Proposal to change country list of the ESFS

Proposed by: Eemeli Aro (Finland)

Purpose:
    This amendment to the Constitution of the ESFS would mean that
    instead of the ESFS maintaining a list of countries in Europe, we
    would look at an outside body to update that list. In this case it
    is proposed that we use the United Nations geoscheme to define the
    geographic extent of Europe:

    http://millenniumindicators.un.org/unsd/methods/m49/m49regin.htm

    As the UN geoscheme does not define countries, but regions, the
    definition of a European country would be an internationally
    recognised sovereign state with territory in Europe.

    This motion has several changes throughout the constitution; if
    passed all of these changes will be made to the constitution.

Impact of change:
    This amendment would free the ESFS from a constant need to update
    a separate definition of "Europe". The change would remove the
    following countries from the current ESFS definition of "Europe":
    Armenia, Azerbijan, Cyprus, Georgia, and Turkey.

Outcome:
    As this proposal was passed by a majority vote at the ESFS General
    meeting on the 13th of April 2013 in Kiev, Ukraine, it will be
    resubmitted for confirmation at the Business meeting at the 2014
    Eurocon.