Voting Results
of the FIFe General Assembly 2007
Albufeira, Portugal, 24th – 25th May, 2007
7. The Minutes were not approved with 13 yes to 11 no votes and 8 abstentions.
21a. Proposals regarding the Statutes
from Mundikat
Proposal 1 - Change of Statutes, article 4.5
A majority of votes at the General Assembly can be reached in the following ways, in all cases it is based on a majority of those members who are present or represented:
a) Absolute majority - the candidate or proposal achieves more than half the votes cast representing a majority of the economy of the FIFe. The absolute majority should represent at least 65 % of the economy of the FIFe. If the required percentage representing FIFe’s economy is not reached the proposal cannot be adopted.
To ensure that the members representing a large part of FIFe’s economy cannot block decisions, there will have to be a blocking minority of at least four members. Otherwise, the qualified majority will be met even if the required percentage was not reached.
b) qualified or 3/4 majority - which is required in cases of admission, expulsion, and modification of the Statutes.
Decisions of the General Assembly are only valid and binding when confirmed by an absolute double majority of those members who are present and represented. In the case of electing functionaries and providing there is more than one candidate, from the fourth round of voting onwards a simple majority is sufficient.
The members of the General Assembly shall vote by a show of hands; if requested by a member, voting shall be conducted by secret ballot.
Motivation:
One of FIFe´s democratic principles has always been that all members are equal and as such all members have one vote.
However, over the past years various proposals were put forward to the General Assembly requesting a change of voting rights. It was felt that those members that contribute heavily to FIFe’s economy should also have more influence in the decisions taken in FIFe. It is true that all decisions taken at the GA have impact for our members´ members and as such, the desire for influence when representing a large part of those members´ members is understandable.
Mundikat still is very much in favour of the democratic principal of equality of membership, thus all members one vote, but at the very same time, we are sympathetic towards the argument for more influence by those who represent a large part of the FIFe economy.
Therefore, we have tried to find a solution that will accommodate both the one vote principle as well as the request for a bigger influence on decisions by those contributing considerably to FIFe’s economy.
The proposal is based on the principle of a “double” majority, with a weighed and an absolute majority and at the same time, we have introduced a limitation to the “second” majority by demanding a minimum amount of countries needed to reject a proposal. This proposal respects the autonomy of the members of FIFe and at the same time introduces a new democratic principal in FIFe. It ensures us that the individual members who are affected by GA decisions are best represented.
The proposal was not accepted with 8 yes 24 no and 0 abstensions.
21c. Proposals regarding the Judges Rules
The proposal was not accepted with 8 yes to 24 no votes and 0 abstentions.
from AFA
Proposal 1 – Addition to the Judges Rules
We propose that FIFe’s International Judges that assist to the update seminar given during the annual meeting, to be able to take this same seminar on countries outside Europe where they might be invited to judge, in order to be updated as well and able to evaluate others also, during their judging career, in their home countries or in countries where they are invited to judge.
Motivation:
The purpose of this request resides in the difficulty for many judges to travel to Europe to assist to those seminars, mainly because of the elevated costs of traveling if you live outside the continent. Please have in mind that, for example, in Argentina an average salary is about 300 to 400 Euros, what makes almost impossible to keep up with ticket and hotel expenses, without having in mind the time to take off from normal activities. Time is a considerable matter, as is not the same to travel from Spain to Germany, than doing it from Argentina (just to set an example).
If this proposal gets an affirmative answer, it will encourage much more people to pursue the judging career in Argentina, as well as Brazil, Colombia and México. Argentina is actually the country with the greatest amount of International Judges in the continent, which are eager to grow but find it difficult to take international stages because they depend on visits from European judges that are entitled to help them.
On the other hand, if International Judges get their update through seminars given in South America for instance, that would allow them to test others in their stages as future International Judge, and other categories.
Let us all remind that FIFe is nowadays not only a European organization, but a very international one. It has members all over the world and this would turn out to be a very positive example to promote the same rights and duties for all judges in and outside Europe.
The proposal was not accepted with 3 yes to 20 no votes and 9 abstention.
21e. Proposals regarding the Breeding & Registration Rules
from Mundikat
Proposal 2– Change of Breeding & Registration Rules, article 2.4
All breeding cats should be identified by either microchip (preferred) or tattoo and the identifying code shall be documented in the pedigree.
Exception is granted for males, which are not registered with FIFe.
This practice should be established as soon as possible but no later than 1st January 2010.
Motivation:
It is time to take the next step. Micro chipping all animals has many advantages and can bring more unity and uniqueness for the registration of our pets. In various countries, microchips or tattoos are already required by legislation. In addition, travel between countries is becoming more and more common requiring micro chipping.
The proposal was not accepted with 7 yes to 24 no votes and 1 abstention.
