STATUTES OF THE C.O.M.

PREAMBLE

November 10, 1956. gathered in Extraordinary Congress in Milan (Italy):

• The International Ornithological Association (A.O.I.),

• The International Canary Confederation (C.I.C.)

have decided to merge in accordance with the decision taken in Paris (France) on March 18, 1956 by the two organizations, and to form a confederation known as:

WORLD ORNITOLOGICAL CONFEDERATION ,

abbreviated as C.O.M., hereinafter used.

This will be governed by the provisions of these statutes as well as by those complementary to its internal regulations.

ARTICLE 1

Denomination

The confederation is called: WORLD ORNITHOLOGICAL CONFEDERATION abbreviated C.O.M.

It is a non-profit association (A.S.B.L.).

ARTICLE 2

Official language

The French language is the official language used within the confederation.

The English language is accepted alongside the French language which remains the official language of the COM.

ARTICLE 3

Recognition and siege

On July 14, 1973, the C.O.M. has been recognized as a legal entity and has acquired civil and legal personality.

SMJuliana, Queen of the Netherlands, was kind enough to approve and recognize the statutes of the confederation and to admit that its head office is fixed in The Hague (s'Gravenhage).

The administrative headquarters are located at the domicile of the current President General.

ARTICLE 4

Duration

The C.O.M. is founded for an unlimited period.

ARTICLE 5

Object

The C.O.M. aims:

- popularization of species breeding methods as well as its development;

- the propaganda of ornithology in the world, in order to inculcate the love of birds and their protection;

- the defense of ornithology, in its broadest meaning, in the world in general, and in each country in particular, as well as the promotion of ornithology;

- the promotion of any ornithological event;

- obtaining and developing a cordial understanding, close collaboration and mutual aid between all member countries, and a fortiori between breeders and amateurs of birds;

- the permanent maintenance of an international college of judges through continuous training;

- the study, improvement and publication of existing standards or descriptions or to be created, for all birds likely to be exposed, in order to arrive, by bird species , the creation of a single international standard or description;

- the organization of exhibitions and international competitions including the world championships;

- the exchange of ornithological journals and technical publications.

ARTICLE 6

Means

In order to achieve its corporate purpose, the C.O.M. features:

- of a World Order of Judges O.M.J.);

- from an official publication called "Les Nouvelles de la C.O.M.";

- two world championships organized each year in a different member country, one for the Northern Hemisphere, and the other for the Southern Hemisphere;

- of all commissions or structures that will appear at the C.O.M. necessary to create as well as all events useful for its corporate purpose.

The C.O.M., in congress, on the proposal of the Steering Committee, ratifies the creation of new commissions.

ARTICLE 7

Members

1-Can be members of the COM, all federal, confederal or national ornithological organizations of all countries of the world, subject to respecting the statutes as well as the provisions of the regulations interior.

Organizations or unions must be organized in accordance with their national legislation to accept the affiliation of all other national structures (federal, confederal or union) of their country for the purposes of form together a single entity which will then bear the name of "member country" or "national entity" representing the COM.

Each country cannot be represented within the C.O.M. that by a single entity and this one at the congresses of the C.O.M. or O.M.J. only by a single delegate holding a single vote.

2-The COM, as a supranational body, can adopt rules which must be applied by all its members, entities and national COM. The natural persons who are members of these entities accept and must respect the statutes and regulations of the COM, in particular when participating in activities and events organized under the aegis of the COM.

ARTICLE 8

Admission of member countries

Applications for admission should be addressed to the C.O.M. via the President General or the Secretary General.

The Steering Committee submits membership requests, for ratification, to the Statutory Congress.

ARTICLE 9

Bonds

The member countries undertake to:

- defend, on all occasions, the interests of the C.O.M .;

- not be part of a similar global or international confederation;

- pay, annually, during the first quarter, the C.O.M. and O.M.J. determined by the Statutory Congress each year.

ARTICLE 10

Resignation

Exclusion of a member country

Each member country has the right to leave the C.O.M. at any time.

It can also be excluded in the following cases:

- refusal to comply with the provisions of these statutes or those of the regulations

interior or decisions taken by statute in congress;

- notorious unworthy conduct, fraud or serious misconduct recognized by its representative (s),

in the absence of disavowal by the governing bodies of the member country;

- if the maintenance of its affiliation or its behavior is likely to harm the interests of the C.O.M .;

- if he has broadcast any written reviews on the C.O.M., and / or the O.M.J ..

ARTICLE 11

Direction of the C.O.M.

The C.O.M. is managed by a Steering Committee (C.D./C.O.M.) of seven (7) people, namely:

- a President General,

- a Deputy President General,

- two Vice-Presidents,

- a Secretary General,

- a Deputy Secretary General,

- a General Treasurer.

In addition, the Steering Committee of the C.O.M. is assisted by the Executive Committee of the O.M.J. (World Order of Judges) (C.E./O.M.J.) Composed of seven (7) people, namely:

- a President and

- six (6) members.

It is mandatory that these members, in addition to the President, be O.M.J. from different disciplines (singing canaries, colored canaries, posture canaries, exotic, birds

European fauna and hybrids, hooked beaks).

The President of the Executive Committee of the O.M.J. himself constitutes his office which includes in addition to his person:

- a Vice-President,

- a Secretary.

ARTICLE 12

Election

The members of the C.O.M. and those of the Executive Committee of the O.M.J. are elected by member countries and by secret ballot by absolute majority in the first and second rounds, relative thereafter.

The elections take place during the Statutory Congress C.O.M. for the former and during the O.M.J. for the latter.

The members are elected for three years so that every year one third of them reach the end of their mandate.

ARTICLE 13

Meeting of the Steering Committee

The C.O.M. meets, in principle, at least twice a year (in August and January). He is assisted by the Executive Committee of the O.M.J., by the member (s) of the commissions.

ARTICLE 14

Deliberation of the Steering Committee

The Steering Committee of the C.O.M. can only validly deliberate if at least 4 (four) members are present.

If this is not the case, a second invitation, with the same agenda, must be sent.

The C.O.M. can then deliberate regardless of the number of members present.

With a tie vote, that of the President General will be decisive.

The decisions taken by the Steering Committee of the C.O.M. are enforceable immediately, but must nonetheless be ratified by the nearest Statutory Congress when they fall within its competence.

ARTICLE 15

Free of charge

The members of the Steering Committee of the C.O.M., of the Executive Committee of the O.M.J. as well as those of the commissions are not entitled to any remuneration.

They may however be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the exercise of their mandate.

ARTICLE 16

Role of the Steering Committee

He is responsible for all management acts not explicitly reserved for the congress. It takes all measures for the execution of decisions taken by the congresses. It studies all the appropriate means to achieve the objectives of the C.O.M. and O.M.J ..

ARTICLE 17

Role of the President General

He presides over all the activities of the C.O.M., he supervises and ensures the application of the statutes.

He maintains order in the meetings he chairs and takes all measures for the execution of decisions taken by the Board of Directors and by the Statutory Congress.

He is the supervisor and coordinator of the organization.

Together with the Secretary General or the Treasurer General, he signs all acts other than those of daily management. He also liaises with national entities and intervenes if necessary to settle internal disputes in member countries relating to the C.O.M.

The President General is the official representative of the C.O.M. with official authorities as well as with member countries. He may delegate this representation to other members of the C.D./C.O.M. or C.E./O.M.J ..

He is the supreme power during the world championships in conjunction with the President of the O.M.J. for purely technical issues.

ARTICLE 18

Role of other members

of the Steering Committee

The functions of the other members of the Steering Committee are set out in the articles of the internal regulations.

ARTICLE 19

Heritage of the C.O.M.

The heritage of the C.O.M. consists of movable property acquired free of charge or against payment and in funds which increase in particular through contributions from member countries, donations, subsidies and all advantages that the C.O.M. is authorized to receive.

The funds are managed by the General Treasurer in the interest of the C.O.M. by prohibiting speculative transactions.

They are used to cover administration costs and all other expenses useful for the smooth running of the organization.

ARTICLE 20

Indivisibility of heritage

The heritage of the C.O.M. is indivisible. Neither the member countries, nor their member associative structures, nor the members of these, nor the beneficiaries or creditors of one or the other can claim any part of it, nor demand the repayment of sums paid, nor have the seals affixed, nor require an inventory or settlement of accounts.

These provisions concern both beneficiaries and creditors of national entities as well as their members, members who have disappeared, resigned or excluded.

ARTICLE 21

The Statutory Congress

It meets, once a year, in the host country of the world championship ("World") of the Northern Hemisphere.

Exceptionally, and in case of extreme urgency, the President General can convene an extraordinary congress when, at least, three (3) members of the C.D./C.O.M. agree.

It must also convene it at the written and reasoned request of at least ten (10) member countries.

The Statutory Congress has the most extensive powers; its decisions are binding on all members present or not.

The Statutory Congress and, where applicable, the Extraordinary Congress validly deliberate on the items appearing on the agenda regardless of the number of member countries represented.

Resolutions will only be adopted by an absolute majority of 2/3 of the member countries represented, with the exception of the cases provided for in the articles of these statutes.

Voting is by name call. When it comes to cases of people or personal affairs, it is always secret. It is the same for the election of the members of the Steering Committee of the C.O.M. and the Executive Committee of the O.M.J ..

Member countries can only take part in the vote if they are up to date with their contributions and if their situation is in conformity with the content of articles 9 and 10 of these statutes (no resigning , neither excluded) or if they are regularly represented (Article 28 of the internal regulations). They must, moreover, be in order with the financial obligations which result from the organization of the world championships as stipulated in the Specifications

ARTICLE 22

Litigation

By mutual agreement with the parties concerned, the Steering Committee of the C.O.M. is looking for ways to settle by conciliation any dispute that may exist between member countries.

A dispute between the Executive Committee of the O.M.J. and a member country is within the competence of the C.O.M. since it could not be resolved by the parties involved.

The conflicts between the Steering Committee of the C.O.M. as well as the precedents are submitted to an arbitration commission as follows:

- a member appointed by the Steering Committee of the C.O.M .;

- a member appointed by the member country within thirty (30) days of receipt of the registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt from the Steering Committee of the C.O.M. advising it of the referral to the commission and of the name of its arbitrator.

After this period, for lack of the nomination by the member country of its arbitrator, the Steering Committee of the C.O.M. may resolve the dispute as it sees fit, subject to having its decision ratified by the following Statutory Congress.

The two arbitrators will appoint a third arbitrator.

The commission thus created will have a period of four (4) months to make known its sentence. This will be final. Each party will communicate its file to the commission and will bear its own costs.

The exclusion of a member country can only be pronounced within the framework of the provisions provided for in article 14 of the rules of procedure

ARTICLE 23

Discussions

Any discussions that may arise regarding the application of the statutes, internal regulations, regulations and procedures of the C.O.M. and of the O.M.J., concerning unanticipated points, will be examined and decided by the Steering Committee of the C.O.M. and / or the Executive Committee of the O.M.J. while waiting for the Statutory Congress and / or that of the O.M.J. is pronounced definitively.

ARTICLE 24

Modification or revision of the statutes

Changes to the statutes can only be validly decided by a majority of 3/4 of the member countries present at the Statutory Congress made up of at least half of the member countries.

This item should be on the agenda.

If the Statutory Congress does not meet the quorum required to validly deliberate, an extraordinary Congress with the same item on the agenda is convened. This congress can then validly deliberate by a majority of 3/4 of the member countries present.

ARTICLE 25

Miscellaneous provisions

- The financial year begins on January 1 and ends on December 31;

- The accounts for the past financial year and the budget for the following financial year will be submitted for approval to the Statutory Congress which is held during the world ("World") championship of the 'Northern Hemisphere.

ARTICLE 26

Dissolution

The decision to dissolve can only be taken by the Statutory Congress with a majority of 3/4 of valid votes. During the ballot concerning a possible dissolution, 4/5 of the number of member countries must be represented. If the ballot gives no decision, because of an insufficient quorum, a new congress may, within thirty (30) days, and without taking into account the required quorum, take valid decisions concerning the dissolution. It is important, however, to mention in the convocations, the dissolution of the C.O.M. proposed by the Statutory Congress. A minimum period of forty (40) days is foreseen between the convocation and the first congress. The assets of the C.O.M. will be assigned to projects defined by the congress closest to the objectives of the C.O.M ..

After the pronouncement of the dissolution, the C.O.M. will remain during the period of liquidation necessary for the realization of its assets.

During the liquidation, the terms of the statutes and regulations will remain, if possible, in force.

Documents and information from C.O.M. will be marked "in liquidation".

Approved by the Statutory Congress held in Zwolle (The Netherlands), on Saturday January 12, 2019