Customs Practitioners Group

The Customs Practitioners Group Constitution

(An association of European and International Customs and Excise Specialists)

(As at November 2007)

1. Objects of the Customs Practitioners Group (The Group)
2. The Council and Membership
3. Meetings
4. Subscriptions
5. Documentation
6. Minutes of Meetings
7. Alterations to the Constitution

1. Objectives of the Customs Practitioners Group (The Group)

To provide a forum in Europe for customs practitioners, (that is persons with a significant involvement with customs and excise legislation and practice and related matters in the European Union and national Member States and elsewhere, to a specialist level, in consultancy, industry and commerce), to:
1.1	Discuss aspects of subjects which are of general concern;
1.2	Exchange information on a confidential basis in order to benefit members' better understanding of the practical workings of the law and interpretation of the law by customs administrations in Europe and elsewhere;
1.3	Establish contacts with the relevant customs administrations and other authorities in Europe and elsewhere in order to promote better understanding;
1.4	Discuss with customs administrations and others ways of simplifying the law and mitigating unfairness in customs matters to economic operators and their advisers, from the practical experience gained within the Group;
1.5	Contribute suggestions to European Union and national governmental institutions on existing and proposed legislation.

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Formal minutes of proceedings will not be taken but the Secretary will arrange for a note to be produced recording the Group's discussions. Details of any changes to the Group's membership will be notified in the Minutes of the Council meetings.

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7. Alterations to Constitution

Any alteration to the rules and constitution of the Group shall be proposed by a member and seconded by another, circulated to all members and shall require a vote of 75% of the members present (or voting by proxy given in writing to a member of the Council present at the meeting) at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting called for the purpose (or voting by written ballot) notice of the proposed alteration having been given to members 14 days before the meeting (save that 90% of the members may consent to shorter notice being given of any proposed meeting or alteration). Where the vote is by written ballot, it must be completed within 28 days from the date of circulation of the proposal for alteration.

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2.1	The Council
	To ensure the efficient administration of the Group, the management of the Group shall be entrusted to a Council of up to five members to be elected by the members of the Group and shall include a Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. The Secretary will also act as Deputy Chairman in the absence of any formally elected Deputy Chairman.
2.1.1	Candidates for election to the Council shall be proposed by a member and seconded by another.
2.1.2	Elections should be held by secret ballot annually, at the annual general meeting of the Group, and a candidate who receives a majority of the votes shall be declared elected. Previous Council members shall be eligible for re-election.
2.1.3	Membership of the Council shall be for a period of three years and will be restricted to individual persons. On the retirement or cessation of membership of an existing member of the Council, the remaining members of the Council shall have the power to appoint a member to fill the vacancy until the next annual general meeting.
2.1.4	The Council shall be responsible for managing day to day business and organisation of Group affairs (subject to ultimate decision, by the Group as a whole) and shall meet at least four times a year. Minutes of such meetings shall be available to any member of the Group on the website. The Council (or the Group) may appoint members to address particular topics or handle specified projects for the Group.

2.2	Admission to Membership
2.2.1	Application for membership shall be referred to the Secretary and shall consist of a description of the applicant's occupation with details of experience relevant to the objectives of the Group. Applicants may be proposed by an existing Member or be interviewed by up to two Council members.
2.2.2	Applications for membership shall be considered by the Council and shall be decided by a majority vote of Council members.
2.2.3	Each member will be given a copy of the constitution on being admitted, or whenever an amendment is made to the existing constitution, and a password to access the Members only part of the website.

2.3	Cessation of Membership
2.3.1	Membership shall cease when a person no longer satisfies the criteria in 2.2.1 above.
2.3.2	The Group reserves the right to expel a member if it determines that the conduct of the member is liable to bring the group into disrepute.

3.1	Meetings will normally be held six times per year on the second Thursday in the months of January, March, May, July, September and November.
3.2	Meetings will normally commence at 5.30 p.m. for 6.00 p.m. and conclude not later than 8.00 p.m.
3.3	An attendance register will be kept by the Chairman or Secretary.
3.4	It is expected that all members who are able to do so shall in rotation provide accommodation and refreshments at meetings.
3.5	Members attending must inform the Secretary two working days in advance of each meeting in order that refreshments/accommodation can be arranged. Members failing to do so will be presumed not to be attending. Substitutes will not be permitted to attend on behalf of members.
3.6	The Secretary will in advance of each meeting confirm to the host member the number of persons who have indicated they will be attending the meeting.
3.7	No later than 30 November in each year an annual general meeting of the Group will be held to review the progress of the Group in the year, hold elections for the Council, review the finances of the Group, and consider any other business. Notice of the annual general meeting, its agenda including proposed alterations to the Constitution (if any) shall be given to members not less than 14 days prior to the meeting.

4.1	There shall be a joining fee and an annual subscription of such amounts as shall be set by the Group. They shall be payable by 1 January in respect of the membership year beginning on that date.
4.2	Withdrawals from the Group's bank account, as needed, may be made only by signature of any two Council members.
4.3	In recognition of the time spent by Council Members on Group matters, their subscriptions shall be wavied.

The following practice should be adopted for all meetings:

5.1	All correspondence to the Group should be addressed to the Secretary.
5.2	All correspondence and notices coming from the Group will be sent in the name of the Chairman or Secretary and the same communication may be sent by different means to individual recipients, that is by post or by fax or by email, whichever is considered convenient for the purpose of the correspondence or notice.
5.3	Notwithstanding the above, Members will be nominated by the Council to represent the Group at JCCC and JCCC Sub-Group meetings and at other meetings with government officials. Those representatives will report a note of any such meetings back to the Council and the Group.
5.4	Copies of relevant correspondence with customs administrations and other authorities will be circulated.

The Customs Practitioners Group Constitution

(An association of European and International Customs and Excise Specialists)

The Council

Admission to Membership

Cessation of Membership