type: caselaw

text:
This is an appeal from an order of the Circuit Court for Worcester County dated the 2nd day of December, 1913, sustaining the petitioner's demurrer to the respondents answer, in a mandamus proceeding and ordering the writ to issue, directing the appellants, the respondents below, as a Board of Canvassers of Election for Worcester County to *Page 516
 forthwith convene, and to canvass the votes cast for State Senator in the Eighth Election District of that county, held on November 4th, 1913, and to declare the result.
 The order passed by the Court in the case, and appealed from, is as follows:
 "In the above case it is ordered this 2nd day of December, 1913, by the Circuit Court for Worcester County that the demurrer of the petitioner to the respondents' answer filed herein be, and the same is hereby, sustained; and, upon the fact stated in the relator's petition and admitted in the respondents' answer, it is further ordered that the writ of mandamus issue forthwith commanding the respondents to convene and canvass the votes for State Senator in the 8th Election District of said county as shown by the original statements or returns and tally sheets thereof mentioned in the petition and answer, and to add up the votes, together with the votes for State Senator in all other districts of the county, as shown by the original statements or returns and tally sheets of the election held on November 4th, 1913, in the county, and to make abstracts or statements of the same, and to transmit the last named statements, so to be made by the respondents attested by the signature of their chairman and secretary, to the Clerk of the Circuit Court for said county."
 The petition avers, that the appellee, a citizen and voter, duly qualified of Worcester County, Maryland, was a candidate for the office of State Senator for that county, at an election held on the 4th day of November, 1913; that the election was duly held in the Eighth Election District of that county on that date, and all the requirements of the election law of the State were complied with by the judges and clerks in the holding of the election, as will appear by the returns and certificates made and returned as the law required; that two of the judges, and one of the clerks of the Eighth Election District refused to sign the returns, and certificates at the close of the election in that district, upon certain grounds, and *Page 517
 for certain reasons, stated in a return made by them and that copies of such written statement were sent up with the returns to the Board of Canvassers as required by law, and were received by them. And that the Board of Canvassers refused to canvass the returns as thus certified and sent to them.
 It further avers, that the petitioner was voted for at the election for the office of State Senator of Worcester County, and received a large majority of the votes cast in the district, and that by casting out and rejecting the vote of the district, the result of the entire vote of the county was so changed, as to defeat him for the office of Senator, whereas if the vote of this district had been counted, he would have been elected.
 The petition, then avers, that under the law, and the facts as stated, it was the duty of the Board of Canvassers to reconvene, canvass the returns, and declare the result of the votes cast in that district for State Senator, and prayed for a rule upon the Canvassing Board, the defendants, to show cause why a writ of mandamus should not be granted.
 The Board of Canvassers answered the petition on the 18th of November, 1913, and in its answer they set out at length the several facts relied upon in reply, and the reasons given for not canvassing the returns. The answer, however, nowhere denies or controverts the averments of fact, set out by the petition, but substantially admits them as true as alleged. 26 Cyc. 453.
 By the second paragraph of the answer, it is averred, that after the election held in the Eighth Election District of Worcester County, Maryland, on the fourth day of November, 1913, two of the judges and one of the clerks of the election district declined and refused to sign the returns of the election in the election district, and stated their reasons therefor in writing, a copy whereof, signed by themselves was enclosed with each return; and two of the judges and one of the clerks of the election district declined and refused to sign the set of tallies of said election in the election district and stated their reasons therefor in writing, a copy whereof, *Page 518
 signed by themselves was enclosed with said tally sheets; and that the original statements or returns and the tally sheets were duly delivered to these respondents, organized and sitting as a Board of Canvassers, on the Thursday next following the election, and that upon opening all the envelopes containing the returns and tally sheets, these respondents found that the returns and tally sheets were not signed by two of the judges and one of the clerks of the election, and enclosed with each of the returns, and each of the tally sheets, was a paper signed by the two judges and the one clerk, giving their reasons for not signing the returns and tally sheets, which written statements of reasons was sealed by these respondents, and is in their custody, and a copy of the returns is filed as Exhibit No. 1. It is as follows:
 "Stockton, Md., Nov. 5, 1913.
 We, the undersigned Judges and Clerk of the Eighth Election Dis. of Worcester Co., refuse to sign the returns of said district for the reason that from what came to our notice we believe there was illegal voting done at this polling place Nov. 4th, 1913."
 The first, third, fourth and fifth paragraphs of the answer in view of the conclusion we have reached, become immaterial, and need not be stated.
 By the sixth paragraph of the answer it is further averred that at a meeting of the Board of Canvassers the following resolution was, on motion, adopted by a majority vote of the board:
 "Resolved, That the Board of Canvassers of Worcester County, Maryland, do refuse to canvass the returns and tally sheets of the Eighth Election District of Worcester County, of the election held on the fourth day of November, 1913, in the county, because the same are not in conformity with the law, are illegal and invalid, and that the same be and are hereby rejected."
 By the seventh paragraph of the answer, it is stated, that by the term "refuse to canvass" used in the resolution these *Page 519
 respondents meant that they refused to add up and include in the certificate of election the alleged returns from the eighth election district and that as a matter of fact they did examine and consider the statements from the district and rejected the district because of irregularities in the alleged returns in that they were not signed by two of the judges and one of the clerks of the district and because they were therefore not in conformity with law.
 The appellee demurred to this answer, and on this state of pleadings the case was heard. The Court below sustained the demurrer, and directed the writ to issue.
 The right to a speedy hearing and decision of the case, in this Court upon the transmission of the record, or on the original papers is specially provided for by the Statute.
 By section 86 of Article 33 of the Code, it is provided that there shall be the same right of appeal as in other mandamus cases, but such appeal shall be taken within five days from the date of the decision complained of, and shall be heard and decided by the Court of Appeals, as soon after the transmission of the record as possible, and the testimony taken in such cases shall be sent up to the Court of Appeals as part of the record.
 But apart from this statute, section 44 of Article 5 of the Code, also provides, that from every judgment or order granting or refusing a peremptory mandamus in any case hereafter brought involving the title or right to a public office either party shall have a right to appeal, and on such appeal, the clerk of the Court shall forthwith transmit the original papers, including the judgment or order to the Court of Appeals, and said Court shall immediately hear and determine the case.
 It is manifest, we think, that this case involves the right to a certificate of election to a public office, and was entitled to an immediate hearing and determination by this Court according to the provisions of the statute cited and referred to above. It was done in Creager v. Hooper, 83 Md. 490, *Page 520
 and Covington v. Buffett, 90 Md. 578, and these cases are directly in point and are controlling here.
 The case was therefore heard by us on the 19th of December, 1913. It was fully argued by counsel on both sides and our conclusions upon the questions involved, were thereafter announced in a per curiam opinion. We will now briefly state the reasons upon which that decision was based.
 The contention that the writ was improperly directed to be issued after demurrer to the answer and without proof to support the allegations of the petition, cannot prevail. A demurrer to an answer in a petition for mandamus has been recognized in this State as a proper and regular practice and procedure since the case of Eichelberger v. Sifford, 27 Md. 320. The question was directly determined in Hardcastle v. R.R. Co., 32 Md. 32, and has since been followed and sanctioned by this Court: Barney v.State, 42 Md. 480; County Commrs. v. Banks, 80 Md. 322;Hooper v. New, 85 Md. 586; Frederick County v. Fout,110 Md. 170.
 In Beasley v. Ridout, 94 Md. 649; Sudler v. Lankford,82 Md. 148, and Legg v. Annapolis, 42 Md. 222, relied upon by the appellant, there was no answer whatever, or an insufficient answer, and the Court properly held that the proceedings were not conducted as prescribed by Article 60 of the Code, so as to properly present the questions.
 Hooper v. New, supra, disposes of any question as to the propriety of the procedure in this case and is applicable here. We said in that case, "an answer was filed; and to that answer a demurrer was interposed. The demurrer admitted all the facts set up in the answer, and raised purely and simply a question of law, and that question was whether conceding every fact averred in the answer to be true, a valid legal ground was shown against the issual of the writ. The answer is still in the case. The sustaining of the demurrer did not strike out the answer as a successful motion to quash it would have done. The facts upon which the question of law arose were admitted and the order directing the writ *Page 521
 to be issued was not passed by default for the want of an answer, nor because the allegations of the petition were takenpro-confesso, but because the naked legal question presented by the petition and the answer was determined adversely to the respondent."
 The controlling question and the one presented by the pleadings in this case is whether the facts set up in the appellants' answer and admitted by the demurrer to be true constitute a sufficient and valid legal ground to have justified the board of canvassers in rejecting the returns and in refusing to canvass them as made, so as to defeat the issuing of the writ of mandamus.
 The decision of this question involves a construction of certain sections of what is known as the Election Law of the State, Article 33 of the Code (1912) and whether the returns as made were "returns" within the meaning of the election law and were such as to have required the board to canvass them under the facts of the case.
 It is needless to discuss the proposition, that if the returns as made, were authenticated as required by the statute or if there was a substantial compliance with the provisions of the statute, it was the plain duty of the board to have canvassed them as required by law, and the writ in this case was properly granted.
 As was said in Luce v. Mayhew, 13 Gray, 83, the determination of the case, must then depend upon the answer to be given to the question, whether the paper received from the town of Chilmark was a return such as the law prescribes and which the board of examiners were required by law to examine and treat as a legal return.
 The reason assigned by the board in this case for refusing to canvass the returns appears from a resolution which is set out in its answer and is as follows: "Resolved, That the board of canvassers of Worcester County, Maryland, do refuse to canvass the returns and tally sheets of the Eighth Election District of Worcester County, of the election held *Page 522
 on the fourth day of November, 1913, in the county, because the same are not in conformity with the law, are illegal and invalid, and that the same be and are hereby rejected, and that by the term "refuse to canvass" used in the resolution these respondents meant that they refused to add up and include in the certificate of election the alleged returns from the Eighth Election District and that as a matter of fact they did examine and consider the statements from the district and rejected the district because of irregularities in the alleged returns in that they were not signed by two of the judges and one of the clerks of the district and because they were therefore not in conformity with law."
 While two of the judges and one of the clerks, declined to sign the returns and the tally sheets, it is admitted that they did make a return as required by the statute in such cases, and stated their reasons for not signing them, as follows: "We refuse to sign the returns of the district for the reason, that from what came to our notice, we believe there was illegal voting done at the polling places November 4th, 1913."
 These statements were inclosed in an envelope, securely sealed, and "each of the judges and clerks wrote his name across the fold of the envelope" and they were found deposited in the ballot box, by the canvassing board, when opened by them.
 Section 75 of the General Election Law after directing in what manner the judges shall make the returns of the result of the canvass provides, if any judges or clerk shall decline to sign such return, he shall state his reason therefor in writing, and a copy thereof signed by himself shall be enclosed with each return. Each of the statements shall be enclosed in an envelope, which shall then be securely sealed with sealing wax, or other adhesive material and each of the judges and clerks shall write his name across the fold of the envelope.
 The statute also provides for the same return for the tally sheets, when the judges refuse to sign them. *Page 523
 It cannot therefore be fairly argued that because two of the judges and one clerk, refused to sign the usual statement, or tally sheet, that the alternative return made by them which was authenticated in the manner required by the statute with the name of all of the judges and clerks "written across the fold of the envelope" was not a valid return and could not be treated as such within the meaning of the statute, and should be rejected by the board.
 The object of this provision of the statute, was to require the judges, or any one of the judges, who refused to sign the returns of the result of an election, to adopt the alternative course, as prescribed by the statute; of making a written statement, showing his reasons therefor, and this return should be returned with the others.
 It is clear, we think, that the refusal of the two judges and clerk, to sign the usual return in this case could not be held to invalidate these returns in view of the return made by the judges so refusing, as required by the statute.
 This statute distinctly provides for this alternative return, and it nowhere provides that the failure of less than a majority of the judges to sign, shall have the effect of invalidating the returns. In Carr v. Hyattsville, 115 Md. 549, this Court said: "If the statute expressly declares any particular act to be essential to the validity of the election, or that its omission shall render the election void, all Courts must so hold * * *. But if, as in most cases, that statute simply provides that certain acts or things shall be done within a particular time, or in a particular manner, and does not declare that their performance is essential to the validity of the election, then they will be regarded as mandatory if they do, and directory if they do not, affect the actual merits of the election * * *. In general, those statutory provisions which * * * relate to the mode of procedure in the election and to the record and return of the results are formal and directory. Statutory provisions relating to elections are not mandatory as to the people by the circumstance that the officers of the *Page 524
 election are subjected to a criminal liability for their violation, etc., etc." Coulehan v. White, 95 Md. 716.
 The Canvassing Board in this case, not only refused to canvass the returns because they were not signed by the two judges and one clerk, but they rejected the returns altogether, and declared they were not in conformity with law, but were illegal and invalid.
 It has been repeatedly held, that the duties of canvassing officers are purely ministerial and under the facts of this case, the canvassers could only canvass and declare the result as shown by the returns.
 In Morgan v. Quackenbush, 22 Barber, 77, it was said, "the canvassers are not at liberty to receive evidence of anything outside of the returns themselves, their duty consists in a simple matter of arithmetic." In People v. Head, 25 Ill. 328, it is said, "they may probably judge whether the returns are in due form, but after that, they only compute the votes cast for the several candidates and declare the result." In Atty.General v. Barstow, 4 Wisconsin, 749, the Court held, that "canvassing officers are to add up, and certify by calculation the number of votes given for any office; they have no discretion to hear, and take proof, as to fraud even if morally certain that fraud were perpetrated."
 Mr. McCrary, in his work on the Law of Elections, in treating of the power and duties of election officers, reviews a large number of cases, and concludes, that the doctrine, "that canvassing boards, and return judges, are ministerial officers, possessing no discretionary or judicial power, is settled in nearly all, if not quite all the states, and in determining as to the form of the returns they must consider the substance and not be too technical. If there is a substantial compliance with the law it is enough." McCrary on Elections, section 263, 264.
 Under section 85 of Article 33 of the Code, the canvassing board in this State, has the power to recall the judges of election, and the clerks, and in case of mistakes, omissions, etc., to have them corrected and the canvass to be correctly stated, as provided by the statute. *Page 525
 Every sound principle of legal construction, we think, requires us to hold that the canvassing board in this case, had no sufficient reason to justify them in refusing to canvass, and to reject the returns as made, and as was done in this case. Any other construction would lead to endless contests and controversies. It would open the door and put in the power of the judges of election to throw out the returns from any election district, defeat the will of the majority and secure the certificate of election for a candidate who had not received a majority of the votes in the county. The Legislature never could have intended to confer such a power as this upon the judges and clerks of an election.
 The Senate of Maryland, itself, under section 19, Article 3, of the Constitution, is the tribunal which has the sole power to decide and judge of the qualifications of its members, to the exclusion of every other tribunal. It is made the final and exclusive judge of all questions whether of law or of fact respecting such election returns or qualifications, so far or as they are involved in the determination of the right of any person to be a member thereof. We express no opinion, and disclaim all intention to investigate the question of the title to the office of senator in this case. Covington v. Buffett, 90 Md. 578.
 For the reasons as stated we affirmed the order appealed from, and in a per curiam opinion filed on the 19th of December, 1913, said: "Under the facts appearing in the record in this case, a return having been made for the eighth election district of Worcester County of the election held in said district on the fourth day of November, 1913, over the signatures of two judges and one clerk, and the other judges and clerk having refused to sign the same and certified as a reason `that there was illegal voting done,' this Court is of opinion that no sufficient cause was shown to justify the board of canvassers in refusing to canvass the return made, and that therefore the order of the Circuit Court for Worcester County appealed from must be affirmed."
 Order affirmed, with costs. *Page 526


type: contracts

jurisdiction: EU

text:
 RO
 Jurnalul Ofícial al Uniunii Europene
 C 202/251
 PROTOCOLUL (nr. 5)
 PRIVIND STATUTUL BĂNCII EUROPENE DE INVESTIȚII
 ÎNALTELE PĂRȚI CONTRACTANTE,
 DORIND să stabilească Statutul Băncii Europene de Investiții, prevăzut la articolul 308 din Tratatul privind funcționarea Uniunii Europene,
 AU CONVENIT cu privire la următoarele dispoziții, care se anexează la Tratatul privind Uniunea Europeană și la Tratatul privind funcționarea Uniunii Europene:
 Articolul 1
 Banca Europeană de Investiții instituită prin articolul 308 din Tratatul privind funcționarea Uniunii Europene, în continuare numită „Banca”, se constituie și își exercită funcțiile și activitatea în conformitate cu dispozițiile tratatelor și ale prezentului statut.
 Articolul 2
 Misiunea Băncii este definită la articolul 309 din Tratatul privind funcționarea Uniunii Europene.
 Articolul 3
 În conformitate cu articolul 308 din Tratatul privind funcționarea Uniunii europene, statele membre sunt membri ai Băncii.
 Articolul 4
 (1) Banca dispune de un capital de 233 247 390 000 EUR, subscris de statele membre până la concurența următoarelor valori:
 Germania
 37 578 019 000
 Franța
 37 578 019 000
 Italia
 37 578 019 000
 Regatul Unit
 37 578 019 000
 Spania
 22 546 811 500
 Belgia
 10 416 365 500
 Țările de Jos
 10 416 365 500
 Suedia
 6 910 226 000
 Danemarca
 5 274 105 000
 Austria
 5 170 732 500
 Polonia
 4 810 160 500
 Finlanda
 2 970 783 000
 Grecia
 2 825 416 500
 Portugalia
 1 820 820 000
 Republica Cehă
 1 774 990 500
 Ungaria
 1 679 222 000
 Irlanda
 1 318 525 000
 România
 1 217 626 000
 Croația
 854 400 000
 Slovacia
 604 206 500
 Slovenia
 560 951 500
 Bulgaria
 410 217 500
 Lituania
 351 981 000
 Luxemburg
 263 707 000
 Cipru
 258 583 500
 Letonia
 214 805 000
 Estonia
 165 882 000
 Malta
 98 429 500
 Statele membre nu sunt răspunzătoare decât până la concurența cotei părți de capital subscris și nevărsat.
 (2) Admiterea unui nou membru determină o majorare a capitalului subscris corespunzătoare aportului noului membru.
 (3) Consiliul guvernatorilor, hotărând în unanimitate, poate decide o majorare a capitalului subscris.
 (4) Cota parte de capital subscris nu poate fi cesionată, nu poate face obiectul garanțiilor reale mobiliare și nici supusă sechestrului.
 Articolul 5
 (1) Capitalul subscris este vărsat de către statele membre până la concurența a 5 % în medie din sumele prevăzute la articolul 4 alineatul (1).
 (2) In cazul majorării capitalului subscris, Consiliul guvernatorilor, hotărând în unanimitate, stabilește procentul care trebuie vărsat, precum și modalitățile de plată. Plățile în numerar se efectuează exclusiv în euro.
 (3) Consiliul de administrație poate solicita vărsarea restului de capital subscris, în cazul în care acest vărsământ este necesar pentru a face față obligațiilor Băncii.
 Vărsământul este efectuat de fiecare stat membru proporțional cu cota sa parte de capital subscris.
 Articolul 6
 (ex-articolul 8)
 Banca este administrată și condusă de un Consiliu al guvernatorilor, un Consiliu de administrație și un Comitet de direcție.
 Articolul 7
 (ex-articolul 9)
 (1) Consiliul guvernatorilor este format din miniștrii desemnați de statele membre.
 (2) Consiliul guvernatorilor stabilește directivele generale referitoare la politica de creditare a Băncii în conformitate cu obiectivele Uniunii. Consiliul guvernatorilor veghează la executarea acestor directive.
 (3) În plus, Consiliul guvernatorilor:
 (a)
 decide cu privire la majorarea capitalului subscris, conform articolului 4 alineatul (3) și articolului 5 alineatul (2);
 (b)
 în înțelesul articolului 9 alineatul (1), stabilește principiile aplicabile operațiunilor de finanțare în cadrul misiunii Băncii;
 (c)
 exercită puterile prevăzute în articolele 9 și 11, pentru numirea și demiterea din oficiu a membrilor Consiliului de administrație și ai Comitetului de direcție, precum și a celor prevăzute la articolul 11 alineatul (1) paragraful al doilea;
 (d)
 decide cu privire la acordarea finanțării pentru investițiile care urmează să fie realizate total sau parțial în afara teritoriilor statelor membre, în conformitate cu articolul 16 alineatul (1);
 (e)
 aprobă raportul anual întocmit de Consiliul de administrație;
 (f)
 aprobă bilanțul anual, precum și contul de profit și pierderi;
 (g)
 exercită puterile și atribuțiile celelalte conferite prin prezentul statut;
 (h)
 aprobă regulamentul intern al Băncii.
 (4) Consiliul guvernatorilor are competența de a adopta în unanimitate, în cadrul tratatelor și al prezentului statut, orice decizii cu privire la suspendarea activității Băncii și la eventuala sa lichidare.
 Articolul 8
 (ex-articolul 10)
 Cu excepția cazurilor în care se prevede altfel în prezentul statut, deciziile Consiliului guvernatorilor se adoptă cu majoritatea membrilor săi. Statele care constituie această majoritate trebuie să reprezinte cel puțin 50 % din capitalul subscris.
 Pentru întrunirea majorității calificate, sunt necesare optsprezece voturi și 68 % din capitalul subscris.
 Abținerile din partea membrilor prezenți sau reprezentați nu împiedică adoptarea deciziilor care necesită întrunirea unanimității.
 Articolul 9
 (ex-articolul 11)
 (1) Consiliul de administrație decide cu privire la acordarea de finanțări, în special sub formă de credite și de garanții, precum și cu privire la contractarea de împrumuturi, stabilește ratele dobânzilor pentru împrumuturi, precum și comisioanele și celelalte speze. În temeiul unei decizii adoptate cu majoritate calificată, Consiliul de administrație poate delega anumite atribuții Comitetului de direcție. Consiliul de administrație stabilește condițiile și modul în care se realizează această delegare și supraveghează punerea sa în aplicare.
 Consiliul de administrație verifică administrarea corectă a Băncii și asigură conformitatea acesteia cu dispozițiile tratatelor și ale statutului și cu directivele generale stabilite de Consiliul guvernatorilor.
 La încheierea exercițiului, Consiliul de administrație trebuie să prezinte un raport Consiliului guvernatorilor și să-l publice după aprobare.
 (2) Consiliul de administrație este format din douăzeci și nouă de administratori și nouăsprezece supleanți.
 Administratorii sunt numiți pentru cinci ani de Consiliul guvernatorilor, fiecare stat membru desemnând câte un administrator, iar Comisia desemnând, de asemenea, un administrator.
 Administratorii supleanți sunt numiți pentru cinci ani de Consiliul guvernatorilor după cum urmează:
 —
 doi supleanți desemnați de Republica Federală Germania;
 —
 doi supleanți desemnați de Republica Franceză;
 —
 doi supleanți desemnați de Republica Italiană;
 —
 doi supleanți desemnați de Regatul Unit al Marii Britanii și Irlandei de Nord;
 —
 un supleant desemnat de comun acord de Regatul Spaniei și Republica Portugheză;
 —
 un supleant desemnat de comun acord de Regatul Belgiei, Marele Ducat al Luxemburgului și Regatul Țărilor de Jos;
 —
 doi supleanți desemnați de comun acord de Regatul Danemarcei, Republica Elenă, Irlanda și România;
 —
 doi supleanți desemnați de comun acord de Republica Estonia, Republica Letonia, Republica Lituania, Republica Austria, Republica Finlanda și Regatul Suediei;
 —
 patru supleanți desemnați de comun acord de Republica Bulgaria, Republica Cehă, Republica Croația, Republica Cipru, Republica Ungară, Republica Malta, Republica Polonă, Republica Slovenia și Republica Slovacă;
 —
 un supleant desemnat de Comisie.
 Consiliul de administrație cooptează șase experți fără drept de vot: trei în calitate de membri și trei supleanți.
 Mandatul administratorilor și al supleanților poate fi reînnoit.
 Regulamentul de procedură prevede modul de participare la ședințele Consiliului de administrație și dispozițiile aplicabile membrilor supleanți, precum și experților cooptați.
 Președintele sau, în absența acestuia, unul din vice-președinții Comitetului de direcție, prezidează ședințele Consiliului de administrație, fără să ia parte la vot.
 Membrii Consiliul de administrație sunt selectați dintre personalitățile care prezintă toate garanțiile de independență și competență; aceștia nu sunt răspunzători decât față de Bancă.
 (3) În cazul în care administratorul nu mai îndeplinește condițiile necesare pentru exercitarea funcțiilor sale, Consiliul guvernatorilor hotărând cu majoritate calificată poate pronunța demiterea sa din oficiu.
 Neaprobarea raportului anual determină demisia Consiliul de administrație.
 (4) Pentru locurile care rămân vacante, ca urmare a decesului sau demisiei voluntare, din oficiu sau colective, se procedează la înlocuire conform normelor stabilite în alineatul (2). Cu excepția reînnoirii generale, membrii sunt înlocuiți pe durata rămasă până la încheierea mandatului.
 (5) Consiliul guvernatorilor stabilește retribuția membrilor Consiliului de administrație. Acesta stabilește eventualele incompatibilități cu funcțiile de administrator și de supleant.
 Articolul 10
 (ex-articolul 12)
 (1) Fiecare administrator dispune de un vot în Consiliul de administrație. Acesta își poate delega votul în orice situație, conform normelor care urmează să fie stabilite în regulamentul de procedură al Băncii.
 (2) Dacă prezentul statut nu prevede altfel, deciziile Consiliului de administrație se adoptă de cel puțin o treime din membrii consiliului cu drept de vot și care reprezintă cel puțin 50 % din capitalul subscris. Pentru întrunirea majorității calificate sunt necesare optsprezece voturi pentru și 68 % din capitalul subscris. Regulamentul de procedură al Băncii prevede cvorumul necesar pentru adoptarea deciziilor Consiliului de administrație.
 Articolul 11
 (ex-articolul 13)
 (1) Comitetul de direcție este format dintr-un președinte și din opt vicepreședinți, numiți pe o perioadă de șase ani de Consiliul guvernatorilor, la propunerea Consiliului de administrație. Mandatul lor poate fi reînnoit.
 Consiliul guvernatorilor, hotărând în unanimitate, poate modifica numărul membrilor Comitetului de direcție.
 (2) La propunerea Consiliul de administrație, care a hotărât cu majoritate calificată, Consiliul guvernatorilor, hotărând la rândul său cu majoritate calificată, poate pronunța demiterea din oficiu a membrilor Comitetului de direcție.
 (3) Comitetul de direcție asigură gestionarea afacerilor curente ale Băncii, sub autoritatea președintelui și sub controlul Consiliului de administrație.
 Comitetul de direcție pregătește deciziile Consiliului de administrație, mai ales în ceea ce privește încheierea de împrumuturi și acordarea finanțărilor, în special sub formă de credite și garanții; asigură executarea acestor decizii.
 (4) Comitetul de direcție își formulează, cu majoritate, avizele privind proiectele de contractare de împrumuturi și de acordare de finanțări, în special sub formă de credite și de garanții.
 (5) Consiliul guvernatorilor stabilește retribuția membrilor Comitetului de direcție și incompatibilitățile cu funcțiile acestora.
 (6) Președintele sau, în cazul în care acesta este împiedicat să participe, unul dintre vicepreședinți, reprezintă Banca în materie judiciară sau extrajudiciară.
 (7) Membrii personalului Băncii se găsesc sub autoritatea președintelui. Aceștia sunt angajați și concediați de către președinte. În alegerea personalului, trebuie să se țină cont nu numai de aptitudinile personale și de calificările profesionale, ci și de participarea echitabilă a resortisanților statelor membre. Regulamentul de procedură prevede organul competent pentru adoptarea dispozițiilor aplicabile personalului.
 (8) Comitetul de direcție și personalul Băncii nu sunt răspunzători decât față de aceasta și își exercită funcțiile în deplină independență.
 Articolul 12
 (ex-articolul 14)
 (1) Un comitet compus din șase membri numiți de Consiliul guvernatorilor - în temeiul competenței lor - verifică dacă activitățile Băncii sunt în conformitate cu cele mai bune practici din domeniul bancar și răspunde de verificarea conturilor Băncii.
 (2) Comitetul menționat la alineatul (1) verifică, în fiecare an, dacă operațiunile Băncii s-au desfășurat în mod corespunzător și dacă evidențele sale au fost corect întocmite. În acest scop, comitetul verifică dacă operațiunile Băncii s-au efectuat în conformitate cu formalitățile și procedurile prevăzute în prezentul statut și în regulamentul de procedură.
 (3) Comitetul menționat la alineatul (1) confirmă faptul că declarațiile financiare, precum și toate informațiile financiare cuprinse în conturile anuale elaborate de consiliul de administrație oferă o imagine fidelă a situației financiare a Băncii, atât pentru active cât și pentru pasive, precum și a rezultatelor operațiunilor desfășurate de aceasta și a fluxurilor de trezorerie aferente exercițiului financiar respectiv.
 (4) Regulamentul de procedură precizează calificările necesare membrilor comitetului menționat la alineatul (1) și stabilește condițiile și modul de desfășurare a activității comitetului.
 Articolul 13
 (ex-articolul 15)
 Comunicările Băncii cu fiecare stat membru se realizează prin intermediul autorității desemnate de acesta. Pentru executarea operațiunilor financiare Banca poate apela la banca centrală națională a statului membru în cauză sau la alte instituții financiare autorizate de acesta.
 Articolul 14
 (ex-articolul 16)
 (1) Banca colaborează cu toate organizațiile internaționale care exercită activități în domenii de activitate similare.
 (2) Banca caută toate contactele necesare în vederea cooperării cu instituțiile bancare și financiare ale țărilor în care își desfășoară operațiunile.
 Articolul 15
 (ex-articolul 17)
 La solicitarea unui stat membru sau a Comisiei sau din oficiu, Consiliul guvernatorilor interpretează sau completează, în condițiile în care ele au fost adoptate, directivele stabilite de el conform articolului 7 din prezentul statut.
 Articolul 16
 (ex-articolul 18)
 (1) În cadrul mandatului definit la articolul 309 din Tratatul privind funcționarea Uniunii Europene, Banca acordă finanțări, în special sub formă de credite și de garanții, membrilor săi sau întreprinderilor private sau publice pentru investiții care se vor realiza pe teritoriile statelor membre, în cazul în care nu sunt disponibile, în condiții rezonabile, mijloace provenind din alte resurse.
 Cu toate acestea, prin decizia majorității calificate a Consiliului guvernatorilor la propunerea Consiliul de administrație, Banca poate acorda finanțări pentru investiții care se vor realiza în totalitate sau în parte în afara teritoriilor statelor membre.
 (2) Pe cât este posibil, acordarea de credite este condiționată de utilizarea altor mijloace de finanțare.
 (3) Dacă se acordă un împrumut unei întreprinderi sau unei colectivități, alta decât un stat membru, banca condiționează acordarea acestui împrumut fie de garanția statului membru pe teritoriul căruia va fi realizat investiția, fie de alte garanții suficiente, fie de soliditatea financiară a debitorului.
 În plus, în cadrul principiilor stabilite de Consiliul guvernatorilor în înțelesul articolului 7 alineatul (3) litera (b) și în cazul în care realizarea operațiunilor prevăzute la articolul 309 din Tratatul privind funcționarea Uniunii Europene impune acest lucru, Consiliul de administrație adoptă, cu majoritate calificată, condițiile și modul de acordare a oricărei finanțări care prezintă un profil de risc specific și care este considerată, în consecință, ca fiind o activitate specială.
 (4) Banca poate garanta împrumuturi contractate de întreprinderi publice sau private sau de către colectivități pentru realizarea operațiunilor prevăzute în articolul 309 din Tratatul privind funcționarea Uniunii Europene.
 (5) Valoarea totală contractată a împrumuturilor și garanțiilor acordate de Bancă nu poate depăși 250 % din valoarea capitalului subscris, a rezervelor, a provizioanelor nealocate și a excedentului din contul de profit și pierderi. Din valoarea totală a posturilor menționate se scade o sumă egală cu valoarea subscrisă, vărsată sau nu, a oricărei participări a Băncii la capital.
 Suma vărsată reprezentând participarea Băncii nu trebuie să depășească niciodată valoarea totală a părții vărsate din capitalul acesteia, a rezervelor sale, a provizioanelor nealocate, precum și a excedentului contului de profit și pierderi.
 În mod excepțional, se alocă o rezervă specială pentru activitățile speciale ale Băncii, stabilite de Consiliul guvernatorilor și de Consiliul de administrație în conformitate cu alineatul (3).
 Prezentul alineat se aplică, de asemenea, conturilor consolidate ale Băncii.
 (6) Banca se protejează împotriva riscului valutar inserând în contractele de împrumut și de garanție clauzele pe care le consideră adecvate.
 Articolul 17
 (ex-articolul 19)
 (1) Ratele dobânzilor pentru împrumuturile acordate de Bancă, precum și comisioanele și celelalte speze, trebuie adaptate condițiilor predominante pe piața de capital și trebuie calculate astfel încât încasările care rezultă să-i permită Băncii să facă față obligațiilor sale, să-și acopere cheltuielile și riscurile și să constituie un fond de rezervă conform articolului 22.
 (2) Banca nu acordă reduceri la ratele dobânzilor. În cazul în care, ținând cont de caracterul specific al investiției finanțate, pare indicată o reducere a ratei dobânzii, statul membru interesat sau o autoritate terță poate acorda bonificații la dobândă, în măsura în care acordarea lor este compatibilă cu normele stabilite în articolul 107 din Tratatul privind funcționarea Uniunii Europene.
 Articolul 18
 (ex-articolul 20)
 În cadrul operațiunilor sale de finanțare, Banca trebuie să respecte următoarele principii:
 (1)
 Banca veghează ca fondurile sale să fie utilizate cât mai rațional posibil în interesul Uniunii.
 Banca nu poate acorda împrumuturi sau garanții decât în următoarele condiții:
 (a)
 dacă plata dobânzii și a amortizării este asigurată din beneficiile de exploatare, în cazul investițiilor realizate de întreprinderi din sectorul de producție, sau în cazul altor investiții prin angajament asumat de statul în care se realizează investiția sau în orice alt mod; și
 (b)
 dacă executarea investiției contribuie la creșterea productivității economice în general și dacă favorizează realizarea pieței interne.
 (2)
 Banca nu trebuie să dobândească nici o participație la întreprinderi și nici să-și asume răspundere de gestiune decât dacă protecția drepturilor sale nu solicită acest lucru în vederea garantării recuperării creanței sale.
 Cu toate acestea, în cadrul principiilor stabilite de Consiliul guvernatorilor în temeiul articolului 7 alineatul (3) litera (b), în cazul în care realizarea operațiunilor prevăzute la articolul 309 din Tratatul privind funcționarea Uniunii Europene impune acest lucru, Consiliul de administrație adoptă, cu majoritate calificată, condițiile și modul de realizare a unei participări la capitalul unei societăți comerciale, în general pentru a completa un împrumut sau o garanție, în măsura în care acest lucru este necesar pentru finanțarea unei investiții sau a unui program.
 (3)
 Banca poate ceda creanțele sale pe piața de capital și poate, în acest scop, solicita de la debitorii săi emisiunea de obligațiuni sau alte titluri.
 (4)
 Nici Banca, nici statele membre nu trebuie să impună condiții conform cărora sumele împrumutate trebuie cheltuite în cadrul unui anume stat membru.
 (5)
 Banca poate condiționa acordarea de împrumuturi de organizarea de licitații internaționale.
 (6)
 Banca nu finanțează, parțial sau în totalitate, nicio investiție la care se opune statul membru pe teritoriul căruia această investiție trebuie realizată.
 (7)
 Pe lângă activitățile de credit, Banca poate asigura servicii de asistență tehnică, în condițiile și modalitățile stabilite de Consiliul guvernatorilor, care hotărăște cu majoritate calificată, respectând în același timp prezentul statut.
 Articolul 19
 (ex-articolul 21)
 (1) Orice întreprindere sau organism public sau privat poate adresa direct o cerere de finanțare Băncii. Cererile pot fi adresate și prin intermediul Comisiei sau al statului membru pe teritoriul căruia urmează să se realizeze investiția.
 (2) Dacă cererile sunt adresate prin intermediul Comisiei, ele vor fi supuse avizului statului membru pe teritoriul căruia va fi realizat investiția. Dacă ele sunt adresate prin intermediul statului, sunt supuse avizului Comisiei. Dacă sunt emise direct de o întreprindere, sunt prezentate statului membru interesat și Comisiei.
 Statele membre interesate și Comisia trebuie să-și dea avizul în termen de maximum două luni. În lipsa unui răspuns în acest termen, Banca poate considera că proiectul în cauză nu ridică obiecțiuni.
 (3) Consiliul de administrație decide asupra operațiunilor de finanțare care îi sunt prezentate de Comitetul de direcție.
 (4) Comitetul de direcție analizează dacă operațiunile de finanțare care îi sunt prezentate sunt conforme cu dispozițiile prezentului statut, în special cu dispozițiile articolului 16 și 18. Dacă Comitetul de direcție se pronunță în favoarea finanțării, trebuie să prezinte propunerea aferentă Consiliului de administrație; Comitetul de direcție poate condiționa avizul său favorabil unor cerințe pe care le consideră esențiale. Dacă Comitetul de direcție se pronunță împotriva acordării finanțării, trebuie să prezinte Consiliului de administrație documentele necesare, însoțite de avizul său.
 (5) În cazul avizului negativ al Comitetului de direcție, Consiliul de administrație nu poate acorda finanțarea în cauză decât în unanimitate.
 (6) În cazul avizului negativ al Comisiei, Consiliul de administrație nu poate acorda finanțarea în cauză decât cu unanimitate, administratorul numit prin desemnarea Comisiei abținându-se de la vot.
 (7) În cazul avizului negativ al Comitetului de direcție și al Comisiei, Consiliul de administrație nu poate acorda finanțarea în cauză.
 (8) În cazul în care, în vederea protejării drepturilor și intereselor Băncii, se impune restructurarea unei operațiuni de finanțare aferente investițiilor aprobate, Comitetul executiv adoptă imediat măsurile de urgență pe care le consideră necesare, sub rezerva înaintării fără întârziere a unui raport cu privire la aceasta Consiliului de administrație.
 Articolul 20
 (ex-articolul 22)
 (1) Banca împrumută de pe piețele de capital resursele necesare îndeplinirii obiectivelor sale.
 (2) Banca poate contracta împrumuturi de pe piețele de capital ale statelor membre, în conformitate cu dispozițiile legale aplicabile piețelor în cauză.
 Autoritățile competente ale unui stat membru care face obiectul unei derogări în înțelesul articolului 139 alineatul (1) din Tratatul privind funcționarea Uniunii Europene se pot opune acestor operațiuni numai în cazul în care există riscul unor tulburări grave pe piața de capital a statului în cauză.
 Articolul 21
 (ex-articolul 23)
 (1) Banca poate utiliza disponibilitățile de care nu are imediată nevoie pentru a face față obligațiilor sale în următoarele condiții:
 (a)
 pentru efectuarea de plasamente pe piețele monetare;
 (b)
 pentru cumpărarea sau vânzarea de titluri, sub rezerva dispozițiilor articolului 18 alineatul (2);
 (c)
 pentru efectuarea oricărei alte operațiuni financiare în legătură cu obiectul său de activitate.
 (2) Fără a aduce atingere dispozițiilor articolului 23, Banca nu efectuează în gestionarea plasamentelor sale nici un arbitraj de devize care nu este neapărat necesar pentru realizarea împrumuturilor sale sau pentru îndeplinirea angajamentelor pe care le-a contractat ca urmare a împrumuturilor sau garanțiilor acordate de ea.
 (3) În domeniile vizate de prezentul articol, Banca acționează de comun acord cu autoritățile competente ale statelor membre sau cu băncile centrale naționale ale acestora.
 Articolul 22
 (ex-articolul 24)
 (1) Se constituie treptat un fond de rezervă în limita a 10 % din capitalul subscris. Dacă situația angajamentelor Băncii o justifică, Consiliul de administrație poate decide constituirea unor rezerve suplimentare. Cât timp acest fond de rezervă nu va fi fost în întregime constituit, trebuie alimentat prin:
 (a)
 încasări din dobânzi provenind din împrumuturile acordate de Bancă din sumele vărsate de statele membre în temeiul articolului 5;
 (b)
 încasări din dobânzi provenite din împrumuturile acordate de Bancă din sumele constituite din rambursarea împrumuturilor menționate la litera (a),
 în măsura în care aceste încasări din dobânzi nu sunt necesare pentru executarea obligațiilor și pentru acoperirea cheltuielilor Băncii.
 (2) Resursele fondului de rezervă trebuie plasate astfel încât să fie în orice moment în stare să răspundă obiectului acestui fond.
 Articolul 23
 (ex-articolul 25)
 (1) Banca este întotdeauna autorizată să transfere într-una din monedele statelor membre a căror monedă nu este euro activele pe care le deține pentru a realiza operațiuni financiare în conformitate cu obiectul său de activitate, așa cum este definit în articolul 309 din Tratatul privind funcționarea Uniunii Europene și luând în considerare dispozițiile articolului 21 din prezentul statut. Banca evită să procedeze pe cât posibil la astfel de transferuri dacă deține active disponibile sau care pot fi mobilizate în moneda de care are nevoie.
 (2) Banca nu poate converti în devize ale țărilor terțe activele pe care le deține în moneda unuia dintre statele membre a căror monedă nu este euro, fără acordul acestui stat.
 (3) Banca poate dispune liber de fracțiunea din capitalul vărsat, precum și de devizele împrumutate pe terțe piețe.
 (4) Statele membre se angajează să pună la dispoziția debitorilor Băncii devizele necesare rambursării împrumuturilor acordate și dobânzilor la împrumuturile acordate sau garantate de Bancă pentru investiții care se realizează pe teritoriul lor.
 Articolul 24
 (ex-articolul 26)
 În cazul în care un stat membru nu-și îndeplinește obligațiile de membru decurgând din prezentul statut, în special obligația de a vărsa cota parte sau de a asigura rambursarea împrumuturilor sale, acordarea de împrumuturi sau garanții acestui stat membru sau resortisanților acestuia poate fi suspendată prin decizia Consiliului guvernatorilor adoptată cu majoritate calificată.
 Această decizie nu exonerează statul și nici pe resortisanții săi de obligațiile lor față de Bancă.
 Articolul 25
 (ex-articolul 27)
 (1) În cazul în care Consiliul guvernatorilor decide suspendarea activității Băncii, toate activitățile trebuie întrerupte imediat, cu excepția operațiunilor necesare pentru a asigura utilizarea, protecția și conservarea bunurilor, precum și lichidarea angajamentelor.
 (2) În cazul lichidării, Consiliul guvernatorilor numește lichidatorii și le dă instrucțiuni pentru a efectua lichidarea. Consiliul Guvernatorilor asigură protecția drepturilor membrilor personalului.
 Articolul 26
 (ex-articolul 28)
 (1) Banca se bucură în fiecare din statele membre de capacitatea juridică cea mai largă recunoscută persoanelor juridice prin legislațiile naționale; în special poate să dobândească și să înstrăineze bunuri imobile și mobile și poate sta în justiție.
 (2) Bunurile Băncii sunt exceptate de la confiscare sau expropriere sub orice formă.
 Articolul 27
 (ex-articolul 29)
 Litigiile dintre Bancă pe de o parte, și creditorii, debitorii săi sau terți, pe de altă parte, sunt soluționate de instanțele naționale competente, sub rezerva competențelor atribuite Curții de Justiție a Uniunii Europene. În cadrul contractelor încheiate, Banca poate prevedea o procedură de arbitraj.
 Banca trebuie să aleagă un sediu în fiecare dintre statele membre. Cu toate acestea, în orice contract, Banca poate să aleagă un sediu special.
 Bunurile și activele Băncii nu pot face obiectul sechestrului sau executării silite decât prin hotărâre judecătorească.
 Articolul 28
 (ex-articolul 30)
 (1) Consiliul guvernatorilor, hotărând în unanimitate, poate decide să înființeze filiale sau alte entități, care au personalitate juridică și autonomie financiară.
 (2) Consiliul guvernatorilor adoptă în unanimitate statutele organismelor menționate la alineatul (1). Statutele definesc, în special, obiectivele acestora, structura, capitalul, membrii, sediul, resursele financiare, instrumentele de intervenție, normele de control, precum și relația acestora cu organele Băncii.
 (3) Banca este competentă să participe la administrarea organismelor menționate anterior și să contribuie la capitalul subscris al acestora cu suma stabilită de Consiliul guvernatorilor care hotărăște în unanimitate.
 (4) Protocolul privind privilegiile și imunitățile Uniunii Europene se aplică organismelor menționate la alineatul (1), în măsura în care acestea sunt reglementate de dreptul Uniunii, membrilor organelor acestora în exercițiul funcțiilor lor, precum și personalului acestora, în termeni și condiții identice cu cele aplicabile Băncii.
 Dividendele, câștigurile din capital sau alte forme de venit obținute de astfel de organisme, la care au dreptul alți membri decât Uniunea Europeană și Banca, rămân, cu toate acestea, sub incidența dispozițiilor fiscale prevăzute de legislația aplicabilă.
 (5) În limitele stabilite în continuare, Curtea de Justiție a Uniunii Europene este competentă să judece litigiile cu privire la măsurile adoptate de organele unui organism care intră sub incidența dreptului Uniunii. Orice membru al unui astfel de organism, în această calitate, sau statele membre, pot înainta o acțiune împotriva unor astfel de măsuri în condițiile prevăzute la articolul 263 din Tratatul privind funcționarea Uniunii Europene.
 (6) Consiliul guvernatorilor, hotărând în unanimitate, poate decide să admită personalul organismelor care intră sub incidența dreptului Uniunii în regimuri comune cu Banca, în conformitate cu procedurile interne respective.