1. The AA Service Structure in Europe
(English-speaking)
March 2019

2. AA Service
“Our Twelfth Step – carrying the message – is the basic service that the AA Fellowship gives; this is our principal aim and the main reason for our existence”
Bill W. in AA’s Legacy of Service

3. AA’s Three Legacies

4. AA’s Three Legacies
The chief inheritances of the first twenty years of Alcoholics Anonymous are the Legacies of Recovery, of Unity, and of Service. By the first we recover from alcoholism; by the second we stay together in unity; and by the third our society functions and serves its primary purpose of carrying the A.A. message to all who need it and want it.
The Twelve Traditions are to group survival and harmony what A.A.’s Twelve Steps are to each member’s sobriety and peace of mind.
While A.A. has to function, it must at the same time avoid wealth, prestige, and power, three great dangers which necessarily tempt nearly all human societies.

5. AA in Europe
Our service structure is formed as a result of our 12th Step
It all begins (and ends) with the AA Group
Sustaining the groups in unity is of paramount importance
We are guided by our 12 Traditions & 12 Concepts
Unique situation in Europe, in that each European country has its own structure (host nation)…
Plus, there is an English-speaking region of AA Great Britain that covers Continental Europe
There are also other language groups around Europe, i.e. Polish AA, Russian AA, Spanish AA, etc.

6. We can see what the test of an A. A. service really is
We can see what the test of an A.A. service really is. Whether it is a book, a translation, a service conference, or a twentieth anniversary convention, the principle is the same; the test is identical: Do we need this particular service or do we not? That is the only question.
Refer to the “The Structure of AA in Great Britain” handbook for more info

7. CER has about 18 Intergroups, and 780 meetings listed on it’s website.
AA GB (2013) consisted of 4,277 AA Groups (including 496 from CER), 119 Intergroups, and 16 Regions. The General Service Office (GSO) is located in York UK.

8. Refer to the AA pamphlet “The AA Group” for more info
1. AA Groups
Any two or more alcoholics gathered together may call themselves an AA Group
Each group can choose which structure to belong to
Does all the jobs that keep AA going
Provide a meeting place
Make available AA literature
Collect Seventh Tradition
Carry the message!
Lots of service opportunities - the Home Group is the heartbeat of AA
Represented by the “Group Service Representative” (GSR)

9. 2. Intergroups Made up of GSRs and Intergroup Service Officers
Refer to the “IG Bavaria” pamphlet for more info
2. Intergroups
Made up of GSRs and Intergroup Service Officers
Aim to serve all AA groups in a small geographical area
Services may include:
Co-ordinating public information, facilitating best practice between groups, organising workshops, linking groups to Region, providing opportunities for AA service, co-operation with Host Nation AA, sponsoring annual round-ups
Meets ideally at least six times a year
Represented by the “Region Reps”

10. Refer to the “About CER” pamphlet for more info
3. Regions
Assembly is made up of Region Reps/GSRs & Region Service Officers
Aim to serve all AA Intergroups (and groups without an Intergroup) in a large geographical area
Services may include:
Representing AA at professional community conferences, linking Intergroups to Conference, managing their own websites with meeting lists, manning 24 hour helplines, publishing newsletters …
Meets at least four times a year
Represented by “Delegates to Conference”

11. 5. The General Service Board (GSB)
The GSB consists of Trustees from each of the 16 Regions, as well as non-alcoholic Trustees, all of whom go through a nomination and ratification process
The GSB executes the decisions of Conference, and carries out those tasks necessary as a consequence of the Boards charitable status
The Trustees chair the various GSB Sub-committees:
AA Service News, Archives, Armed Services, Electronic Communications, Employment, Health, Literature, Prisons, Probation / Criminal Justice Services, Public Information, SHARE, Roundabout and Telephone Service.
Refer to the “The Structure of AA in Great Britain” handbook for more info

12. 5. The General Service Office (GSO)
The General Service Office (GSO) of AA GB provides administrative support to the General Service Board and the General Service Conference.
GSO also provides central support for the Fellowship as a whole with such services as literature distribution and the answering of day-to-day enquiries from the fellowship, health professionals, media, and the public.
The GSO is located York, United Kingdom.
There are also two satellite offices; the Northern Service Office in Glasgow and the Southern Service Office in London.
Refer to the “The Structure of AA in Great Britain” handbook for more info

13. 4. The General Service Conference (GSC)

14. 4. The General Service Conference (GSC)
Questions (Agenda)
published in AASN
Conference 1.
Recommendations
published in AASN
Conference 3.
Deadline for next
years questions
for Conference 4.
Conference
Starts 2. 
Repeats
Annually
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Group
Conscience
Formulate
response to
Questions
Group
Conscience
Recommend-
ations & new
Questions
General
Service
Board
GSB
AA Groups
Intergroups
Regions
GSC
Conference
GSRs
GSRs
Group
Conscience
Formulate
response to
Questions
Group
Conscience
Recommend-
ations & new
Questions
Example:
2016 Committee 4
Recommendation 2
The Committee considers that Conference adequately represents the conscience of the Fellowship. The existing service structure enables this process to the extent that representatives of Groups (GSRs), Intergroups (Region Reps) and Regions (Delegates) act as a conduit for the group conscience. The ultimate responsibility for this process starts and ends with the group. Where there is full engagement, it is hard to conceive of a more effective alternative.
Example:
2016 Committee 4
Question 2
Would the Fellowship consider to what extent Conference truly represents ‘the practical means by which the Group conscience in AA GB can express itself in matters that concern the Fellowship as a whole’?
Region Reps.
Region Reps.
AA Service News
Conference
Questions
AA Service News
Conference
Recommend-
ations
Group
Conscience
Formulate
response to
Questions
Group
Conscience
Recommend-
ations & new
Questions
Delegates
Delegates
Group Conscience
Present response to
Questions & formulate
Recommendations
Refer to the “General Service Conference” pamphlet for more info
Note: Questions for Conference can be submitted at anytime throughout the year

15. Thank you