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§ 1 Name and domicile
The association’s name is Furn-tech.
The association has the following secondary name(s):
- Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control
The association has its domicile in Denmark.
§ 2 Purpose
The association’s purpose is to manage the furniture industry’s commercial interests at home and abroad.
The association must participate actively in the spreading and execution of standardization work and environmental work in collaboration with relevant partners/organizations. The association can participate actively in industry related knowledge propagation.
The association’s primary purpose can be supplied with secondary purposes regarding optional choices, and possible secondary purposes will thus solely concern activities for members, that besides the regular membership, have opted-in for the individual optional choice(s).
The association can offer its members access to a selection of service offers.
§ 3 Membership
Anyone who wishes to promote the association’s purpose can become a member.
The members are obliged to follow the association’s regulations and live up to the association’s purpose.
Others that wish to use the association’s service offerings, but do not wish a membership, can join the association as a subscriber. Subscribers have the same access to the service offerings as the association’s members and annual subscription, time fixed for payment and form of collection are identical to the annual subscription, time fixed for payment and form of collection for members.
Subscribers have no rights or duties in the association beyond this.
§ 5 Withdrawal from the association
Withdrawal must be announced to the secretariat in writing with 6 months notice before the ending of a subscription periode, which is the 30th of June or the 31st of December. If there are any financial differences between the member and the association, they must be resolved first.
A company, whose membership comes to a stop, does not have any rights to any shares of a possible fortune the association might have. The association is not responsible for any possible consequences, the ending of the membership might have.
§ 6 Subscription
The subscription fee is fixed for the following calendar year at the general meeting.
Time fixed for payment and form of collection is set by the executive committee.
The subscription must be paid before the ending of the month it is due.
§ 7 Optional choices
Generally: Member companies and service subscribers can choose to opt-in for one or more optional choice(s). Optional choices can have their own purpose, their own secondary name, demand supplementary requirements for joining, have their own extra subscription charge and so on. The extra subscription charge is used for the optional choice’s own purpose.
§ 7.1 Optional choice – Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control
The optional choice’s secondary name is Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control. Danish: Dansk Møbelkontrol. German: Dänische Gütegemeinschaft Möbel.
§ 7.1.a The optional choice’s purpose is:
- To work towards having the most possible danish furniture fulfil the requirements that are at all times listed in the Technical Journal.
- To use a registered control mark whose usage is exclusive for companies that have joined Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control. When using the mark, it is declared that the requirements in the Technical Journal are fulfilled.
- To work towards educating furniture buyers with relevant information about their furniture and its maintenance.
- To spread the knowledge concerning the control mark’s meaning.
§ 7.1.b The optional choice’s requirement for its affiliated companies:
Any manufacturer of furniture that is situated in the EU, and complies with the below written terms, can apply to join the optional choice Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control and thereby apply to use Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control’s registered control mark.
- It must be possible to perform company visits within the borders of EU.
- All of the company’s products must comply with the requirements stated in the Technical Journal, exemptions can however be granted by the executive committee.
- The company’s turn over must correspond to the sold products’ real value.
- The company must commit to follow the regulations and requirements that are at all times existing in the Technical Journal.
The Technical Journal is sent to the association’s members that choose to join this optional choice. The executive committee takes a stand on whether or not to distribute more Technical Journals if necessary.
§ 7.1.c The optional choice’s regulations regarding the Technical Journal and company visits:
The Technical Journal: The Technical Journal contains the requirements that are existing for materials, workmanship and also the furniture’s safety, strength and durability.
The executive committee must frequently go through the Technical Journal – partially to keep the requirements up to dato with the technical developments and ensure the contents are at a high professional level – partially to meet possible wishes from joined members and customers, including consumers.
Company visits: The executive committee determines the scope and contents of the company visits.
Company visits at the joined member companies have these purposes, amongst others:
- To superintend that the requirements in the Technical Journal are fulfilled.
- To provide technical aid, for example related to the requirements in the Technical Journal.
- To prompt the companies to carry out relevant testings.
- To inform about the association and the membership services available.
The company visits can be unannounced, but can also be planned so that people with an interest in meeting the consultants can be present.
Visits at the member companies’ subcontractors only takes place after arrangements with the member company.
Company visits can be arranged at member companies that are not affiliated with Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control. All expenses in relation to these visits are paid by the member company.
Visits at these have the following purposes, amongst others:
- To provide technical guidance within the agreement that has been made between the association and the company.
- To prompt suppliers to carry out relevant testings.
- To inform about the association and the available membership services.
Company visits are usually announced so that people with an interest in meeting the consultants can be present.
§ 7.1.d The optional choice’s regulations for the control mark:
Usage of the registered control mark must follow the below mentioned guidelines:
Affiliated member companies have the right and duty to place the registered control mark on any furniture they produce (label, brand or the like). The executive committee can grant an exemption from this duty in certain cases.
Affiliated member companies furthermore have the right to use the control mark in printed matter, in ads, on cartons and so on.
No one else can use the registered control mark on the company’s products, in brochures or the like, and they are not allowed to refer to the optional choice or the secondary name Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control.
Provided that a member experiences that misuse of the control mark is happening or has happened, the person is obligated to report in to the secretariat about the incident. The secretariat is obligated to take further necessary action from there.
The optional choice Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control are imposed with an independent subscription fee which is calculated based on the guidelines agreed to at the association’s ordinary general meeting, after a nomination from the executive committee.
For companies situated outside the Danish borders, the travelling expenses and the travelling time must be paid separately for the part of the trip that takes place outside the Danish borders. In this case, the Faroe Islands and Greenland are considered to be outside the Danish borders.
Companies, that are applying to join the optional choice Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control, also have to pay a registration fee, whose price is fixed by the executive committee and also covers one company visit.
The subscription fee for the optional choice is collected half-yearly behindhand and is based on the sales numbers for the periods: 01.01 – 30.06 and 01.07 – 31.12.
Affiliated member companies are obligated to send in information about the latest half-yearly turn over numbers to the secretariat before the 1st of March and 1st of September, respectively. The executive committee can demand confirmation from the company’s accountant, regarding the information, in some special cases.
Provided that an affiliated member company uses another affiliated member’s company as a supplier of semi-manufactured articles, then those deliveries must be included in the receiver’s turn over numbers. Commodities (finished products) must be included in the manufacturer’s turn over numbers.
Provided that it is evident at the general meeting, from the presented and approved financial statements, that the optional choice Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control’s expenses are not covered by the currently fixed extra charge subscription for that financial year, then the members can be assessed the missing amount based on their turn over in the applicable year after it has been approved at the general meeting.
Dates fixed for payment and form of collection is determined by the executive committee.
The extra subscription charge must be paid before the end of the month it is due.
§ 7.1.e The optional choice’s regulations regarding manufacturer warranty and complaints:
A warranty commitment falls on the affiliated member companies since the affiliated member companies guarantee that the requirements in the Technical Journal are met during the furniture’s production and delivery. The affiliated member companies also guarantee that the provided informations about the furniture are correct.
When receiving a just complaint, the affiliated member company is obligated to recondition or replace the goods with reference to the Danish purchase act.
If the fault is a result of either neglect of the requirements in the Technical Journal or faulty information from the affiliated members company, and also if the complaint can’t be solved in a technically satisfactory manner, then the affiliated member company is obligated to return the amount stated on the invoice in return for the furniture.
Complaints must be reported to the secretariat, unless the complaint is settled directly between the affiliated member company and the customer, and furthermore with a satisfactory outcome for the customer.
There must be a simultaneous statement of the precautions that will be taken regarding the complaint, when a complaint is reported to the secretariat.
Complaints can be brought in front of the executive committee for a decision. If the executive committee decides that extra supervision or testings are necessary in light of the complaint, it is the affiliated member company’s duty to pay all the involved costs.
§ 7.1.f The optional choice’s regulations regarding withdrawal:
Affiliated member companies can withdraw from this optional choice under the same terms as withdrawal from the association, cf. § 5.
When withdrawing, the affiliated member company is obligated to immediately stop using the control mark. Furthermore the company in question has the obligation to ensure that all references to the optional choice Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control at once are stopping, even if this results in remaining copies of printed matter, or the like, to be useless and any possible marking on furniture must be removed.
§ 7.2 Optional choice – Standardization:
§ 7.2.a The optional choice’s purpose is:
- To look after the industry’s and other stakeholder’s interests within the furniture and inventory field.
- To gather the industry representatives with reference to getting the biggest possible influence on the standardization work within DS, CEN TC 207 and ISO TC 136.
- To coordinate the industry’s participation in Danish Standard’s committee for furniture and inventory.
- To spread the knowledge about the significance of the standardization work.
§ 7.2.b The optional choice’s requirements for its affiliated companies:
Any manufacturer of furniture that is situated in the EU, and complies with the below written terms, can apply to join the optional choice Standardization. Companies that apply to join the optional choice Standardization might be asked to pay a registration fee, that is set by the executive committee, when sending their application.
An optional choice subscription fee will be collected from the member companies or service subscribers that choose to join the optional choice Standardization. The optional choice subscription fee will be collected annually in advance.
Provided that it is evident at the general meeting, from the presented and approved financial statements, that the optional choice Standardization’s expenses are not covered by the currently fixed extra charge subscription for that financial year, then the members can be assessed the missing amount after it has been approved at the general meeting.
Dates fixed for payment and form of collection is determined by the executive committee.
The extra subscription charge must be paid before the end of the month it is due.
§ 7.2.c The optional choice’s regulations regarding withdrawal:
Affiliated member companies can withdraw from this optional choice under the same terms as withdrawal from the association, cf. § 5.
§ 7.3 Optional choice – Furniture & environment:
§ 7.3.a The optional choice’s purpose is:
- To look after the industry’s and other stakeholder’s interests within the furniture and environment field.
- To gather the industry representatives with reference to getting the biggest possible influence on the legislation and requirements in the field.
- To assist in mapping what chemical substances exist in furniture.
- To assist the joined companies in drawing up documentation regarding existing legislation and other requirements.
- To spread the knowledge about national and international legislation and other requirements within the field.
§ 7.3.b The optional choice’s requirements for its affiliated companies:
Any manufacturer of furniture that is situated in the EU, and complies with the below written terms, can apply to join the optional choice Furniture & environment.
Companies that apply to join the optional choice Furniture & environment might be asked to pay a registration fee, that is set by the executive committee, when sending their application.
An optional choice subscription fee will be collected from the member companies or service subscribers that choose to join the optional choice Furniture & environment. The optional choice subscription fee will be collected annually in advance.
Provided that it is evident at the general meeting, from the presented and approved financial statements, that the optional choice Furniture & environment’s expenses are not covered by the currently fixed extra charge subscription for that financial year, then the members can be assessed the missing amount after it has been approved at the general meeting.
Dates fixed for payment and form of collection is determined by the executive committee.
The extra subscription charge must be paid before the end of the month it is due.
§ 7.3.c The optional choice’s regulations regarding withdrawal:
Affiliated member companies can withdraw from this optional choice under the same terms as withdrawal from the association, cf. § 5.
§ 8 Exclusion and expulsion
A member can be excluded temporarily or permanently (expulsion) if the person is acting in a way that may harm the association, or if the person is not fulfilling the duties related to the general membership or the duties related to the optional choices that the member company has joined. The member has a right to be heard in cases of exclusion, before the executive committee makes a decision. In cases of expulsion, the member furthermore has the right to settle the case at the next general meeting, and the right to list the case as special item on the agenda. A general meeting’s decision concerning expulsion requires the same amount of majority votes as a change in the association’s regulations. The association is not responsible for any possible consequences that the revoking of the membership might result in.
§ 9 Ordinary general meeting
The general meeting is the association’s supreme authority regarding all matters. An ordinary general meeting is held once annually before the end of April.
Calling in with a specification of the agenda and, at that time, incoming proposals, must happen with at least 2 weeks notice by posting on the association’s webpage and also by distribution of e-mail.
All suggestions, that members wish to be handled on the ordinary general meeting, must be sent in writing to the secretariat not later than the 1st of February. If any suggestions have been received they will be published on the association’s webpage alongside with the agenda and the revised accounts, so that the members are familiar with all the information at least a week before the general meeting.
All the association’s members and whoever the executive committee wishes to invite have access to the general meeting. All members have voting rights except those who are in arrears. It is possible to vote by personal appearance or by proxy; however a personal appearance can at most represent 2 proxies.
A general meeting that is summoned in time is a quorum no matter the number of attendees.
§ 10 Agenda
The agenda of the ordinary general meeting must at least include the following items:
- Choosing of a chairman and a rapporteur.
- The executive committee’s report for the passed year.
- Presentation for approval of the revised annual report for the passed year.
- Informative presentation of the executive committee’s budget proposal for the next year, including the determination of subscription and optional subscription(s).
- Handling of received suggestions.
- Choosing of executive committee members (2 in even years, 3 in uneven years) from the association’s members, where at least 3 members must be affiliated with the optional choice 7.1 Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control.
- Choosing of people, nominated by the executive committee, to participate in the executive committee work for one year at a time.
- Choosing of accountant (every year).
- Any other business.
§ 11 The general meeting’s management
The negotiations at the general meeting are led by a chairman that is chosen at the general meeting, who can be a member of the executive committee. Decisions are made by a regular majority. However regulation changes and decisions regarding the association’s dissolution require a qualified majority cf. § 17 and § 18.
Voting must be carried out in writing if 5 members demand it. However it is on request during person selection.
A summary is drawn up with the general meeting’s decisions. The summary is approved and signed by the chairman.
§ 12 Extraordinary general meeting
An extraordinary general meeting can be called by the executive committee at any time and must be called when 1/5 of the association’s voting members make a demand towards the committee in writing, including the subject that they want handled.
The general meeting must be held, at latest, 8 weeks after receiving the request. As far as the meeting’s management, requirements for calling in, voting etc. goes, the same regulations are existing as for the ordinary general meeting.
§ 13 The executive committee
The executive committee is the association’s daily management and represents the association in all matters. The executive committee can appoint necessary committees to handle ongoing and single tasks.
The executive committee lays down its own rules of procedure.
The executive committee only form a quorum when at least 3 of its members are present. A journal is kept containing the executive committee’s negotiations.
The association is committed to the passed decisions and carried out actions with reference to the regulations.
The executive committee is made up of the following: 5 members of the executive committee are chosen among the association’s members at the ordinary general meeting. Reelection may occur.
The executive committee can furthermore nominate people, at the ordinary general meeting, to join the executive committee if they are associated with, or have a unique expert knowledge within, one or more of the following fields:
- The furniture industry or suppliers of the furniture industry.
- Educations concerning the furniture industry.
- Technical specialities within the furniture industry.
- Furniture sales.
- Advisors within the furniture industry.
If a member from the executive committee resigns prematurely, then the executive committee is allowed to add a new member from one of the member companies.
§ 14 Accounting
The association’s fiscal year is January 1st to December 31st. The executive committee must hand over the financial statements to the accountant for the past year before March 1st. The financial statements are presented at the ordinary general meeting for approval and must be with the accountant’s endorsement and signature. The financial statements are posted on the association’s website along with the agenda, and if any, received requests, so that the members are aware of these at least a week before the general meeting.
§ 15 Auditing
A registered or chartered accountant is chosen for a year at a time at the ordinary general meeting. The accountant must go over the financial statements every year and provide it with a signature. The accountant has access, at all times, to inspect the accounts and balance.
§ 16 Signing and liability
The association is signed by the chairman. Purchase, sale or mortgaging of real estate, and taking a loan, must be approved by the general meeting.
The association’s members are not personally liable for any commitments the association might have.
§ 17 Regulation changes
Passing of proposals concerning regulation changes require that at least half of the members are represented at the general meeting and that at least 2/3 of the cast votes are for the proposal. If such a majority is achieved at a general meeting that does not form a quorum, then the executive committee must call in for an extraordinary general meeting within 4 weeks. The purposed regulation changes can finally be passed at the extraordinary general meeting if 3/4 of the cast votes are for the proposal, no matter how many members are represented.
§ 18 Dissolution
Decision regarding the dissolution of the association can only be made at a specially called in extraordinary meeting for this exact purpose. At least 2/3 of the association’s voting members must be present in order form a quorum. To pass the proposal, at least 3/4 of the cast votes must be for the proposal. If such a majority is reached at a general meeting that does not form a quorum, there will be a call in for a new general meeting where the proposal can be passed with the before mentioned majority, regardless of matter how many voting members are present.
At the general meeting a decision should be made regarding the usage of any possible net worth. The capital must be used for research or any other quality promoting purpose decided by the general meeting.
The above listed regulations for the association Furn-tech (secondary name: Danish Furniture Makers’ Quality Control) are passed at the general meeting in Nyborg, the 15th of March 2013.
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