Welcome To The British Business Club Düsseldorf e.V.

1. Name‍

The Club shall be known as the “British Business Club, Düsseldorf e.V.‍‍

2. Objects

To hold meetings at regular intervals and to promote other social activities.It is not intended that the Club shall be a profitable concern.‍

3. Membership

Membership shall be divided into two classes:

Ordinary membership

Associate membership 

  • Ordinary membership shall be open to British nationals above the age of eighteen years resident or working in North-Rhine-Westphalia.Associate membership shall be open to nationals above the age of eighteen years of any other country who are resident or working in North-Rhine-Westphalia and connected with British interests or British firms, if sponsored by an ordinary member of the Club.
  • The acceptance of persons eligible to become associate members shall be subject to their total number not exceeding 49 % of the total number of members.Membership of the Club is subject to the approval of the Committee.
  • Associate members shall have full voting rights at any meeting of the Club, but may not be elected to serve as members of the Committee.

4. Cessation of Membership

Membership shall cease on failure of the member to pay the subscription within three months of the due date or upon formal resignation being submitted by the member, or if the Committee should decide unanimously that the said member is not fit to hold membership of the Club.

5. Subscription

The amount of the subscription shall be determined at the Annual General Meeting.The subscription shall become due each year following the close of the Annual General Meeting.Any funds remaining after settlement of all normal running costs may be utilised at the Committee’s discretion, subject to their having informed the membership.

6. Officers

6.1 The Officers of the Club constitute the Committee and shall be:

  • The Honorary Chairman
  • The Honorary Vice-Chairman
  • The Honorary Secretary
  • The Honorary Treasurer
  • The Honorary Social Secretary

The Annual General Meeting may appoint further Officers in accordance with Statute No. 10.

6.2 The Officers of the Club shall be elected annually by ballot; the procedure of the election shall be determined by the Chairman. The election results shall be made known by the Chairman of the Annual General Meeting. The elected Officers shall remain in office until the next election takes place.The Committee may, if necessary, co-opt other Committee members.

7. Honorary President

Her Majesty’s Consul General in North-Rhine-Westphalia shall be invited to become Honorary President of the Club. The Annual General Meeting can invite friends of the Club to become Vice-president; at no time shall there be more than two Vice-presidents holding office. Should a Vice-president no longer be resident in North-Rhine-Westphalia, he shall vacate office. The President and Vice-president are not members of the Committee.

8. Rights and Duties of the Committee

8.1 The Committee shall have power to appoint subcommittees at their discretion and to entrust such subcommittees with various tasks.

8.2 If during his term of office a Committee member is no longer resident in North-Rhine-Westphalia, or for other reasons vacates office, then the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and the Secretary jointly may nominate a substitute, who shall hold office until the next election takes place. It is sufficient that the Chairman or Vice-Chairman or Secretary satisfies himself as regards the proving of cessation of a Committee member. So far as the positions of Chairman,Vice-Chairman or Secretary are concerned, the right of nomination is given to the other two Committee members. Should only one of these members remain, then this member may nominate substitutes.

8.3 In accordance with Clause 26 BGB the legal representatives of the Club are solely the Chairman or the Vice-Chairman jointly with the Secretary.

9. Financial Year

The financial year of the Club shall be from the 1st of April to the 31st of March and accounts shall be submitted to the Annual General Meeting. An auditor, who shall not be a member of the Committee, shall be elected for the current year at the Annual General Meeting.

10. Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting shall take place in April. The date shall be fixed by the Committee.The Annual General Meeting shall be called by as many members of the Committee as are required for the representation of the Club. The chairman or, if he is unable to preside, another member of the Committee shall preside at the Annual General Meeting. All resolutions of the Annual General Meeting will be recorded in writing and the Minutes will be signed by the Chairman of the Annual General Meeting.Not less than 14 days clear notice of the Agenda of the Annual General Meeting must be given to members in writing.

11. Extraordinary General Meeting

An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called at any time by the Committee provided that not less than fourteen days clear notice is given to all members in writing. An Extraordinary General Meeting shall also be called when this is requested by not less than ten members of the Club.

12. Quorum

At any General Meeting of the Club a quorum shall consist of not less than 20 percent of the total membership.

13. Alteration of the Statutes

The Statutes of the club may only be altered if not less than 2/3 of the members present at the Annual General Meeting are in favour.

14. Meetings

Members shall give prior notice to the nominated member of the Committee of their intention to be present at Club meetings. Meetings shall normally be closed meetings but at the discretion of the Committee open meetings may be called. All members shall pay for their own meals and drinks and those of their guests.

15. Guests

Any member may only bring business persons of any nationality as guests to any closed meeting of the Club, except where such a meeting is previously announced as constituting an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting. Any member may bring any guests to any meetings that have been declared by the Committee as open meetings. Members are required to give prior notice to the nominated member of the Committee of their intention to bring a guest to a meeting.

16. Guests of Honour

The Committee at their discretion may invite a guest of honour to any meeting. The guest of honour may be called upon to address the members.

17. Cessation of the Club

In the case of cessation of the Club, all the Club monies shall be given over to similar Clubs or institutes or used for charitable purposes. A meeting of the Club shall decide upon this.