ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF THE PUBLIC ORGANISATION
LATVIAN DESIGNERS' SOCIETY

New wording

1. Latvian Designers' Society, its Tasks

2. Members of the LDS, their Duties and Rights

3. Organisation Structure of the LDS

4. Legal Status of the LDS

5. Funding and Financial Activities of the LDS

6. Termination of activities of the LDS.

APPROVED
by decision of the General Meeting
of the Latvian Designers' Society
of December 2, 2000
and protocol No. 01

1.1 The Latvian Designers' Society (LDS) shall be a professional creative organisation, which unites specialists of various designing spheres in order to promote professional growth and enhancement of creative capabilities on the basis of common interests, in order to support increased prestige of the profession and exchange of valuable experience, as well as in order to exhibit, store and ensure publicity of works made by its members and to foster development of the Latvian spiritual and material culture. The LDS shall act pursuant to the Articles of Association and the legislation effective in the Republic of Latvia.
The LDS shall act in the Republic of Latvia. LDS Bureau shall be located in Riga, Gertrudes Street5a.
1.2 Under the procedure prescribed by the law, the LDS shall participate in drawing up of the legislative acts, decisions of the government and local governments and other regulatory covering matters, which relate to designer's profession; it shall present the respective suggestions and draft documents.
1.3The LDS shall provide consultative and expert assistance, exchange of information and publishing work relating to the objectives of the LDS.
1.4 Under the procedure stipulated in the law and in accordance with the Rules approved by the LDS Board, the LDS shall act in the Republic of Latvia and grant certificates to natural persons approving professional qualification for designer's practice in one or several designing spheres.
1.5 The LDS shall provide assistance to designers in their creative work; protect social and legal interests of its members and copyrights of the designers in Latvia and abroad.
1.6 The LDS shall promote professional criticism of designing and development of designing theories.
1.7 The LDS shall organise competitions for designing projects and designing works, collect information about the best designing projects and publications about problems in the sphere of designing.
1.8 The LDS shall organise exhibitions, lectures, and seminars and use printed media, radio, television, movies and other media in order to enhance popularity of designing.
1.9 The LDS shall cooperate with other artists' societies, kindred professional unions or associations in Latvia and abroad, as well as with international organisations (ICSID, IFI, ICOGRADA, etc.).

2.	Members of the LDS, their Duties and Rights

2.1 The LDS shall be constituted by members, members - supporters, honorary members and candidate members.
2.2 Members of the LDS shall be persons of age 18 or more who possess higher or secondary vocational education in a sphere of designing or in architecture, engineering sciences, crafts and other professions relating to designing and whose professional activities confirm the respective professional qualification.
Persons under age of 18 or persons whose professional qualifications does not correspond to the requirements set for the LDS members may become candidate members of the LDS.
2.3 Admittance of new members shall be performed individually under the Rules approved by the LDS Board.
2.4 Duties of the LDS members:

2.4.1 To comply with the Articles of Association of the LDS and principles of professional ethics;
2.4.2 To regularly pay the membership fees;
2.4.3 To actively work in designing and enhance professions mastery;
2.4.4 To inform the LDS about significant activities in the respective sphere of designing;
2.4.5 To support the events organised by the LDS;
2.4.6 To promote creative growth of the young designers and their involvement in the LDS.

2.5 Rights of the LDS members:

2.5.1 To participate in election of the chairperson of the LDS, Board and Audit Committee and to be elected;
2.5.2 To participate in general meetings, meetings of the LDS and events organised by the LDS;
2.5.3 To receive comprehensive information about the activities of the LDS;
2.5.4 To submit suggestions and proposals to any bodies or structural units of the LDS;
2.5.5 To use assistance of the LDS in order to improve working, culture, living or material conditions.

2.6 Persons under age of 18 or persons, persons whose level of professional growth has not reached the level needed for membership in the LDS or whose professional qualifications does not correspond to the requirements set for the LDS members may become candidate members of the LDS.

2.6.1 The term of the LDS's candidate member status - 5 years.

2.7 Admittance of the candidate members shall be performed individually under the Rules approved by the LDS Board.
2.8 Duties of the candidate members of the LDS:

2.8.1 To comply with the Articles of Association of the LDS and principles of professional ethics;
2.8.2 To regularly pay the membership fees;
2.8.3 To actively work in designing and enhance professions mastery;
2.8.4 To support the events organised by the LDS

2.9 Rights of the candidate members of the LDS:

2.9.1 To participate in general meetings without the right of vote, meetings of the LDS and events organised by the LDS;
2.9.2 To receive comprehensive information about the activities of the LDS;
2.9.3 To submit suggestions and proposals to any bodies or structural units of the LDS.

2.10 Members - supporters of the LDS shall be natural or legal persons in Latvia or abroad whose activities significantly promote development in the designing processes and who provide material support to the activities of the LDS.
2.11 Admittance of the members - supporters of the LDS shall be performed under the Rules approved by the LDS Board.
2.12 Duties of the members - supporters of the LDS:

2.12.1. To regularly pay the membership fees;
2.12.2 To inform the LDS about significant activities in the respective sphere of designing.

2.13 Rights of the members - supporters of the LDS:

2.13.1 To personally participate in general meetings, meetings of the LDS and events organised by the LDS, or appoint authorised representatives (legal persons) for participation in the above-mentioned meetings and events;
2.13.2 To receive comprehensive information about the activities of the LDS;
2.13.3 To submit suggestions and proposals to any bodies or structural units of the LDS.

2.14 The General Meeting of the LDS may elect honorary members - designers in Latvia or abroad, as well as persons who have made outstanding contribution to development of the Latvian designing processes, its studies and propaganda.
2.15 Members, members - supporters and honorary members of the LDS shall receive special member cards.
2.16 Membership in the LDS shall be cancelled:

2.16.1 Upon one's own wish expressed by the member, candidate member or member - supporter in respective notification to the LDS Board or to the Chairperson;
2.16.2 If the member, candidate member or member - supporter of the LDS has violated the Articles of Association of the LDS or professional ethics standards;
2.16.3 If the member, candidate member or member - supporter of the LDS has not worked in the respective sphere of designing for more than 5 years without any reasonable justification;
2.16.4 If the member, candidate member or member - supporter of the LDS has not settled the membership fees for two years without any reasonable justification.
2.16.5 The LDS Board and the General Meeting of the LDS shall possess the right to cancel membership in the LDS.
2.16.6 When membership in the LDS is cancelled, no fee payments shall be returned.

2.17 Protests on non-admittance or expulsion from the LDS shall be submitted to the General Meeting.
2.18 Members, candidate members and members - supporters whose membership in the LDS has been terminated may apply for the membership under the general procedure.
2.19 Membership in the LDS shall be terminated if the concrete LDS member, candidate member or member - supporter has not paid the membership fee for one year without reasonable justification. Upon settlements membership shall be resumed.

3.	Organisation Structure of the LDS

3.1 The higher body of the LDS shall be its General Meeting summoned at least once in two years. The General Meeting shall be lawful if it is participated by more than a half of the LDS members. The LDS members shall have the right of vote, and the members - supporters - the right of advisor's vote.
3.2 The General Meeting of the LDS shall:

3.2.1 Prepare the working programme of the LDS;
3.2.2 Discuss the current problems in designing and the respective activities of the LDS;
3.2.3 Review, amend and approve by to 2/3 of votes the Articles of Association of the LDS;
3.2.4 Listen to and approve reports of the LDS Board, managerial bodies of structural units and Audit Committee;
3.2.5 In direct, secret ballot elect the Chairperson of the LDS, Board and Audit Committee until the next General Meeting;
3.2.6 Decide on reorganisation or liquidation of the LDS and its structural units, if necessary;
3.2.7 Consider and decide on matters concerning expulsion or non-admittance of members.

3.3 Extraordinary general meetings of the LDS shall be summoned:

3.3.1 Upon initiative of the Chairperson or the Board;
3.3.2 Upon request by the Audit Committee;
3.3.3 If this requested by at least a third of the LDS members.

3.4 The extraordinary general meetings shall have the right to discharge any functions of general meetings.
3.5 The Chairperson of the LDS shall manage work of the LDS Board, adopt decisions during periods between meetings of the Board and represent and protect interests of the LDS in state organisations and other organisations in Latvia and abroad. In case votes divide equally in a meeting of the Board the vote of the Chairperson shall be the decisive one.
3.6 The LDS Board shall manage work of the LDS during periods between general meetings. Meetings of the Board shall be held at least 4 times a year. The Board shall be lawful if it is participated by more than a half of its members. Meetings of the Board shall be open.
3.7 The LDS Board shall:

3.7.1 Implement decisions of the General Meeting or control their implementation;
3.7.2 Manage and coordinate creative and organisational activities of the LDS, approve rules of the LDS;
3.7.3 Elect the Secretary of the Board from the members of the Board who by this becomes the Deputy Chairperson;
3.7.4 Prepare drafts for submission to state, municipal and public organisations;
3.7.5 Establish groups, committees and other structural units of the LDS or accept their formation and supervise their activities;
3.7.6 Set up companies (undertakings), supervise and promote of the economic activities allowed to the LDS by the law in order to achieve the goals set by the LDS;
3.7.7 Consider matters relating to and adopt decisions on reorganisation or liquidation of structural units and companies (undertakings) of the LDS;
3.7.8 Acquire or alienate property on behalf of the LDS;
3.7.9 Admit or expel members of the LDS by a secret ballot;
3.7.10 Approve symbols of the LDS;
3.7.11 Approve budget of the LDS;
3.7.12 Approve structure and number of members in the LDS Board;
3.7.13 Approve the amount of the membership fee and admittance fee and their settlement procedure;
3.7.14 Propose the designers to be awarded;
3.7.15 Manage the publishing activities of the LDS.

3.8 The Secretary of the LDS Board shall manage record-keeping work in the LDS Board, adopt decisions during absence of the Chairperson in the periods between meetings of the Board, prepare meetings of the Board and control implementation of the decisions adopted by the Board and Chairperson.
3.9 The Audit Committee of the LDS shall:

3.9.1 Elect the Chairperson and Secretary of the Committee;
3.9.2 Control compliance with the decisions of LDS's General Meeting and Articles of Association of the LDS;
3.9.3 Control record-keeping work in the LDS;
3.9.4 At least twice a year examine business activities of the LDS and its structural units, and any other economic and financial activities and audit accounting;
3.9.5 Report to the Board and General Meeting on audit results;
3.9.6 Initiate investigation of offences at meetings of the Board or summating of an extraordinary meeting of the Board or a General Meeting.

3.10 Members of the LDS may form their groups, studios, territorial or other-type unions acting under the Articles of Association of the LDS. Such unions shall be established upon approval of their rules by the LDS Board.
3.11 Decisions of the General Meeting of the LDS, Chairperson or Board shall be binding to all the members and structural units of the LDS.
3.12 Office of the LDS Board shall located in Riga.

4.	Legal Status of the LDS

4.1 The LDS shall be a legal person with its seal, symbols and bank accounts. It shall manage all its property and structural units.
4.2 In accordance with the law and its tasks the LDS shall possess the right to establish and liquidate structural units, conclude agreements and deals, acquire or alienate property, represent interests of the LDS and its members in court and arbitration institutions, as well as to perform other legal activities.
4.3 The LDS Board may permit structural units to acquire the rights of a legal person, separate balance sheet and bank accounts. Legal and proprietary relations of the LDS and such independent structural units shall be determined by a respective agreement.

5.	Funding and Financial Activities of the LDS

5.1 The LDS shall possess its own estate, property and money resources. Such money resources shall be:

5.1.1 Admittance and membership fees;
5.1.2 Donations of natural and legal persons;
5.1.3 Deductions from funds of structural units of the LDS if a respective agreement is concluded;
5.1.4 Income from events organised by the LDS, its business and other economic activities;
5.1.5 Other sources of income permitted by the law.

5.2 Money resources of the LDS shall be used in accordance with the tasks of the LDS and the respective estimates.

6.	Termination of activities of the LDS

6.1 The LDS shall terminate its activities upon a respective decision of the General Meeting of the LDS.
6.2 In case of self-liquidation of the LDS further ownership of its property and money resources shall be decided by the Liquidation Committee set up by the General Meeting in compliance with the law.
6.3 Structural units of the LDS may terminate their activities by their own initiative upon a prior written notification to the Board of the LDS.
6.4 In case of liquidation of structural units of the LDS their property shall be taken over by the LDS.

7. The amendments to the Articles of Association were approved by the General Meeting of the LDS on December 2, 2000.

I. Lauce, Chairperson of the LDS