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Confederation of National Associations of Tanners and Dressers of the European Community Statutes of Association (only the French version is authentic) As modified by the Assembly General of 8 June 2007 in Biarritz The national association of Tanners and Dressers of the Member States of the European Community:GERMANY - Verband der Deutschen Lederindustrie BELGIUM - Union de la Tannerie et de la Mégisserie Belges FRANCE - Syndicat Général des Cuirs et Peaux de France, which became in 1969 the Fédération Française de la Tannerie-Mégisserie ITALY - Unione Nazionale Industria Conciaria NETHERLANDS - Federatie van Nederlandse Lederfabrikanten who, on 8 March 1957, has constituted, in the framework of the International Council of Tanners, a "Study Group of EEC Tanners and Dressers", decide to transform it into an association charged with the defense and promotion of their common objectives as specified hereafter. The following national federations, or sections representing the tanning industry in national federations, were admitted as members of the Confederation pursuant to Article 8: - the British Leather Federation, which became in
2005 the UK Leather Federation (UKLF), and were admitted as members of the Confederation as from 1st January 1973 (Assembly General of 24 May 1973). The Irish Leather Federation ceases to be a member of the Confederation as from the Assembly General of 18 June 2003. - the Foreningen af Danske Laederfabrikanter was admitted as member of the Confederation as from 1st January 1974 (Assembly General of 8 April 1974) and ceases to be a member of the Confederation as from 1996. - the Hellenic Tanners' Association was admitted as member of the Confederation as from the Assembly General of 20 March 1980. - the Consejo Español de Curtidores, which
became CEC-FECUR in 2002 and were admitted as members of the Confederation as from 1st January 1981 (Assembly General of 7 May 1981). - Svenska Garveriikareforeningen and were admitted as members of the Confederation as from 1st January 1995 (Assembly General of 23 June 1995). - Norske Garveriers Landsforeningen, and were admitted as associate members of the Confederation as from 1st January 1997 (Assembly General of 21 February 1997). - Gospodarska Zbornica Slovenije / TCL Association,
and were admitted as associate members of the Confederation as from 1st January 1999 (Assembly General of 21 June 1999) and as full members of the Confederation as from 1 May 2004. - the Association of Leather Producers and Consumers of Lithuania (LOGVA), and the Branch Union of Leather Furriers Footwear and Haberdashery Industries (BULFFHI) were admitted as members of the Confederation as from 8 June 2007 (Assembly General of 8 June 2007). CHAPTER I. Legal nature - Name - Head office - Duration Art. 1: The undersigned associations subscribing to the present convention constitute an association that is called CONFEDERATION OF NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS OF TANNERS AND DRESSERS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY (COTANCE). Art. 2: The Head Office of the association is in the premises of the Fédération Française de la Tannerie-Mégisserie, 122 rue de Provence, 75008 Paris (France). The liaison bureau is established at the rue Belliard, n?3, 1040 Bruxelles (Belgium). It can be transfered in any other location within Brussels by decision of the Council published according to the applicable legal requirements. Art.3: The Confederation of Tanners and Dressers of the European Community is constituted for an unlimited period of time. Art.4: The social exercise corresponds to the civil year. CHAPTER II. Social aim Art.5: COTANCE has a scientific, economic, technical and social objective. Amongst others it deals with: A. grouping the associations of tanners and dressers in the Member States of the European Union so as to preserve and develop a solidarity spirit and relationship between them; B. being the authorised representatives of the tanners and dressers in the Member States at the institutions of the European Union and other international bodies, for all the issues of general interest to industry. For these purposes, the Confederation will: a) ensure useful links with the official institutions of the European Union; b) study the problems related to the European Union in order to find solutions best adapted to the interest of the sector it represents; c) favour, through studies and debates, a common attitude of the delegates of the tanning industry within international organisations and coordinate, as much as it can, position statements and actions of national federations on all issues of common interest; d) enlarge its scope of activity to the problems related with the relations of the European Union with third countries; e) establish relationship with any international organisation that can help in the realisation of its social aim directly or indirectly. CHAPTER III. Members Art.7: The federations who signed this convention are members by full right. Art.8: a) Any federation of tanners in a country that has become a member of the European Union, can become a member of the association after the agreement of the Assembly General. b) Any federation of tanners in a country geographically located in Europe or a country that has introduced a request for membership to the European Union and the request has been retained, can, provided that it respects the rules of free trade in raw materials and environmental standards equivalent to those in the EU, after the agreement of the Assembly General, become an associated member of the association. Associated members pay a financial contribution fixed by the Assembly General. They are members of the Confederation bodies and participate in all activities and actions of the association without having the right to vote. Art.9: The Confederation only admits one federation per Member State. Art.10: a) Membership is lost: b) Associated Membership is lost: Art.11: A member of the association that loses this quality for any reason cannot lay claim to the possessions of the Association. Art.12: The national federations will keep the Secretariat
inform on the information they receive and the studies they carry out
in relation with the common interests. CHAPTER IV: Bodies of the Confederation Art.13: The bodies of the Confederation are: Art.13bis: The Presidency The Vice-Presidents are full members of the Presidency and assist the President in the management of the association. One of them will introduce to the Assembly General the annual accounts and the auditors report unless this role is delegated expressly to the Secretary General. The Presidency has a rotating character whereby the representative of another national association assumes in turn the position of the President. The Vice-President immediately succeeding the President will be called First Vice-President, whereas the outgoing President will take the position of Second Vice-President after his mandate and the former past President, the position of Third Vice-President, and so on. The bureau of the President is constituted by the President, the First Vice-President and the Second Vice-President.
b) The President is the trustee of the Council and the Assembly; he is in charge with the execution of their decisions through the Secretary General. c) The President is responsible for the administrative management of the Association. He represents the Association with regard to third parties or in justice. He can delegate part of his administrative powers to the Secretary General. d) The President continues to represent, within the Council and the Assembly, the national federation that appointed him as a delegate. Art.15: The Council. b) The Council is in charge with the implementation of the Confederation policy with respect to the social objective. c) Any proposal committing the Confederation must necessarily be submitted to the agreement of the Assembly. d) The Council will meet as often as it is needed. It is summoned by the President or on request by at least two of its Members. In case of urgency, the opinion of the Members can be requested outside a meeting, by way of a letter or any other means. e) The Members of the Council can always mandate a substitute who will have the decision power in their absence. Each member will appoint one spokesperson for the Council meetings. f) In default of unanimity, the Council decisions are taken by a simple majority and with the approval of at least 3 members to the motion submitted to vote. Art.16: The Assembly b) It is composed with representatives of the national federations, appointed by them, one of them being their spokesperson. c) The Members of the Assembly can be assisted by experts. d) In case of vote, each national delegation has a number of votes established in conformity with article 18 ter. Decisions are taken by simple majority, and with the approval of at least 3 members to the motion submitted to vote. e) The Assembly elects the President and the Vice-Presidents, pursuant to articles 13 bis, 14 and 15. f) Only the Assembly has the right to take decision in last resort on any action committing the Confederation. g) The Assembly is summoned by the President or on request by at least two member federations, in Paris or any other place, at least once a year and as often as it is needed. h) The Assembly, as well as the Council, can create a special Committee for the study of a particular issue. The Members of the Committee can be selected outside the Assembly. The working committees do not have any decision power; they report to the body that constituted them. Art.17: The Secretariat. He deals with the administrative management of the association and directs the services of the Secretariat. The Secretary General is appointed and dismissed by the Assembly on a proposal by the Council. He attends the meetings with a consultative power and ensures their secretariat. The official documents will be written in French, with, if need be, translations in other languages. Whatever is the nationality of the President, the Secretariat is fixed in Brussels. In agreement with the President, the Secretary General appoints the Auditor who is selected among reputed registered auditors. The auditor reviews the accounts and reports to the members of the Confederation for the adoption of the annual accounts by the Assembly. Art.18: The Directors and Secretaries Generals Committee On the initiative of the Secretary General or on request by one of the Secretaries Generals or Directors of the member federations, the Committee meets in Paris or any other place to carry out the mission requested by the Council or the Assembly or to prepare the Council or Assembly meetings. Art.18bis: In case of vote within the Directors Committee, the decisions are taken by simple majority and with the approval of 3 members to the motion submitted to vote. Art.18ter: Members votes are proportional to their contributions.
Art.19: a) Each year before the end of the first semester, the Assembly approves by a majority the accounts of the previous exercise and the draft budget for the current exercise. It gives the final discharge. b) The draft budget must be presented by the Secretary General to the Member federations before the end of the previous exercise. After examination, the Council submits the draft budget and the accounts of the previous year to the Assembly for agreement. c) The incomes of the budget include, but are not limited to, the financial contributions of the Members, determined according to a distribution key determined by the Assembly on a Council proposal. The subscription of the current year is due as a whole. CHAPTER VI: Modification of statutes - Dissolution Art.20: A modification of the present statutes can only be debated if it is explicitly announced in the convocation for the Assembly on which agenda it is included. The convocation must be sent at least one month prior to the meeting. The Assembly debates on the proposed modification of the statutes according to the rules specified under article 16. Art.21: The dissolution of the association and the rules of its liquidation can only be decided in conformity with the provisions laid down in article 20. In case of dissolution, the Council and the Secretary General keep their function to ensure the liquidation. Art.22: For the interpretation of the present statutes, only the French text is authentic. |