An Online EGP Supporters’ registration

Almost 250 thousand Europeans are members of a Green party. Yet only some 1.100 have registered as supporters of those parties’ European cooperation, the EGP, although the EGP supportership was created as far back as 2004.

Complications

The biggest hurdle is the registration system: supporters have to register through the party of their country of residence, and only a small minority of those parties have opened the possibilty or included it in their regulations.

The reason the option was chosen back in 2004 is, that it enables parties to refuse people they consider as risks. But if most parties still haven’t opened registration, they did so for other reasons: a lack of understanding of what the scheme is and how it should be implemented; lack of staff to administer it.

Online solution

To make life easier, the Supporters’ Network is preparing a direct online registration facility which takes away most administrative complications whilst leaving the parties’ right to say ‘no‘ untouched.
The main principles (click here for full proposal):

• Supporters register & pay online, throug a site administered by the Supporters’ Network.  Adv: no data transfer from  parties to EGP.

• Supporters create an online identity, as in Facebook. How much of it is visible to others, they decide for themselves. Adv.: no ‘privacy’ problems for parties or EGP.

• Payment goes directly to an EGP account. Adv: no interference with party-internal fee rules or national legislation for party financement.

• Registration gives direct access to the online Supporters community, so people can get in touch with others who share the same interests, or look for specific expertise, or geographical characteristics. Registration also gives access to Network forums.

The facility still has to be integrated into the EGP’s internal rules. For that purpose a resolution has been drafted, which will be voted during the council in Tallin (8-10 October 2010).

Next step: tell it all!

Although parties won’t have to bother about registration any longer, they still have a crucial role. European participation  only will be a success if parties

• advertise it widely, in their magazines and when sending an annual membership renewal request, by putting a registration button on their websites
• launch it officially during a suitable party event.
• put a registration button on their websites. Click here for the link.

The Network is happy to assist, we’ll shortly put online a presentation leaflet in several languages which you are welcome to use. And we’ll be happy to give a live presentation; mail to supportersnetwork@greenyourope.eu