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MEDITERRANEAN EQUESTRIAN UNION

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STATUTE

STATUTE

OF THE MEDITERRANEAN HORSE UNION

Article 1 – Name - Duration

1.       An association called “UNIONE IPPICA DEL MEDITERRANEO” is established.

2. The duration of the association is set until December thirty-first, two thousand one hundred (31.12.2100) and may be extended or dissolved early, in accordance with the provisions of this Statute.

 Article 2 – Headquarters

The registered office of the UNION OF MEDITERRANEAN HORSE RACING is at the Mediterranean Racecourse, Contrada Spinagallo 50 96100 Syracuse, Italy. The administrative office is traditionally located in the country where the Secretary General resides and in the place established by the General Assembly.

The General Assembly may, in any case, decide to transfer the registered office to another location and also abroad.

 Article 3 – Subject

1.       The main purposes of the Mediterranean Horse Racing Union are:

       a)    to celebrate the historical and cultural commonality of the countries in the Mediterranean area, promoting the development of friendly relations among the Member States and fostering their collaboration in the horse racing sector;

          b)     enhance the breeds of trotting and galloping racehorses and the purebred Arabian;

           c)       to promote horse racing in the countries of the Mediterranean area, as well as to spread its integrity, culture, traditions, and prestige throughout the world.

2.       The specific tasks of the MEDITERRANEAN HORSE UNION are:

          a)       establish close, lasting and friendly relations between the Federations, Bodies and Associations affiliated with it;

        b)     to promote respect for the horse in competitive equestrian activities in the Mediterranean area and to foster the dissemination of the culture of racehorses within the relevant communities;

      c)       to plan and organize international equestrian events in the countries adhering to the UNION FOR MEDITERRANEAN HORSE RACING, establishing the calendar and, in particular, to organize an annual competition called the “Mediterranean Championship”, establishing its calendar and defining the necessary regulations for the participation of athletes and, if applicable, horses in the two disciplines of flat racing and trotting;

       d)     harmonize and strengthen the rules governing scheduled international events and those that are part of the Mediterranean Championship;

      e)       ensure that the Mediterranean Championship is publicized and known to the public, with particular regard to the economic and sporting aspects of the equestrian realities of the various participating countries, as well as their cultural, historical, economic, and tourist attractions;

      f)       promote the circulation of information among its Members on:

              -     the technical development of racetracks and infrastructure serving the horse racing sector and betting;

              -     professional training, health and safety for workers in the equestrian sector;

              -     the strengthening of regulations regarding: safety and regularity of races, sports justice, horse health, and the fight against doping;

              -     any amendment to the regulations introduced by a member country that may be of interest and use for horse racing in general;

             -     the tax, administrative and social security regulations of interest to the horse racing sector;

      g)     contribute to representing the general interests of Mediterranean horse racing at international meetings.

3.       The objective of the UNION OF MEDITERRANEAN HORSE RACING is to have the membership, in addition to the founding countries, of all the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea where competitive horse racing is practiced. Every country bordering the Mediterranean Sea and/or the Black Sea may join the UNION OF MEDITERRANEAN HORSE RACING, according to the rules set out in this statute, by being represented by:

        a)       their own national Equestrian Federation, or, if the responsibilities related to the organization of national equestrian activities are divided among several bodies, by the relevant Federations and/or Associations and/or national, regional or sectoral Entities;

           b)     the Race Company/Companies organizing the event(s) of the Mediterranean Championship.

            -     collectively assume the representation of their own nation;

            -     unanimously express the votes belonging to their own nation;

           -     are hereinafter referred to as "Member States";

           -     they equally share among themselves the payment of the annual fee charged to their nation, according to their own methods.

 Article 4 – Bodies

The organs of the Mediterranean Equestrian Union are:

A. the General Assembly;

B. the Council;

C. the President and the Vice Presidents;

D. the General Secretariat, composed of a Secretary General and a Technical Consultant;

E. the Board of Auditors,

The bodies are responsible for the management and operations of the UNION OF MEDITERRANEAN HORSE RACING in the lightest possible manner in order to encourage its dynamism, as established below:

a1. Composition - the Member States, through the Bodies, Federations and/or Racing Societies that represent them, form the General Assembly which is the main governing body of the MEDITERRANEAN HORSERACING UNION. Non-member States may be invited to take part in the General Assembly through their own representatives, but without voting rights and are hereinafter referred to as "invited States".

a2. Exercise of voting - each Member State may designate a maximum of 3 delegates, indicating the head of delegation, to take part in the General Assembly. Each Member State has 1 vote, through the head of delegation, regardless of the number and nature of the organizations representing each nation within the Mediterranean Horse Racing Union.

Each invited State may send a maximum of 3 delegates to attend the General Assembly, but without voting rights.

a3. Proxies - Delegates may be represented by a person of their choice, provided that this person is equipped with a proxy issued by the Entity, the National Federation, or the Racing Society they represent. Only one proxy is allowed per State.

a4. Constitution - the General Assembly is validly constituted if at least half of the member States are present or represented.

a5. Majority - all decisions, including those relating to the election of persons designated to occupy the positions provided for in this Statute and the admission of new Members, must be taken by a 2/3 majority of the votes cast by the member States.

a6. Scrutiny - voting is carried out by open ballot. However, any Member State may request a secret ballot on a specific decision and, in this case, its request will be put to a vote as provided for in the previous point a5.

a7. Convocation - The General Assembly meets at least once a year, following a written notice containing the agenda, the date, and the time of the meeting sent with a minimum notice of 45 days. Whenever possible, the General Assembly is held in rotation in the locations where the Mediterranean Championship events take place, in conjunction with these events. The place and date of the meeting will be determined by the previous General Assembly through a vote. If necessary, or at the request of at least 1/3 of the member States, the President may convene extraordinary sessions of the General Assembly.

a8. Presidency - the President of the UNION OF MEDITERRANEAN HORSE RACING presides over the General Assembly. If the President is unable to attend the meeting, the chairmanship is assumed by the oldest among the Vice Presidents present.

a9. Agenda - any Member State wishing to include an item on the agenda of the General Assembly must inform the General Secretariat in writing at least 30 days before the meeting, specifying the reason. Except in cases of emergency reported by the President, only items included in the agenda may lead to a formal decision by the Assembly, while decisions relating to topics presented late or issues introduced orally during the meeting must be postponed to the next session of the Assembly.

a10. Minutes - The minutes of the Assemblies are transcribed after each session of the General Assembly under the responsibility of the Secretary General and sent to each participant. The minutes will be considered operative if no comments are received by the General Secretariat within 30 days of their dispatch. The minutes of the meetings are approved by the next General Assembly and must be signed by the President.

a11. Powers - are powers of the General Assembly:

a) define the policy of the UNIONE IPPICA DEL MEDITERRANEO;

b) to elect the members of the Council and appoint, from among their members, the President and the Vice Presidents, assigning them their respective duties and powers. The President and the Vice Presidents must each belong to different States;

c)       elect the Secretary General and the Technical Consultant;

d) elect the Board of Auditors;

e)       elect the Treasurer;

f)       approve the budget and the year-end financial report;

g) approve the President's report;

h) determine the annual contributions to be paid by each Member State, intended for the organizational purposes of the Association;

i)       approve, upon proposal of the Council, the admissions or exclusions of Members;

j)       decide any amendment to this Statute;

k) decide on the dissolution of the UNION IPPICA DEL MEDITERRANEO.

B)     The COUNCIL

b1. Composition and exercise of voting – the Council is elected by the General Assembly and its members are identified as follows:

-         a member representing each State, who casts a vote in the Council.

b2. Duration: the Council is elected for a period of two years and its members may be re-elected.

b3. Convocation: the Council must hold at least two meetings per year. These meetings are usually organized on the occasion and at the venue of a stage of the Mediterranean Championship. The President convenes the meeting. The convocations are made in writing with a minimum notice of 15 days, indicating the agenda of the meeting.

b4. Presidency: the Council is chaired by the President or, in their absence, by the most senior Vice President present. In the absence of the latter, the presidency will be assumed by the member representing the State where the meeting is held.

b5. Constitution: the Council is validly constituted if at least half of the members are present or represented.

b6. Voting: decisions are made by a 2/3 majority of votes with an open ballot.

b7. Minutes: the minutes are drawn up by the Secretary General or, in his absence, by a member designated by the Council itself.

b8. Powers: these are the powers of the Council:

a)       ensure the management of the MEDITERRANEAN HORSE UNION;

b) prepare the General Assembly;

c)       determine the calendar of events and in particular of the Mediterranean Championship;

d) study the problems of the Member States in the field of horse racing;

e)       implement the promotion policy of the UNION OF MEDITERRANEAN HORSE RACING;

f) in general, to make any decision regarding the operations of the UNION OF MEDITERRANEAN HORSE RACING for any matter not specifically within the competence of the General Assembly;

g) determine the functions and economic allowances for the Secretary General and for the Technical Consultant;

h)     prepare the budget and the annual report to be presented to the Assembly.

C) The PRESIDENT and the VICE PRESIDENTS

c1. Appointment - the President and the two Vice Presidents are elected by the General Assembly for a period of two years from among the members of the Council and must each represent a different State. If the President or the Vice Presidents resign or leave office for any reason during their term, the most senior Vice President shall assume the interim until the Extraordinary General Assembly.

c2. Functions - the functions of the President and Vice Presidents are honorary and do not provide for any remuneration.

c3. Powers – these are the powers of the President or, by his delegation, of the Vice Presidents:

a)       ensure the representation of the UNION OF MEDITERRANEAN HORSE RACING at the meetings of International Federations;

b) to conduct the MEDITERRANEAN EQUESTRIAN UNION in accordance with this Statute and with the decisions of the Council;

c)       draft any regulation necessary for this purpose and ensure its implementation;

d) draw up an annual report on the activities of the MEDITERRANEAN HORSE UNION;

e)       draw up the agenda of the General Assembly and the Council;

f)       submit to the Council for approval the budget for the following financial year and the annual report prepared by the Treasurer and approved by the Secretary General.

D) The GENERAL SECRETARIAT

d1. Composition - the current administration of the UNION OF MEDITERRANEAN HORSE RACING is carried out by the General Secretariat, which is composed of a Secretary General and a Technical Consultant, both appointed by the General Assembly for a period of two years and elected from among the candidates proposed by the member States, who must register the names to be proposed with the General Secretariat at least 15 days before the date of the election.

d2. Functions - The Secretary General and the Technical Consultant are entitled to an allowance established by the Council. The Secretary General and the Technical Consultant participate in the meetings of the General Assembly and the Council without voting rights. Their duties consist, under the authority of the President and the Council, in carrying out the tasks of the UNION IPPICA DEL MEDITERRANEO as defined in Article 3 of this Statute. Their respective functions, within these duties, are defined by the Council.

d3. Specific tasks

The specific duties of the Secretary General are:

a)       organize the sessions of the General Assembly and draft the minutes of such meetings;

b) collect the necessary elements for the preparation of the provisional budget for the following fiscal year;

c)       ensure that the annual fees are regularly paid by the Members in a single annual payment.

The Technical Consultant is specifically responsible for operational matters related to the organization of the Mediterranean Championship races. He operates under the responsibility of the Secretary General and in accordance with the Council.

E) The BOARD OF AUDITORS

e1. Appointment - the General Assembly appoints the Board of Auditors, composed of three regular members with proven experience in the accounting sector, one of whom is president and two alternates, for a period of two years. The members of the Board may be re-elected consecutively only once. Their function is honorary and does not provide for remuneration.

e2. Functions - the task of the Board of Auditors is to check the accounting books and verify the correctness of administrative compliance and the financial balance of the UNION OF MEDITERRANEAN HORSE RACING. The Board of Auditors presents a report to the General Assembly.

F) The TREASURER

f1. Appointment - the General Assembly appoints the Treasurer for a period of two years. The Treasurer may be re-elected consecutively only once. The position is honorary and does not provide remuneration.

f2. Functions - the duties of the Treasurer are:

a)       keep the accounting books;

b) record the expense reports of the President and Vice Presidents, provided they are authorized by the Council, and arrange for their payment in a single annual installment.

 Article 5 – Assets

1.       The assets of the UNION OF MEDITERRANEAN HORSE RACING are constituted by the annual fees paid by the members, by all movable and immovable property acquired for the achievement of the corporate purpose, and by any other income.

 Article 6 – Admission of new members

1.       In addition to the Member States that signed the Statute at the time of the Association's establishment, the MEDITERRANEAN HORSE UNION may admit new States and/or new representative bodies of already member States that request it, provided that they meet the following requirements and send their application for admission, accompanied by the necessary documentation, to the General Secretariat:

a)       belong to a nation that faces the Mediterranean Sea and/or the Black Sea;

b) organize a round of the Mediterranean Championship and/or participate in it with their own jockey and/or driver;

c)       represent a Federation, Association or Equestrian Body of that nation or the Racing Company organizing a race of the Mediterranean Championship;

d) demonstrate their role and responsibility in organizing racing activities in their country and sign the commitment to comply with the obligations established by this Statute;

The Secretary General and the Technical Consultant examine the applications before presenting them to the Council for final admission, which must then be ratified by the General Assembly.

2.       Organizations that do not meet the requirements set by the UNION OF MEDITERRANEAN HORSE RACING may be accepted as Invited Members by decision of the General Assembly.

 Article 7 – Resignation or exclusion of members

1. A Member of the MEDITERRANEAN EQUESTRIAN UNION ceases to be such by resignation or exclusion.

2.       Resignations must be submitted in writing to the General Secretariat at least 6 months before the end of the annual calendar.

3.       An effective or invited Member of the MEDITERRANEAN HORSE UNION may be excluded if:

a)       seriously violates this Statute or the regulations derived from it;

b) does not pay their dues for a period exceeding 12 months.

4.       The Council acknowledges the resignations of Members and has the authority to propose to the General Assembly the exclusion of a Member.

5.       Resigning Members must fulfill their obligations towards the UNIONE IPPICA DEL MEDITERRANEO, including the payment of the annual fee, until the end of the financial year.

  Article 8 – Non-active members

1. The Members of the UNION OF MEDITERRANEAN HORSE RACING, if the horse racing activity in their country is suspended or is experiencing difficulties that hinder their participation in the Association's activities, may request to be inactive for one or more years.

2. Requests for inactivity must be submitted in writing to the General Secretariat at least 3 months before the end of the annual calendar and will be submitted to the subsequent General Assembly.

3.       The General Assembly may also decide to make a member inactive if they do not pay their dues for a period exceeding 12 months, based on a proposal from the General Secretariat documenting the contingent reasons for such failure.

4. Non-active Members pay membership fees at the reduced rate decided by the General Assembly, do not exercise voting rights, and do not contribute to forming the quorum of the General Assembly itself.

5. Non-active Members may request to become active again by submitting a written request to the Secretary General at least 3 months before the end of the annual calendar, on which the subsequent General Assembly will decide.

 Article 9 – Dissolution of the MEDITERRANEAN EQUESTRIAN UNION

1. The dissolution of the UNION IPPICA DEL MEDITERRANEO may be decided by the General Assembly, after the decision has been included in the relevant agenda at the request of half of the member states and after such request has been approved by the Council.

2.       The General Assembly may decide to dissolve the UNION IPPICA DEL MEDITERRANEO only with the favorable vote of at least 2/3 of the member states present or represented.

 Article 10 – References

1.         The deadlines indicated in the articles of this Statute do not include the initial day but do include the expiration day.

2.         In the case of communications by mail, the deadlines indicated in the articles of this Statute shall run from the day of dispatch, with reference to the date of the postmark.

3.         The financial year and the annual calendar run from January 1st and end on December 31st of each year.

4.         The official languages of the MEDITERRANEAN HORSE UNION are French, English, and Italian.

 Article 11 – Competent Jurisdiction

Any legal dispute relating to the UNIONE IPPICA DEL MEDITERRANEO must be resolved before the judicial authorities of the country where the UNIONE IPPICA DEL MEDITERRANEO has its registered office.

Nice, 26 July 2013

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