The LYMEC Autumn Congress 2024 will be organised in Warsaw, Poland in a hybrid format, both with in-person and online participation.

The event will take place from Friday, 8 November 2024 (early afternoon) to Sunday, 10 November 2024. The Congress will end on Saturday night.

This event is organised with the support of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom - European Dialogue.

The deadline for registrations was on Friday, 30 August 2024, at 14 h 00 pm CEST (Brussels time). 

Please do not book any travels before receiving an official confirmation by the LYMEC Secretariat that your application has been accepted. This should happen after the registrations close, by Friday, 13 September 2024 (the 8 weeks Congress deadline).

The agenda of the Congress is now available here!

DELEGATIONS

Please note that just like any other Congress, there are limited places to this hybrid Congress in Warsaw, Poland! If you live in Warsaw, please do not use the provided hotel option, so that more people can be hosted at our Autumn Congress. 

We guarantee the following spots 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 (according to the January 2024 Membership Survey data). 

We guarantee the following spots for the Individual Members’ Section (IMS):

IMS are guaranteed spots for the three delegates and the Steering Committee members. Additional individual members on top of that could be accepted based on the amount of registrations received and the overall availability. The spots will be allocated during the selection process in accordance with the same criteria . 

Applicant and observer organisations should register one representative to attend in-person. 

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 LYMEC Office ([email protected] and [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 Congress fee, including accommodation in double shared rooms from Friday to Sunday and meals, is 140 EUR. 
• If you are already based in Warsaw or, for other reasons, are not in need of accommodation, the participation fee for this Congress is 50 EUR (including meals). If you live in Warsaw, please do not use the provided hotel option so that more people can be hosted at our Congress. Please select the relevant option in the registration form!
• Reduced participation fee can be requested with proper explanation and justifications on the reasons of the request through the registration form - a 50 EUR fee would apply in that case, if granted by the Bureau after careful evaluation. 
• No participation fee will be collected from online participants. 

The application deadline for reduced participation fee is on Friday, 30 August 2024, at 14 h 00 pm CEST (Brussels time) at the registrations deadline in the application form. Please tick the relevant option in the registration form and provide the necessary explanation. 

FREEDOM FUND

The LYMEC 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 (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 send us your official application via email at [email protected] AND [email protected] by Friday, 30 August 2024, at 14 h 00 pm CEST (Brussels time) at the registrations deadline. 

Please make sure that the request includes: 

• Amount of delegates in need of support 
• Type of request - (a) delegation support (all delegates) or (b) specific delegate(s) 
• Amount requested per delegate(s)/delegation (in EUR)
• Explanation on the reasons of the request - justification 

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

ELECTION OF THE LYMEC DELEGATION TO THE ALDE PARTY CONGRESS 2025

• Call for applications open until Friday, 11 October 2024 at the end of the day to be featured on the elections page on the LYMEC website. 
• Candidates Website launch + Candidates’ Debate: in the two weeks before the Congress.  
• Elections at the Congress: Saturday, 9 November 2024. 

For candidates to the LYMEC delegation to the ALDE Party Congress, nominations can be submitted beforehand and on spot at the Congress, nevertheless applying earlier by Friday, 11 October (end of day) would ensure you are featured on the 'Elections page' on the LYMEC Website and LYMEC Social Media platforms, and that you can properly participate in the online debate organised within the two weeks ahead of the Congress.  

Applications can, but do not have to, be supported by a nomination letter from the Member Organisation (not applicable for IMS). Please apply by sending an email including a small motivation note, a short description (2-3 lines) and a picture of yourself (headshot, square format) at [email protected] AND [email protected]. We recommend everyone to read this short guide before running, in order to make sure the responsibilities you will have as part of the LYMEC delegation to the ALDE Party Congress are clear. 

Due to the new regulations adopted at the last ALDE Party Congress in Stockholm in May 2023, the LYMEC delegation to the ALDE Party Congress can't have more than 1/3 of its delegation composed by non-EU countries representatives. 

The ALDE Party Congress 2025 is not yet scheduled. The location is unknown. 

TIMELINE

The general timeline is as follows (all times are in Brussels time):

• Monday, 5 August: Opening of the Registrations 
• Friday, 30 August at 14h00 pm CEST: Deadline to register 
• Friday, 13 September: 8 weeks deadline to Congress
• Tuesday, 8 October at 18h30 pm CEST: Online Q/A - information session on Openslides + Newbies 
• Friday, 11 October: 4 weeks deadline to Congress
• Friday, 25 October: 2 weeks deadline to Congress
• Friday, 1 November: 1 week deadline to Congress
• Saturday, 2 November starting 10:00 am CEST: Online Working Groups on resolutions and amendments 

STATUTORY DEADLINES

8 weeks before the Congress - Friday, 13 September 2024: 

• 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
• Proposal to expel or suspend membership
• Programme of Action 2024-2026 

4 weeks before the Congress - Friday, 11 October 2024:

• Annual Financial Report updates 2024
• Budget proposal 2025
• Annual Budget updates 2024 
• Membership fee proposal for 2025
• Bureau reports 
• Motions and resolutions
• Applications for reduced membership fees and payment arrangements
• Proposal of the new Secretary General
• Applications for LYMEC Delegation to the ALDE Party Congress 2025

3 weeks before the Congress - Friday, 18 October 2024: 

• Final date for changes in delegations - including type and format of participation

2 weeks before the Congress - Friday, 25 October 2024: 

• Internal auditors’ report 
• Presentation of the Candidates and debate for ALDE Congress delegation

1 week before the Congress - Friday, 1 November 2024:

• Amendments to motions and resolutions 
• Mergers of Proposed Motions & Resolutions

Before the start of the Congress - Friday, 8 November 2024: 

• Amendments to amendments of motions and resolutions
• Amendments to Merged Proposed Motions & Resolutions 
• Urgent resolutions   

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 APPLICATIONS

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***