08 - 13 June 1998

Time	Wednesday, 10th of June, 1998
Place	Lusto-Finnish Forest Museum and Forest Information Centre Lusto Auditorium, Punkaharju

 

1. OPENING OF CONGRESS

Chairman Kees Mol declared the Congress to have been opened and wished the
participants warmly welcome.

2. FORMING OF THE CONGRESS

2.1 At Chairman Kees Mol proposal, it was decided that the chairman of the
Congress shall be Union of Finnish Foresters’ chairman Pentti Nareaho, except for the item 7 of the agenda.
In the same connection it was decided that item 7 of agenda shall be chaired by Roger Fitter from the United Kingdom.
2.2 Chairman Pentti Nareaho took on the chairmanship of the Congress and called on forestry engineers Helina Sairanen (Finland) and Pekka Salminen (Finland) to act as secretaries.
2.3 Lennart Jonsson (Sweden) and Hakan Nystrand (Finland) were appointed scrutinizers of the minutes.
2.4 It was decided that the examiners of the minutes appointed in section 2.3 would also function as tellers when necessary.
2.5 Declaration of presence of quorum in accordance with UEF rules
- In accordance with UEF rules, all member associations have to be notified at least nine months in advance of the Congress of the date and place of the Congress.
* It was made known that the said notification of the date and place of the Congress had been given to member associations in connection with the Governing Council’s meeting’s minutes of the meeting 7.
- In accordance with UEF rules, the secretary shall be provided with the proposals of the member associations intended for the agenda of an ordinary Congress at least four months in advance of the opening of the Congress and possible amendments to the agenda must reach the secretary at least two months before the opening of the Congress.
* It was declared that the presiding officers had also accepted proposals made after the aforementioned time limits and therefore the requirements of the rules had been met.
* In accordance with the rules of UEF, the presence of quorum as a precondition for the opening of the Congress means that more than half of the member associations are represented (either directly or by letter of attorney) and that there are representatives from at least half of the UEF membership’s countries.
In this context, the statement of the inspector of credentials was read and it was declared that 37 official representatives from eleven (11) countries were present, as well as seven (7) observers and four (4) assistants. Furthermore, representatives of the organizing committee participated in the Congress.

DECISION: The Congress was unanimous in declaring that the UEF Congress had been convened in accordance with the rules, that the Congress had enough official representatives in accordance with the rules. It was declared and decided that the
Congress was legally convened and competent.

3. AGENDA OF THE CONFGRESS (APPENDIX 1)

3.1 The proposal of the presiding officers as to the procedure of the Congress was read.
In connection with the treatment of the matter, Marian Stoicescu, of Confederatia Sindicatelor Consular (Romania) proposed that they might use three votes instead of one vote.
The proposal of the presiding officers noted that Consular is in a special-fee category and so they have one vote in the Congress. Marian Stoicescu’s proposal was submitted to the Congress for resolving. Following discussion, the Congress accepted the proposal of UEF’s presiding officers, and thus Consilva has one vote in the Congress.
The procedure document of the Congress was accepted in the form presented by the presiding officers (Appendix 2).
The agenda of the Congress was accepted as the procedure of the Congress in the form presented by the presiding officers.

4. REPORT OF THE PRESIDING OFFICERS CONCERNING PRECEEDING PERIOD

4.1 UEF’s Secretary, Alex Christodoulou (Cyprus), presented the report on activities for the preceding 3-year period. The report was unanimously accepted in the form presented (Appendix 3).
4.2 UEF Treasurer, NIels Christiansen (Denmark), presented the financial report for the preceding 3-year period. The report was unanimously accepted in the form presented (Appendices 4, 5 and 6).
4.3 UEF Auditor, Peter Klink (Germany), presented the auditors’ report orally. Auditor Peter Klink presented that the presiding officers be granted discharge from liability.
* Discharge from liability was unanimously granted to the presiding officers.

5. UEF’S ACTION PLAN AND FINANCIAL PLAN OF UEF FOR THE COMING PERIOD (1998-2000)

5.1. Action Plan
Chairman Kees Mol presented action plan to the Congress drawn up by the presiding officers for the period 1998-2000 (Appendix 7). It was decided to deal with items 6-9 (Appendices 8-11) of the agenda in connection with of the treatment of the Action Plan.
Action Plan was treated and the following decisions were taken:
• The introduction to the Action Plan was unanimously accepted.
• Section one (1) of the Action Plan number one (1) was unanimously accepted.
• Action Plan appendix 6 (Minutes of the congress Appendix 8) was treated in connection with section no. two (2) of the Action Plan. Section no. two (2) of the Action Plan was accepted with the amendment that on part of the BDF proposal the presiding officers were obliged to prepare a proposal to the Governing Council Meeting on the matter.
• Section no. three (3) of the Action Plan was accepted without changes in the
form presented by the presiding officers.
• Section no. four (4) of the Action Plan was accepted without changes in the form presented by the presiding officers.
• Section no. five (5) of the Action Plan was accepted in the form presented by the presiding officers. It was decided that appendices 7 and 7A of the agenda would be taken into account when carrying out the Action Plan. (Minutes of the congress Appendices 9 and 9A).
• Section no. six (6) of the Action Plan was unanimously accepted in the form presented by the presiding officers.
• Section no. seven (7) of the Action Plan was accepted without changes in the form presented by the presiding officers.
• Section no. eight (8) of the Action Plan was unanimously accepted in the form presented by the presiding officers.
In connection with the treatment of the matter, the presiding officers were obliged to establish a rules working party. The said working party was required to take into account the agenda’s appendices 8 and 9 (Minutes of the congress appendices 10 and 11) and also proposal for rule changes to be submitted by member associations.

6. CONGRESS RESOLUTIONS

- Vice-chairman Piotr Paschalis (Poland) presented a resolution proposal. The Congress accepted the resolution proposal unanimously as the Congress’ resolution (Appendix 12).
- Chairman Pentti Nareaho handed over chairmanship of the Congress to Roger Fitter (United Kingdom). Chairman Roger Fitter took on the chairmanship of the congress.

7. ELECTION OF PERSONS FOR THE COMING CONGRESS SEASON (1998-2000)

7.1 Election of Chairman
• The candidates for UEF Chairmanship in the subsequent election situation were current chairman Kees Mol (Holland) and current vice-chairman Piotr Paschalis (Poland).
• IN the election, Piotr Paschalis got 20 votes and Kees Mol 16 votes.
• The Chairman of the Congress, Roger Fitter, declared Piotr Paschalis (Poland) to have been elected UEF Chairman for the period 1998-2000.
7.2 Election of Vice-Chairman
• In the course of the preceding discussion, it was noted that the candidates for the three vice-chairmen’s positions are: Andre Grochovski (France), Peter Harland (United Kingdom), Pentti Nareaho (Finland) and Karlheinz Stephan (Germany).
• In the election, it was declared that Peter Harland got 35 votes Karlheinz Stephan got 28 votes, Pentti Nareaho 24 votes and Andre Grochovski 10 votes.
• On the basis of these election results the UEF’s vice-chairmen for the coming Congress period (1998-2000) are Peter Harland (United Kingdom), Pentti Nareaho (Finland) and Karlheinz Stephan (Germany).
7.3 Election of Treasurer
• it was unanimously decided to elect Niels Christiansen (Denmark) to be UEF’s treasurer for the coming Congress period (1998-2000).
7.4 Election of Secretary
• it was unanimously decided to elect Alex Christodoulou (Cyprus) as UEF’s secretary for the coming Congress period (1998-2000).
7.5 Election of Auditors
• it was decided unanimously to elect Andre Grochovski (France) and Peter Klink (Germany) as UEF’s auditors for the coming Congress season (1998-2000).
• Chairman Piotr Paschalis thanked chairman Kees Mol for his long and successful work for the UEF

8. OTHER MATTERS

8.1 Juan L. Jara (Spain) gave a presentation on the subject of PROFOR, the organization of the forestry professional in Spain. In connection with the presentation, he proposed that PROFOR might be accepted as a member of UEF (Appendix 13).
• PROFOR was unanimously accepted as a new member of UEF.
8.2 It was decided to note down in the minutes of the congress as having been received a letter from the deputy Minister for the Environment for Georgia (Appendix 14). In connection with its treatment, it was left to UEF’s Presidency to respond to the letter in question.
8.3 Treasurer Niels Christiansen brought up the issue of membership fees of associations with limited means, and this was decided to be left to be dealt with by the presiding officers and the Governing Council.

9. INFORMATION MATTERS

It was declared that no information messages had been presented.

 

10. VENUE OF THE NEXT CONGRESS AND ORGANISING BODY

• it was stated that no member association has as yet informed of its willingness to hold the next Congress
• in connection with the treatment of the matter, the Congress presented its wish that prospective organizers present their proposal to UEF’s Presidency. The said proposal is required to include a budget presentation as well. It was decided to allocate arrangements connected to the next Congress to UEF’s presiding officers. In connection with the treatment of the matter, an appendix was noted (Appendix 15).

11. CONCLUDING OF THE CONGRESS

The Chairman of the congress, Pentti Nareaho, congratulated the newly electedchairman, Piotr Paschalis, and other persons elected to positions of trust, and wished them success in their task.

Nareaho especially thanked Chairman Kees Mol for his long and successful work for the UEF. In his address, he thanked the participants for the matter-of-fact workpursued in the congress, and in the Congress, and declared the members of theorganizing committee for their work in making the Congress a success, and thanked them for sacrificing their time and efforts.

Chairman Nareaho then declared his role as Chairman of the Congress to have ended and invited the participants to Olavinlinna Castle in Savonlinna to partake of a medieval feast, and handed the chairman’s gavel over to chairman Kees Mol for him to declare the congress concluded.
Chairman Kees Mol thanked the UEF organization for the past years during which he has acted as its chairman and thanked the chairmen of the meeting for a good and successful congress.

Chairman Kees Mol then declared the congress ended.

For a true record of minutes of congress

Pentti Nareaho
Chairman

Pekka Salminen Secretary

Helina Sairanen Secretary

We, undersigned, have checked record of the minutes of the congress and found it to be in compliance with the events of the congress:

Lennart Jonsson Scrutinizer of the minutes

Hakan Nystrand Scrutinizer of the minutes Scrutinizer of the minutes