The President P. COLAMARTINO opened the session at 15h15. He asked for observation of one minutes silence for the victims in CASABLANCA and ALGERIA.

The Secretary General gave a historic overview of the events leading to the decision to propose changes to the present Statutes. The proposal, presented in three languages, contained the original version and next to this, the proposed changes. These documents had been sent to all member associations of the IFBDO.

L’EGA was, accordingly, asked to pronounce itself, today, for or against the presented change to the Statutes. If the proposal was accepted, the vote should also respect the rule of quorum, fixed to 2/3rds of the member associations. If this was not reached, it would then be necessary to convoke a new EGA which could then decide without the obligation to have a quorum.

If the proposal was rejected, it would then be necessary to rewrite the new proposals, which should be distributed for reflection and comments from the member associations, and then presented to an EGA and voted upon.

As this had been made clear, N. MIKKELSEN made an account of the delegations present:

Present : Italy – France – Greece – the Netherlands – Morocco – Switzerland – Québec

Denmark, or 8 members.

Had given full powers : Algeria (F. BELOUAFI) – Cameroon (N. MIKKELSEN) -

Burkina Faso (G. VANHOVE) – Luxembourg (N. MIKKELSEN) – Monaco, (C. PIOTTON) or 5 members..

The representatives from TUNISA, MALI and BENIN were to arrive to the session any moment, which would bring the total number of delegations present or represented to 16 : the quorum was, accordingly, not reached.

M. MAZZINE told that she had received a telephone call from Màrcia (BRAZIL), but she could not give a proper account, as it had been difficult to hear.

As a pre-ambular to his presentation of the statutary changes, G. VANHOVE declared that he would intervene as the rapporteur, and not as a representative of France. Then he indicated that the work done corresponded to a synthesis made in regard of the answers received, without any à priori restrictions.

One after one he explained the Articles I (paragraph A4, D), VI, XVII, XVIII of the proposed Statutes, and then the Articles II, III, XI and XIII of the Rules of Procedures.

The Italian delegation declared that it would not participate in the discussion, because the quorum was not reached. Moreover, it thought that the Statutes should be discussed in their entirety and not Article by Article.

L.C. PETRO found that it was necessary to think especially about the difficult financial situation of the IFBDO, which forced it to have Statutes, which took into account all new possibilities which offer themselves to us today : it seemed to him, that it was in this context that the Executive Council had reflected

JOHANN HOEPFNER made the remark, that first of all it was important to decide upon the Head Quarters of the IFBDO, which, as we all know, is in MONACO. The Monaco-law can certainly encompass the present Statutes, which we should quickly get registered, if we would avoid inconveniences and other problems, which could happen to the IFBDO, if it was affronted with administrative problems.

L.C. PETRO felt embarrassed because of the blocked situation due to the lack of a quorum when several persons had spent so much work to prepare the new Statutes. He was not, at all, convinced, that postponing the approval would bring a solution to the problem.

R. LABADIE recognized that the documents presented were interesting and could help us with the functioning of the IFBDO, even if he had to admit, that the different rules from one country to the other could make explanations subtle and make it difficult to obtain the larger number. Each person will bring his logic and manner of thought. It is then not surprising, that the elaboration procedure can be very long. We are, in front of such a work, amateurs in spite of the excellent work performed.

JOHANN HOEPFNER reminded that in the beginning it was simply a question of presenting Statutes which were acceptable to allow the IFBDO to me recognized as an NGO. So documents, which were simple and easy to explain, should be elaborated but leaving room for use for the integration of certain demands. Le model of Statutes which are good for the International Red Cross could also be good for the IFBDO.

ALLAMEDINE proposed that at the coming GA we should present a well prepared document integrating the political orientation of the IFBDO, but where the technical validation had obligatorily been made in advance.

Expressing his discontent, G. VANHOVE reminded:

• That the consultations had been made within the foreseen delays,

• That too few members had made the effort to respond

• That the Statutes were original and they gave more powers to the Executive

• That today, no one came forward to manifest anything what so ever,

• That we are in agreement, as well on substance as on format, even if we could agree that certain articles could validly be transferred from the Statutes to the Rules of Procedures,

So why refuse to let them live ?

P. COLAMARTINO asked that thoughts were given to the framework in which the EC worked, which include a work programme incorporating an engagement in a programme of international activities and financing with the cooperation with other organisations such as the WHO, the International Red Cross etc … It was then logical and necessary that out Statutes reflected the reality and could respond to the changes of perspective.

Our work plan with the European Union oblige us to have a qualified structure corresponding to an international cooperation.

We should also integrate in our Statutes the creation of the IFBDO-Foundation, which could be the financial branch which would allow for support to the financing of our international interventions. Certainly just a few simple changes to our present Statutes were needed to allow us to enter this process.

The seat of the IFBDO could then remain in MONACO, while the Foundation should be established within one of the member states of the European Union.

N. MIKKELSEN could well consider that we were amateurs in this matter, but it still remained that the Statutes should not be so rigid but have, on the contrary, a clear vision. They were of an enormous importance for the promotion of voluntary blood donation in the entire world.

To the question posed by JOHANN HOEPFNER, the Secretary General declared that the Foundation could not operate significantly if it was run within the framework of the IFBDO. This also implies that other partners work with us with in the Board of the Foundation, where we remain the majority.

F. BELOUAFI and E. RIAHI thought that it was totally useless to postpone the adoption of the new Statutes which had been discussed since NABEUL and for which consultations had been made, especially in TUNISIA, and they concluded that the project was good and acceptable.

R. LABADIE noted, that we already had access to the WHO with the present Statutes, and he would vote against the new Statutes which did not bring any added value..

While the representative of MALI recognized, that is was the application of the Statutes that created problems, JOHANN HOEPFNER proposed simply to improve the 1952 documents to refine them to make them compatible with the evolution up to date.

The EGA then proceeded to vote after N. MIKKELSEN had reminded that if the EGA was in favour, the texts should be submitted to another EGA, because the rules for a quorum were not respected today.

If the EGA pronounced itself against, the procedure of discussions would stop, and we were obliged top take the project from the beginning again.   Result of the vote : NO = 8 votes

ABSTENTION = 7 votes (Mali – Morocco – Switzerland – Algeria – Monaco – Luxemburg – Cameroon)

The present Statutes should, accordingly, be rapidly formalized within the Principality of Monaco.

Taking his conclusions of this result, G. VANHOVE declared himself disengaged from his role as rapporteur

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The Agenda was exhausted.

The session ended at 17h50

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The Assistant Secretary General,                                      The Secretary General

Jean-Marie Durant                                                             Niels Mikkelsen