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CODE OF CONDUCT

 

Last update: 27/04/2023

EYE2023 (European Youth Event) is based on the values of respect, dignity, equality, accessibility, inclusiveness, intercultural exchange, multilingualism, and sustainability. With this Code of Conduct, the European Parliament is committed to maintain a culture based on respect, dignity and equality to ensure full access and participation, reflecting the basic right of everyone to be heard, and reaffirms its zero-tolerance policy towards any kind of discrimination or threatening behaviour.

 

Purpose of the Code of Conduct

The aim of this Code of Conduct is to ensure that every person feels safe, included and respected during EYE2023, both onsite and online. The Code outlines a set of norms, rules and responsibilities that apply to any individual present at EYE2023.

This Code of Conduct applies to formal, informal, and one‑to‑one settings. A formal setting is any part of the working programme of the event. Informal settings include any moment surrounding the working programme, including but not limited to social events and online communication, both on and off the premises of the EYE and on the online event platform.

Participation in EYE2023 constitutes formal acceptance of and adherence to this Code of Conduct.

 

How to act in accordance with the Code of Conduct?

Be respectful and mindful towards other participants

  • Be respectful of others, their views and opinions;
  • Be inclusive. Demeaning, discriminatory or harassing behaviour or speech will not be tolerated at EYE2023. This includes offensive comments related, but not limited, to:
    • age
    • gender identity and sex
    • sexual orientation
    • race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin
    • religion, belief, faith or non-belief
    • ability, disability or impairment
    • physical appearance
    • educational background
    • socio-economic background
    • political convictions
    • belonging to a political party
    • organisational backgrounds
  • Refrain from communicating or acting in a way that promotes a particular political party or candidate; that is offensive, incites violence against and/or harassment towards other people; that provides pornographic content or links to pornographic material or websites; that promotes or facilitates illegal activities; that is illegal, hateful or deliberately false or misleading. This applies both in person and online, including via messages on t-shirts, bags, etc., or on social media channels.

If ever in doubt about a course of conduct, ask yourself:

  • Is the behaviour of a participant respectful towards another participant and/or a speaker?
  • Is it consistent with the values of the EYE?
  • Is it consistent with the rules of this Code of Conduct?
  • Will it reflect well on me and on others?

Don’t stand idle by:

  • If you notice that someone needs assistance, speak to them and ask how you can help. If you cannot assist them, speak to a volunteer or a security agent.
  • You can also alert the Trusted Person if you see someone acting in violation of this Code of Conduct.

 

The Trusted person

Should you experience or witness any kind of inappropriate behaviour, you can contact the Trusted Person available throughout the event, to help seek a peaceful and respectful solution for any tensions or incidents that may arise, by:

  • calling the EYE helpline at
    • +32-22-834-244 (Belgian landline) or
    • +33-670-060-217 (French mobile and Whatsapp)
  • writing to eye@ep.europa.eu 
  • reporting the issue at one of the helpdesks located around the EYE, where you will be put in touch with the Trusted person
  • you can also find contact details and more information on the Trusted Person in the EYE2023 app.

The Trusted person is a professional mediator. The role of the Trusted Person is to assist in case of conflict and, wherever possible, guide the parties toward their own resolution. The Trusted Person does not decide the outcome, but helps the parties understand and focus on the important issues needed to reach a resolution. The Trusted Person is available throughout the event and reachable in case participants would like to contact them, anonymously or not, with any complaint or alleged issue regarding any offline or online activity. The Trusted Person will act under the principle of confidentiality; unless a legal procedure requires collaboration (see Confidentiality of the procedure).

 

Procedures

In case of any inappropriate behaviour, defined bullying, degradation, harassment, verbal or non-verbal discriminatory behaviour, the activity organisers are required on their best judgment, in successive order and depending on severity of the action, to:

  • Remind participants of their obligation to act in accordance with the present Code of Conduct;
  • Suspend the activity and/or ask the offender to leave for the remainder of the activity;
  • Contact the Trusted person (see above);
  • In the case of violent or other, potentially illegal behaviour according to the laws of the country, contact the security agents and/or Police.

In case of incidents, all participants – alleged offenders, presumed victims and witnesses alike – agree to collaborate fully with the event organisers and security agents, and help to clarify the circumstances of the incident as follows:

  • follow the instructions given by the security agents;
  • duly and honestly answer to the questions;
  • request the presence of the EYE Trusted person;
  • present their identity card on request;
  • accept to have their identity card photographed or copied for the purpose of drawing a complete incident report.

The event organisers and/or security agents will:

  • record each incident in writing, including all the relevant and available information;
  • gather as much information as possible : by collecting the respective statements of the alleged victim(s) (if the victim is willing to do so), the alleged offender, any witnesses as well as that of security services, other staff, and that of the Trusted person who will have handled the situation, as neutral party in the incident;
  • contact immediately the Police in case of violent or other, potentially illegal behavior according to the laws of the country

 

Confidentiality of the procedure

The Trusted Person shall not disclose the identities of the parties concerned without their prior consent. The Trusted Person will respect the alleged victims’ choices on the follow-up of the procedure. If a legal procedure requires it, or for the safety of the individual, the personal data of all persons involved in the incidents can be shared with responsible Parliamentary services or the police.

 

Sanctions

Based on the reporting made by the event organisers and/or the security services, the Directorate General for Communication can take immediate action to mitigate the risk and protect the other participants and can decide if the non-compliance with this Code of Conduct should be sanctioned.

Proportionally to the gravity of the incident, the following sanctions can be applied:

  • removal from the EP premises for the rest of the day
  • removal of the accreditation to the event
  • suspension of payment of financial contribution to the participants who are part of concerned groups

In case a staff member of the European Parliament or from another EU Institutions is identified as the alleged perpetrator, the organisers have the right to communicate a report to the competent authorities (e.g. AIPN/DG PERS for the European Parliament, DG HR/IDOC for the European Commission) when appropriate.

The above named dispositions do not interfere with the harmed person’s or harmed group’s legal rights to bring legal action against the offender in application of the local legislation.

In addition to the possibility of the European Parliament to apply a sanction in case of potential or effective breach of the Code of Conduct, the European Parliament reserves the right to communicate externally on the matter subject to the respect of data protection rules.

EYE code of conduct (pdf)