About FACE
FACE is the European Federation
Established in 1977, FACE represents the interests of Europe’s 7 million hunters as an international non-profit-making non-governmental organisation (INGO). This makes FACE the largest democratically representative body for hunters in the world and probably one of the largest European civil society organisations.
The Voice of European Hunters
FACE is made up of its Members: national hunters’ associations from 37 European countries including the EU-27. FACE also has 7 Associate Members and has its Secretariat in Brussels.
FACE upholds the principle of sustainable use and has been a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 1987. FACE works with its partners on a range of hunting-related matters, from international conservation agreements to local implementation issues with the aim of sustaining hunting across Europe.
EVIDENCE-BASED
FACE is an evidence-based organisation. Providing technical expertise and insights to both hunters and policy makers is at the core of FACE’s work.
The FACE Members meet regularly at technical meetings, regional gatherings, as well as at the annual Spring FACE Members’ Meeting and Autumn General Assembly. These meetings centre around a fully-packed agenda.
Members discuss and agree on actions to be taken regarding topics to be addressed, in accordance with the principles of subsidiarity and solidarity.
SECRETARIAT
The FACE Team is based in Brussels and makes up the Secretariat, representing the interests of its Members and of the 7 million hunters in Europe.
The Secretariat provides a central information point for both hunters and policy makers.
The FACE team combines a passion for hunting and conservation with expertise in a range of key areas so as to best ensure hunting is facilitated and sustainable, right across Europe.
HISTORY
FACE has been safeguarding hunters and wildlife since 1977. FACE was established by a few national hunting associations from 9 ‘EEC’ countries who realised the need to open dialogue and represent their shared expertise and interests in the emerging Birds Directive (1979).
Over the last 40 years, FACE has grown alongside the European Union and today represents all 27 EU Member States, ensuring that the knowledge and experience of European hunters is integrated into the EU decision-making process.
GOVERNANCE
FACE Membership is open to representative national hunters’ associations from all Council of Europe Member States. FACE currently counts Member Associations in 36 countries including the EU-27.
The FACE Members meet regularly at technical meetings, regional gatherings, Board Meetings, as well as at the annual Spring FACE Members’ Meeting and Autumn General Assembly.
These meetings centre around a fully-packed agenda. Members discuss and agree on actions to be taken regarding topics to be addressed, in accordance with the principles of subsidiarity and solidarity.
The Board consists of the President, 11 Vice-Presidents, of which five represent each one the countries paying the largest contribution, and six represent each one of the six regional constituencies in Europe, the Treasurer General and the Secretary General; the latter two, however, have no voting rights. The 11 Vice-Presidents ensure a balanced and full representation of regions as well as interests.
The Board meets five times a year. The Board is the Federation’s management and policy development body. It carries out the policy guidelines and liaises between the Federation’s bodies and its Members. It takes all the Federation’s management and administrative decisions as the need arises.
Elections for FACE’s Board take place every three years at the General Assembly, according to the 1 country = 1 vote system, as it is the case in all political FACE decision-making processes.
This helps FACE achieve true European unity and solidarity amongst all Members, avoiding the feeling that the interests of some of the larger ones would overrule the smaller.
FACE BOARD:
- President, TORBJÖRN LARSSON
- Secretary General, Dr. DAVID SCALLAN
- Treasurer General, DAVID CLAVADETSCHER
- Vice-President, Germany, Dr. VOLKER BÖHNING
- Vice-President, Nordic Region, TUOMAS HALLENBERG
- Vice-President, Italy, GIAN LUCA DALL’OLIO
- Vice-President, France, NICOLAS RIVET
- Vice-President, Spain, MANUEL GALLARDO
- Vice-President, Baltic Region, LINDA DOMBROVSKA
- Vice-President, Mediterranean Region, LINO FARRUGIA
- Vice-President, Atlantic Region, DIETER DE METS
- Vice-President, South-East Region, VASIL VASILEV
- Vice-President, United Kingdom, IAN BELL
- Vice-President, Central Region, SREČKO ŽERJAV
FUNDING
FACE delivers cost-effective support to its Members. This represents great value for European hunters considering the extent of work carried out by the FACE Secretariat and the fact that Membership subscriptions represent less than 10 cents per hunter.
It is in this ethos that FACE offers cost-effective and transparent management of finances to its members and partners, generating maximum impact with limited expenditure.
LIFE PROGRAMME
While the core funding of FACE comes from the Memberships fees, a portion of FACE’s budget is also financed by the European Commission’s Directorate Environment through LIFE NGO Funding.
TRANSPARENCY
FACE is fully signed up to the EU Transparency Register (Reg No 75899541198-85) which is operated by the European Parliament and the European Commission.
FACE operates by their Code of Conduct in all our relations with the EU Institutions and their Members, officials and other staff.
