1. GENERAL CONDITIONS
1.1. Latvian Electrical Engineering and Electronics Industry Association (hereinafter: the Association), is an independent, voluntary, non-governmental public organisation.
1.2. The Association is a legal person, acting in accordance with the Republic of Latvia’ “Law on Public Organisations and their Associations”, in accordance with other laws and regulations in force, and in accordance with these Statutes.
1.3. The name of Association is “Latvijas Elektrotehnikas un elektronikas rūpniecības asociācija’’, the acronym – LETERA. In English the name used is “Latvian Electrical Engineering and Electronics Industry Association”,
2. PURPOSE, TASKS AND METHODS OF OPERATION
2.1. The purpose of the Association is to unite companies, research and educational institutions of Latvian electrical engineering and electronics, optical equipment, information technology and telecommunications, defense equipment, aviation and space technology industry, including companies of foreign investors established in Latvia, to provide a forum to:
2.1.1. define their common interests;
2.1.2. represent the interests of their members and industry;
2.1.3. promote the strengthening, development and popularity of Latvian Electrical Engineering and Electronics, Defense Equipment, Aviation and Space Technology Industry.
2.2. The Tasks of Operation of the Association are:
2.2.1. to represent the Latvian Electrical Engineering and Electronics Industry towards National, European and International Institutions;
2.2.2. to reach the closest possible co-operation with European-level non-governmental organisations of Electrical Engineering and Electronics Industry;
2.2.3. to promote work in the Association and in Electrical Engineering and Electronics Industry following the principles of free enterprise, fair competition and fair trade in Europe and throughout the world;
2.2.4. to advise and assist the Latvian Government and Administration in order to implement European Union agreed legislation, in Latvia in the most efficient and most practical way;
2.2.5. to submit their proposals to improve legislation concerning Electrical Engineering and Electronics Industry and related industries;
2.2.6. to encourage the development of education and science, the forming of new companies, the economic and technical development of existing companies;
2.2.7. to develop a healthy innovation environment which will stimulate the creation of new products with higher added value;
2.2.8. to promote international networking and partnership among members, including technological and production co-operation;
2.2.9. to participate and to organise companies’ participation in international exhibitions and fairs.
2.3. The Operation Methods of the Association are:
2.3.1. co-operation with other representative Latvian Associations as in the frame of Alliance of the Information and Communications Technology, Electronics and Electrical Engineering Industries as based on bipartite relationship;
2.3.2. co-operation with others countries’ and international representative Associations of Electronics and Electrical Engineering Industries as well as participation in operation of International Associations;
2.3.3. to request and receive from the State and Municipal institutions information needed to perform tasks and achieve objectives, if there are no legislative limitations set on hand out of information;
2.3.4. to participate in work of commissions, work groups and expert councils formed by State and Municipal institutions, and in the scope of competence to offer opinion on problems to be solved;
2.3.5. other activities allowing to reach the objectives and tasks of the Association in a legislative way;
3. MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION, ELIGIBILITY AND DELETION
3.1 Eligible as members of the Association are companies, research and educational institutions registered and operating in Latvia, whose activities are related to Industry of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Information and Communications Technology, as well as other legal persons that recognise purposes, operation and Statutes of the Association.
3.2 Joining the Association:
3.2.1. The request to become a member should be directed to the Board of LETERA and sent in writing to the LETERA secretariat;
3.2.2. The Secretariat checks that the conditions for membership listed in section 3.1 are fulfilled and recommends to the Board to either accept the new member or to decline the application;
3.2.3. The Board decides on the acceptance of new members;
3.2.4. In case of doubt, the Board may decide to place the question of membership on the agenda of a General Assembly who then takes the Association’s final decision in the matter. The decision requires a majority of two-thirds of the members present.
3.3. Resigning from Membership:
3.3.1. Notice of resignation from membership must be in writing. It must be sent to the secretariat of the Association in a registered letter, with at least 6 months notice before;
3.3.2. In very special circumstances, to be decided on a case-by-case basis, the Board may grant a member permission to resign at another time.
3.4. Deletion from the Register of Association Members:
3.4.1. A member will be deleted from the register of Association members:
a) when the conditions for membership, vide section 3.1, are no longer fulfilled;
(b) when the member owes membership fees for two quarters or more;
(c) when the member does not follow or fulfil the Statutes of the Association or the activities of member are contrary to the Statutes or are harming the interests of the Association;
(d) when the relevant company ceases its operation.
3.4.2. If membership is to be deleted in accordance with section 3.4.1 item b, but the member can present a credible plan to pay future fees, and catch up with payments of back fees, then the Board may grant a temporary extension of the membership. The total period without fee payment, however, can never exceed 12 months, and back fees must be paid within two years of the Board’s decision to extend membership.
3.4.3. If deletion has taken place in accordance with section 3.4.1 item b), re-admission to membership can only take place in accordance with the procedure described in section 3.2.
3.5. Financial Winding up with the Association: No form of termination of membership can release the Member Company from its obligation to pay its membership fees for the entire period of its membership, i.e. until the expiry of the notice period defined in section 3.3 above, 1st paragraph.
3.6. Passive Members or Honorary Members of honour: The Board of Association can elect physical persons as passive members or honorary members, without right to vote, without membership fee, and without right to be elected as members of the Board or Auditor.
4. DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION
4.1. Duties of Member of the Association:
4.1.1. to participate actively in the work of the Association, to assist the fulfilment of tasks and achievement of objectives of the Association;
4.1.2. to follow the Statutes of the Association and to fulfil the decisions of General Assembly and Board;
4.1.3. not to take the activities that would be contrary to the Association;
4.1.4. to follow up with duties consigned by the Association;
4.1.5. to pay membership fee on time.
4.2. Rights of Member of the Association:
4.2.1. to participate in the organisation of work and operation of the Association;
4.2.2. to receive information regarding operation of the Association;
4.2.3. to participate in the elections of administration of the Association as well as to be elected;
4.2.4. to submit proposals to the administrational institutions of the Association and to participate in discussion of submitted proposals;
4.2.5. to ask and to receive the protection and support of the Association;
4.2.6. to withdraw from the Association.
5. ADMINISTRATIVE INSTITUTIONS OF THE ASSOCIATION
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE ASSOCIATION
5.1. The General Assembly of members of Association (hereinafter – The General Assembly) is the highest authority in all Association affairs. The Association holds one annual ordinary General Assembly and may hold extraordinary General Assemblies if requested by at least one-fourth of members, or by Auditor.
5.2. The Board decides on the location and date of General Assembly and sends the notification and the agenda to members at one month prior.
5.3. Right to Attend and Right to Vote:
5.3.1. a member company may be represented at a General Assembly by its owner, by its president, by its managing director or by a member of its executive board, or by other authorised person;
5.3.2. if a company is represented by more than one person, it must inform the Chairman directing the General Assembly about who casts the member’s vote;
5.3.3. a member unable to attend may be represented by another member, provided that other member carries a written proxy, known to the Chairman of the General Assembly before any vote is taken.
5.4. Voting Rules and Quorum:
5.4.1. each Member of the Association has one vote;
5.4.2. the General Assembly can decide when at least half of the Association’s members are present;
5.4.3. if the required quorum is not represented at a General Assembly, then an extraordinary General Assembly shall be called for the same agenda, but not sooner than ten working days after, than the decision are taken by simple majority, and without regard to the number of the Association’s members present;
5.4.4. Adoption of proposals concerning change of Statutes requires two-thirds of the votes of members present.
5.4.5. All other proposals are adopted or rejected by simple majority.
5.4.6. The General Assembly can decide on kind of voting – to vote by ballot or by show of hands as well as on other voting related matters not prescribed in the procedures of present Statutes.
5.5. Exclusively General Assembly:
5.5.1. approves and revises Statutes;
5.5.2. elects the President of the Association, the Board and the Auditor for the period of 1 year;
5.5.3. approves the programme of operation of the Association;
5.5.4. decides on joining as a member and membership fee;
5.5.5. approves the budget of the Association;
5.5.6. approves the reports of the Board and Auditor;
5.5.7. decides on discharge of responsibility of the President of the Association, the Board and Auditor;
5.5.8. takes decisions on the cease of operation, reorganisation or liquidation of the Association.
5.6. The General Assembly can decide also on any other matter important to the Association and can take corresponding decision.
THE BOARD OF THE ASSOCIATION
5.7. The Association is represented and the daily affairs are managed by the Board.
5.8. Election of the Board of the Association:
5.8.1. The Board is elected by simple majority in the ordinary General Assembly.
5.8.2. The Board has a Chairman, who is also the President of the Association, and a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 10 other members.
5.8.3. The General Assembly first elects the Chairman of the Board (President), with a 1-year mandate. Re-election for another 1-year period is possible. Thereafter, re-election is only possible after a one-year pause, or if there are no other candidates than the incumbent President.
5.8.4. Thereafter, the General Assembly elects the remaining members of the Board, each with a 1-year mandate. Re-election for another 1-year period is possible.
5.8.5. Candidates for election to the Board must be either a Member Company’s’ Owner, President, Managing Director, or a Member of the Company’s Management. When a Member of the Association’s Board no longer fulfils one of these conditions, he or she automatically resigns from the Board.
5.8.6. In proposing new candidates for the Board, the Board should strive for a fair balance of representation from the Electrical Engineering Industry as well as from the Electronics Industry, and also from smaller and larger companies. This provision cannot bind the General Assembly to vote in a particular way.
5.9. The President calls Board meetings as often as he or she deems it necessary, but at least once in a quarter.
5.10. The Board of the Association:
5.10.1. ensures the call of General Assemblies and organises their work;
5.10.2. approves new members of the Association;
5.10.3. works out, accepts programme of operation of the Association and proposes it to the consideration at General Assembly;
5.10.4. reviews and submits for approval to General Assembly the project of the Association’s budget;
5.10.5. based on the advise of the President, approves the Vice-President and the Executive Director of the Association;
5.10.6. approves the organisational structure of the Secretariat of the Association, as well as approves the personnel of the Secretariat within the budget approved in General Assembly;
5.10.7. decides how to share the work between the Board Members and other Association Members;
5.10.8. manages the property of the Association and acts with the property in accordance with these Statutes and General Assembly;
5.10.9. concludes civil deals;
5.10.10. completes expenses accordingly for the purposes of the Association;
5.10.11. concludes labour contracts with employees of the Association and terminates the contracts in accordance with established contract procedure, determines the salaries within the budget approved in General Assembly;
5.10.12. confers Association representation rights;
5.10.13. in case of necessity entitles a certain member of the Board, member of the Secretariat, member of the Association or any other person for accomplishing Board competence containing functions;
5.10.14. decides about any other operation questions of the Association, unless they are not directly related to the competency of General Assembly, President or auditor.
5.11. The Board can take decisions when at least half its members are present. Board takes decisions by simple majority in show of the hands vote. In case of an equal number of votes for and against, the President holds the casting vote.
5.12. If a vacancy occurs, then the Board is supplemented from amongst the members of the Association. That selection must be confirmed at the first upcoming ordinary General Assembly. A new Board member remains a Board Member until the expiry of his or her predecessor’s mandate.
5.13. The Board manages the Association only in common. The Association is represented by the President without any specific authorisation.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION
5.14. The President of the Association:
5.14.1. represents the interests of the Association in Governmental and other organisations, including foreign and international organisations;
5.14.2. organises the work of the Board, leads its meetings and is responsible for its work;
5.15. The Vice President performs the functions of President in accordance with his/her mandate or following the decision of the Board in a case of his/her prolonged absence.
5.16. The day-to-day work of the Association is completed by Secretariat:
5.16.1. The Secretariat is managed by the Executive Director;
5.16.2. Based on proposal of President, the Board commissions and fires the Executive Director;
5.16.3. organises the execution of decisions and tasks set by the Board;
5.16.4. The Secretariat reports to the Board on its operation at least once in a quarter.
5.17. The Auditor: 5.17.1. reviews the economical and financial transactions of the Association;
5.17.2. evaluates the compliance of annual report to the financial position of the Association;
5.17.3. reports to General Assembly and to Board about the financial operation of the Association.
6. FINANCES OF THE ASSOCIATION
6.1. The finances of the Association consists of:
6.1.1. the application fee and membership fee of members of the Association;
6.1.2. donations and endowments of physical and legal persons;
6.1.3. revenues from the events organised by the Association;
6.1.4. other revenues from financing sources not prohibited by law.
6.2. Each member pays a membership fee. The level and structure of the membership fees is determined by the General Assembly on proposals by the Board.
6.3. A fee to special purposes: Above ordinary membership fee a Group of Members with a particular interest in a specific industry-affecting issue may choose to jointly cover all extra cost arising from that. Such extra income and the corresponding expenses shall be shown separately in the Association’s accounts.
6.4. Collection of the Membership Fee:
6.4.1. the membership fee is collected on a quarterly basis. The membership fee must be paid before the end of the second month of each quarter;
6.4.2. member joining the Association during a financial year will pay a pro rata fee.
6.4.3. the Secretariat notifies the Board of all cases of non-payment for two quarters. The Board then enacts the procedure described in section 3.4.1, item b.
6.5. Application of Fund
6.5.1. The funds of the association are placed in a bank.
6.5.2. In the case of special transactions, such as the purchase, sale or mortgaging of real estate, or the raising or granting of a loan the unanimous approval of the Board is required.
6.5.3. Revenues received from entrepreneurship or other economic activities shall be used for the purposes foreseen and are not to be divided to the members of the Association.
7. THE ORDER OF DISSOLUTION OF OPERATION OF THE ASSOCIATION
7.1. The dissolution, reorganisation of the Association or a merger with another association can happen in accordance with the approval of the General Assembly, and requires votes of at least two-thirds of members of the Association.
7.2. If decision on dissolution of operation of the Association is approved than General Assembly with a resolution decides on the application of the Association’s property and funds, on the preservation of archive documents, and elects the Commission of Liquidation, which acts in a scope of delegated authority.
7.3. Information on the dissolution of operation of the Association shall be published in a mass media.
