File IS 20 Milano

Report from meeting of the Executive Council of the IFBDO Saturday 9 April 2005
a
t Hotel Domina Genius Malpensa, Via Lazzaretto 1, Somma Lombardo , Italy .

Present: President Pasquale Colamartino, Italy , Vice- president Ezzedine Riahi , Tunisia , Vice-president: Francis Ferrua, France, secretary General Niels Mikkelsen, Denmark, Treasurer General: Robert Labadie, the Netherlands, The Continental Delegate from Africa: Farid Belouafi, Marocco and from South America: Letícia Ferreira, Brazil; Jean-Marie Durant, France, assistant to the Secretary General; Malika Mazzine, Maroc, assistant to the Treasurer General; Charlemagne Damase Rynce-Agassoussi, Bénin, assistant to the African continental delegate with mission to the sub-saharan Africa; Daniele Peramezza, Italy, member of the Control Commission and Claude Piotton, Switzerland, member of the Control Commission.

Absent; Debabrata Ray, India, Jean Guy Lorrain, Québec, Peter Heimer, German Red Cross, Mikkel Dybtved Andersen, Denmark George Simigiatos, Grèce, with mission to the Balkans, Gérard Vanhove, France (full power to F. Ferua), assistant to the Treasurer General Joaquim Moreira Alves, Portugal, with mission to the Lusiphone countries (full power to J. M. Durant) and Luigi Carlo Petro, Québec, member of the Control Commission.

The Executive council was welcomed by Vincenso Saturni, president of Avis regionale Lombardia, which had organized the meeting. The EC received excuses from Andrea Teighi, president for AVIS Nazionale, who had to attend to another donor meeting.

0.     Agreement on the agenda.

After a clarification on the agenda point concerning the “approval of new Statutes”, the agenda
was approved.

1.     Analysis of the actual legal status of our Federation.

The Executive Council had received an extensive report from the Secretary General about problems with deposit of the present Statutes with Monaco . The current statutes (from 1996) have never been registered, as the formal report from the General Assembly in 1996 in Paris never had been received.

There was uniform agreement in the Executive Council that new Statutes had to be approved at the upcoming 18th Congress in Paris . The president underlines how important it is to solve this issue as soon as possible, otherwise our legal status will still be uncertain.

2.     Updating of all legal documents deposited at the IFBDO headquarter in Monaco .

A copy of a listing all official document was distributed. It was agreed, that original documents (convocations, reports, balance sheets and official correspondence) should be kept at the official seat of the IFBDO in Monaco . A copy of all documents should stay with the Secretary General - and at the functional office (planned to be established in Paris )

It was agreed by all, that in the future, there shall be made a (relatively short) report from the meetings with the conclusions. The conclusions will be drawn by the president after each agenda point - and this report should be completed right after the meeting, including the proposals on the agenda, a synopsis of the discussions and the decisions made  - in a clear manner. This report is sent to all members of the IFBDO in the three working languages - to insure as much information and transparency as possible.

Anther version (a procès verbale) will be made, but for internal use only and distributed to the  members of that body - normally in one language only.

3.   Approval of a new statutes (amendments to the present statutes):

3.1 Participation of regional entities
3.2 Formalisation of the IFBDO Foundation
3.3.Inclusion of the International Youth Committee
3.4.Other amendments proposed by the EC members

A proposal (version 6) for new Statutes and Rules of Procedures was distributed on 16 March with a proposal for modifications to the 1996 statutes, prepared by Gérard Vanhove, Pasquale Colamartino and Niels Mikkelsen.

Amendments were later received from France , from the Leticia Ferreira, continental delegate from  South America and representative of the young members, and from Vice-president Ezzedine Riahi, but after a discussion these amendments were officially retired .

Jean Marie Durant proposed to add to Article A2 (Regional Active member), that if a national organisation should be formed, the regional organisation shall take part in this.

Niels Mikkelsen proposed, that proposals for candidatures to the Executive Council shall be sent to the Secretary General before the General Assembly (not a month before).

Pasquale Colamartino, upon request from some E.C. members, proposed a more clear rephrasing pf comma 7 in Article 7, where it is stated,   that Member-Associations of the IFBDO can present candidates directly in the General Assembly, if 10 % of the GA is in favour.

Claude Pioton proposed the deletion of two phrases under “Resignation” point XVII. 2 of the Statutes (forbidding litigation against the IFBDO and forbidding the right to pursue the IFBDO)

These four proposals for amendments were accepted and will be added to the proposal (plus a small language correction - and deletion of hypothesis 2 about the IYC).This combined proposal will be presented for adoption at the Extraordinary General Assembly in Paris 2 July 2005 .

A short presentation of the changes should be made, so that the delegations can be helped to understand the changes.

Leticia Ferreira asked about need for additions about the IYC to the IFBDO Rules of Procedures,

Niels Mikkelsen and Malika Mazzine proposed to add a final phrase to the proposed Article XI Bis of the Rules of Procedures:” The functioning of the IYC will be governed by separate rules of procedures, which will be added as an annex to these Rules of Procedures and approved by the General Assembly of the IFBDO. “

The proposal for such internal IYC Rules of Procedures will have to presented and adopted at a later General Assembly. This proposal was also approved by the Executive Council, which also adopted the proposal of new Rules of Procedures to be approved during the Congress in Paris .

4.  Convocation procedures for the Extraordinary and Ordinary General Assemblies 2005.

The Executive Council had a lengthy discussion on how to obtain the necessary quorum under the present Statutes to have the new proposal passed properly to be accepted by the Principality of Monaco and by the members of the IFBDO. 

It was noted, that a dual procedure (where convocations to hold two Extraordinary General assemblies on the same day) were legal in several countries and well accepted in the Principality of Monaco, where our legal seat is. It has been stressed by E.C. members that the legal responsibility rests with the president anyway.

If need be, the second Extraordinary General Assembly could be held in connection with the upcoming Executive Council meeting (probably in Senegal). 

The majority of the Executive Council and the members of the Control Commission were in favour of a dual convocation for two meetings on the same day of the Extraordinary General Assembly, and decided to give a mandate to the President  to contact the authorities in Monaco to receive a written approval of this dual convocation procedure. If Monaco says no, and if needed after the first Extraordinary General Assembly because of lack of a quorum, there will a later 2nd Extraordinary General Assembly after new convocation.

The president shall also seek confirmation from Monaco of the legality of the procedures chosen, be it under the 1975 Statutes or the 1996 Statutes.

The Treasurer General was against the idea of our President being our contact with Monaco , because he thinks, that our Secretary General is our legal representative as well as our legal expert.

5.  Preparation of the 2005 Congress.

Jean-Marie Durant explained that an information letter, an inscription formula and a map of Paris were sent out in January. It is urgently needed, that delegates inform the hosts about arrivals and departures to and from Paris , so that transport can be arranged and hotels reserved. Inscription should be made no later than 21 May, if hotel accommodation is to be guaranteed.

The cost of food and hotel will be approximately 300 Euro per person, if inscription is made in time. The hotel situation in Paris is very strained, but reservations have been made.

An official badge is needed to enter the Ministry of Health, where the General Assembly takes place. The meetings of the continental committees, the youth committee and the executive council will take place at the INTS, not far from the Ministry of Health.

The group of young French donors will be present. Instructions to facilitate obtaining visas have been given to  of Foreign Service.

The agenda was discussed and a few corrections made. The Convocation of an eventual 2nd Extraordinary General Assembly will be added to the programme on Saturday 2nd July at 12.00 a.m. , in case this is needed and accepted as legal by the Monaco authorities.

On Sunday, July 3rd, the congress will have a number of interventions about blood and blood donation by scientific, medical and political speakers, and there will be an introduction to the Blood Med programme (Pasquale Colamartino),to  the World Blood Donor Day (Niels Mikkelsen), a study of blood donation in Europe (statistics from the EU) and about the volunteer situation in France (Jean-Marie Durant).

6.  Work programme for the IFBDO 2005-2008.
The programme was not touched upon.
 
7.  Preparation of the upcoming elections to the Executive Council.

Robert informed that he would not leave the treasurer ship without certainty about new candidate. But the GA should this year or next find a new candidate for the post of Treasurer General. Unfortunately he will be absent from the GA and the Congress for family reasons. The President reassured Robert that after the appointment of the new treasurer general in Paris , an agreement will be found on the times for handing over the control.

8.   Discussion of production of more MIS medals

Four medals were granted to Tunisia : Dr. Jalel Gargouri, Mme Fatma Beji, Mr. Ezzedine Riahi, Mr. Khémaies Seghir.

The EC authorized the treasurer to have more medals produced if need be.

9.   Budget

The treasurer informed that demands for membership contributions have been distributed by now. The process has been delayed because of some formal problems with the bank and the reception of cheques.

10. Any other questions:

It was agreed that E-mails should be sent from the President and the Secretary General supporting the IYC and to urge national organisations to choose a young 18-30 years for the IYC. Such representative should speak English as second language, so that they can participate in the decisions. It was noted that in some countries, the second language is not English, but Leticia Ferreira explained that since few present IFBDO member speaks English as a first language, it is a second language for everybody. Translations to other languages are made when possible, however..

The treasurer explained, that a former account in the bank BRED had been closed in 1999, and that all the money had been transferred to ABN Amro Bank.

Niels Mikkelsen                  /                   Jean Marie Durant

   Secretary General                             assistant Secretary General