9.1 – Ownership of a share automatically implies acceptance of the Statutes and the General Regulation, the decisions of the Board of Directors, and the collective decisions taken by the associates.
9.2 – Any natural person who owns a share has the right to participate in collective decisions on the basis of one vote per share. Individual undivided owners of a share by inheritance or bequest must appoint from among themselves a common representative to exercise the vote, brought to the attention of the society. Otherwise, they may attend the deliberations but may not take part in the vote.
9.3 – The information and control of management of the society by the associates are carried out in accordance with the legislative and regulatory provisions in force and these Statutes.
9.3.1 – During the two months preceding the General Assembly to approve the financial statements, the society makes available to associates on its website:
– The annual accounts that will be submitted to the General Assembly;
– The reports of the management, administrative and management bodies and of the statutory auditors that will be submitted to the General Assembly;
– The text and explanations of the proposed resolutions, as well as, if applicable, the information concerning the candidates for a corporate mandate or an elective office.
Where the documents are not made available, any associates may ask the society to make them available to them at the registered office where they may view them and request a copy.
Any associate may request, within the same period, the right to consult the annual declarations of interest established pursuant to Article L.323-13 of the Intellectual Property Code. Such request shall be submitted by the associate and examined by the society in accordance with the response and consultation conditions provided for in paragraph 9.3.2 below.
9.3.2 – At least two months before the Annual General Assembly, any associate may ask the society to give it access to documents relating to the current financial year subject to compliance with the secrets protected by law and the rules of the Code of Criminal Procedure prohibiting the communication of documents relating to ongoing litigation proceedings.
This request must be made in writing to the Managing Director and specify the documents which the associate wishes to access.
Within ten working days of receipt of the request, the society shall provide the documents or, where this is not physically possible, make the documents requested available to the associate, at the society’s registered office on the society’s opening days and times in the presence of the society’s staff associate(s) designated by it, and on the date indicated by the society.
The associate is required to sign a document drawn up by the society certifying the documents brought to his attention.
In accordance with Article R.321-20 of the French Intellectual Property Code, any associate subject to a denial of request for provision, which must be provided in writing, may refer the matter to the Supervisory Board provided for in Article 18 of the Statutes in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 2.3.2 of the General Regulation.
9.3.3 – The society is not required to respond to requests for communication of the documents which it makes available to its associates on its website or to repetitive or abusive requests.
9.4 – In accordance with the provisions of Article 1855 of the French Civil Code, any associate may ask questions in writing about the management of the society, which the Managing Director must answer within one month.
9.5 – Associates may receive legal assistance from the society for any question concerning them in connection with the stated purpose.
Subject to the Managing Director ’s favourable opinion, associates may benefit from the society’s legal assistance in the context of legal proceedings concerning any issue that might call into question their rights and the collective interest of a category of rightholders represented by the society.