Group of European Pensioners from Savings Banks and Financial Institutions

STATUTES

Group of European Pensioners from Savings Banks and Financial Institutions

STATUTES

PREAMBLE

According to the Founder members' decisions, the original copy of the statutes will be written in French and translated into the other languages of the Group.

The languages for reunions and documents will be the same for the simultaneous interpreting and/or the translations.

All the decisions of the government body and the reports will be written in the President's language and translated into the other languages of the Group.

TITLE 1 Form – Denomination – Duration - Seat –Social purpose.

Article 1: Form. The Group of European Retired Staff and Pensioners from Saving Banks and Financial Institutions is a non-profit association registered in the Spanish register of association according to the legislation in force, 162/64 and the supplementary provisions.

After the Extraordinary General Assembly in Lisbon that took place on 13th April 2012, the Group has decided to modify the statutes in order to adapt them to modern structures and media. This text and its articles have been written according to the decisions of the Extraordinary General Assembly.

Article 2: Denomination. This Association is designated as: Group of European Pensioners from Savings Banks and Financial Institutions.

Article 3: Duration. The Group has been constituted for unlimited length.

Article 4: Seat. The head office of the Group is established in C/ San Fernando. 40 – 03001 ALICANTE, Spain. It can be transferred to any other place, by choice of the Board of Directors.

Article 5: Social purpose. The mission of this non-profit-association is to:

  • Protect, defend and inform the European retired staff, pensioners, and pre-retired staff of saving banks, banks and related institutions in relation to economic, social and cultural spheres. 

  • Develop all public and/or private actions that favor the respect and the dignity of those who have reached retirement age.

  • Safeguard legal and economic interests and rights of elderly people.

  • Join and cooperate with the AGE platform or other institutions of the European Union in charge of elderly people problems. Announce the Group activities and spread any other information related to the decisions taken by the community authorities on retired staff and pensioners specific spheres.

  • Represent, if it would be necessary, the pensioners’ associations and federations in all private or public institutions or organizations.

  • Create sociocultural, leisure and exchange programs

TITLE 2 Members, Admission, Exclusion, Subscriptions.

Article 6: Members The group is compounded by three member categories:

  • Founding members. These are the associations and federations:

    Belgium: Comité de Pensionnés de la ASLK-OGER Bank. (Pensioners' Committee of the ASLK-OGER Bank)

    Spain: Federación de Asociaciones de Jubilados y Pensionistas de las Cajas de Ahorros confederadas. (Federation of pensioners and retired staff confederate associations of saving banks)

    France: Fédération Nationale du personnel retraité des Caisses d’Épargne de France. (National Federation of retired staff of Savings Banks in France)

    Portugal: Associaçao Nacional dos Aposentados da Caixa Géral de Depositos (Pensioners's National Association of the Géral Savings Bank)

  • Affiliated members. These are the Associations, the group of associations from the same country, the Federations or Confederations that are adhered, or could be adhered, to these statutes and are up to date in the payment of the membership fees. The current affiliated members are mentioned in the internal regulation.

  • Supporting members. These are the Associations, groups of people, legal and natural people that participate in a specific action, or in a social or cultural activity of the Group. The current supporting members are mentioned in the internal regulation.

Article 7: Admission

The Associations, groups of Associations from the same country, Federations or Confederations of retired staff from Saving Banks, Banks and related institutions will be admitted as affiliated and supporting members if they accept and respect the legal requirements of these statutes and the internal regulation.

Every association must be a non-profit association in order to accomplish the admission requirements.

Article 8: Exclusion

Membership status will be lost because of: resignation, non-payment of the quote, change of the non-profit condition, dissolution of the association or exclusion by secret vote of two thirds of the Ordinary Assembly, in a motivated proposal by the Board of Directors after listening to the concerned member.

If a member resigns or is excluded, he will have no right on the partnership assets of the Association.

Article 9: Subscriptions

The annual quota of the affiliate members is set by the General Assembly, based on the Board of Directors proposal and following the conditions mentioned in the internal regulation.

TITLE 3 Government. Assembly. Board of Directors. Executive Committee.

Article 10: Government: The Group management and administration are the competence of the General Assembly, the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee. The General Assembly is the supreme organ of the Group.

Article 11: Assemblies

(a) Ordinary General Assembly

The Ordinary General Assembly has a meeting at least once a year, at the President’s request or upon petition of a third of the delegates. Its composition and the modality of designation of the delegates are mentioned in the internal regulation. Its mission is:

  • Deliberate on the planned subjects of the order of the day.

  • Listen and vote the legal, activities and financial reports.

  • Approve the budget presented by the Board of Directors.

  • Carry out the election or revocation of the members of the Board of Directors.

  • Approve the account of the previous financial year and inform the Board of Directors.

  • Establish membership fees amount.

Decisions are taken by a majority of present members or their representatives. In case of a tie in the votes, the President's vote will be decisive.

(b) The Extraordinary General Assembly takes care of:

  • The modification of the statutes.

  • The dissolution of the Association.

  • The acquisition and cession of assets.

The decisions of the Extraordinary General Assembly are made by absolute majority of present members and their representatives, except in case of dissolution of the Association, where two thirds of the votes would be required.

(c) Plenary General Assembly. This Assembly takes place once a year during the EUROMEETING. It consists about the discussion of a subject that has been chosen by the President and approved by the Executive Committee. All the members of the association, group of associations from the same country, federations or confederations and supporting members are allowed to participate in this assembly.

The members of the Plenary Assembly will:

  • Listen to the legal and activity report of the President.

  • Listen to the communication about the financial situation of the Association.

  • Debate on the selected subject for the EUROMEETING.

The President convokes the Ordinary, Extraordinary and Plenary Assemblies following the rules mentioned in the internal regulation.

Article 12: Board of Directors

The Board of Directors, compounded by 6 members, is the permanent organ of management and administration of the Group. Its directors are elected by the General Assembly following the rules of the internal regulation. The mission of this Board of Directors is:

  • To appoint the President, the Vice-presidents, the Secretary, the Treasurer and the assistant Treasurer or Secretary.

  • To develop the policy and the action of the association defined by the General Assembly.

  • To constitute work committees.

  • To propose the amount of the membership fees to the General Assembly.

  • To study the admission or the exclusion reports of members and to put them for General Assembly vote.

  • To approve the balance sheet of the financial year and inform the General Assembly about the budget project.

  • To carry out all that is not specifically reserved to the General Assembly.

The Board of Directors will meet, at least once a year, upon request of the President or a third of the members.

Decisions are made by majority of the present and represented members. In case of tie, the President´s vote will be decisive. Due to the international character of the Group, the study of reports and the decision-making can be made by using new technologies, following the procedure explained in the internal regulation.

Article 13: Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is the directive organ of the Association. The election of its members and its composition are defined in the internal regulation. The Executive Committee is in charge of the activities organization and the management of the Association under the president´s responsibility and in conformity with the decisions, keeping an eye on the fulfillment of the made decisions.

Article 14: Resources

The Group was constituted without any initial assets.

The income of the Group consists of:

  • The affiliated members´ fees determined by the General Assembly

  • The transfers determined by the Executive Committee related to the Euromeeting income

  • Any kind of donations and subvention

  • The advertising of the EUROMEETING bulletin.

All amount received will be definitely earmarked on the Association.

All Kind of goods can be possessed, acquired, alienated and taxed by the Association.

TITLE 4 Modification of the Statutes – Dissolution – Internal Regulation – Formalities

Article 15: Modification of the statutes

All kind of modification of the statutes or the dissolution of the Association must be presented in an Extraordinary General Assembly convoked and based in accordance with the article 11 b of this statute and the article 25 of the internal regulation.

Article 16: Dissolution

In case of dissolution of the Association, the Executive Committee will be transformed into a Liquidation Committee that will carry out the necessary operations for this purpose. The Liquidation Committee will distribute the remaining funds or goods between the affiliated members, depending on the pro rata amount of their contributions, during the last five years of the Group existence.

Article 17: Internal regulation

The internal regulation specifies the operating conditions of the Association. It can be modified by simple majority in a General Assembly. The Board of Directors will assure its fulfillment. The points that are not included in these statutes and in the internal regulation will be in accordance with the Spanish legislation in force, as established by the Law 191/64, dated on December 24th, 2001.

Article 18: Administrative formalities

The current statutes bearer, designated by the Board of Directors, will be in charge of the declarations formalities and the publicity required by the Spanish regulations and legislation in force.

INTERNAL REGULATION

According to the article 17 of the statutes of the European Group of Pensioners of Saving Banks and Related Institutions, this internal regulation states or specifies the operating conditions of the Association.

Article 19: Members

  • The current affiliated members are:

    Spain: Federación de Asociaciones de Jubilados y Pensionistas de las Cajas de Ahorros confederadas.

    France: Fédération Nationale des retraités Caisses d’Épargne de France.

    Portugal: Associaçao Nacional dos Aposentados da Caixa Géral de Depositos
    Associaçon do A pàsentados Montépio Géral.

    Associação dos Antigos Empregados de Banco Nacional Ultramarino.

  • The current supporting members are:

    Germany: sympathisierende Rentnergruppe

    Italy: Féderazione Sindicale Nazionale delle Asociazioni dei pensionati del crédito

    Spain: ASPUR, Asociación de Profesores Universitarios jubilados

    United Kingdom: TSB Retired Staff Association (London Region, Western Region y North West Region)

    Belgium: Senior club Mercator Bank

    Sweden: Organisation of Retired Staff and Pensioners of Swedbank

  • The current members of honor are:

    La Agrupación Europea de Cajas de Ahorros.

    La Confederación Española de Cajas de Ahorros.

    La Caja Mediterráneo.

    La Caja de Ahorros de Zaragoza, de Aragón y de la Rioja (IBERCAJA).

    La Caixa Géral de Depositos.

Article 20: Admissions. In order to be accepted as affiliated members, the associations, group of associations from the same country, federations or confederations must present to the President of the Association a report containing: a written admission request, the statutes, the number of candidates and the responsible people´s names.
To be accepted as supporting members, the associations, groups of people and natural or legal people must present to the President a written report containing an adhesion request and, eventually, the statutes and the responsible people´s names. The admission as a supporting member will be done after the approval of the Board of Directors by a simple majority.

Article 21: Subscription

The annual subscription paid by the affiliate members (association, group of associations from the same country, federation or confederation) is about 1 euro per member and a maximum of 4000 Euros. The payment will be made before the Euromeeting. The Board of Directors can authorize as an exceptional measure the payment of the subscription until the closing date on 30th of June.

Article 22: Ordinary General Assembly

The Ordinary General Assembly is compounded by two groups:

  • The nominated members
    The associations, groups of associations from the same country, federations, confederations and members of this group will elect one delegate out of every thousand, or a fraction of a thousand, with a maximum of four.

  • The chosen members.This group is compounded by 6 delegates that are chosen by the group of the nominated members. The candidatures are individual. The candidates can be adherents of an association, a group of associations from the same country, federations, confederations, affiliated or supporting members.

The duration of the mandate of these members is about three years with the possibility to renovate indefinitely.

Each delegate has the right to vote, and this right can be delegated to another member of the same association in the Assembly.

Article 23: Plenary Assembly

The debate of the chosen subject for the Euromeeting is organized by the speeches of a lecturer and some representatives of affiliated and supporting members that have been selected by the President after consulting the Executive Committee.

Article 24: Assemblies notification – Decisions and minutes

The notification of the Ordinary, Extraordinary or Plenary General Assembly will be divulged by written procedure at least thirty days before the reunion. The order of the day, chosen by the President, will be added to the notification. At the request of a delegate, some new points will be able to be added to the order of the day.

A second meeting will be foreseen if the quorum is not established. There will be, at least, a period of one hour between both notifications. If the required quorum is not established at the second meeting, the General Assembly will deliberate by simple majority. In case of a tie, the vote of the President will be decisive. The decisions made by the Assembly or the Board of Directors will be written in minutes and signed by the President and the Secretary.

Article 25: Board of Directors

The board of directors is compounded by 6 members that are elected by the General Assembly for three years with the possibility of indefinitely renovation.

The written candidature for Director position will have to be addressed to the President, at least fifteen days before the General Assembly.

Only the representatives of the affiliated members will be able to be directors (association, group of associations from the same country, federations or confederations)

The functions of the delegate and the director are incompatible. When a delegate is appointed director, he must proceed to his substitution as delegate of the Assembly.

The functions exercised within the Board of Directors are free of charge. Nevertheless, director´s travel and stay expenses will be paid by the Group.

In case of a director’s decease, resignation or exclusion, the Assembly will choose a substitute for the rest of the mandate.

The Board of Directors will be allowed to use new well-known and current technologies (Internet, videoconferences or Skype) or future technologies to study, according to the President's proposal, the different subjects treated by the Board of Directors. In this case, the administrators will communicate their decision and they will also mention their own positions or the position of the others.

Article 26: Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is compounded by three members. The President will designate two other Executive Committee members at the Board of Directors. They will have to be, if possible, from a different nationality. In case of an Honorary President existence, he will be a legitimate member of the Executive Committee. The Association will pay for travel and journey expenses. The President will distribute the responsibilities and missions among all Executive Committee members.

Article 27: Social Powers of the President

The president of the Association,

  • Announces and presides over the Assemblies, the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee and the Working European Group (GET).

  • Leads, organizes and moderates the reunions

  • Keeps an eye on the fulfillment of the decisions taken by the government organs

  • Represents the Association before public and private, national and international organizations

  • Represents the Association before AGE, the European Platform.

  • Authorizes payments. Approves the accounts, budgets and balances.

  • Organizes the Euromeetings and chooses the speakers

  • Chooses the subject for the GET

  • Administrates social and economic agreements

  • He is the only that can appear in court

  • He can delegate one o many of his attributions to a member of the Executive Committee or, eventually, to a Director. In case of illness absence, decease or handicap, he can be replaced by the Vice-President until the election of a successor.

Article 28: Working European Group (GET)

Summoned by the President, the GET meets, at least once a year for the EUROMEETING

The participants of the GET are:

  • Representatives chosen by the affiliated members for three years (one for every 1.000 adherents, maximum three)

  • Representatives chosen by the President for three years (from three to five)

  • The guests: The President, after the approval of the Executive Committee, is allowed to invite people (maximum 3) to participate in the GET as consultative voices.

The GET, presided over by the President, has the mission to:

  • Study the pre-synthesis related to the communications of the previous Euromeeting.

  • Elaborate a definitive synthesis: (summary of the speaker's and all the participants' speeches of every country).

This synthesis will be handed in to the Director of the AGE platform in the European Platform General Assembly.

Article 29: Awards and honors

The General Assembly will be able to give, by the Board of Directors demand, the following awards:

  • President of honour, honorary distinction to an old-standing practicing president

  • Member of honour, to reward the services offered to the Group

The President will be able to award:

  • The gold insignia of the Group


The internal regulation has been adapted according the article 17 of the Extraordinary General Assembly statutes of 18th April 2012.