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Article 1 – OBJECT OF THE CONVENTION

The object of the Convention is to organise the relations between the members of the Group in order to achieve the best possible organisation of World Veterinary Year. In particular, the Group must enable the following to be done:

• motivate veterinary institutions throughout the world to organise events to commemorate the 250th anniversary, thereby helping to promote the image of the profession in their country;
• set up a procedure to enable these events to obtain the label "Vet 2011";
• keep a record of all the events that have obtained this label and disseminate the list as a means of demonstrating the success of World Veterinary Year;
• help to collect external funding so as to ensure that approved events are of the highest quality;
• organise or supervise the organisation of some of the events in collaboration with other institutions;
• coordinate the initiatives of all the partners and encourage media coverage of all the initiatives being undertaken within the context of World Veterinary Year.

Article 2 – HEADQUARTERS OF THE GROUP

The headquarters of the Group shall be at the National Veterinary School of Lyons. This may be changed by decision of the Management Council.

Article 3 – DURATION OF THE GROUP

The Group shall be established for a period of four years from the signing of the present Convention. At the end of this period, it may however be extended for a period sufficient to enable the accounts to be settled.

Article 4 – THE MEMBERS OF THE GROUP

• The founding members are the signatories of the present Convention.
• Distinguished members are individuals or corporate bodies that render or have rendered the Group distinguished services.
• Associate members are French, foreign or international veterinary or research institutions wishing to join the Group to contribute to the overall success of its undertaking.
• Corresponding members are foreign veterinary institutions willing to act as ambassadors for the Group within their respective countries by promoting the organisation of events.

Distinguished members, associate members and corresponding members shall be admitted by decision of the Executive Council subject to their having agreed to the provisions of the present Convention. Only the founding members and associate members are required to pay an annual subscription, in an amount to be determined by the Executive Council.

The Group shall also include:

• institutional partners, namely non-veterinary institutions providing moral and material support for the success of the undertaking,
• business partners, namely firms that have been authorised to have their trademark or image associated with all or part of the activities of Vet 2011, in return for a financial contribution.

Article 5 – CANCELLATION OF MEMBERSHIP

Membership may be cancelled either:

• by voluntary withdrawal at the end of a budget year, after having given three months notice before the end of the year and subject to the financial arrangements for the withdrawal having been agreed to by the Executive Council;
• or by expulsion decided upon by the Executive Council in the event of a persistent failure to fulfil obligations, the member in question having previously been accorded a hearing and having met his/her current financial obligations.

Article 6 – THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

• Composition

The Executive Council is comprised of the following persons:

• the Director General of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE),
• the Director General for Food (France),
• the Director General for Education and Research (France),
• the Vice-President of the General Council for Agriculture, Food and Rural Areas (France),
• the President of the Higher Council of the French Order of Veterinarians,
• the President of the French Veterinary Union's Federation,
• the President of the French Veterinary Academy,
• the Director of the National Veterinary School of Alfort,
• the Director of the National Veterinary School of Lyon,
• the Director of the National Veterinary School of Nantes,
• the Director of the National Veterinary School of Toulouse,
• the Director of the National School of Veterinary Services,
• one or more representatives of the associate members designated by the founding members,
• one or more representatives of the corresponding members designated by the founding members,
• one or more representatives of the institutional partners designated by the founding members,
• one or more representatives of the business partners designated by the founding members,
• the President of the Activities and Coordination Committee.

Persons whose presence the President considers useful may also be invited to attend sessions of the Executive Council in an advisory capacity.

• Role

The Executive Council, a strategic body, discusses any matters concerning the existence, policy and activities of the Group; it takes the decisions needed for the smooth running of the Group. In particular:

• it appoints the President and the members of the Animation and Coordination Committee;
• it decides on the admission of new members;
• it approves the activity programme proposed by the Animation and Coordination Committee;
• it approves proposals for the labelling procedure put forward by the Animation and Coordination Committee;
• it ratifies the labelling proposals made by the Animation and Coordination Committee;
• it fixes the level of members' subscriptions;
• it grants subscription exemptions for members who have contributed to the operation of the Group by providing staff, equipment or premises;
• it adopts the operating budget for the Group;
• it draws up an annual statement of the actions undertaken;
• it approves the accounts for the previous financial year;
• it decides on whether to extend the duration of the Group or to dissolve it;
• it may adopt internal rules for the Group.

• Functioning

The Executive Council shall appoint a President, either from among its members or from among internationally renowned French or foreign veterinarians. It shall then choose from among its members a first and a second Vice-President, a Secretary General and a Treasurer. The latter members along with the President shall comprise the Bureau of the Executive Council. Should any member of the Bureau lose the status on which his/her membership is based, or be otherwise incapacitated, he/she shall be replaced at the following meeting of the Executive Council.

The President or, in his/her absence, one of the Vice-Presidents, shall chair the meetings of the Executive Council. These meetings are to be prepared by the Secretary General and the President of the Animation and Coordination Committee, under the responsibility of the President of the Executive Council.

The Executive Council shall meet at least once a year. It may also meet at any time on the initiative of its President, at the request of a third of its members or at the request of the President of the Animation and Coordination Committee. Notification of the meeting, accompanied by the agenda prepared by the President, must be sent out in time to arrive at least three weeks in advance.

If unable to attend a meeting, members of the Executive Council may either designate a representative or give their proxy to another member of the Executive Council, each member being allowed no more than three proxies.

A quorum requires half of the members to be present or represented. If the quorum is not reached, another meeting shall be convened within fifteen days and may then proceed irrespective of the number of members present.

The decisions of the Executive Council shall wherever possible be reached by a consensus between the members.

In all cases, unanimity of the members shall be required for decisions relating to:

- the extension or dissolution of the group;
- the inclusion of new members;

In the absence of a consensus and for all questions other than those requiring unanimity, as defined above, decisions shall require an absolute majority of the members present and represented, each having one vote.

At the end of each meeting, a report is to be prepared under the responsibility of the Secretary General and sent to the members.

Should a decision on a matter of routine management need to be taken between two sessions, the Executive Council may be consulted by electronic mail at the initiative of the President, of one of the members of the Bureau or by the President of the Animation and Coordination Committee. In this procedure, the absence of a response within a period of two weeks shall be considered as tacit agreement. Decisions are then taken by an absolute majority of the members of the Executive Council.

 

Article 7 – THE ANIMATION AND COORDINATION COMMITTEE

a) Composition

The Animation and Coordination Committee, an operational body, shall comprise the following:

• a President appointed by the Executive Council;

• twelve to twenty members also appointed by the Executive Council. Each of the founding members shall propose a representative, the remaining members being proposed by the President of the Committee.

Persons whose presence the President of the Animation and Coordination Committee considers useful – in particular, staff allocated to the Group – may also participate in sessions of this Committee in an advisory capacity.

b) Role

The Animation and Coordination Committee is responsible for submitting proposals to the Executive Council and, if they are validated, implementing or supervising the implementation of all the initiatives necessary in order for the objectives determined by the Group to be achieved. In particular:

• it investigates candidatures for new members;
• it develops proposals for the action programme;
• it develops proposals for the "Vet 2011 label" procedure;
• it investigates applications for the "Vet 2011 label";
• it prepares the draft operating budget for the Group;
• it organises the management of resources for the Group;
• it organises or supervises the organisation of certain events taking place in France;
• it provides assistance, in accordance with its resources, to all the event organisers in France or abroad at their request;
• it coordinates the initiatives of all the partners and promotes the media coverage of all actions.

c) Functioning

The Animation and Coordination Committee chooses from among its members one or more Vice-Presidents, each of whom is required to assume specific operational responsibilities and to replace the President if he/she is unavailable.

It shall meet at least once every three months and as and when necessary at the invitation of its President. The calendar of routine meetings must be prepared three months in advance. No quorum is required.

If unable to attend, members of the Animation and Coordination Committee may give their proxy to another member of the Committee, each member being allowed no more than three proxies.

Wherever possible, proposals of the Animation and Coordination Committee shall be elaborated and its operational decisions taken by a consensus of its members. In the absence of a consensus, the President of the Executive Council, or one of the members of the Bureau who has been designated for the purpose, shall be called upon to adjudicate.

At the end of each meeting, a list of conclusions reached shall be prepared and sent to the members.

 

Article 8 – FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF THE GROUP

As the Group does not have its own legal status, the National Veterinary School of Lyons is designated as the Administrator of the present Convention and, in this capacity, shall receive and manage subscriptions, grants and the various credits obtained for the functioning of the Group. It shall make expense payments as instructed by the President of the Animation and Coordination Committee. A special account has been opened in the accounts of the institution. Its Director, who is responsible for overseeing expenditure, shall report to the Executive Council annually on the financial management.

Requests for external funding shall be made, on behalf of the Group, by the President of the Animation and Coordination Committee. Any funds thus obtained shall be managed as indicated above.

When the Group is dissolved, the Executive Council shall decide on the allocation of any remaining funds to one or more institutions working to promote the veterinary profession or provide mutual aid for veterinarians. The Administrator will then make the corresponding payments.

 

Article 9 –DISPUTES

For any problems that may arise over the implementation or interpretation of the present Convention, the relevant parties undertake to seek an amicable settlement within the Executive Council. In the event of a persistent dispute, the matter shall be referred for arbitration to the Minister responsible for Agriculture or to a person designated by the Minister for this purpose.

 

Convention signed in Paris, 7 May 2008.