Preamble
Whereas in 1971, the Standing Committee of Nurses in association with the EEC was established in Bern in accordance with the Constitution approved on the date of establishment;
Whereas in 1975, during a meeting which took place in Brussels, the Standing Committee of Nurses in association with the EEC adopted a new version of the Constitution;
Whereas in 1981, during a meeting which took place in Athens, the Standing Committee of Nurses in association with the EEC approved an amendment of the Constitution and a change in the name of the Committee; the Committee continued to exist under the name Standing Committee of Nurses of the EU;
Whereas in 1997, during a meeting which took place in Delphi, the Standing Committee of Nurses of the EU approved a change in the name of the Committee and a new version of its Constitution, in order to better define the role and the function of the Committee and to better promote its objects;
Whereas in 2002, during a meeting which took place in Stockholm, the Standing Committee of Nurses of the EU decided that, in order to be in conformity with the Belgian law, governing the Committee, a revised and corrected Constitution was adopted and published in the Belgian Government Gazette;
Whereas in 2004, during a meeting which took place in Amsterdam, the Standing Committee of Nurses of the EU decided that, in order to be in conformity with the new Belgian laws on non-profit organisations and with the process of expansion of the EU, the former Standing Committee of Nurses of the EU would continue to exist under the name ‘European Federation of Nurses Associations’, with the acronym ‘EFN’, under the conditions of the Constitution and of the Internal Regulation. A revised and corrected Constitution was adopted and published in the Belgian Government Gazette;
Whereas in 2011, during a meeting which took place in Warsaw, the European Federation of Nurses Associations (EFN) decided to amend its Constitution, in order to face future challenges and to be more inclusive and effective at EU political level. A revised and corrected Constitution was adopted and published in the Belgian Government Gazette;
Whereas in 2023, during a meeting that took place in Croatia, the European Federation of Nurses Associations (EFN) decided to amend its constitution in order to comply with the new Belgian Companies and Associations Code of 23 March 2019.
IT IS DECIDED that the basis of the Constitution of the European Federation of Nurses Associations (EFN) is the desire of each National Nurses’ Association/Organisation (NNA) and/or section of National Healthcare Workers Associations/Organisations to contribute to the influence of nurses in the EU & Europe and to recognise that our conditions for achieving results are reflected in our willingness to cooperate. The Constitution is an expression of mutual respect and sensitivity for each other’s ideas and the ambition to defend everyone’s desire for engagement and influence. The Constitution was adopted by sovereign National Nurses Associations/Organisations (NNAs) and/or section of National Healthcare Workers Associations/Organisations which, through targeted work, effectively will achieve results beneficial to all their members.
Download here the EFN Constitution as approved by the EFN General Assembly in April 2023, in Croatia.