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AGM 2008

Report of the EPU session on the morning of 25th October *2008 prior to the AGM.

Present:

Minutes made by Hugh Hamilton

Johan welcomed all, set out the day's agenda and explained the translation system. He recalled our visit to Como, and the visit to Brussels where we got the support of 74 MEPs. Our executive committee had met 8 times in two years, had made rules and business plans. Philip Rendtorff  (partly to represent Scandinavia) and Heike Kluever-Littlewood had been co-opted to the board, and we now have 15 organisations in 12 countries.

Johan said our immediate plans included the following:-

  1. The evolvement or completion of the website--this must be done within 6 months.
  2. Solid fundraising must be started by all members throughout Europe and assist us to lobby the European Union. Johan had contacted Rotary in Benelux, and hoped to benefit, but each country must play their part.
  3. We must produce a new enthusiasm to focus on our connections in the European Parliament.
  4. Recruit friends in eastern European countries, where situations are very tough--it is a question of solidarity.
  5. Bring together more interest in the needs of our members--more communication among us.

Helen spoke on the business report, produced by Heike Kluever-Littlewood, who unfortunately could not be here. She reported that there was an overall balance of c.7300 euros.

Daniel reported on the questionnaire/ register. The aim is to collect data and numbers on all polio members, and he presented an overview on progress.

The meeting was then thrown open to questions.

Lola: said it would be hard to collect the required data. Louise agreed.

Philip: said it is very important that everybody encourages their members to fill in the questionnaires.

Bassi: said they had tried to get family doctors to help in projects like this, but they had refused.

John McFarlane: said he approved but that it must be done properly, and that members approval should be obtained for the information to be used.

Kai Paschen: said that only 3% of polios were active in Germany, and that in Germany no members had a family doctor only a specialist, but agreed that there were different situations all over Europe.

Johan: said that all present would receive an email asking all to answer to give their opinion on the legality and potentiality of the register.

John McFarlane was asked to speak on the website. He said that the aim is to build the website into a dynamic tool where people will be able to enter questions into it. At present it will be in English but might be expanded. He hopes to have a skeleton working after Xmas and to have it working properly by Easter. It will be up to members to submit information for the website, once a centre point for the website is set up. John was thanked for his work.

Other Business.

Philip reported that Finland now wanted to join.
Lola said that rules had been made last October in Brussels, and they were already being changed. Johan replied that it would be dealt with this afternoon.

Louise said that very little had been done since Como and that there seemed to be fewer countries represented at this meeting. She criticised the logo which she didn't like. Johan replied that we have had to progress slowly, and that other countries are giving us their support even if they were unable to attend today.

Kai Paschen suggested that in building the website, it should include a lot of information about managing members’ diseases.

Aadje suggested that the EPU website should have a connection with the website of member countries.
Finally, Johan suggested that John McFarlane should discuss matters with Dr. Paschen in the next few weeks.

MINUTES  EPU  AGM,  25th  OCTOBER  2008,  RHEINSBERG,  GERMANY

Present  (V = voting member) :

Present (V = voting member)
Kai Paschen (Germany)   V
Ulrike Jarolimeck (Germany)    
Klaus Kunert (Germany)  
Reiner Mueller (Germany)
  
Margret Embry (Germany/Belgium)
  
Johan Bijttebier (Belgium)        
 V
Tine Tournicourt (Belgium)
  
Katleen Tribou (Belgium)
  
Daniel Peltzer (Belgium)         
 V  (voting in the name of France;Brigitte Bonnin gave him the autherization)
Helen Bailey (UK)                 
 V
Hugh Hamilton (Ireland)      
 V
John McFarlane (Ireland)
  
Louise Read (Italy)
  
Roberto Bassi (Italy)
  
Adriano Piffer (Italy)
  
Vanda Maestroni (Italy)
  
Paul Bosco (Italy)
  
Philip Rendtorff (Denmark)  
 V
Lola Corrales (Spain) 
 V
Carlos Perez Lopez (Spain)
  
Els Symons (Netherlands)      
 V
Aadje de Groot (Netherlands)
  
Christian Valeix, interpreter  

 

Minutes made by Hugh Hamilton

After lunch Johan started the official part of the day.

Some organisations could not come to the meeting but send good wishes to support the work of the EPU.

Ulrike Jarolimeck, from the Board of the Bundesverband, which has 3000 members, informed us that she had been asked to represent the Bundesverband in the matter of European affairs. She felt it was very important to inform people of the everyday problems of Polio survivors.

Reiner Mueller of the Bundesverband also issued a welcome to all present. He supports what we are doing but warns that finance is very difficult.

Minutes AGM 2008
The minutes of the Brussels meeting were proposed by Hugh H. and seconded by Daniel P. and were passed provided that Michelle Dives should have been named as a member of the Register sub-committee.

Financial Statement.
Helen suggested the previously mentioned banding system for subscriptions should be adopted, and Germany suggested another system whereby the subscription fee would be decided along with members' budgets. Philip proposed the former and it was passed unanimously.

Election of Board members.
Johan proposed and Els seconded that Heike and Philip be elected to the board.This was passed--7 in favour with 1 abstention.

Sub-committees. 
It was agreed that the name of the Research Committee should be changed to the Committee of Medical Affairs, and that it should comprise Margret Embry and Dr. K. Paschen, and that the Register committee should still be Daniel, Brigitte and Michelle. This was proposed by Johan, seconded by Daniel and passed unanimously.

Amendment of Rules:   

PROPOSALS TO CHANGE RULES

  1. That we no longer use the terms ”Honorary Officers” and ”Organising Committee” and replace these with an ”Executive Board” which will comprise a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer and 2 Ordinary Members.

  2. That we have 2 categories of membership:
               
    1. Full members which are national organisations concerned with polio that have more than 50 members who pay a joining fee and annual membership fee and therefore are allowed to vote.
    2. Associate members (e.g national organisations concerned with polio who have less than 50 members; other polio related organisations; institutions or persons with a professional interest in polio; people with polio in countries where there is no organisation representing their interests) who must first be approved by the Executive Board. They must pay an annual membership fee but are not allowed to vote.

  3. That we no longer have a ”Management Council”. Instead this will be replaced by a tiered voting structure at the AGM whereby full member organisations with the following size of membership will have the following number of votes:
    50 – 500 members = 1 vote
    501 – 2000 members = 2 votes
    2001 + members = 3 votes

 

Point 1 was passed--7 votes in favour and 1 against. 

Points 2 and 3 were postponed. Philip asked members to send suggestions to the board within the next 12 months.

Leaflet.
Hugh asked all members to send him any changes they think should be made when our leaflet is being reprinted.

Proposals. 
Lola proposed that a proposer should not need a seconder, and that proposals should be sent to the board at least 4 weeks before the AGM. This was passed unanimously. This will be changed in the Rules.

Johan thanked Margret for organising the weekend, and made a small presentation.

Then Kai Paschen delivered his presentation to the group, after which Dr. Bassi made a short presentation about his organisation in Italy.

 

PDFf Document Presentation made by Kai Paschen, MD, Germany, after the AGM 2008 (PDF 188KB)

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