Info on MembershipRead EIF ByLaws - Read EIF Statutes - Who is eligible for membership? - Rights and Obligations of members - Fee policy and structure - Fees through end 2011 - Termination of Membership - EIF policies for specific types of companies and/or individuals (pdf file) Who is eligible for membership?The EIF ByLaws stipulate that the EIF Membership consists of three categories:
Political Membership is open to all Members of the European Parliament who wish to subscribe to the EIF objectives. Business Membership is open to businesses of all sizes (*1) whose activities give them a strong European presence (*2) and who are ready to subscribe to the EIF objectives. Associate Membership is open to non-governmental organisations, business associations, academic institutes, and other private or public institutions that are likely to contribute constructively to the EIF objectives.
* 1) Professional service companies whose business activities include to represent or advise business clients are supposed to subscribe in their own name and to demonstrate a legitimate interest resulting from their own business objectives and not from that of any of their clients. * 2) "European" means EU, EEA and EU applicant countries, and "strong presence" implies relative major investments or a significant European share in purchases or supplies of services or goods by such businesses. Click here to read EIF policies for specific types of companies and/or indviduals.
Rights and obligations of MembersAll Members have the obligation to contribute to the achievement of the EIF's objectives and to make their best endeavour to participate in the EIF's activities. Business and Associate Members pay annual fees (see below).
Each Member has one vote in the General Meeting. Another Member from the same group of Membership may represent Members prevented from attending General Meetings in person. TOP Fee policy and structureBusiness Members pay annual fees determined annually by the Board of Management. The fees may vary according to different categories of Business Members. Associate Members may be asked to pay a nominal annual fee and contributions for each event or project that they attend or join. Certain categories of Associate Members may be exempted from contributions at the discretion of the Board of Management. The fees for the following year are communicated to the Membership concerned at least 3 months before the end of the year, and to the General Meeting together with the budget proposal. Members are billed at least one month before the beginning of the year to which the fee relates. Payments are due by 1st April. TOP Fees through end 2012Political Membership: no fees Business Membership: Standard fee: Euros 10,000 Small & medium sized enterprises: Euros 2,000
(Firms with less than 250 employees on their payroll, net fixed assets of less than 75 million Euros, and no more than one third of their capital in the hands of a larger company)
Associate Membership: Associate members representing commercial interests and who themselves have corporate members: Euros 2,000 Associate members representing commercial interests and who themselves have corporate members, but where one or more of these is a member of EIF: Euros 1,000 Associate members representing non-commercial interests or having no corporate members: Euros 500
The annual fee is invoiced at the beginning of every year. For new members for calender year 2012, fees will be applied pro rata from the date of notification of membership.
Membership is automatically renewed for the next year. If a Business or Associate member does not wish to renew the membership, the Secretariat has to be informed by the end of the calendar year with a notice period of 2 months (i.e. 1 November). TOP
Termination of MembershipPolitical Members may resign. Their membership ceases automatically if and as soon as their membership in the European Parliament comes to an end. If - for whatever reason - their parliamentary immunity is lifted, membership is automatically suspended for this period.
Business and Associate Members may resign by the end of a calendar year with a notice period of 2 months. Members may be excluded, even with immediate effect, if they have seriously violated their obligations as Members or if the conditions for Membership are no longer fulfilled. The Management Board, upon the initiative of one of its members, proposes the exclusion to the General Meeting and may decide to suspend the rights of the Member concerned until the decision by the General Meeting. In case of exclusion because of a serious violation of Members' obligations, annual fees remain due even if the calendar year has not expired at that moment. TOP | 
