Forum might also use the pictures, video or audio in their communications. By registering, you consent your data to be available for administrative and financial purposes only to both the European Liberal Forum and the Renew Europe Group. 

***Disclaimer: By registering for this event you give your permission for LYMEC to use your picture in their promotional campaigns and materials and communication about the event. Please make clear in advance if you do not wish your picture to be used by LYMEC***

Statutory Deadlines 

8 weeks before the Congress - Friday, 15 September: 

• Date and location of the Congress
• Proposed agenda of the Congress
• Proposal of Statutory changes
• Proposal of changes of Congress Rules
• Applications for full membership
• Application for associate membership
• Changes in member organisations
• Membership fee proposal for 2024
• Proposal to expel or suspend membership 

4 weeks before the Congress - Friday, 13 October:

• Annual Financial Report updates 2023
• Budget proposal 2024
• Annual Budget updates 2023 
• Bureau reports 
• Motions and resolutions
• Applications for reduced membership fees and payment arrangements
• Applications for LYMEC delegation to the ALDE Party Congress 

2 weeks before the Congress - Friday, 27 October: 

• Internal auditors’ report 

1 week before the Congress - Friday, 3 November: 

• Amendments to motions and resolutions 

Before the start of the Congress - Friday, 10 November: 

• Amendments to amendments of motions and resolutions
• Urgent resolutions