Version 31/03/ 2011
1.1. In order to apply for membership the candidate must address a letter to the ECPP Secretary with the duly filled Application Form and a brief CV. The membership is accepted, postponed or rejected by the Board with a single majority vote.
1.2. Each member of ECPP accepts the Statutes and adheres to the Ethics Code of ECPP.
1.3. All documents and decisions concerning the admission procedure are handled in a way that preserves confidentiality.
1.4. Each member of ECPP (with exception of honorary members) has to pay the annual membership fee. Each member has a vote in the General Meeting of ECPP. Every certified member of ECPP can be elected for the Board of ECPP.
1.5. Members are either individual, or organizational members.
1.5.1 Individual members:
a. Member:
Everyone who is involved in the psychoanalytic field.
b. Certified member:
– Everyone whose training meets the training guidelines of the ECPP
and certified by the Certification and Accreditation Committee.
– Everyone who is an ECP-Holder for psychoanalytic psychotherapy.
c. Honorary member:
Everyone who is invited by the board of ECPP to become an honorary member.
1.5.2 Annual membership fee for individual members: 50 euros
1.5.3 Organizational members:
a. Member:
A professional organisation which works in the psychoanalytic field
and would like to cooperate with ECPP.
b. Accredited Psychoanalytic Training Institute (APTI):
An organization accredited in accordance with ECPP’s APTI Code
c. National Branch:
An organization accredited in accordance with ECPP’s criteria for National Branch.
1.5.4. Annual membership fees for organizational members:
| Categories of organizational membership | Annual membership fee (euro) depending on amount of members | |||||
| less than 50 members | 51-100 Members | 101-150 Members | 151-200 Members | 201-250 Members | More than 251 Members | |
| Member | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | 1250 | 1500 |
| Accredited Training Institute | 375 | 750 | 1000 | 1500 | 2000 | 2500 |
| National Branch | 500 | 1000 | 1500 | 2000 | 2500 | 3000 |
1.6.A member may leave the Association willingly at any time. He can also be dismissed for non-payment of two consecutive annual fees (Statutes 5.2.2) or following a decision made by the Ethics Committee and ratified by the Board concerning a breach of the Ethics Code (Statutes 5.2.3).
1.7. A Register of all members will be held and published on the Website. It will clearly distinguish the members who are Certified Practitioner, Certified Supervisor or Certified Training Analyst.
1.8. Members who are not certified by ECPP are asked not to describe their category of membership in a way that could create a confusion regarding their status.
2.1. The Statutes regulate election, composition, renewal of members and voting. Once installed the Board elects a President, the Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer and a Secretary.
2.2. The Board elects the members of the various Committees for a period of a maximum two years, not exceeding the period for which the Board has been elected.
2.3. The Board elects the National Representatives.
2.4. The Board fixes yearly the membership fees and the certification fees.
2.5. In accordance with the Statutes Board members are re-eligible.
3.1. The Board has decided to institute an Executive Committee in charge of all its current matters and future developments It is comprised of the President, the Vice-Presidents, the Treasurer and the Secretary.
3.2. The Executive Committee is responsible to the Board.
3.3. Decisions are taken unanimously. In case of disagreement, the matter will be handed over directly to the Board.
3.4. Proposals for decisions and minutes of taken decisions will be presented and put on the agenda of the next Board Meeting.
4.1. The Membership Committee (M. Com) is composed of at least four Board Members elected and can be dismissed by the Board. They elect a Chairperson.
The M. Com. bears the responsibility to organize its activities in the most suitable and efficient way.
The M. Com. will report about its activities at the Board meetings and yearly at the General Meeting.
4.2. The M. Com. is primarily dealing with all procedures and matters related to the acceptance of new individual or organizational members, the scrutinizing of their application and their registration in the Database of ECPP.
4.3. Procedure:
Applications are sent by the Secretary to the Chair of M. Com.
The M.Com. examines the application and requests information on the reputation of the applicant to the National Representative or the National Branch in the concerned country who shall reply within 6 weeks.
Decision is then taken to accept, refuse or postpone the application; the M. Com. informs the applicant (in case of approval, instructions for the payment of the membership fee are also given) with copy to all the members of the Executive Committee.
The M. Com. will register all relevant information in the Database and inform the Webmaster to add the new member on the website.
4.4. All decisions are taken by hand voting or electronic voting, or by secret voting upon request of any member for a secret procedure.
The voting is on a simple majority basis. In case of a tied vote the Chairperson has an extra vote.
4.5. A member of the Committee will immediately inform the other members if any matter arises that is or might be perceived to be a conflict of interest concerning him or a person close to him, and will withdraw from voting.
4.6. Members of the Committee make all efforts to respect the confidentiality of their work, except in their reporting to the Board or other bodies of ECPP.
4.7. The Committee may appoint experts to examine or clarify matters.
4.8. If exceptional costs are to be incurred for the performance of its activities, the Committee must inform the Board in advance.
4.9. Postponed or refused applicants have the right to appeal to the Board for a final overruling decision.
5.1. The C.A.Committee is composed of at least four Board Members elected and dismissible by the Board. They elect a Chairperson.
The C.A.Committee bears the responsibility to organize its activities in the most suitable and efficient way.
The C.A.Committee will report about its activities at the Board meetings and yearly at the General Meeting.
5.2. The C.A.Committee is primarily dealing with all procedures and matters related to the certification of individual members (as practitioner, supervisor or training analyst) and to the accreditation of training institutes.
The Board may also charge the C.A.Committee with the scrutinizing of applications for membership and applications for National Branches or Representatives.
5.3. Procedures and criteria for certification of individual members and accreditation of training institutes are contained in the Certification and Accreditation Code (C.A.Code).
5.4. All decisions are taken by hand voting or electronic voting, or by secret voting upon request of any member for a secret procedure.
The voting is on a simple majority basis. In case of a tied vote the Chairperson has an extra vote.
5.5. A member of the Committee will immediately inform the other members if any matter arises that is or might be perceived to be a conflict of interest concerning him or a person close to him, and will withdraw from voting.
5.6. Members of the Committee make all efforts to respect the confidentiality of their work, except in their reporting to the Board.
5.7. The Committee may appoint experts to examine or clarify matters.
5.8. If exceptional costs are to be incurred for the performance of its activities, the Committee must inform the Board in advance.
6.1. The ECPP adopts an Ethics Code that fully complies with the EAP principles and requirements.
It applies to all members of ECPP, except only when it would infringe upon a national Law.
Certified members must attest in writing their adherence to this Ethics Code with regard to their professional practice.
6.2. Following the EAP principles and recommendations, the ECPP is fully concerned with all ethical matters and issues concerning psychotherapy and is committed to promote ethical awareness in the professional practice of its members.
The ECPP:
– makes all efforts to ensure that ethical matters are part of the training of psychotherapists willing to become a member of the association;
– asks its members to remain fully cognizant of the ethical weight of their actions as psychotherapists;
– asks its members to continuously develop their training in the ethical field;
– organizes or participates to congresses, seminars, courses, lectures, workshops on ethic;
– provides its members with information about ethical topics (publications, congresses, guidelines,…) and keeps them informed of recommendations made by the Ethics Committee of ECPP;
– recommends that its practicing members are appropriately covered by a professional insurance.
6.3. The Board institutes an Ethics Committee charged with all ethical matters.
7.1. The Ethics Committee is composed of at least four Board Members, elected and dismissible by the Board. They elect a Chairperson.
The Ethics Committee bears the responsibility to organize its activities in the most suitable and efficient way.
The Ethics Committee will report about its activities at the Board meetings and yearly at the General Meeting.
7.2. Tasks and procedures:
The Ethics Committee is charged with all matters related to ethics. It will give advice and support to the Board and to the members in this field.
7.2.1. Its tasks include amongst others, to ensure the updating and application of the Ethics Code; to ensure that the functioning and procedures of the Association do not breach ethical principles; to ensure the promotion of good ethical practice in adherence to the ethical code ;to organize activities and initiatives in support of the adherence and understanding of the Association’s code of ethics ; to ensure a clear and sound communication of ethical matters helpful to the members (such as congresses, seminars, publications, …); to make members more cognizant of ethical issues, either professional or personal; to give advice to the Board about all questions raised or problems encountered by a member in its professional practice.
7.2.2. The Ethics Committee is also charged with responsibility to examine complaints concerning members.
According to the Statutes (5.2.3.) the Board must ratify all decisions taken by the Ethics Committee. This latter must provide the Board with full report and advice about the complaint and the appropriated measures the Board should consider taking.
7.2.3. The Ethics Committee may also be charged with reconciliation or mediation functions.
7.2.4. All decisions are taken by hand voting or electronic voting, or by secret voting upon request of any member for a secret procedure.
Except for complaints, the voting is on a simple majority basis. In case of a tied vote the Chairperson has an extra vote.
7.2.5. Should exceptional costs be expected for the right examination of a complaint or other ethical matter, the Ethics Committee must inform the Board in advance and advise how and by whom these costs should be paid.
7.3. Complaint’s procedure:
7.3.1. A complaint concerning a member of ECPP can be lodged by an other member or by a concerned third party. The complaint must be addressed in writing to the attention of the President of ECPP.
7.3.2. The President will upon receipt convoke the Ethics Committee in order to examine whether the complaint is receivable and has clear grounds based on a breach of the ethics code.
In such a case the Ethics Committee is charged with the gathering of all necessary information and the hearing of all parties involved, enabling the Committee to give full advice to the Board within a time limit of twelve months.
One or several members are mandated by the Ethics Committee for investigations and are given clear instructions on the contents and the limitations of their respective functions.
7.3.3. All members involved in a complaint’s examination by the Ethics Committee are called upon to collaborate promptly, to give the required information and to present themselves when summoned. This applies only when it is reasonably feasible and when it does not jeopardise their rights in any other procedural or legal actions that they are or could be involved in.
7.3.4. The Ethics Committee may appoint experts to examine or clarify matters.
7.3.5. The Ethics Committee gives a confidential report to the Board that either will settle the dispute by giving an advice or an injunction to the concerned member, or will decide to ratify the decision of the Ethics Committee to suspend or exclude the member (Statutes 5.2.3.).
All decisions taken by the Board in this respect are written in the minutes and the concerned member will be notified either by registered mail, or during a meeting with a duly mandated Board member.
The member concerned will have 30 days notice from the date of the letter or the meeting, to appeal this decision and ask to be given a hearing by the Board. (After this, and in accordance with the Statutes, any party involved is entitled to bring the matter to the General Meeting whose decision shall be final.)
7.3.6. In case of a complaint lodged by a third party, the Ethics Committee will inform this third party on the progress of the procedure and on the final decision taken, in the most appropriate way.
7.3.7. Members of the Ethics Committee make all efforts to respect the confidentiality of their work, except in their reporting to the Board.
7.3.8. A member of the Ethics Committee will withdraw from voting if he is personally involved (or concerned) in the complaint, or if the complaint concerns a person close to him. The Committee may also ask him to withdraw from the discussions.
7.3.9. Decisions are taken unanimously. In case of disagreement, the complaint’s examination will be handed over directly to the Board that will decide by a simple majority vote.
7.3.10. When a final decision of dismissal concerns an ECP holder, the ECPP will inform EAP through the Registrar and send a confidential report asking for the excluded member to be removed from the European Register. An anticipative and provisory suspension of the European Register can be asked if the circumstances justify such action.
8.1. Any ECPP member who had ever been elected ECPP President is awarded the status of honorary ECPP Past-President.
8.2. ECPP President becomes honorary Past-President when the next President-elect is installed.
8.3. ECPP Past-President is granted permanent honorary membership of ECPP and can be invited to Board meetings, commissions and committees to provide advice on issues as they arise. The honorary status of ECPP Past-President is revoked only if the person is re-elected as ECPP President or s/he is no longer a member of ECPP.
8.4. ECPP Past-President may be invited by the Board to chair temporary committees or commissions set up to consider specific issues that may arise from time to time.
8.5. ECPP Past-President is awarded lifelong status of Honorable Member of ECPP and is freed from membership payment.
9.1. ECPP has decided to encourage the founding of a National Branch in European countries in order to support and promote its principles and goals. Only one National Branch is allowed in each country. An ECPP Board Member must be amongst the founders of a National Branch.
9.2. A National Branch must be an association in good standing, with statutes, regulations and policies compatible with those of ECPP.
9.3. Authorizations to create such National Branch and to use the name and logo of ECPP are only given after a duly informed approval by the Board ratified by the General Meeting.
9.4. A National Branch will bear the name of “ECPP + name of the country”. (eventually with another additional name)
9.5. A National Branch will make all efforts to preserve the reputation of ECPP and will be liable for any damage to its reputation. It will strictly follow the decisions, rules and standards of ECPP. It will use only the ECPP criteria for any certification or accreditation purposes.
9.6. A National Branch will report each year during the General Meeting about its annual activities. It will report to the Board when requested to by the Board.
9.7. ECPP has the right to withdraw the authorization to use the name and logo ECPP at any time, provided it has been voted by a General Meeting, and without any responsibilities for losses or damages. No indemnity whatsoever will be due to the past National Branch.
9.8. A National Branch will adopt the Ethics Code of ECPP, except the points that could infringe upon their national laws, and will institute an Ethics Committee.
It will strive to function according to the ethical principles of ECPP.
9.9. A National Branch may organize seminars, congresses, training courses and other activities that will promote the principles and goals of ECPP.
9.10. A National Branch has the obligation to institute a Certification Committee for all matters related to ECPP certificates. This Committee includes at least three members certified by ECPP.
9.11. Procedures and criteria for certification of individual members and accreditation of training institutes are contained in the Certification and Accreditation Code of ECPP (C.A.Code).
9.12. A National Branch will pay ECPP invoices upon receipt.
9.13. A National Branch will keep the Secretary of ECPP informed of any changes concerning a certified member by means of sending a new Application Form.
A certified member, who is no longer a member of the National Branch, will be withdrawn from the Register.
All modifications of this Code of Internal Policies are made by the Board and voted by a two third majority, except for all matters for which only the General Meeting is legally or statutorily competent.
