Lithuanian Professionals Club in Stockholm

STATUTES

Approved 15 March, 2020 Stockholm, Sweden

Approved 9th May, 2015 Stockholm, Sweden

2nd version approved on 20th March 2016

3rd version approved on 12th March 2017

 

  1. The name and goals
    • The name of the organization in Lithuanian is ‘Lietuviu profesionalu klubas Stockholme’, in Swedish – Litauiska affärsklubben i Stockholm, in English – Lithuanian Professionals Club in Stockholm (hereinafter referred to as LPS Club).
    • The LPS CLUB is a non-political and non-profit making organisation.
    • The LPS CLUB is a part of the Lithuanian Community in Sweden organisation (hereinafter referred to as LBS).
    • The main goal of the LPS CLUB is to unite and represent Lithuanians and citizens of other countries connected with Lithuania and those willing to join the Club in an attempt to reach the following goals:
      • To promote collaboration and communication between Lithuanians living in Sweden and to Lithuania connected businessmen, artists, scientists and representatives of other professions by encouraging commercial and cultural contacts thus creating a network of Lithuanian representatives;
      • To help Lithuanians understand culture and communication in Sweden;
      • To cooperate with the Lithuanian Embassy in Sweden, Lithuanian governmental institutions, non-governmental organisations and associated business structures, businessmen and culture representatives in order to establish and reinforce connections with Swedish business and non-governmental organisations, to exchange experience, information and to increase knowledge about Lithuanian scientists, artists, businessmen, and business culture;
      • To become a center of experience, information and networking for Lithuanians in Sweden;
      • To organise events in order to encourage exchange of experience and learning;
      • To be a club which gives the opportunity for communication, cooperating and leisure activities.
    • The LPS Club is a subject to these Statutes, Swedish law, and other Swedish legal acts.

 

  1. The structure of the LPS CLUB
  • The highest decision body of the LPS CLUB is the General Meeting.
  • The following matters shall be discussed and approved at the General Meeting:
    • Adoption, amendment and approval of the Statutes;
    • Election of the Chairperson of the Board (hereinafter referred to as the Chairperson) for 1 year;
    • Election of the Board and the Financial Audit Committee for 1 year;
    • Approval of the Board’s operations and financial report for the previous year;
    • Approval of the Financial Audit Committee’s report;
    • Decision on the annual membership fee;
    • Approval of the annual activities plan prepared by the Board;
    • Consideration and approval of the Board`s, Financial Audit or Club member`s proposals;
    • Approval of the Board’s exemption from liability;
    • Discussion and approval of the Board`s proposal on the usage of the LPS Club’s budget for its main purposes and activities.
  • A General Meeting can be organised at the request of the Chairperson or the majority of the Board. The Board shall organise a General Meeting during the first quarter of each year. If necessary, the Board may at any time summon an Extraordinary General Meeting.
  • The General Meeting is deemed to have taken place only when at least half of the vote entitled members are present either in person or by proxy. In case that less than the half of all the Club members is attending, the adjourned Meeting must be organised within the following two weeks.
  • In case of absence of enough members in the second meeting, after half an hour the meeting will start and despite the lack of a required number of participants, the meeting will be considered as valid.
  • The meeting is led by the elected Chairperson of the meeting and the Secretary.
  • All issues are decided by a simple majority of Club members’ votes. If the votes are equal, the decision is made by the Chairperson.
  • Absent members may vote by proxy.
  • The executive body of the Club is the Board:
    • The General Meeting elects 5 Board members, consisting of the Chairperson and 4 ordinary Board members. The candidates to the Chairperson and the ordinary Board members positions are proposed at the General meeting.
    • The Chairperson is elected first and then the ordinary Board members. A secret ballot system is used for voting.
    • The Board and the Chairperson is elected for 1 year. The amount of time the Chairperson and the ordinary Board members can be re-elected is unlimited.
    • The Board members distribute their responsibilities at the General Meeting or at the following meeting of the Board.
    • One member of the Board is delegated to represent the Club in the Lithuanian Community in Sweden.

 

  1. Organisation of activities of the Board
    • The board shall work towards the goals stated in the Statutes.
    • The Board shall carry out the decisions approved by the General Meeting.
    • The Board shall prepare and submit for the approval at the General Meeting annual activity and financial reports.
    • The Chairperson shall call the Board meeting no less than 2 times a year. If needed, an extra meeting can be called by the Chairperson at his own word or at the suggestion of the Board members. The meeting shall take place within a month of the request being sent by e-mail.
    • The Board meetings shall be open to all Club members who expressed their desire to participate.
    • Only the Board members have the right to vote during the Board meeting.
    • Board decisions come into force if voted by the majority of Board`s members. A meeting shall be considered legitimate if at least 3 board members are present. In case of equals vote the Chairman’s vote is decisive.
    • A member of the Board, intending to resign, shall provide a statement of resignation, a written request, for consideration and approval at the meeting of the Board.
    • In case of the resignation of a Chairperson, the Board shall approve a temporary Chairperson, who shall lead the Board till the General Meeting. In case of the resignation of 2 Board members, the Board shall decide if to organise an Extraordinary General Meeting or to continue to work till the next General Meeting.
    • The Board has the right to remove the Board membership of one of the Board member by vote of 3 Board members. The voting shall take place by secret ballot at the Board meeting. The valid reason for the action: absence from the Board`s work, violation of ethical norms, activities contrary to the objectives of the Club. The reason for termination is announced to all members of the Board.
    • The Chairperson of the Board can be impeached removed from his/her duties if it is approved at least by 3 members of the Board. The voting shall be held by secret ballot at the Board meeting. The General meeting is to be held for the election of the Chairperson and a new Board. Temporary Chairperson shall be elected by the Board from the Board members. The valid reason for the action: absence from the Board`s work, violation of ethical norms, activities contrary to the objectives of the Club.
  2. The LPS Club’s Financial Audit Committee
    • The Financial Audit Committee shall consist of 2 Club members.
    • The Financial Audit Committee shall check the financial report of the Board and prepare the audit report.
    • The audit report shall be submitted to the Board and presented during the General Meeting.
    • Members of the Financial Audit Committee may not be the Treasurer or the Chairperson of the Board.
    • In case when the members of the Financial Audit Committee cannot organise an audit due to important reasons (e.g. sickness, moved away from Stockholm) the Board can decide to ask other members of the LPS Club or LBS to organise the audit and prepare the audit report.

 

  1. Membership
    • All private persons or legal entities are eligible to apply to become members of the Club with full voting rights.
    • Legal entity shall be represented by a private person or one of their employees by providing their contact information to the Board.
    • The LPS Club membership application shall be submitted via the Club website www.lpsclub.se.
    • To grant the membership the Board shall vote at a meeting or online. The Board shall respond to the applicant in 3 weeks by mail. The annual membership fee must be paid in 30 days.
    • The Board shall approve the membership by sending an email confirmation, after the member pays a membership fee.
    • After the Board approval and membership fee being paid the applicant becomes the LPS Club member as well as a member of the Lithuanian Community in Sweden and Stockholm Lithuanian Community.
    • The Board has the right to reject an application by informing the applicant in writing.  The reason for rejection is not required to be specified.
    • Club members willing to extend the membership, must pay their membership fee for each calendar year by 1st of March.
    • The membership period is 1st January to 31st
    • The Board has the right to revoke a membership of a member who has not paid the membership fee before the due date.
    • A member, who joins the LPS Club later than 1st July, pays 50 per cent of the membership fee.
    • In case of a change in member’s contact information, the member is expected to notify the Board.
    • The membership cannot be transferred to third parties.
    • The LPS Club membership fee is not coordinated with the Board of Lithuanian Community in Sweden or other organizations.
    • The LPS Club members cannot represent the Club commercially, politically or otherwise to use the LPS Club name if it is not coordinated and approved by the Board.
    • Any work in the Club is voluntary and not compensated.
    • Annual LPS Club fee for Chairperson is 10 SEK.
    • Annual LPS Club Board Member fee from the year of 2020 is 200 SEK.
    • The Board members attend the Club events free of charge and can bring one guest to the Club event free of charge.
    • The Board can compensate the costs related to organizing the Club events and representation of Club’s interests (travel and accommodation).
    • The Club member, who provided financial support to the Club, may be relieved of the yearly membership fee.
    • Each member has the right to withdraw from the Club, by submitting a written request to the Chairperson of the Board. The membership ends the moment the request is sent to the Chairperson. The fee paid prior to the submission of the request is not refundable.
    • In case of important reasons the Board may remove any member from the Club, if 3 Board members approved. The Board cannot remove any member if he/she had not been given a right to defend himself/herself.
    • The members of the LPS CLUB have the right to:
      • participate in all events of the Club;
      • have the access to all gathered information;
      • recommend a new member;
      • get discounts to events which have entry fee;
      • attend and vote at the general meeting;
      • attend the Board meetings;
      • elect and be elected to the governing bodies of the Club;
      • organise the LPS Club’s events, upon consent of the Board;
      • organise the sponsorship for the Club.
    • The Lithuanian Community in Sweden Board members have a right to:
      • participate in open LPS Club events and receive discounts to paid events;
      • participate in the General Meeting and Board meetings, without voting rights.

 

  1. Amendments to the Statutes
    • The Statutes of the LPS Club may only be amended at the yearly General Meeting, Extraordinary General Meeting or by online voting.
    • All changes and additions must first be considered by the Board and submitted for consideration and voting, informing all members of the Club on the proposed amendments to the Statute at least 2 weeks prior to the voting.
    • At yearly General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting Statute amendments shall be deemed adopted, if they are approved by 3/4 votes. In case that less than half of all the Club members are attending, within two weeks adjourned Meeting must be summoned. In case of absence of enough members in adjourned Meeting, after half an hour meeting started, despite the lack of a required number of participants the meeting will be considered as valid.
    • Online voting can be held, according to the following criteria:
      • Amendments to the Statutes are approved by a simple majority of the Club members’ online votes.
      • The Board shall announce the online vote by mail or in other ways. It is expected that the notification requirements are met, even if the members’ contacts are not updated or if the message ends up in the “spam” box.
      • Duration of the online voting should be at least one week.
      • Amendments to the Statutes come into force if 3/4 of club members have voted.

 

  1. Resources and management of the LPS Club
    • The LPS Club’s funds come from:
      • The membership fees, which is set at the General meeting;
      • Donations, heirlooms, sponsorship and support from the private persons or legal entities;
      • Revenues generated from the events organised by the Club;
      • Funds not used in the previous calendar year;
      • Other income.
    • The funds are used to finance activities/or projects supporting the Statutes and decisions of General Meeting.
    • The Club pays a fee to Lithuanian Community in Sweden, established by Lithuanian Community in Sweden and approved by the Board of the Club.

 

  1. The dissolution of the LPS Club
    • The event of the dissolution should be approved at the Club General Meeting, with the support of 3/4 of the members present.
    • In the event of the dissolution of the Club, all net assets and documents shall be submitted to the Lithuanian Community in Sweden, preceded by an audit and the pay of all existing financial obligations.