1. Stephen Pickard Lawyer Brussels Legal Advisor EFNA and EPDA Brussels SAFE WORKING CONFERENCE LJUBLJANA, NOVEMBER 26, 2010 How to set up a new patient organisation

2. 2 The Appropriate Legal Entity What do you want to achieve? European Union platform Ease of management and control Bank accounts Tax deduction of donations

3. 3 The Appropriate Legal Entity Every country has its own solutions: UK Charity Belgian “not for profit” company (asbl) –Simple management –Cheap to set up –Bank accounts –Value added tax, or not

4. The General Assembly The General Assembly, and not the Board, is sovereign. Many decisions are the exclusive domain of the General Assembly General Assembly normally elects the Board General Assembly can dismiss the Board Importance of keeping the members informed and involved Importance of Minutes – signed by President 4

5. Ordinary Board members President, Vice-President, Treasury and Secretary Co-opted members 5 The Board

6. Roles of the Board Day-to-day management Strategy and direction Organise the work 6 The Board

7. Importance of a written Mission Statement Proposed by Board, adopted by General Assembly Importance of written objectives and goals Guidance for day-to-day work 7 The Board

8. The Board areas of collective responsibility Strategic Managerial Financial Legal Reputational 8 The Board

9. Potential for Conflicts of Interest for Board members who : Have been nominated by another organisation, possibly with a competing mission Provide professional services to the organisation Provide commercial products to the organisation Are beneficiaries of the organisation’s services 9

10. To make all this happen it is necessary to address Your Board’s strengths and weaknesses/Board performance What skill sets are needed on the Board What skills are lacking Role descriptions for the Board and for key volunteers Recruitment of Board members and key volunteers with the specific skills needed 10

11. Stephen Pickard Avocat Pickard sprl Rond-Point Schuman 9 Box 9 1040 Brussels Tel +32 2 33 37 43 Fax +32 233 37 40 spickard@spickard.eu Particular thanks to Linda Laurence & Associates for their input in the preparation of this presentation.