Members present : Australia (G. West), Brazil (E. F. Figueiró), Canada (J.N. Cormier), China Hong Kong (M. Yeung), England & Wales (A. Abel), France (M. Houette), India (J. Varghese), Italy (C. Nodari), Malaysia (W. Peters), Singapore (T. Tan), Spain (J.M. Gomez), United States of America (S. Gilbert), M. Thio, B. O’Reilly, J. Spiewak, L. Fitzpatrick.

Represented Members: Belgium and Monaco, represented by France; Ireland and Scotland, represented by England & Wales; New-Zealand, represented by Australia.

Interpreters: A. de Viu, A. Reis, E. Vargas, B. Parson, P. Chase and M. Aranha.

Secretary: C.H. de Parseval


APPROVAL OF MINUTES of the CONCORDAT MEETING, 09 JUNE 2014 The minutes of the Lisbon meeting was approved without modification.


FINANCIAL REPORT 2014, from Treasurer General, L. Fitzpatrick Liam gave a very brief report on the financial outcome for 2014, explaining that he would be providing more detail at the IEC meeting later that day.
In brief, the financial result for 2014 was extremely satisfactory with a large surplus of €228,000, leaving us with a strong Balance Sheet position at the end of the year.
Similarly, the final budget for 2015 indicates a satisfactory budgeted surplus of €79,900 and the preliminary budget for 2016 shows a surplus of €125,900.

SITUATION of CONTRIBUTIONS
The Concordat contributions for 2014 were extremely good with all 16 countries achieving 100% or better, with some countries increasing their contributions beyond our expectations e.g. Scotland, Singapore and Spain.
Also, USA, whose total fell short of budget by €50k at the end of 2014, partly due to adverse exchange rates, especially in the early part of the year, made up the deficit in the early part of this year.

The Concordat budget for 2015 has been increased from €1,046,000 to €1,065,000 and the up-todate contributions are in line with budget.
In conclusion, Graham West, in his position as Chairman of Concordat, thanked all countries for their continuing support of CGI.

Responses from the Meeting:
Sheila Gilbert (United States) asked if other countries could be approached, and if we had considered setting a kind of minimum contribution, even if it is very low, for all countries, to encourage a sense of belonging and solidarity.

In answer to the questions, the General Treasurer reported that he had one or two possible new members of the Concordat, and that although all countries outside the Concordat receive a call for funds in October each year, we would not try to put them under pressure. Their efforts are deeply appreciated, sometimes in very difficult conditions, and the total sum of over 40k€ a year received from them in recent years has been most welcome.

Watson Peters (Malaysia) asked if this Concordat structure is recognised by the Rule?

M. Thio replied that the Concordat is not in the Rule. It was organised as an emergency measure at a time when Council General was short of funds. Australia introduced the concept of the Concordat and CGI followed up by requesting affluent countries to support it. Australia made the first payment and was subsequently followed by other countries. If Council General had no funding it could not carry out its international operations. The Concordat term is renewable on a 3-yearly basis. Watson Peters enquired: If it is temporary measure, are we thinking about including it in the Rule? A.:There is no provision to include this in the Rule and funds are solicited through the spirit of Vincentian solidarity.

Juan Manuel Gomes (Spain) and Migueline Houette (France): If there was an emergency, all countries would have to contribute, even with 1$ or 1€; in all Societies, every member contributes. M. Thio advised that this was deployed in the past on many occasions but the result has been dismal. ITVPs and their Co-ordinators visit countries and reminded and encouraged countries to make contribution and in addition with request letters from CGI. The members of the Concordat are only the countries that contribute regularly. Consideration for an additional source of funding was thought about and CGI met with investment fund managers to consider creating a fund for SSVP. It took about 2 years to develop this concept and presented to members. Last year, this proposal was not accepted for various local legal, financial and other implications faced by the local Society. So the program has been shelved for the time being.

To a question raised by Adrian Abel (England & Wales) the accountability, transparency and usage of the finances of CGI are monitored by the International Finance and Accountability Commission (IFAC) whose members are from Australia, England & Wales, USA, Ireland and along with the Treasurer General and the President General as ex-officio members.

Graham West (Australia) remarked that being a member of Concordat does not give any special privileges, but rather we have a sense of our joint responsibility to the Society Internationally. Our leaders know that when a situation happens, if they need money, they can go to the grassroots and seek assistance.

Jean-Noël Cormier (Canada) said that Concordat countries contribute only for 0.3% of their free income.

Finally, Graham West, as Chairman of Concordat, thanked all the countries for their continued support for CGI.