Competition regulation

Article 1: Competition theme

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and Security is organising a competition entitled “European Union and Citizenship”, for the creation of a one-page cartoon (“plate”) with no text. The cartoon must illustrate the theme of citizenship in the European Union, for both EU citizens and residents.

In United Kingdom the coordination of the competition at national level will be the responsibility of the European Commission Representation Office, with logistics being handled in cooperation with:

Open Youth

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Article 2: Who can take part?

The competition is mainly geared towards students of arts and graphic design, aged 16 years or over, residing in the 27 Member States of the European Union. However, it is open to any other person aged 16 years or over who is resident in the European Union and is interested in this subject.

Article 3: How to enter?

Candidates must enter individually. Any candidate that is a minor at the time of registering for the competition must enter under the supervision of an adult (teacher, educator, parent, etc.), and must be supervised in the event of travel to awards ceremonies.

The registration form must be filled in and sent on line. Although there is no deadline for this, it is recommended that participants or supervising adults do this at the earliest opportunity, so they can receive new information important for the competition.

The cartoon must be sent together with the completed, dated and signed submission form. Cartoons must be sent to the national logistics coordinator by no later than Friday 27 February 2009. Only cartoons that reach the national coordinator by 12 March 2009 at the latest will be approved.

(NB: Participants that choose to deliver their cartoons to the national coordinator in person must also do so by Friday 27 February 2009 at the latest, as if they were sending them by post.)

Participants must keep a copy of the documents they send.

Article 4: What is to be produced?

Participants are required to create a one-page cartoon (“plate”), with no text, illustrating the theme of citizenship in the European Union.

The following rules apply:

    * If the cartoon has not been created on a computer, it must be designed on A4 paper. It is this sheet of paper that will be sent or delivered in person to the national coordinator, unfolded, so that it can be reused if necessary.
    * The completed, dated and signed work submission form must also be enclosed.
    * If the cartoon has been created on a computer, it must be in PostScript format. If another format has been used, it must be exported in PostScript format for submission to the national coordinator on CD/DVD. In this case, in order to facilitate the possible reuse of the cartoon, the CD/DVD must contain both the PostScript version and the version in the native format of the software used for its creation. Finally, to facilitate evaluation of the cartoon, a copy must also be printed on A4 paper and enclosed with the CD/DVD.
    * The completed, dated and signed work submission form must also be enclosed.

NB: Each participant may design and submit several cartoons, if they so wish. In this case, if the cartoons have been created on a computer, in order to facilitate evaluation, each one must be submitted on a separate CD/DVD.

Article 5: Copyright

The final work must be produced for the sole purpose of the competition. It may be created from material elements (images, texts, etc.) produced by the participant specifically for the competition, or by combining or making use of elements which already exist and which are free of copyright. In the latter case, the participant or supervising adult must ensure that this condition is met.

Participants shall be entirely responsible for their works and shall agree to transfer the works as well as the distribution and reproduction rights to the European Commission at no charge. The European Commission shall therefore be entitled to use, reproduce, adapt, publish and distribute the works at its entire discretion. The works will not be returned.

Article 6: Selection of winners and awards at national level

The works will be selected by a jury made up of several people, for example, a representative of the Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and Security or the European Commission Representation Office, a representative of a national ministry such as Justice, Education, European Affairs or Youth, a communications expert, a graphic artist, an illustrator, a young person actively involved in a youth organisation, etc.

The winners will be selected according to criteria such as: appropriateness of the cartoon given the objective, graphic quality, clarity of the message, originality of the work, etc.

In each country, all participants may attend an awards ceremony in the capital city on Friday 3 April 2009.

Travel and necessary accommodation will be paid for by the European Commission for the three participants who created the three winning cartoons and, if necessary, for the supervising adults (for participants who are minors at the time of travel).

The ranking of the participants at national level will be revealed at the ceremony.

The cartoons of the national winners will be displayed on the website of the European Commission in the Member State concerned and on the website of the Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and Security.

Article 7: Selection of winners and awards at European level

The works that win the national prizes will be judged a second time by a jury made up of representatives from the European Commission and other people, such as a teacher, communications expert, graphic artist, illustrator, young person actively involved in a youth organisation, etc.

The winners of the national 1st prizes will be invited to stay in Brussels (accompanied by the supervising adult in the case of participants who are minors at the time of travel) from Saturday 9 May (Europe Day) to Monday 11 May 2009, and attend a European awards ceremony on Monday 11 May. This trip will be an opportunity to discover all the city has to offer, including the European institutions, and to take part in the awards ceremony presided over by Commissioner Jacques Barrot, Vice-President of the European Commission.

For each national winner and, where necessary, each supervising adult, travel and accommodation will be paid for by the European Commission.

The identity and ranking of the three Europe-wide winners will be revealed at the ceremony. The winner of the European 1st Prize will be awarded a cheque of €6,000, the winner of the European 2nd Prize a cheque of €4,000, and the winner of the European 3rd Prize a cheque of €2,000.

The cartoons of the European winners may be used for future European campaigns on citizenship.

Article 8: Responsibility

Organisers cannot be held responsible for the cancellation, postponement or modification of the competition due to unforeseen circumstances, nor can they be held responsible for any theft, loss, delay or damage during the transport of cartoons. Furthermore, the dates mentioned in these rules may be changed due to organisational reasons or unforeseen circumstances. In such cases, the participants shall be advised as soon as possible (hence the need to formally register as soon as possible): The registration form.

Article 9: Acceptance of the rules

Participation in the competition shall imply full acceptance of these rules.