PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No. 311
(as amended by Law 2557/1997 - Official Journal A 271/1997)
Articles of Association of the «Copyright Organisation»
The President of the Greek Republic
Considering
1. The provisions of Article 69 of Law 2121/1993 «Copyright, Related rights and cultural matters» (Official Journal A 25)
2. The provisions of Article 27 of Law 2081/92 (Official Journal A 154) which added a new article, article 29A, to Law 1558/85 (Official journal A 137)
3. The fact that the provisions of this presidential Decree incur expenses to the budget of the private law legal entity «Copyright Organisation» amounting to 38.507.110 drachmas for the current fiscal year, which has been provided for in the ordinary budget of the Ministry of Culture by transferring funds to KAE 2599 and 50.323.086 drachmas for the other fiscal years.
4. The opinion no 486/19.8.94 of the Council of State, following a proposal made by the Minister of government Presidency, The Minister of Culture and the Minister of Finance, we hereby resolve:
Article 1 Name - Form - Registered Office
a) The «Copyright Organisation», established by article 69 of Law 2121/1993 «Copyright, Related rights and cultural matters» (Official Journal A 25) is a private law legal entity, with registered offices at Athens, supervised by the Minister of Culture.
b) This Organisation will hereafter be called «Copyright Organisation».
Article 2 Purposes
The purposes of Copyright Organisation are the following:
a) To protect intellectual authors and rightholders of related rights.
b) To see to the application of Law 2121/1993 and the related contract issues; in particular:
- To submit proposals to the Ministry of Culture concerning the legality of statement and the regulation of the Collecting Societies and other elements provided for in paragraph 4 and 5, article 54, law 2121/1993.
- To submit proposals every six months to the Ministry of Culture on issues concerning the supervision of the Collecting Societies.
- To effect law drafting work on issues of copyright and related rights, in cooperation with the Office of the Legal Councillor of the Ministry of Culture and the Office of Legislative Coordination of the Ministry of Culture.
- To represent Greece in competent international organisations as well as institutions of the European Community.
- To organise seminars of any kind for the training and updating of judges, lawyers, administrative employees, authors, rightholders of related rights and students on issues of copyright and related rights.
- To provide information concerning issues of copyright and related rights.
Article 3 Board of Directors Composition - Function - Duties
1. The Copyright Organisation is administered by a five-member Board of Directors. The members of the Board should have a university degree, mainly in Legal and Economic Sciences, and have special knowledge or experience in issues of copyright.
2. The Board of the Copyright Organisation is appointed by resolution of the Ministry of Culture for a three-year term of office. The same resolution also appoints the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Board. The term of office of the members of the Board may be renewed.
3. A Copyright Organisation employee acts as Secretary of the Board; he is appointed by resolution of the Chairman of the Board along with his substitute.
4. The Board holds meetings by invitation of the Chairman, regularly once a month and, in special occasions, if requested by the chairman and the majority of its members. In the latter case, the Chairman should convene the members of the Board within five days from the written notice made by the majority. The notice also includes the issues of the agenda.
5. The Board is in quorum when at least three members are present, including the Chairman or the Deputy Chairman of the Board. The resolutions are made by absolute majority of the members present; in the event of equal votes, the vote of the Chairman is prevailing.
6. The Director of the Copyright Organisation acts as reporter.
7. The proceedings of the Board are signed by the Chairman, the members and the Secretary.
8. The Board has the folowing duties:
a) It decides on the annual budget and its necessary and submits it for approval to the Minister of Culture by 15 October of each year.
b) It draws up the annual balance sheet and report of the Copyright Organisation and submits it to the Minister of Culture by the end of February of each year.
c) It appoints the personnel of Copyright Organisation in particular posts under article 13 of this presidential decree. The salary of the personnel is determined under Law 1505/84 (Official Journal A' 114), as was supplemented by Law 1810/88 (A' 223).
d) Following a suggestion of the Director of Copyright Organisation, it assigns to organisations, special scientists or legal entities by employment contract the duty to implement studies, research and tasks related to the achievement of the purposes of Copyright Organisation, under the provisions on task assignment applicable each time.
e) It approves the trips of the Chairman and members of the Board, as well as the trips of the personnel of Copyright Organisation in and out of Greece. The provisions on trips of civil servants are applied to the compensation for the trips.
f) By resolution, it may assign for a particular period of time the exercise of a specific duty or duties to one of its members.
g) It may transfer in writing the exercise of the duties of the Chairman to the Deputy Chairman or to other members of the Board or to the Director of the Copyright Organisation, following a suggestion of the Chairman of the Board.
9. For the personnel of the Copyright Organisation with the qualification of a lawyer, the rules concerning each time their regular payment, may be applied.
Article 4 Duties of the Chairman of the Board
The Chairman of the Board has the following duties:
a) He represents the Copyright Organisation in and out of court, binds it with his signature and may assign the representation to a member of the Board or the Director of the Copyright Organisation.
b) He convenes the Board of the Copyright Organisation, presides over its meetings and determines the issues of the agenda, without prejudice to paragraph 5 of the previous article.
c) In case the Chairman is absent or unavailable, he is substituted by the Deputy Chairman.
Article 5 Director
1. The Director of the Copyright Organisation is appointed by resolution of the Minister of Culture for a three-year term of office which may be renewed by proposal of the Board of the Copyright Organisation. He should have a university degree, an acknowledged doctor's degree and special knowledge or experience in copyright issues.
2. The duties of the Director of the Copyright Organisation are the following:
a) He is entrusted with the scientific and administrative management of the Copyright Organisation.
b) He supervises the services and employed personnel of the Copyright Organisation and sees to their smooth and effective operation.
c) He applies the resolutions of the Board.
d) He performs all duties provided for in this presidential decree or assigned by the Board.
Article 6 Funds of the Copyright Organisation
1. For the beginning of its operation, the Copyright Organisation is subsidised with a lump sum as special financing from the state Budget of the Ministry of Culture amounting to twenty million (20.000.000) drachmas. The Copyright Organisation may also be subsidised from the funds of the Ministry of Culture or the proceeds of the LOTTO-PROTO lotteries.
2. The funds of the Copyright Organisation arise from:
a) 1% of the groos revenue of the Collecting Societies for the previous year. The sum is paid in two periodical instalments, namely in 1st March and 1st September, under the procedure provided for in article 19 of this presidential decree.
b) Subsidies - grants of the European Community and the International Organisations.
c) Donations, legacies.
d) Private funding and any type of contributions by natural persons or legal entities.
e) Revenue from the provision of services.
Article 7 Fiscal year
The fiscal year begins on 1st January and ends on 31st December of each calendar year. The fiscal year is the period of time within which acts are effected concerning the management of money, materials and other assets of the Copyright Organisation. In particular, the first fiscal year begins with the publication of this presidential decree in the Official Journal of the State and ends on 31.12.1994.
Article 8 Budget
1. The budget is an act of the Board of the Copyright Organisation which includes the foreseen income from ordinary and extraordinary funds of the Copyright Organisation as well as the foreseen expenses of the year along with their justification.
Any annual surplus of the Copyright Organisation is carried forward to the next year.
2. In the annual budget, the total income is available for covering the overall expenses. The distribution of the accounts is determined by resolution of the Board of Copyright Organisation.
3. The Director of the Copyright Organisation submits to the Board a quarterly report of the execution of the budget and any transfer of provided sums from article to article or from fund to fund, up to 105 of the total budget. Any transfers beyond this persentage are decided by the Board.
4. The Director of the Copyright Organisation prepares and presents to the Board a draft budget, drawn up in accordance with the estimates and data of all Directorates of the Copyright Organisation and submitted four (4) months before the expiry of the time limit referred to in paragraph 6 of this article. The draft budget contains the income and expenses, classified by type and divided in titles, chapters and articles.
5. The draft budget is accompanied by:
a) A report on the course of income and expenses of the Copyright Organisation compared to the previous year.
b) Planning of the income and expenses of the Copyright Organisation per year for the coming five years, classified by type and divided in titles, chapters and articles.
c) A list of the employed personnel of the Copyright Organisation, classified by category and organisational units.
d) A list of the requirements of the Copyright Organisation in personnel along with the justification.
e) A list of equipment and estates along with redemption value.
f) Suggestions of the Director of the Copyright Organisation on new investment expenses or improvements, accompanied by justification of their financial expediency.
6. Three months before the end of each fiscal year, the Board of the Copyright Organisation formulates the contents of the budget and submits it for approval to the Minister of Culture by 15 October of each year.
7. The execution of the budget may be extended for three months both for the collection of the income of the closing fiscal year and the payment of expenses for obligations under taken up to the end of the fiscal year by resolution of the Board of the Copyright Organisation submitted for approval to the Minister of Culture.
8. Following this approval, the budget may be amended concerning the distribution of the provided sums under paragraph 3 of this article.
9. If the budget is not approved at the beginning of the calendar year, the Director of the Copyright Organisation may make payments for expenses in accordance with the estimates of the last approved budget up to the sum cortesponding to one third of the approved expenses. The expenses concerning the salary of the personnel are paid regularly.
Article 9 Income - Expenses - Management Audit
1. The income of the budget is:
a) The income provided for during the fiscal year to which the budget refers.
b) The income that was not collected in previous fiscal years or that is paid in advance for coming years.
2. The income of the Copyright Organisation is collected by:
a) The Treasurer of the Copyright Organisation, by issuing a receipt of the accounting department.
b) The Banks cooperating with the Copyright Organisation.
3. An employee of the financial service of the Copyright Organisation is appointed Treasurer of the Copyright Organisation by deed of the Director.
4. The expenses of the budget are the expenditure provided for during the fiscal year to which the budget refers, without taking into accont the period of time when the obligation for payment was undertaken.
5. A payment order should be issued for the payment of the expenses of the Copyright Organisation, which is drawn up by the Administrative - Financial Department and signed by the Director of the Copyright Organisation.
6. Without prejudice to observing the procedures concerning the supplies of the Copyright Organisation, the payments for approved activities of the Copyright Organisation in with no restrictions as to the amount of the payable sum, provided that there is a written order of the Director of the Copyright Organisation in the framework of his powers.
7. The payments of the Copyright Organisation are made by bank cheques to the order of the beneficiary or in cash.
8. The Treasurer and the Director of the Copyright Organisation are responsible for the lawful and smooth inflow and outflow of money in the Copyright Organisation.
9. The supply of any type of material (consumable or not) of the Copyright Organisation is effected if there is a respective provision and credit in the budget of the Copyright Organisation, by order of the Director of the Copyright Organisation.
10. The audit of the financial management and the annual balance sheet of the Copyright Organisation is made by certified auditors who regularly draw up reports addresed to the Board of the Copyright Organisation concerning the management of the Copyright Organisation as well as a report on the annual balance sheet.
11. Within a reasonable time after the submission of the reports of the certified auditors, the Board of the Copyright Organisation may order the settlement of the deficits in accordance with their observations.
12. The Director of the Copyright Organisation effects a biannual control of the financial management of the Copyright Organisation. The results of the control are submitted for updating to the Board.
Article 10 Financial report - Balance sheet
1. In January of each year, the Board of the Copyright Organisation draws up the balance sheet with the profit and loss account and the report of 31st December of the previous year.
2. Copies of the report and the balance sheet are forwarded to the certified auditors.
3. The balance sheet and the report of the Copyright Organisation are notified by the Board to the Minister of Culture by the end of February of each year.
4. The report on the income and expenses of the Copyright Organisation reflects the results of the execution of the budget of the respective year and includes the following, in accordance with the diagram used for the drawing of the budget:
a. the foreseen income and expenses
b. the effecte income and expenses
5. The balance sheet is drawn up in accordance with the applicable laws and, in general terms, follows the General Accounting Plan.
6. The accounts of the Copyright Organisation are drawn up in groups and subgroups depending on the financial activity of the Copyright Organisation each time.
Article 11 Organisational strusture of the Copyright Organisation
1. The services of the Copyright Organisation constitute a Directorate composed of the following organisatiopnal units (Departments):
a. Department of Legislative Coordination
b. Department of Information and Seminar Organisation
c. Department of Administration - Finance
2. The Directorate functions under the supervision of the Director of the Copyright Organisation. Its duties are distributed to the Department as follows:
a. Department of Legislative Coordination: Application of Law 2121/1993 and the related international conventions. Law drafting work on issues of copyright and related rights. Legal studies and publication of related editions. Processing of legal affairs of the Copyright Organisation. Representation of Greece in the institutions of the European Community and Interantional Organisations on issues of copyright and realted rigths.
b. Department of Information and Seminar Organisation: Collection, classification and maintenance of the documentation material. Organisation and operation of a library. Provision of information on issues of copyright and related rights. Organisation of seminars for training and updating of judges, lawyers, administrative employees, authors, rightholders of related rigths and students.
c. Department of administration and Finance: Handling of the affairs of the personnel of the Copyright Organisation. Dispatch of correspondence, typing and reproduction of documents and editions. Preparation of the draft budget, the balance sheet and the annual report of the Copyright Organisation. Management of all expenses, payment of salary and compensation to the personnel as well as the collection of all income. Supply of machinery, materials, supplies or any other assets and the performance of tasks. Management of service material, guarding and cleaning of the office of the Organisation.
Article 12 Personnel positions - qualifications
1. The Copyright Organisation personnel positions are seventeen as follows:
a) One (1) position of Director, as provided for in Article 5, paragraph 1 hereof.
b) Two (2) positions of special scientific personnel, specialised in copyright. The required qualifications are those provided for in Article 25, paragraph 2 of Law 1943/91 (Official Journal A 50).
c) Four (4) positions of the PE Jurists. The qualifications for appointement are a Law degree in Greece or an equivalent degree in another country as well as excellent knowledge of at least one of the following languages: English, French or German.
d) Four positions of the branch PE Administration - Finance, one which is the position of the Treasurer.
e) One (1) position of the branch TE Library Officer.
f) One (1) position of the branch DE Librarian.
g) Two (2) positions of the branch DE Personnel, with the specialisation of computer user. The required qualifications are those provided for in articles 14 and 18 of the presidential decree 194/88 (Official Journal A 84). In particular, for appointment in one of the two positions, the excellent knowledge of English or French or German is required as additional qualification.
h) One (1) position of the branch DE Typist - stenographer.
i) One (1) position of the branch YE Cleaning personnel.
2. The provisions of the presidential decree 194/88 (Official Journal A 84) concerning the respective branches of permanent personnel are applied for all the aforesaid branches where no appointement qualifications are stated.
3. The provisions of Article 5 of the presidential decree 172/92, as amended by presidential decree 368/92 are applied for providing the excellent knowledge of a foreign language.
Article 13 Appointement of the personnel
The personnel of the Copyright Organisation is appointed by a private law contract for a definite or indefinite period of time, in accordance with the general provisions on appointement applicable each time. The personnel is placed in particular positions by resolution of the Board of the Copyright Organisation following a proposal of the Director of the Copyright Organisation.
Article 14 Heads of Services
1. The Heads of the Departments of the Copyright Organisation are appointed by resolution of the Board of the Copyright Organisation following a proposal of the Director of the Copyright Organisation.
2. The Director is the Head of the Directorate of the Copyright Organisation. The Director is substituted by the Heads of Departments, as stated in article 11 of this presidential decree by order of priority.
Article 15 Beginning of validity
The validity of this presidential decree begins with its publication in the Official Journal of the State.
The Minister of Culture is assigned with the publication and execution of this Presidential Decree.
Athens, 28 September 1994
The President of the Greek Republic
Konstantinos Karamanlis
The Minister of Government Presidency
Anastasios Peponis
The Minister of Finance
Alex. Papadopoulos
The Minister of Culture
Athanasios Mikroutsikos
($$$ OIII/OPI)
COPYRIGHT ORGANISATION
5 METSOVOU - 106 82 ATHENS
TEL. 82 53 715/82 53 731
FAX 82 53 732