1999 Annual General Meeting

Resolution 1/99:

That the following ecolabelling organizations be approved as members of GEN: (i) Hungarian Eco-Labelling Organization, (ii) Central Pollution Control Board - India, and (iii) National Programme of Labelling Products with the AEnvironmentally Friendly Product@ Ecolabel (NP E?V), Czech Ministry of Environment.

Resolution 2/99:

That GEN approve the revised budget for 1999.

Resolution 3/99:

That GEN open up its membership to:: (i) organizations that certify single products or service categories provided that they fulfill all membership conditions contained in Article V, Section 2. (a) of the GEN By-laws; and

(ii) organizations that certify environmentally sustainable natural resource extraction provided that they fulfill the membership conditions contained in Article V, Section 2. (a) 1 - 6 and 8 - 10 of the GEN By-laws.

Resolution 4/99:

That in order to accommodate these new membership categories (refer to Resolution 3/99), GEN introduce an interim status for these as Aaffiliates@, and that pertinent revisions to the GEN By-laws be prepared and approved by the GEN Membership to enable eventual Amembership@ status.

Resolution 5/99:

That GEN create an Aassociate membership@ category for non profit organizations that support the objectives of GEN, and that Aassociate membership@ be bestowed upon applicants subject to a decision of a qualified majority of two-thirds of the members attending an annual meeting.

As is the case with the new [full] membership categories (refer to Resolutions 3/99 and 4/99), GEN introduce a comparable interim status for these as Aassociated affiliates@, and that pertinent revisions to the GEN By-laws be prepared and approved by the GEN Membership to enable eventual Aassociate membership@ status.

Resolution 6/99:

That GEN ExCOM direct and oversee the preparation and presentation of a report on potential admission for GEN membership of organizations that certify organic and/or environmentally sound food products, for decision at the next GEN annual general meeting.

Resolution 7/99:

That the GEN membership approves the budget and work plan for 2000 with the revised stipulation that US$10,000 is allocated to the next annual meeting for relevant costs and Aa specific workshop for GEN members and potential members@.

Resolution 8/99:

That if there is income received in excess of the budgeted amount during the year, the ExCOM will prepare and circulate a revised budget with spending options for approval by the GEN membership.

Resolution 9/99:

That GEN encourages members to contribute funds to other members for publishing certification criteria documents on the Internet Web.

Resolution 10/99:

That the GEN membership accepts the audited financial report for 1998.

Resolution 11/99:

That the GEN membership appoints Showa Ota & Co. (Ernst and Young International) as the auditor of the financial report for 1999 (to be produced).

Resolution 12/99:

That GEN membership fees remain as agreed in Resolution 4/97.

Resolution 13/99:

That reduced GEN membership fees, once assigned by the GEN ExCOM, and unless otherwise specified in a pertinent GEN ExCOM decision, apply for a three year period.

Resolution 14/99:

That the price of the GEN Guide to Ecolabelling is set at US$100 for commercial entities and US$25 for other interested parties.

Resolution 15/99:

That the GEN membership commits to greater efforts to enhance mutual cooperation among members on both multilateral and bilateral bases. Further, that the following points be adopted as recommended procedures:
(i)	when developing criteria in a specific product/service category, check if criteria already exist under another GEN member=s (s=) ecolabelling scheme(s), and if so, give consideration to the possible incorporation/adoption of such criteria;
(ii)	already existing criteria should be cited or referenced in certification criteria documentation when, and as appropriate;
(iii)	English editions of certification criteria documents should be published; and
(iiii)	English documents should be accepted in certification procedures.

Resolution 16/99:

That each GEN member agrees to perform a self-evaluation of his/her organization=s compliance with ISO 14024, and to submit a relevant findings report to the GEN Secretariat for compilation with other such reports.

Resolution 17/99:

That the Secretariat is tasked to organize the appointment of a nominating committee to oversee the nomination of a replacement Chair and ExCOM member(s) effective next GEN annual general meeting.