March 1986.

BACKGROUND

 

 In Alicante, Mediterranean city on the South-east of Spain, the ”First Symposium about Human Maturity, Spare time and Savings Banks Retired Staff” takes place. This event, with a marked social and cultural line, created great interest, according to the subjects that were going to be treated and, at the same time a unity towards the ideas and programmes offered in the meeting. The financial sponsoring was possible thanks to Alicante and Murcia Savings Bank (known today as CAM), which was totally involved with the ideas presented.

At the end of this symposium, the working party that had carried about the event reached the following conclusions, according to the issues studied and stating that the Savings Banks Retired Staff compromised to structure and start the road to a wide association movement (of which there were no precedents until that moment), that would have to end in a European Group (open to all nations) that would work focusing on three main issues:

● The value that must be given to spare time.

● The real importance of Human Madurity at all ages.

● The Social Action liable to be developed by the Savings Banks Retired Staff.

 

March, 1986.

CASTELLÓN MINUTES. THE SPANISH FEDERATIONIS CREATED. PRIMARY IDEA OF THE EUROPEAN GROUP.

 

 In the city of Castellón in the Valencian Community (Spain), after a meeting where the participants came from different parts of Spain and represented several groups of retired people, the minutes is drawn up, registering the beginning of the Promotion Group of the Federation of Associations of Retired Staff and Pensioners from Spanish Savings Banks. In this minute the decision to create, at the right moment, the GROUP OF RETIRED DTAFF AND PENSIONERS FROM EUROPEAN SAVINGS BANKS is taken.

 

November, 1986.

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SPANISH FEDERATION

 

Among The objectives that must be accomplished by the Spanish Federation of Retired Staff, in the Statutes approved by the creation of the European Group is stated.

 

March, 1987.

FIRST CONTACT WITH EUROPEAN GROUP OF SAVINGS BANKS.

 

The first contacts between the Spanish Federation and the Group of Savings Banks, placed in Brussels, takes place with the direct collaboration and participation of the Spanish Confederation of Savings Banks based in Madrid.

 

 The Group’s General Secretary, Mr. Klaus MEYER-HORN and his most representative collaborators in different departments, received the inspirators of the idea of the associations among retired people, giving them a warm welcome.

 

September, 1987.

CALL FOR EUROPEAN SAVINGS BANKS

 

  In Santiago de Compostela, important city because its singular European historic and cultural route, The Spanish Federation is held. During this Convention it is decided to set up a meeting in order to create the PROMOTION GROUP of the Associations of Retired Staff from European Savings Banks; In addition an informative leaflet is given out in order to call Retired Staff and Financial Entities from twelve countries so the Promotion Group can be formed.

 

October, 1987.

THE SAVINGS BANK ASSOCIATION, QUARTER OF THE GROUP OF RETIRED STAFF TO BE.

 

 The Governing Board of the European Group of Savings Banks reach an agreement and accept the proposal made by the Spanish Confederation in Paris by their General Director, Mr. Miguel Allué, suggesting that the European Savings Banks place their official quarters in Brussels.

 

July, 1989.

STATUTES.

 

 The Group of Savings Banks for Industrial Relations (ACARL) in Spain, assumes, by the Federation’s request, the writing up of the first rough draft of the Statues belonging to the Group of Retired Staff from European Savings Banks based on the Spanish Association Law 191/64

 

In September 1989 The Groups Statutes are translated into French and English and are sent to Associations called up to create the Promotion Group.

 

November 1989.

MADRID MINUTES. CREATION OF THE PROMOTION GROUP.

 

In the registered office of the Savings Banks Spanish Confederation in Madrid and, before the General Director Mr. Miguel ALLUÉ ESCUDERO, in an event where the mass media were present, the minutes is signed by all the assistants, representing themselves or their delegations and leaving a written record about the constitution of the PROMOTION GROUP, as follows:

 

 Mr Francisco M. Bernabéu Penalva, President of the Spanish Federation of Pensioners and Retired People; Mr. Roger Miraglio, First Vice-President of the Federation Nationale du Personnel Retraité des Caisses d’Epargne, in France; Mr. Manuel Fernández Pereira da Cruz, President of the Associacao dos Aposentados da Caixa Geral de Depósitos in Portugal; Mr. Atilio Sala, President of the Pensionati CARIPLO; Cristian Andreu, in charge of Spain’s Relations in the European Group of Savings Banks’ Staff Commite;  Mr. Albert Backendorf, President of the Association de Personnel Retraitté de la Caisse dÊpargne de l’Êtat de Luxembourg and Mr. Steen EK. President of the Swedish Association of Savings Banks Retired Staff.

 

Since the beginning of the Promotion Group’s activities, who was to the President to be, Mr. Francisco M. Bernabéu Penalva and his mates were highly supported to develop the Association project involving Belgium, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Luxemburg, Italy, and the State Organisms dependant from the ECU’s Social Affairs Department.

 

November, 1989.

Mr JOSÉ LIDÓN REPRESENTS THE SPANISH FEDERATION

 

 During the Spanish Federation’s General Assembly Mr. José Lidón Meseguer is named representative in the European Group’s Promotion Commission.

 

December, 1989.

ADAPTATION OF THE STATUTES TO THE BELGIAN LAW.

 

The European Group’s Legal Department and the COB Banque d`Epagne in Brussels, to the Belgian Law of Non-Profit International Associations from the 25th/10/1919

 

Revised and complemented with the proposals made by the European mates and also by the Promotion Group, the Statutes are sent to the Associations and to those who collaborated on its creation so they could read it and make any final contributions.

 

The Statutes, now adapted to the Belgian Law of Non-Profit International Associations from the 25th/10/1919, are sent to the Associations of Savings BANKS Retired Staff involved in each country, to the Managers of all the Savings Banks Entities, to the European Group of Savings Banks and to the Savings Banks Spanish Confederation.

 

October, 1990.

UNIVERSAL SAVING DAY. MEETING OF THE PROMOTION GROUP IN BRUSSELS.

 

During the meeting in Brussels, where the LXVI Universal Savings Day was highlighted, the Promotion Group submits to the documents containing the definite Statues.

 

6th of June 1991.

GENERAL CONSTITUTIONAL ASSEMBLY.

 

In Zaragoza, in the Assembly Room placed in the Culture Centre belonging to the Savings Bank from Zaragoza, Aragón and Rioja that was totally crowed with Retired Staff representing several European Associations and Spanish mates, that had previously attended the National Convention, the General Constitutional Assembly of the GROUP OF RETIRED STAFF FROM EUROPEAN SAVINGS BANKS is held.

 

Those who attended the meeting and, by the President’s request, stood up and sang the Joy Anthem, emblematic in the European Community, and declared, in the middle of the applauses, that the Group they had longed for had been officially created and was full of promises and curiosity about the world inspiring good actions and culture.

 

The following Groups were named permanent members of Honour in the Constitutional Assembly:

European Group of Savings Banks

Spanish Confederation of Savings Banks

Mediterranean Savings Bank (CAM)

Savings Bank from Zaragoza, Aragón and Rioja

 

 

June, 1993.

TRIBUTE TO TOSE WHO BUILT THE EUROPEAN NATION

 

 Owing to the First European Convention of Retired Staff from Savings Banks – Intergenerational Meeting- held in Brussels, the European Parliament welcomed the participants in order to receive a document giving a posthumous TRIBUTE to the memory of Winston Churchill, Konrad Adenauer, Alcide Degasperi, Paul Enri Spaak, Robert Schuman and Jean Monet, as the fathers of the European Nation.

 

October, 1995.

CALL TO THE FIRST EUROMEETING.

 

In the Management Board’s meeting in the Central Office of the Caixa Geral in Lisbon, taking as a base a project written by Mr. Lidón, it was agreed to celebrate a yearly Euromeeting in order to promote cohabitation between the Group’s International Associates.

 

The first Euromeeting took place between the 17th and the 26th of May 1996 in ISDABE, International Residence of Spanish Savings Banks in Estepona (Málaga). 278 Associates belonging to the founder countries and guests from Germany attended. The number has increased each year up to the 553 participants in the last Euromeeting held in Islantilla (Huelva – Spain) in May 2005.

 

From the beginning, the Euromeetings consist in a week of cohabitation, with a programme including cultural tourism, the Genral Assembly, and other theme meetings. During this time we count with a group of translators and interpreters form the University of Alicante.  

 

October, 1996.

EUROMEETINGS’ MAGAZINE.

 

 Form the first edition; the Magazine Euromeetings has been released in 5 languages (German, Spanish, French, English and Italian) along the different participant countries. The magazine is sponsored with advertising and is sent without costs to those Associations and members having attended to a Euromeeting. All publications can be read in the section “Publications” on our web-site.

 

May, 1997.

EUROPEAN CULTURAL FOUNDATION “INTERGENERATIONS”.

 

During the Euromeeting held in Palma de Mallorca the Project of creating the European Cultural Foundation “Integrations” was discussed and studied with the appreciated collaboration of the representatives from the Recreative and Cultural Associations of Spanish Savings Banks Active Staff.

 

May, 1998.

INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE CLUB

 

During the Euromeeting held in ISDABE in Estepona, by Mr. Lidón’s request, a family experience, collections, etc exchange system was created. This system worked during the first year, but the yearly release of the magazine Euromeetings made the development difficult.

 

May, 1999.

INTERGENERATIONAL CONGRESS: A SOCIETY FOR ALL AGES.

 

Organized in Alicante during the Euromeeting held in Benidorm between the 5 and the 7th of May, sponsored by the Mediterranean Savings Bank (Spain) and by the UNESCO’s official participation, and owing to the International Year of Old- Age People, the International Congress “A society for all Ages” took place.  The conclusions reached at the end of this meeting were written out in a document that was sent to UNO’s Office in Madrid and to Social Affairs Secretary in New York. Also a declarative statement named, by all the member’s consent, “Declarative of Alicante”. This text can be read in the section “Publications” on our web-site

 

May, 2005.

EUROPEAN WORKING GROUPS AND PERMANENT OBSERVATORY FOR SOCIAL PROTECTION.

 

During the Euromeeting held in Islantilla (Huelva) between the 7th and the 14th of May, sponsored by the Monte de Piedad and the Savings Bank from Huelva and Sevilla  (EL MONTE), the President, López presented the project “Prospects for the Group and the Euromeetings” that was approved by the General Assembly, among which the creation of European Working Groups (GET) and the creation of the Permanent Observatory for Social Protection (OPPS) must be highlighted. All this information can be consulted in the section” Publications” on our web-site.