1. TITLE
The name of the Council shall be, “Sri Lanka – France Business Council Ceylon Chamber of
Commerce”
2. OBJECTIVES
To promote trade, tourism and services between Sri Lanka and France and in particular to promote
exports from Sri Lanka to France.
To encourage French investment and the establishment of joint ventures in Sri Lanka between
French and Sri Lankan investors.
To exchange information on trade and investment with the appropriate bodies in France.
To organize joint meetings with French organizations in Sri Lanka and in France.
To serve as a representative of business sector interests in Sri Lanka in matters concerning
business relationships with France.
To promote Sri Lankan participation in international fairs in France.
To co-operate with the Government of Sri Lanka in the pursuit of the above objectives.
To undertake all matters that are incidental or conducive to attaining the above
objectives.
3. MEMBERSHIP
Individual persons, partnerships, companies, corporations or other organizations engaged in
trade, tourism or services with France, or engaged in joint ventures with French organizations
or interested in entering into or promoting trade, tourism, services or joint ventures with
French organizations shall be eligible for membership of the Council.
The representative of a member in the Council shall be the Proprietor, Partner, and Director,
General Manager or such other senior officer approved by the Committee.
The founder members of the Council shall be those organisations who indicate their willingness
to join by 4th March 2004. Their membership will become effective on payment of the entrance fee
of Rs. 1000/- and annual membership subscription of Rs.5,000/-The name of the Council shall be,
“Sri Lanka – France Business Council Ceylon Chamber of
Commerce”
4. ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP
French companies or individuals or organizations interested in promoting trade and investment
between Sri Lanka and France shall be entitled to apply for Associate Membership.
The entrance fee and annual subscription for Associate Membership shall be Rs.5,000/-.
5. ORDINARY MEMBER
a) PATRON
The Patron of the Sri Lanka – France Business Council shall be the Ambassador for France in Sri
Lanka.
The Committee of the Council may invite appropriate non-commercial authorities to be Honorary
Members of the Council. The Honorary Members will not be required to pay any fee or
subscription.
b) ELECTION OF MEMBERS
Persons willing to join the Council will be required to apply for membership on a prescribed
form. Election shall be made by the Committee of the Council.
c) OFFICE BEARERS
Persons of good standing in business/profession shall be eligible for election as Office bearers
of the Council.
The Office Bearers of the Council shall be the President, two Vice Presidents and the Secretary.
The first President and two Vice Presidents will be appointed by the Chairman of the Ceylon
Chamber of Commerce at the inaugural meeting.
Subsequent Office bearers shall be elected by the Executive Committee in accordance with the
procedure set out below.
The Executive Committee shall identify the persons to be nominated for election as Office
Bearers and ratified at the next Annual General Meeting (AGM). The President of the Council
shall be a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Director, Per pro, Partner or General Manager of such
organisation.
The names of those to be nominated shall be sent to the Secretary General/CEO of the Ceylon
Chamber of Commerce to ascertain from Standing Committee ‘A’, whether they have any reason to
consider a nominee not suitable to hold office.
If no such objection has been received from the Secretary General/CEO within 7 working days of
informing him in writing of the proposed nominations, it shall be presumed that Standing
Committee ‘A’ endorses the nominations.
The Council shall provide the Secretary General/CEO with the following information regarding
each person to be nominated, at least one month prior to the AGM,
1. Full Name
2. Name of the Business Organisation
3. Designation/Title
4. Date of joining the Council
5. Any other information the Council wishes to disclose
In the case of a self-employed professional, the following additional information will be
provided;
1. The Professional institution to which he/she belongs
2. Year of admission as a member of that institute
In the case of a person not belonging to a company or firm which is a member of ‘the Chamber’
the following additional information shall be provided:
Date of establishment/incorporation of the business
Principal business activities
The Executive Committee shall then proceed to convene a meeting to elect the Office bearers, so
nominated.
The Secretary shall be the Secretary-General/CEO of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce or his
designated nominee.
6. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The affairs of the Council will be conducted by an Executive Committee which shall consist of the
Office Bearers and seven members of the Council. The first six members shall be elected at the
inaugural meeting.
The first Committee shall hold office until the first Annual General Meeting (AGM) which will
have to be held by 30th June 2005.
Members of subsequent Executive Committees excluding the Office bearers shall be elected by the
membership on the recommendation of the outgoing Executive Committee at the AGM. The Executive
Committee shall hold office until the AGM.
A person shall cease to be a member of the Executive committee if he/she absents himself/herself
from three consecutive committee meetings without offering a valid excuse. The Executive
Committee may however, pass a resolution by a simple majority and grant special leave of absence
to any person who will continue to serve on the Committee notwithstanding his/her absence from
three or more consecutive Committee meetings.
7. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
An Annual General Meeting shall be held within four months of the end of the financial year. The
business to be transacted at such meeting shall be;
To confirm the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting.
To receive the Report of the Council and the Audited Accounts for the previous financial
year.
To ratify the appointments of the following Office bearers;
The President
A maximum of two (2) Vice Presidents.
To elect a maximum of Seven (7) Committee members recommended by the outgoing Executive
Committee.
To elect Auditors.
To deal with any other business of which seven days’ notice shall be given in writing by the
members.
8. FINANCIAL YEAR
The financial year of the Council shall run from April 1 to March 31.
9. ENTRANCE FEE AND SUBSCRIPTION
The entrance fee and annual subscription shall be fixed from time to time by the Council at any
General Meeting.
