Were present:

Pasquale COLAMARTINO – Ezzedine RIAHI – Francis FERRUA – Niels MIKKELSEN  – Jean-Marie DURANT – Robert LABADIE – Farid BELOUAFI – Joaquim MOREIRA ALVES – Charlemagne DAMASE RYNCE AGASSOUSSI – Gerard VANHOVE  – Daniele PARAMEZZA  – Claude PIOTTON  – Peter HEIMER  – Mikkel ANDERSEN.

Absent:  

George SIMIGIATO  – Laetitia CORTES FERREIRA - Jean-Guy LORRAIN – DEBABRATA Ray  – Malika MAZZINE  – Luigi Carlo PETRO.

Attended as observers: 

From the governing council of FAS: José VINIRE – Albano SANTOS – Torrès GOMES –
Joaquim SILVA – Domingo MANETA.

Having noted during the Executive Councils which were held in MALTA, in CORSICA and in RABAT, that no observer had been allowed at the Council meeting, Jean-Marie DURANT, by taking care to indicate that his intervention was not at all directed against our Portuguese Friends, would wish a rule of principle to stop the presence of observers at the meetings of the Executive Council.

After a general discussion it was clear, that observers should not be present.

 I)                ACCEPTANCE OF THE AGENDA

 The General Secretary had received requests, that the search for sponsors and the project of “program BLOOD' MED” was added to the agenda.

 II)             APPROVAL OF OFFICIAL REPORTS FROM THE GA IN CARTHAGE

The Secretary General reminded about the decision taken in CARTHAGE to distribute the official reports of meetings only after their approval by the concerned authority – and only as reports of decisions taken. The convocations and the reports could always be consulted at the IFBDO internet site, www.fiods.org.

Farid BELOUAFI upon reading the official report of the General meeting of May 8, 2004 , noted that the Africa Continental Committee’s report drawn up had not been reproduced in its entirety and required making the missing additions. The Secretary General answered, that he had added the report, he had received, as an annex.

The two official reports were unanimously adopted by members present.

III)           FINANCES

The Treasurer General gave an account including:

- The income statement as of   August 31, 2004 ;
- The assessment as of August 31, 2004 ;
- The overview of the situation of payments of the contributions in 2004.

He mentioned that after the EC of Carthage, only 150 € of contributions had been collected.

Twelve MIS medals were paid and then distributed.

Concerning the contributions, he raises the difficulties he meets sometimes to identify the transmitter of the payment, which delays the accounting for the payment.  Moreover, he announced that he is always confronted with the non-payment of the African countries and member-associations, as the call for contribution-mails are often returned to him.

The Secretary General attested that the addresses of the member associations under “addresses” on the homepage are the ones transmitted to him. Moreover, he reminds the Treasurer General, that LITHUANIA and ESTONIA have regulated their contributions for 2004 after the GA in Tunisia .

Then the Secretary General requests the agreement of the EC to accept an invitation made to him by the Delegate of ASIA to attend an important meeting of the Blood Donors in INDIA (CALCUTTA). The expenses will be approximately 1000 €.

The opinions are divided, but after the discussion President Pasquale COLAMARTINO noted the agreement which is given by the Members of the EC to the participation of the Secretary General in this gathering of the Blood Donors of the South Asian Sub-continent.

IV)           POINT ON THE SEARCH FOR SPONSORS

Gerard VANHOVE gave a progress report on the current situation: 2 consignments were carried out which represented 70 files addressed mainly to suppliers of the blood transfusion, 10 files with car manufacturers and 1 file with Microsoft. These consignments related to several countries: 5 consignments in Belgium , 3 in Denmark , 2 in England , 26 in France , 6 in Germany , 1 in Ireland , 3 in Italy , 1 in Norway , 1 in Spain , 6 in Sweden , 2 in the Netherlands , 2 in Switzerland and 4 in the USA .

The results are somewhat disappointing:
-        6 consignments returned with the mention "moved",
-        4 refused to help us,
-        58 did not answer,
-        only 2, and only under the friendly pressure of France , granted a support,

HAEMONETICS France gave 750 Euros and MACOPHARMA, 5000 Euros.

The cost of this action, was covered, exceptionally, by the National Association, "La Poste /France Telecom", and amounted to 91,27 Euros. But for further action to be undertaken, it will thus be necessary henceforth to integrate these costs.

23 new consignments were carried out afterwards but remained without effect. G VANHOVE recalled, that he had solicited the Members of the EC in order to obtain lists of companies likely to be contacted, but he did not receive any answers to date. Even if he had taken over this matter, he considers that the search for funds is the business of all members.

G VANHOVE proposed to invite the two sponsors who supported us to our General Assembly 2005 in Paris . It would be a way of thanking them and to show them the importance of our actions and to make them support us. He gave President P. COLAMARTINO, a model of the diploma of a "patron" to be given to the sponsors.

P. COLAMARTINO recalled the importance of sponsoring for the future of our Movement and  proposed that a Committee was created, especially attached to the search of funds, which should begin its interventions from the very start of 2005.

V)             DEPOSIT OF STATUTES IN MONACO AND MODIFICATION OF THE RULES OF PROCEDURE

The Secretary General informed the Members of the EC, that he did not receive any mail since the deposit of the Statutes in the Principality; he could thus logically consider that they were accepted without reservations.

President P. COLAMARTINO wished that the EC considered to modernize the Statutes, making them better adapted, more easily readable and also and, especially, accepted by all the adherent countries. To reach these goals, he proposed, that the EC entrusted this task to G VANHOVE.

After the agreement given by the EC to the proposal of the President, VANHOVE made it clear that he wanted to accept this work, but under the condition that the work is taken into consideration afterwards. And, as the procedure of changes to the Statutes is extremely complicated, it is wiser to be restricted to change only the points evoked at CARTHAGE .

VI)           PROGRAM OF WORK 2005/2008

President P. COLAMARTINO had sent all the Members the project of two programs: BLOOD MED and EURO-BLOOD which could be presented at a hearing that the IFBDO will request with the European Parliament.

He drew the attention of the Members present to the development of a project of
co-operation with the countries of the Mediterranean zone.

The collection of funds will be continued within the framework of the already engaged search for sponsors, while our initiative in the field of the policies of health will be put on the proposals defined in project BLOOD MED and EURO BLOOD.

There should also be constituted a group in charge of communication and External Businesses after 2005.

The Secretary General found that 2005-2008 represented a very important phase for the IFBDO. Thanks to all the actions and achievements within the IFBDO since the General Assembly in MANTOVA in 1999, our movement is now recognized and respected. The IFBDO is cooperating with the major authorities in the blood field, thanks in particular to its consultative status with WHO, the Council of Europe and in the ISBT. The IFBDO took an active role in the writing of the European Directive on blood. Besides we receive requests for partnerships with other organizations, which intervene in the field of health and which it will be advisable to examine.

On the other hand we did not carry out all our objectives among which is the creation of a permanent office of the IFBDO, and the recruitment of young people to the governing bodies of our Movement.

About the Youth Forum in Lithuania , N MIKKELSEN confirmed, that information about the forum had been sent on paper to all the members of the IFBDO. Furthermore all the information has been available on the website www.fiods.org

As for the World Blood Donor Day in 2005, the preparations have begun. N. MIKKELSEN  has recorded 77 countries which commemorated this day in 2004, even if some reported with a little delay, and the information was brought at the website www.worldbloddonorday.org, which the IFBDO is providing, and where he is the webmaster. But the EC should not forget that all work is done by voluntaries, with their defects and qualities.

President P. COLAMARTINO recognized that the Members of the EC did much work and that it is necessary for us to continue in this direction.  

Farid BELOUAFI announced a one day project to the formation of the African countries interested in the promotion of the gift of blood but also the recruitment of new donors. As soon as it is ready, this project will be addressed to the Secretary General.

G VANHOVE informed about a training scheme worked out by BURKINA FASO . He urged Farid to approach Mathias BAYILI to possibly export this realization to other African countries.

About the African countries J.M. DURANT reported that several persons from Africa were very dissatisfied and disappointed not to have been able to send young donors to the Forum in LITHUANIA . The organizing country had to facilitate them to obtain the visas for their displacements, but the only mail that they had received invited them to approach the Lithuanian embassy in EGYPT for all that.

N MIKKELSEN responded, that there was little the IFBDO could do concerning the actual distribution of visa, except to issue formal invitations, but it would be useful and necessary to produce a guide for the steps to undertake for obtaining visas to enter the space of SCHENGEN, in particular for certain petitioning countries for which this step is not an easy thing. For the General Assembly 2005 in PARIS , the countries wishing to take part in it should start to undertake all the essential formalities with their displacement.

CH DAMASE RYNCE AGASSOUSSI wished the constitution of a Working group which would work on training of persons in charge of Associations and the recruitment of donors. Each adherent country could delegate a monitor having the aptitudes or a solid experience.

F FERRUA took note of the project BLOOD MED addressed to all the Members, but would wish the President fixed the priorities of the EC. President P. COLAMARTINO indicated that this point is already laid down on the agenda. If the EC accepted the content of this project, we would then have to start the program of international co-operation, in relation to the International Red Cross. It will be allocated to the President to come into contact with the international networks interested iny this program.

G VANHOVE suggested defining beforehand a working method and envisaged a meeting of all the working groups, if possible the day before the EC, to discuss projects of each group and to act in concert.

The Secretary General should launch a call for candidatures for all these working groups, by specifying the work and responsibilities which will fall to each participant.

VII)         RELATIONS WITH THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

If in the field of the implementing the European Directive on blood, collaboration was perfect between the Commission and the IFBDO, but it is not the same concerning the support granted to our program, explained President P. COLAMARTINO.  This situation is completely unacceptable because at Community level there is no program for the promotion of voluntary, non-remunerated blood donation. For that, we must continue to approach the Parliament and the Commission. The IFBDO will request a public audition with the new elected Parliament; it asks our Portuguese friends to intervene with the President BARROSO, who is from their country.

N MIKKELSEN also proposed to request the support of our Cyprus friends, as the new EU-Commissioner for Health is from Cyprus .

VIII)      INSTITUTION OF A EUROPEAN NETWORK

President P. COLAMARTINO thinks that first of all, it is necessary to establish common basis of work to all the countries. For the BLOOD MED program, we must create a network in order to develop a more effective system for the contacts between participants of each country and to find the best solution to facilitate their work. The initial documents which were transmitted to the Members of the EC, can be used as a basis of discussion and feed the debates which will make it possible to make progress on this file.

Peter HEIMER proposed to make a first intervention to the Red Cross in order to know their reaction to the IFBDO project.

Continuing the reading of the program, President P. COLAMARTINO reported the success collected with the presentation of the program for students of multi-media. Beyond that, there are also possibilities of contact with the journalists and the international press network. Consulted on the establishment of this program, the EC Members, unanimously, accepted the proposals made by the President.

IX)            MEDITERRANEAN OLYMPIC GAMES 2009

President P. COLAMARTINO has had contacts with the representative of Italy , with an aim that the cause of voluntary blood donation should benefit from the next Mediterranean Olympic Games in 2009

CH DAMASE RYNCE AGASSOUSSI proposed, that we ask the Olympic Committee in charge of these games to bring publicity for non-remunerated blood donation on the numbers on the athletes. This proposal was adopted by the EC.

X)              CENTRAL OFFICE IN PARIS

J.M. DURANT recalled the commitment by the French Federation to receive the IFBDO- central office in its buildings in PARIS . This was made available to the EC at the meeting of the EC in RABAT and then at the EC of CARTHAGE. At these occasions, the French Federation had wished that the IFBDO proposes to her a Convention of provision of an office: They are still waiting for this document which must lay down the methods but also the obligations of the two parts.

President P. COLAMARTINO asked the Secretary General to treat this file as soon as possible.

XI)             ESTABLISHMENT OF  AN IFBDO-FOUNDATION

The President P. COLAMARTINO had just sent to each EC Member a project of Statutes for the IFBDO-Foundation based in this phase of the project on the legislation in Italy .

The Secretary General made some comments: 
-        the number of the meetings should be limited to 3 per annum,
-        the multiplication of the number of governing institutions is not desirable,
-        Several of the charges could be held by only one governing institution
-        Contributions: levels and mode of calculation, decreasing scale, etc.

The Treasurer General added that, in principle, it is necessary to have a contribution for all the Members, even if it can be moderate.

President P. COLAMARTINO affirmed that the text will be amended by taking into account the opinions given by the EC. Once modified and approved, this project of Statutes will have to be presented to our partners.

This Foundation is in fact a public Institution which offers guarantees for the Founder members but also an opportunity for all the other partners. Within the legal framework, voluntary work is thus recognized like an essential value. The objective is first to find the founders, who will contribute funds and will become Founding members. But Members, who do not bring funds such as the IFBDO, will nevertheless be among the founders. The internal organization will be adapted to the resources.

Each Member association of the IFBDO will, however, have to seek partners who share our goals. With the agreement of the EC, it could be envisaged to have the Foundation approved at the GA in 2005 in PARIS .

With the question of G VANHOVE about the tax system applicable to such a Foundation, President P. COLAMARTINO specified that it will be the one of country where the foundation has its seat.

For the moment there is not European legislation which enables us to establish a European Foundation; for this reason, answering the question raised by J. M. DURANT, the project is drawn up according to the Italian legislation.  Maybe after a few years, we will have the possibility to transfer it at the European level.

XII)         MAINTENANCE OF OUR ADVISORY STATUS WITH THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

The General Secretary reminded that maintaining the advisory status with the Council of Europe is conditioned of the continued supply of reports about the activities of the IFBDO to fulfill the goals of the Council of Europe. Only two member organizations have returned the questionnaire about their activities that the Secretary General had distributed on September 17, 2004 .

It should not be forgotten that it is the Council of Europe, which develops the guidelines, which are transposed into legislation of the European Union. Not to take action on their request is thus likely to expose us to disappointments.

XIII)       ANNUAL REPORT (EX FIODS-REVUE)

The Secretary General pointed out the importance of the FIODS-revue, now called the "Annual report". It thus appears essential to make it function. However, this report could be also put ON LINE on the IFBDO Website, so that the messages and other information can be consulted by the members. With this intention, the General Secretary calls upon good faith among the Members of the EC to deal with this work.

Ezzédine RIAHI specified, that he already had presented offers for the printing of the annual report, but he did not have any answer from the Secretary General. N MIKKELSEN thanked Ezzédine for his proposal, which could, however, not be adopted, because of the expensive costs of the printing, but also, especially, the cost of mailing the report to the members.

Jean-Marie DURANT, conscious of the need for reactivating the publication of this annual report, informed that he will examine the possibilities, as well material as financial, for its realization by the French Federation.

  XIV)       YOUTH FORUM IN LITHUANIA (2004) AND

 XV)         ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL YOUTH COMMITTEE

Mikkel ANDERSEN made an exhaustive presentation of the work of this Forum and projections, which were concretized there.

The various working groups worked i.a. on the Statutes of the International Youth Committee, with the procedure to be implemented for its materialisation, with the creation of a logo, and the creation of a specific page in the tree structures of the IFBDO website. Each participant now has the responsibility to export these projects to his country while keeping in mind it is necessary to maintain a balance between the countries, which make projects because they have financial means and the others, less silver plated, which endeavour, nevertheless, to do good work. The young people put forward the use of new technologies and the new form of communication by Internet (Web page).

The debate at the Forum related mainly to the Statutes project, even if it was regrettable that the Italian delegation’s young people did not want to join the general discussion.

For the immediate future, the creation of an Internetpage was the first urgency to allow and facilitate the reports, the development, the projects, the ideas exchanges, etc.

But the financial means is a problem for the execution of the tasks and of the displacements, the young people will have to make. The search for funds is thus a necessity.

A long discussion then took place between the members of the EC, which disagreed whether the Youth Forum had been authorized to create the Statutes of the IYC, or not.

The relevant text from the report of the young people to the GA in Carthage reads:
To the IYC establishment we are going to need statutes, which already are under construction by the work group and are going to be presented and approved at the next Youth Forum.

The report from the GA in Carthage further reads: .
Proposed for a vote of the Assembly, the Youth Committee is adopted unanimously by the members present.

President P. COLAMARTINO proposed to take the necessary time to the thought and to defer any decision 6 months. This proposal was accepted by a number of the Members of the EC present in the room, while others wanted to stick to the decision made by the GA in Carthage .

The Secretary General invited all the representatives, who encounter difficulties to obtain visas for young people to be able to take part in work of the Forums, to take the steps necessary very early by preparing all the files and by subjecting them as soon as possible to the relevant embassy.

He had only received one written candidature for organising the youth Forum in 2005 from  ESTONIA .  After a long discussion it was accepted, that the 2005 Youth Forum will be in Estonia , and that the Forum of 2006 will be held in Africa , if a written invitation is presented.  

President P. COLAMARTINO proposed, that a European Continental delegation meeting was organised in order to prepare a working meeting with the African continental delegation. This inter-continent meeting could be held in TUNISIA .

  XVI) PREPARATION/ INSTRUCTIONS TO OBTAIN VISAS 

 Within the framework of the next 2005 General Assembly in PARIS , it was urgent to prepare a procedure and a guide to obtain the necessary visas to participants from outside the Schengen-area. These steps must be made very early before the GA.

J. M. DURANT. then informed of the preparation for the Congress already taken:
- The meetings will take place within the Ministry for Health, room P. LAROQUE,
- The patronage of the President of the Republic was requested,
- The sponsorship of the Minister for Health also,
- The neighbourhood of the Ministry of Health offers all the possibilities for the lodging and the food for the participants in the Congress,
- The meals of the Congress could be taken in UNESCO located in the vicinity,
- The room P. LAROQUE is equipped with translation cabins.

The General Secretary was pleased with the preliminary work carried out in France . As regards dates, he specified, that it rested with the organizing country to fix them.

F FERRUA communicated the dates being already found on proposal made by the French Federations International Relations Committee, namely:
            - Friday July 1, EC meeting and opening meeting,
            - Saturday July 2, General meeting,
            - Sunday July 3, official meeting and Congress closure.

The General Secretary notices that in this same period the ISBT Congress will be held in Greece , which is likely to deprive us of the presence to our work of the transfusion specialists. However, the French Federation must launch the invitations and specified that inscriptions etc. must be addressed directly to it.

XVII)    CO-OPERATION WITH THE WHO AND THE FEDERATION OF THE CROSS AND RED CRESCENT SOCIETIES.

The Secretary General Secretary declared that in order to be able to profit from the work completed in common with these International Organizations, we should quickly meet them.  Admittedly, neither the Red Cross nor the WHO have large financial means and they ask us to help them, whereas we are, also, as stripped financially as them.

However there had been good cooperation with launching in 2004 of the World Blood Donor Day and preparation of the 2005 WBDD was underway, including a launching in England of the WBDD. It should be known, that the WHO practically works only in English, whereas there are six official languages of the United Nations.

President P. COLAMARTINO wished to look into the possibilities to obtain ROTARY CLUB financial assistances. The Secretary General answered, that they were actually contacted and that they seem interested in helping us, since their objectives and ours are rather identical.

  XVIII) COMING MEETINGS OF THE EC:

 The EC gave a favourable answer to a candidature for the 2005 fall meeting of the EC in SENEGAL .

N MIKKELSEN informed that a proposal for the Statutary modifications, decided at the beginning of meeting, would be sent to the Members of the EC in order to be treated at the next EC.

XIX) 2006 GENERAL ASSEMBLY

It was mentioned, that Italy had presented its candidature, following its withdrawal at the GA in CARTHAGE for the 2005 GA. The EC waits with a decision until AVIS has deposited its candidature formally.

  XX) 2005 ELECTIONS  – CANDIDATURES ´ 

(This question was treated without the presence of observers)

In order not to find ourselves in the sad situation, that confronted participants at the time of the General Assembly in QUEBEC , the call for candidatures is launched as of today. It was recalled, that a candidature must be supported by member association of that country

The General Secretary wishes all the EC candidates take the full measurement of the important work awaited from them for the three years to come and commit themselves to conclude already committed projects.

At this time, the EC Members made a point of expressing their thanks to the President P. COLAMARTINO for all he undertook, realized and projected during his first mandate. Many serious projects are in the phase of realization; to make it possible for the President to conclude them, they deposit a motion of support for P. COLAMARTINO so that his country, Italy , allows him to aspire to a second mandate.

For France, the FFDSB Administrative Council had renewed its confidence with F FERRUA, J M. DURANT and with G VANHOVE, so that they can continue their missions within the EC of the IFBDO.

N MIKKELSEN had to consult his organization before a possible candidature.

XXI) MEDALS M.I.S.

As the Treasurer had left the meeting, the Secretary General noted that it was not possible to draw up the current state of the stock of medals.

Jean-Marie DURANT                                                   Niels MIKKELSEN

Assistant Secretary General                                            Secretary General