Paris, 23 September 2023
Minutes of the Ordinary General Meeting of EUROCAPITALES INTERNATIONAL - September 23, 2023
On September 23, 2023 at 4:00 p.m., the members of the EUROCAPITALES INTERNATIONAL association met at the Auditorium of the Hôtel de Ville, 5 rue de Lobau, 75004 Paris, for an Ordinary General Assembly.
The Ordinary General Meeting appoints Mr. Jean-Paul Doguet as session chairman and Ms. Maria-Luise Feser as session secretary.
The Ordinary General Meeting is called to decide on the following agenda:
1. Presentation and approval of the annual report for the 2022-23 financial year
2. Presentation of the financial report for the 2022-23 financial year and approval of the accounts
3. Adoption of the 2023-24 draft program
4. Admission of new members and vote to renew/reappoint the Executive Committee and the Bureau
5. Miscellaneous matters
The Chairman, Jean-Paul Doguet, opens the meeting and presents the annual report for 2022-23, followed by the draft program for 2023-24.
1. MORAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR 2022-23
On 9 September 2022, our constituent general meeting took place, leading to the creation of Eurocapitales International. This is the culmination of a long process of reflection. Eurocapitales Paris was set up in 1998 as a working group within CLIF (Comité de Liaison Ile-de-France) before becoming an association still dependent on CLIF.
However, for a long time it had seemed necessary to us to replace a simple network based on volunteers, but without legal support, with a real associative or federative framework integrating our partners in the European capitals. There was a debate in 2005, with no follow-up, when the creation of a permanent structure with employees in Brussels was envisaged. We then considered creating a federation in Brussels, under Belgian law. This presupposed the drawing up of a notarised deed signed by the King, which we accepted. But there was the problem of the registered office and we couldn't find an address that would accommodate us. The European Movement International informed us that the owner of their building was demanding a contribution to the rent as a condition of accepting the status of head office. So we moved back to Paris, which has the advantage of being much easier for us and also almost free, as it costs virtually nothing to set up an association in France.
The only problem we encountered was whether to create an association or a federation. At first we considered the second solution, but to no avail as the Prefecture did not respond to our repeated request to change the status of association to that of federation, which in France most often corresponds to an umbrella structure bringing together sports associations. But as there is nothing to prevent an association from having legal entities, i.e. other associations, as members, we have accepted this status, which suits our project. We therefore have two kinds of members, individuals and legal entities (other associations) such as the European Movement in Paris.In practical terms, and no doubt on a provisional basis, the Eurocapitales International board is a sort of duplicate of that of Eurocapitales Paris. The president, general secretary and treasurer are the same: Jean-Paul Doguet, Maria-Luise Feser and Cécile Houdoin. However, we believe that this will change in the future, and that it is simply a matter of convenience since all three of them live in the Paris region. We would be delighted if partners would take over from us.
At the same time, we opened a bank account with Crédit Lyonnais, which is matched to that of Eurocapitales Paris. Our treasurer has access to it, which would obviously be more difficult if she did not live in France. [We have also created a new website dedicated to Eurocapitales International, which takes over from the old one, and which is entirely bilingual. Maria-Luise Feser is in charge of it and has taken on the role of site manager].
2. DRAFT PROGRAMME 2023-24
In the coming year, we have two deadlines. Firstly, we are likely to hold a Webinar on Zoom on 13 January 2024, which will last an hour and a half and will be devoted to the question "The consequences for Europe of Sweden and Finland joining NATO". I have the agreement of our Finnish friends and we still need to find speakers. It will almost certainly be in English. In principle, there will be one French speaker, one Swede and one Finn (who cannot be Alexander Stubb, because of the presidential campaign). Our next multilateral meeting will take place in 2024, in June or September. We don't have the resources to organise it again in Paris, but there are other possible options. Athens is unlikely, as the Byron House room will be in use at that time. That leaves Finland, but the ME Finland will decide for itself in February at the latest.
3. FINANCIAL REPORT 2022-23
Cécile Houdoin, our Treasurer, then presented the financial report to 20/09/2023:
EUROCAPITALES INTERNATIONAL is barely a year old, and the financial elements describing its activity are relatively simple.
Operating account
At 20 September 2023, we had 13 memberships, of which 10 at €30 and 3 at €40, giving a total of €420. During the same period, the bank withdrew €19.54 in management fees.The balance, or result, is therefore €400.46, corresponding to the bank balance.
4. ACCESSION OF NEW MEMBERS AND VOTE ON THE RENEWAL/RENEWAL OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND BUREAU
In accordance with the Articles of Association, the members elected at the Constituent Assembly on 19 September 2022 are elected for a term of two years and may be re-elected. The composition of the Executive Committee shall progressively reflect the general diversity of its members.
The General Meeting re-elected the members of the Executive Committee:
- Jean-Paul Doguet, French,
- Christine Doring, French,
- Maria-Luise Feser, German,
- Cécile Houdoin, French,
- Jean-Claude Houdoin, French,
- Olga Imbert, Dutch,
- Jean-Louis Rizzoli, French.
The European Mouvement Helsinki Region, Kyläkirkontie 6-10 B34, 00370 Helsinki, Finland, joins the Board today as a legal entity, represented by Ilari Rantakari, of Finnish nationality.
EUROCAPITALES INTERNATIONAL is pleased to welcome two new members as legal entities:
- Europe House Byron Athens, 20 Prousis Street, 16232 Byron, Greece, represented by Stavros Vardalas, of Greek nationality,
- European Mouvement Helsinki Region, Kyläkirkontie 6-10 B34, 00370 Helsinki, Finland, represented by Ilari Rantakari, of Finnish nationality,
and now includes three legal entities, including
- Mouvement Européen-France Paris, 4 Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés, 75006 Paris, represented by Eric Dumont, President, and Mr Jean-Claude Houdoin, as deputy, both of French nationality, who joined us when our association was formed on 19 September 2022.
The General Meeting re-elected the following members of the Executive Committee:
- Jean-Paul Doguet, Chairman, French,
- Olga Imbert, Vice-Chairman, Dutch,
- Jean-Pierre Morizot, French,
- Maria-Luise Feser, General Secretary, German,
- Cécile Houdoin, Treasurer, French.
To date, the association has a total of 10 physical members and three moral members.
Following a vote on the modification of the Executive Committee to welcome the new physical and moral members and approval of the moral and financial reports, the Chairman adjourned the meeting.
The Chairman of the meeting - Jean-Paul Doguet
The Secretary of the meeting - Maria-Luise Feser
