Source: http://insea.be/statutes.aspx
Timestamp: 2018-03-24 13:47:55
Document Index: 175205567

Matched Legal Cases: ['Art. 2', 'Art. 9', 'Art. 9', 'Art. 6', 'Art. 6', 'Art. 6', 'Art. 6']

Insea - Statutes
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B-1930 Zaventem,Belgium
Tel: +32(2)714.54.91
Fax: +32(2)720.20.60
Email: info@insea.be
Section I - The Association
Denomination, headquarters, geographical coverage
Section II - The Membership
Admission: conditions, formalities, commitments
Section III - General Assembly, Sessions, Administration
Invitations to attend a general assembly
Section IV - Budget and Accounts
The association, which is a non profit-making organisation, and is hereafter referred to as "the Association", will be called the Informatic Services Association, or INSEA in its abbreviated form.
Its headquarters are located within the city of Brussels and its activities cover the whole of the kingdom of Belgium.
To bring together the largest and most representative companies in Belgium whose primary business is:
the sale of I.T. services. These can be provided by, for example, companies specializing in office supplies, consulting agencies, recruitment agencies specialized in contracts of unlimited duration, added value network companies, and any company that is a significant player in the computer software sector
the provision of added value services with regard to the distribution of I.T materials and system software packages
To develop among its affiliates a spirit of collegiality by establishing a common code of ethics and by encouraging respect of the code by its members. This will help maintain the good reputation of the profession. To take, whether collectively or via a process of delegation, any actions or measures that might prove helpful to the professional interests of its members and to its overall organization. Also, to develop, on behalf of its members, initiatives and/or provide useful services that meet a generally recognized demand.
The association is responsible for drawing up its constitution, which it will put together in a series of regulations that refer to the points dealt with in the said statutes.
The Management Committee is responsible for putting together these internal regulations which, before becoming applicable, must be approved at a General Assembly. The same procedure will be followed for any modification that might need to be applied.
The association has been created for an unlimited period of time.
The association is made up exclusively of full and associated members (generally speaking legal entities) that do business in one of the areas specified under Article 2.1 There is no limit on the number of members, but there must be a minimum number of six.
Article 6.1 Full Members
Admission, formalities, commitments
to acquire full membership candidates must fulfill the following conditions:
They must have a legal status and must be able to prove that they have been actively and permanently operational in one or more of the fields stipulated in Art. 2, 1a and b either as:
a bona fide company
or as a division or department of a major corporation doing business in other fields
Furthermore, the member must:
provide an added value benefit equivalent to a minimum of 40% of turnover
employ a minimum of 10 people with a university degree or a diploma of further education or an A1 level diploma
respect the laws of free competition
be involved in a profit-making business
pledge not to approach the end-user if the latter operates as a middleman. The term "end-user" is taken to mean companies or institutions that neither resell nor market the products or services that result from their having done business with SSI companies. On the contrary, they use them for their own purposes. Any framework contracts drawn up must first be submitted for approval to INSEA.
pledge to respect good commercial practices by, more specifically:
not offering products and/or services at abnormally low prices
not assigning jobs to personnel that is not qualified to carry them out (and instead by assigning them to jobs within their department
Submit a written request for admission to the President of the Board of Directors. The request must be signed by the candidate for admission and seconded by two members, of whom at least one must be a member of the Board of Directors.
The submission of a written request implies the full and unconditional adherence to the said statutes and to the resulting regulations.
Agree to pay an admission fee (see Art. 9a.)
Agree to contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the Association and, consequently, respect any contractual agreements made in relation to active participation in campaigns, studies, polls and the publication of materials, as proposed by the Association.
The Board of Directors rules on all admission requests. Requests are only accepted if two third of the votes of those present - or represented by a third party - vote in favour of admission. No reason need be given in the event of an admission being refused.
Full members agree to:
pay an annual subscription fee in the month immediately following that in which the General Assembly took place. The fee rate is fixed by the General Assembly (see also Art. 9 par 2)
take part in the General Assembly unless exceptional circumstances prevent them from doing so
The commitments which members must respect as a result of their affiliation to the Association must not, under any circumstances, be incompatible with their right to independence and to the freedom to carry out their own policies and activities.
6.2. Associate members
To obtain associate membership, the following conditions must be met:
The same conditions as those which full members must meet, see Art. 6.1.a.1., with the exception of the following:
proof of having been actively and permanently operational for at least two years must be provided
they must employ a minimum of 10 employees with a university degree or diploma of further education or an A1 level diploma.
Requests for admission must fulfill the same criteria as those mentioned in Art. 6.1.a.2.
The same commitments must be met as those mentioned in Art. 6.1.a.3
When ruling on requests for admission, the Board of Directors follows the same procedure as mentioned in Art. 6.1.b.
Associate members commit themselves to respect the same obligations as those mentioned in Articles 6.1.c.1 and 6.1.c.2.
The commitments that members must respect as a result of their affiliation to the Association must not, in any way, be incompatible with their right to independence and to the freedom to carry out their own policies and activities.
Any member is free to leave the association at any moment by tendering his resignation to the President of the Board of Directors, which must acknowledge receipt of its offer of resignation within a month.
Any member who, without sufficient reason, does not pay its subscription fee within a deadline of 90 days will be considered as having tendered his resignation.
If a member goes bankrupt, has a criminal conviction or is currently banned from doing something, it will be considered as having tendered its resignation.
The expulsion of a member can only be decided at a General Assembly and only if a two thirds majority of the members present, or represented by a third party, vote in favour of expulsion.
Members under threat of expulsion will receive an invitation, by registered post, to attend a General Assembly and explain themselves.
The said General Assembly will pass judgement, even if the interested party has not replied to the invitation to attend.
Entrance fees, subscriptions, calls for capital:
Entrance fees and subscription rates are fixed annually (following a proposal submitted by the Board of Directors) by the General Assembly, which also approves the general budget.
The subscription rate is calculated according to the number of people on the member company's pay role on 1st of January of the current year.
The subscription amount due is calculated prorata temporis of the number of months that remain in the current financial year (including the month of admission).
The amount of a call for capital will be decided upon (based on a proposal submitted by the Board of Directors) by an Extraordinary General Assembly, which also approves the extraordinary budget.
The entrance fees, subscription fees or calls for capital must be paid within a month of the month in which the General Assembly or Extraordinary General Assembly is held. The latter will decide on the amount to be paid.
No-one can be made to pay more than the amounts mentioned in points a). and b). of Article 9.
Members who have resigned or been expelled, including their legal heirs or the legal representatives of a deceased member, cannot claim entitlement to the full or partial reimbursement of any subscription fees, entrance fees or calls for capital that have been paid. Nor do they have any right to claim from the social fund.
The General Assembly is composed exclusively of full members of the Association. Each full member has the right to one vote.
Associate members are allowed to take part in a General Assembly as observers, but they do not have the right to vote and they cannot apply to take up any position within the Association. One full member can represent other full members at a General Assembly.
However, no member can be a proxy for more than two other members.
A General Assembly of all full members takes place every year, on any working day in March.
The following points must be present on the agenda:
the reading and approval of the minutes of the previous General Assembly
a report by the Board of Directors and the Permanent Secretariat. This report will include a critical evaluation of previous activities and will be submitted for the approval of the General Assembly. The latter will judge whether there is any objective, desire or need to launch new initiatives during the current year, or to continue or discontinue ongoing activities from the previous year.
approval of the accounts of the previous financial year
a vote on the budget and on subscriptions for the year commencing
the statutory re-election of the Board of Directors, if required
the appointment of two financial experts to check the accounts of the next financial year.
Moreover, a General Assembly is called whenever the President of the Board of Directors deems it necessary. A General Assembly can also be called when a written justified request has been sent to the President, together with an indication of the agenda, and has been signed by at least one fifth of all full members or by at least three members of the Board.
Finally, the Board of Directors can, in accordance with the Internal Regulations of the Association, call upon members to participate in discussions which neither resemble those of a Statutory General Assembly nor have the authority of a General Assembly as laid down by law or by the said statutes.
Invitations to attend a General Assembly are made via circular letters sent out, on behalf the Board of Directors, by the President or the person who is assigned to carry out his duties on his behalf.
These circular letters contain the agenda and must be sent out at least eight days in advance, except in the event of what the Board of Directors decides is an emergency.
All working documents relating to the content of the agenda will, upon the request of a member, be distributed at least two days before the General Assembly.
The General Assembly has complete authority with regard to the administration of the Association, within the scope of the said statutes and the law.
It can rule on points on the agenda as outlined on the invitation to attend. It can also rule on additional points that have been added to the agenda, providing that they have received the unanimous approval of the full members present or their delegated representatives.
However, if changes are to be made to the said statutes, or if the Association is to be dissolved, the special conditions determined by Article 15 must be satisfied.
The General Assembly is presided over by the President of the Board of Directors or, in his/her absence, by a Vice President or other member of the Board of Directors.
The latter is required to designate a Secretary, in the event of the Permanent Secretary's absence, and choose from the Assembly two members to act as scrutinizers.
The members of the Board of Directors in attendance make up the "Assembly Secretariat."
Generally speaking, and unless otherwise stipulated by the said statutes, the Assembly is considered valid however many full members are in attendance, and decisions are taken on a simple majority of full members present.
Decisions taken by the General Assembly are confirmed in the minutes. The latter are taken down in writing by a secretary and signed by the President of the Assembly, the Secretary of the Association and the members of the Assembly who requested them.
Copies or extracts that may be required in the event of legal proceedings or for any other reason will be signed by the President or by two thirds of the Board of Directors.
A circular letter will inform members of the General Assembly's rulings.
Only the General Assembly has the authority to change the statutes.
It can only validly rule on modifications to the statutes if their purpose has been specifically underlined in the invitation to attend and only if the Assembly includes two thirds of all full members or their delegated representatives.
A modification can only be made if a two-thirds majority of the votes present or represented by a third party is secured.
However, if the modification relates to one of the objectives for which the Association was founded, it will only be considered valid if it is voted in by four fifths of the full members present or their delegated representatives present at the Assembly.
The Association is managed by a Board of Directors composed of a minimum of FIVE and a maximum of EIGHT members, who have been elected by the General Assembly.
Immediately upon its election by the General Assembly, the Board elects its Secretariat, which is made up of:
Specific responsibilities, such as "public relations" " relations with public services" etc., are defined by the Board of Directors and are assigned either to members of the Management Committee or to external experts who represent a member of the General Assembly or who are employees of one of the members.
Also included in the Secretariat, but without voting rights, are the following people:
Members of the Board of Directors are elected for a period of two years and their mandate can be extended each year by a further period of one year.
The mandate of members of the Board of Directors is terminated in the event of death, resignation or dismissal.
Any member of the Board of Directors who no longer represents effectively the company they were working for when they were nominated, or any member who represents a company that is no longer a member of the Association, will be considered as having tendered his/her resignation. In both cases, the Board of Directors' ruling is final and irrevocable. The Board of Directors has the right to replace, with a temporary member, any Board member whose mandate is terminated due to death, resignation or any other cause. In this event, the General Assembly will elect a permanent replacement during its next meeting. The newly elected member will take over the remaining responsibilities of the member of the Board whom he is replacing.
The Board of Directors has absolute authority with regard to managing the Association. During the statutory Annual General Assembly, the General Assembly will approve the management of the Board of Directors. Everything that, as defined by the statutes, is not the specific responsibility of the General Assembly is the responsibility of the Board of Directors. The Association is represented by the joint collaboration of the Management Committee and the Managing Director. As far as the daily managing of the Association is concerned, the Managing Director alone is responsible. According to the powers granted him/her by the Board of Directors, a delegated representative can validly represent the Association.
The financial year runs from 1st January to 31st December of each year.
On 31st December of each year, the accounts are closed and the Board of Directors, represented by the Treasurer, finalizes the financial statement for the previous year and the budget for the financial year to come.
Experts designated by the Board of Directors will then check the accounts.
These documents are, without changes being made, submitted to the membership and to the Association's Secretariat fifteen days before the General Assembly.
The approval of the accounts by the General Assembly means that the Board of Directors is no longer required to carry out that duty.
The Association can be dissolved at any moment following a decision taken by the General Assembly. The latter must rule on the issue in accordance with the conditions required for the modification of the statutes.
In the event of voluntary dissolution, the General Assembly will designate one or more liquidators and will define the scope of their powers.
The relevant courts of law in Brussels have sole power of jurisdiction in the event of litigation.
adopted by the General Assembly that established the Constitution on 8th June 1972
modified by the General Assembly of 1st March 1988
modified by the General Assembly of 7th March 1989
modified by the Extraordinary General Assembly of 15th December 1992
modified by the General Assembly of 5th March 1996
modified by the General Assembly of 2nd March 1999
Copyright 2003 © INSEA