Article 1

a) With this Statute, the Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (which shall also use the acronym “MEIA”) is established (hereinafter ‘MEIA’ or ‘Association’). The registered address of the Association is The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry 64, The Exchange Buildings Republic Street Valletta, VLT, 1117. The registered address may be changed by a resolution of the Executive Committee from time to time. 

b) The MEIA was initiated by Howard Keith Debono in the end of March 2020 during the Covid 19 pandemic and officially set up on 31 May 2020 by 4 associating members Howard Keith Debono (469371m), Mark Grech (141490m), James Cassar (110189m) and Anton Attard (11572m).

c) The MEIA shall be an autonomous non-profit, public benefit organisation set up in terms of the Second Schedule of the Civil Code, Chapter 16 of the Laws of Malta, with a distinct legal personality and subject to the provisions of this Statute, shall be capable of entering into contracts, of acquiring, holding and disposing of property, movable and immovable, by any title; borrowing money and granting security also by means of hypothecs and privileges on its assets; of suing or of being sued; and of doing all such things and entering into such obligations and transactions as are incidental and / or conducive to its proper functions.  

d) The MEIA is a non-profit making organisation as defined in the Laws of Malta, and accordingly, save for the payment of employee wages  which do not prejudice the achievement of the MEIA’s purposes to the members of the Executive Committee (as and where allowed by Maltese law) and to any other employees and out of pocket expenses incurred in connection with its purposes, no part of the capital, assets, property or income of the MEIA is available directly or indirectly to any promoter, associating member, administrator, member of the Executive Committee, Advisory Committee members, sub-committee members, donor or any member of a supporting organisation of the MEIA or any other private interest. 

Provided that the MEIA shall continue to be deemed as non-profit making notwithstanding that:

i) it acquires assets or income gratuitously, by way of sponsorship, donation, endowment, fund-raising or public collection;

ii) it obtains a pecuniary gain from its activities when such gain is not received or credited to its members but is exclusively utilised for its established purposes; and /or

iii) it buys or sells or otherwise deals in goods or services where such activities are exclusively related to its principal purposes.

Provided further, that any excess of income over expenditure shall form part of the assets of the MEIA and shall be re-employed by the Executive Committee for the achievement of the purposes of the MEIA or to augment its capital.

Article 2 – Objectives and purposes

a) The MEIA is an association of people working in the creative, entertainment and artistic industry, autonomous and independent of any political party, union or other association with the following purposes and objectives:

i) to raise awareness of problems in the industries it represents and encourage feedback for its members, the community, also by the setting up of advisory committee and sub-committees;

ii) to bring together and represent all the professionals, semi-professionals as well as part-timers in the Maltese creative, entertainment and artistic industry having different roles within the industry covering all sectors. The various roles represented by the MEIA include creators, performers, promoters, producers, suppliers & all technical people who work in the entertainment and arts industry covering all different sectors;

iii) to work for the protection of the rights of all individuals and companies;

iv) to establish links with other associations and unions which share the same views, whether nationally or internationally; 

v) as an organisation that represents all sectors, roles and genres of the Maltese creative, entertainment and artistic industries and to give them one common voice through this Association;

vi) to run different programs, impact assessments on industry, projects and other studies & incentives, also through the help of funding;

vii) to apply for funding and raise funds in order to address the Association’s purposes, whether this is national funding or EU funding;

viii) to conduct all other necessary activities in the attainment and pursuit of the MEIA’s purposes. 

Article 3 – Membership 

MEIA shall represent and forward the interests of those individuals who have an interest, both direct and indirect, in the Maltese creative, entertainment and artistic industries.

A person, group of persons or company may apply for membership with MEIA by completing and submitting an application form. 

Article 4

Members must accept, upon joining the MEIA, this Statute which was be approved at General Meeting and which may be updated from time to time.

Article 5

a) Members have the right to vote in General Meetings, to contest and to vote in elections to the Executive Committee of the MEIA, always in accordance with the voting rules established in this Statute or which are amended by the Executive Committee from time to time, and to participate in the MEIA Advisory Committee. 

b) Members shall pay the membership fee which is applicable on the date of their application or of their renewal.

c) The membership fee may be updated from time to time by the Executive Committee with a decision requiring a majority of two-thirds (2/3) of the Executive Committee members present and voting. If updated by the Executive Committee, the updated membership fees shall be confirmed by a vote of confidence at the next General Meeting. The new and updated membership fees will be applicable from the date of the General Meeting in which they are confirmed. 

d) All those who have paid their membership fee up to 24 hours before the annual general meeting shall be eligible to attend and vote at General Meetings of the Association.

e) The current membership fees and voting rights associated with such membership shall be as established and/or updated and/or changed by the Executive Committee in writing and communicated to all members in terms of the rules contained in this Statute. Membership details shall be kept up-to-date on the Association’s website. 

f) In the event that MEIA has partnered with another organisation or union and is offering dual membership to both organisations, the membership fee shall reflect such dual membership. A fully paid up member who has chosen dual membership shall enjoy full rights as though they are a fully paid up member of both organisations. 

Article 6 – Organization

The MEIA shall hold a General Meeting for all its members every year, however the day to day administration and policy shall be in the hands of the Executive Committee, who shall be assisted by the sub-committees set up by the Executive Committee.

Article 7 – General Meeting 

An Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting is held in the presence of a quorum of one third of the members of the membership. However, if after ten minutes this quorum is not reached, the members present shall constitute a quorum.

Article 8

Members shall receive written notice that an Annual General Meeting will be held five (5) working days in advance in the case of an Annual General Meeting, and forty-eight (48) hours in the case of an Extraordinary General Meeting.

Article 9

a) A General Meeting is called once a year.

b) An Extraordinary General Meeting is convened whenever:

i) the Executive Committee of the MEIA thus decides;

ii) a request is made in writing to the Secretary-General stating the reason for the request and by a majority of members of the Executive Committee or members of the Advisory Committee; or 

iii) a request is made in writing to the Secretary General by ten per cent (10%) of all members.

Article 10

a) The agenda of the General Meeting may be as follows:

i) Appointment of the Chairman;

ii) Approval of Minutes of the previous year’s General Meeting;

iii) Reading of the Annual Report;

iv) Discussion and Approval of the Annual Report

v) Reading and Approval of the Financial Report

vi) Reading and Approval of Motions, including amendments to the Statute 

vii) Ratification of members of the Advisory Committee, if any

viii) Appointment of the Electoral Commission, if an election year

ix) Election of the Executive Committee members and result of the election, if an election year

x) Any other business.

b) All decisions taken at the Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be considered to be carried and validly taken if supported by a simple majority of all members present and voting, unless the nature of the decisions are such that render them decisions requiring a different voting majority as stipulated elsewhere in this Statute. 

Article 11 – Disciplinary Board

a) The Annual General Meeting shall appoint three members of the MEIA to form the Disciplinary Board, of which at least one may be a former Executive Committee member. A Board of Appeal shall also be composed and this will consist of a former Executive Committee member and three other MEIA members.

Members may not be:

i) members of the current Executive Committee;

ii) candidates for elections to the current Executive Committee;

iii) members of the Electoral Commission, or;

iv) have been convicted by the same Disciplinary Board of any breach.

b) Any member of the MEIA may refer to the Disciplinary Board disciplinary matters concerning the conduct of a member or office of the MEIA.

c) In the event of a vacancy on the Disciplinary Board, the Executive Committee shall appoint a member in accordance with the process stipulated in paragraph (a) of this article.

d) The Disciplinary Board shall convene before it the member(s) concerned or written representation of all parties and third parties having a direct interest in the matter being assessed.

e) A member who is required to appear before the Disciplinary Board may not fail to attend without being able to give the Disciplinary Board a justifiable reason for his/her absence.

f) In the absence of reasonable justification, as contemplated in the preceding sub-article, the Disciplinary Board may be able to take all appropriate steps against that member, including expulsion from the MEIA.

g) An accused member shall have a right of appeal from the decision of the Disciplinary Board up to fifteen (15) days from the date of notification of the decision of the said Board.

h) Members shall be brought before the Disciplinary Board for reasons of a) breach of this Statute or of any MEIA guidelines; b) discriminatory/aggressive/violent behaviour; c) unethical conduct. 

i) When proceedings are brought before the Disciplinary Board and the Appeals Board, the said Boards have the power to expel the MEIA member in question.

Article 12  – Executive Committee

a) The Executive Committee shall be composed of members elected at a General Meeting and shall consist of a minimum of three (3) people and a maximum of nine (9) people depending on the number of nominations. The elected Executive Committee members shall appoint the following officers from amongst those who are elected to the Executive Committee during their first meeting:

i) President

ii) Vice President

iii) Secretary General

v) Treasurer

And if there are any other elected members of the Executive Committee, the elected Executive Committee members may also appoint the following officers from amongst those who are elected to the Executive Committee: 

i) Assistant Secretary General

ii) Public Relations Officer 

iii) Activities Coordinator 

iv) Or any number of said officers depending on the amount of persons elected to the Executive Committee.

b) The day-to-day administration and general management of the Association shall be carried out by the Executive Committee.

c) The members of the Executive Committee shall serve for a term of two (2) years. Members who occupied a post on the Executive Committee may be re-elected for two further terms of two (2) years each. 

d) The Executive Committee has the power to establish an Advisory Committee and sub-committees for each industry sector or dedicated to a particular topic or subject-matter.

e) Should there be insufficient nominations to appoint the minimum of three (3) members to the Executive Committee, another general meeting shall be called within fifteen (15) days specifically to hold an election to the Executive Committee. Should there, once again, be insufficient nominations to appoint the minimum of three (3) members to the Executive Committee, the MEIA shall be wound down and dissolved. In order to achieve this, an interim Executive Committee shall be appointed at the General Meeting solely for the purpose of calling the next general meeting for the election or of winding up and dissolving the MEIA. In the latter case, they shall be guided by the procedure for dissolution established in this Statute and by law.

Article 13

a) In elections of the Executive Committee, members of the MEIA shall vote in accordance to their membership tier. Elections can also be held virtually, or in person, or in hybrid format.

b) In the event of a tie between the candidates for a seat or seats on the Executive Committee and there being no further vacant seat/s available on the Executive Committee, another election shall be held between those candidates where the votes are tied. This election shall be called by the Electoral Commission immediately after the counting of votes during the same general meeting.

Article 14

Every member of the Executive Committee has the right to be consulted in all matters concerning them. In a case where a member of the Executive Committee feels offended by a lack of consultation, s/he may refer the matter to the President as contemplated by article 23 (l).

Article 15

a) The task of the Executive Committee is to carry out the objectives of the MEIA by taking all necessary initiatives, and to be consistent with the Statute of the MEIA. The Executive Committee may therefore set up such sub-committees as it deems necessary to assist it in carrying out its duties.

b) All decisions of the Executive Committee shall be valid when carried by a simple majority of those present and voting, unless otherwise indicated in this Statute.

c) A resolution in writing signed by all the members of the Executive Committee shall be valid and effectual as if it were a decision passed at a meeting of the Executive Committee duly convened and held. Several distinct copies, including electronic copies, of the same resolution signed by each member of the Executive Committee shall, when placed together, constitute one writing for the purposes of this sub-clause.

d) The Executive Committee shall regulate its own procedure. 

Article 16

a) The Executive Committee has the right to make the necessary contacts and arrangements for the MEIA to join national or international organisations.

b) The Executive Committee has the right to make the necessary contacts and arrangements for the MEIA to partner with other national or international organisations or unions. 

c) Membership of such organisations or unions as well as resignation from the same associations must be ratified by an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting.

d) The Executive Committee has the right to make the necessary provisions to set up boards or committees, even jointly with the other organisation or union, to administer MEIA’s involvement with said organisation or union, and to take any and all procedural steps as necessary. 

Article 17

The Executive Committee shall have the power to make, approve or amend, by a two-thirds majority of its members present, rules of procedure for meetings of the Executive Committee,  for meetings of the Advisory Committee and of the sub-committees established by the Executive. 

Article 18

The Executive Committee is responsible for the reports to be presented at the Annual General Meeting. 

Article 19

a) Nominations to the Executive Committee shall be opened two (2) weeks before the date of the General Meeting and shall be closed twenty-four (24) hours before the commencement of the General Meeting.

b) Elections of the Executive Committee shall be conducted by an Electoral Commission, appointed from among the Association’s members, or an appointed third-party entity. This Electoral Commission shall be composed of an Electoral Commissioner and an Assistant, both of whom are MEIA members, who shall be appointed by the General Meeting on the advice of the Executive Committee. In the case of failing to appoint an Electoral commissioner and assistant, an alternative  independent and trusted individual, group or entity can be found. 

c) No member may vote in the elections of the Executive Committee by proxy.

d) In the event that the General Meeting fails to elect the amount of persons to fill each post of the officers on the Executive Committee at an election, the person who had previously occupied a particular post as officer which is unfilled shall participate at Executive Committee meetings to give a handover to the newly elected Executive Committee for three (3) months following the election of the new Executive Committee. 

Article 20

A fully paid-up member of the MEIA may appeal in writing against the election of any person to the Executive Committee or to any post within the Executive Committee, provided that such appeal is made no later than two (2) weeks after the election or appointment has taken place. This appeal is heard by a Board of three (3) people, including the presiding Electoral Commissioner, and two other members appointed by the same Electoral Commissioner.

Article 21

a) In the event of a vacancy on the Executive Committee during the year, the Executive Committee may:

i) either appoint a person from among those members who were next in line (runners-up) in the most recent elections for Executive Committee  posts; 

ii) or launch a co-option procedure whereby the members of the Executive Committee shall announce to the rest of the members of the MEIA that there is a vacancy for a seat/s on the Executive Committee. All members shall be allowed to put forward their names or to nominate another member, as long as the member satisfies this Statute’s rules for qualification as an Executive Committee member. This nomination shall be submitted in writing within five (5) running days of the announcement made by the Executive Committee and shall be sent to the official communication channel of the MEIA. Should the names put forward within that period correspond to the number of seat/s announced, they will be automatically appointed to the Executive Committee, whereas should more names be put forward within that period than the number of seat/s announced, an Extraordinary General Meeting will be held in order to hold an election for that seat/s.

b) When a person who is an officer vacates their role as officer, either by resigning or for any other reason, the Executive Committee shall have the power to appoint another person, not currently occupying the role of an officer, from within the Executive Committee to that officer’s role. Should the person being appointed from within the Executive Committee already hold the role of an officer, they will relinquish their current officer role to take on the new officer role.  

c) A seat on the Executive Committee shall become vacant when a member fails to attend three (3) consecutive meetings of the Executive Committee without valid reasons being given to the President.

d) A member of the Executive Committee who has failed to attend three (3) consecutive meetings without having a valid reason shall not be able to contest an election to the Executive Committee for one year from the date of his or her lapse in accordance with this Article.

Article 22 – Advisory Committee 

a) The Executive Committee shall have the power to appoint an Advisory Committee, made up of individuals the Executive Committee deems fit for purpose in whatever area the Executive Committee wants to be advised upon, and representing those industry sectors the Executive Committee deems fit.

b) The appointment to the Advisory Committee shall be ratified by a vote of confidence, taken by simple majority, at the next General Meeting.

c) If the need arises, the Executive Committee can add more people to the Advisory Committee.

d) The Advisory Committee is non-executive and advisory to ensure all industry sectors are represented. This may include existing associations within the industry or individuals who enjoy the trust of the community within that particular sector or required area.

e) Furthermore, the Executive Committee can replace a member of the Advisory Committee if the Executive Committee feel there is a justifiable need to do so. 

f) The President can ask the members of the Advisory Committee to form a sub-committee composed of fully paid-up MEIA members. 

g) The President, Vice-President and Secretary General must be copied in all correspondence between all sub- committees and the Advisory Committee.

h) Members of the Advisory Committee shall be appointed for a two (2) year period, which period can be renewed. 

Article 23 – The President

a) The President is the representative and final speaker of the MEIA. It is their duty to promote the image and principles of unity by their actions.

b) The President is responsible for the overall policy of the MEIA and shall take the initiative in this regard. 

c) The President is an ex-officio member of each committee and sub-committee of the MEIA.

d) The President has a duty to develop MEIA’s relations with other associations, movements and organizations in Malta.

e) The President shall chair the meetings of the Executive Committee.

f) The President has a duty to ensure compliance with this Statute.

g) The highest representation of the Association shall be vested in the President. 

h) The President shall be responsible for ensuring that the correct procedure is observed and respected both in the meetings and in the practice of the Executive Committee and the subcommittees.

i) The President shall also be a depositary of conventions and procedural practices formulated in writing and accepted, as updated from time to time.

j) Regulations of any kind applicable to the Executive Committee shall be promulgated by the President after being approved or amended by the same Executive Committee in accordance with the provisions of this Statute.

k) The President shall also be an ex-officio member of the Disciplinary Board as constituted. He shall hold office automatically except in cases concerning himself, in which case his post shall be filled by the Vice-President.

l) Where a member refers to a case of lack of consultation or involvement as contemplated above, the President shall be obliged, having seen that there are valid reasons for such a complaint, to take the necessary steps to rectify the problem. The President must therefore also make every effort to prevent such cases from occurring.

Article 24 – Vice-President

a) The Vice-President shall deputise the President and may fulfil any of the roles and powers which are of the President when requested to by the President, or when the President is not available. 

b) The Vice-President shall work on the policy and administration of the MEIA together with the President, ad shall be responsible for assisting the President in the performance of his/her duties and obligations as set out in this Statute. 

Article 25 – Secretary General

a) The Secretary-General is responsible for the day-to-day correspondence  and the handling of the management of affairs of the MEIA . It is their duty to keep copies of documents and correspondence.

b) The Secretary-General shall be responsible for keeping the minutes of the meetings of the Executive Committee.

c) The Secretary-General has a duty to maintain the archives of the MEIA.

Article 26 – Treasurer

a) The Treasurer is responsible for the finances and bookkeeping of the MEIA.

b) The Treasurer shall prepare a financial report every year and whenever requested to do so by the Executive Committee by a simple majority of the members present.

c) Any payment authorized by the Treasurer shall be approved by the Executive Committee.

d) In the event of a payment by cheque, this cheque shall be signed by the Treasurer together with the President.

e) The Treasurer and the President shall be the signatories for any MEIA bank account.

Article 27

In the event of a tie in a vote on the Executive Committee, the President shall have the right to a casting vote.

Article 28 – Honorary Committee and External Consultants

a) The members of the first Executive Committee, and therefore Howard Keith Debono, Anthony Attard, Jeanine Rizzo, James Cassar, Philippa Naudi, Mark Grech and Paul Borg Bonaci shall, once the term/s they serve on the Executive Committee expires, and they are not re-appointed or re-elected, become members of an Honorary Committee who shall serve for consultation purposes to the current Executive Committee and all other committees and sub-committees which are active in MEIA at the time; while shall also have the duty to protect the integrity of the MEIA and insodoing they shall have the power to call an extraordinary general meeting if the need arises. 

b) The Executive Committee has the power to appoint any external individual or company or organisation to act as an external consultant to the MEIA.

Article 29 – Accounts and Funds

a) MEIA funds can be raised by members themselves, both through membership fees and donations as long as these donations are in accordance with the Laws of Malta. The MEIA may also apply for public funds related to its purpose and operation.

b) The financial year of the Association shall run from January 1st to December 31st every year.

c) Only in the case of necessity, and if required by Maltese Law, auditors may be appointed by the General Meeting for a period of one year to audit the Association’s accounts and prepare a report in connection thereof. Such audit report shall be available to all Members on request to the Executive Committee. 

d) The property and assets of the Association may without limitation be formed and received from:

i) admission and annual fees paid by Members;

ii) voluntary material or monetary contributions, donations or sponsorships;

iii) funds and grants from international and regional organisations;

iv) funds and grants from the Government of Malta and/or the European Union.

e) All funds shall be kept in a bank account/s under the name of the Association and under the control of the Executive Committee.

f) For the purposes of this article, such class of income as may be prescribed by regulations made by the Minister derived from activities carried out by a voluntary organisation directly in the achievement of the purposes of such organisation shall not be considered to be a trading activity for the purposes of the Voluntary Organisations Act, of the Laws of Malta

Article 30 – Legal & Judicial Representative

The Legal and Judicial representative of the MEIA shall be the President. The Executive Committee will have the authority to appoint another person to act as legal and judicial representative if the need arises. 

Article 31 – Amendments 

a) Amendments to this Statute may be made after the motions written to this effect have been tabled up to three (3) calendar days before the Annual General Meeting or two (2) calendar days before an Extraordinary General Meeting.

b) Amendments may be passed only after discussion and after a vote of the General Meeting carried by a simple majority of those present and voting.

Article 32 – Term and Termination

a) The Association is established for an unlimited period of time. 

b) The Members may decide to dissolve and wind up the Association by a vote taken at General Meeting, by a seventy-five per cent (75%) majority of all members present and voting, when the purpose of the Association is achieved, exhausted or becomes impossible, and is not otherwise amended in terms of the Statute or in terms of applicable law. 

c) In the event that a decision is taken to dissolve and wind up the Association, any residual assets, after the satisfaction of any lawfully incurred debts and liabilities shall be distributed by the Executive Committee on behalf of the Association to another not for profit/public benefit organisation.

d) In the event of a decision being taken for the dissolution and winding up of the Association, the outgoing Executive Committee shall inform the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations within fourteen (14) days of the decision taken.

Article 33

a) Members of the MEIA are such persons who subscribe to the principles enshrined by and within this Statute at any date following the establishment of the MEIA, provided that such persons continue to abide by any rules of admission set for this purpose by the Executive Committee from time to time.

b) The Executive Committee shall keep and maintain a register of all current members of the MEIA; and shall give any person who is duly authorised by law or by the Courts access to said register of members.

Annexe 1

Details of the first elected members of the Executive Committee:

Howard Debono, Maltese, holder of ID Card number 469371M, residing at 60, Old Mill Street, Mosta, President;

Anthony Attard, Maltese, holder of ID Card number 524881M, residing at 144 St Ursula Str., Valletta, Vice President;

Jeanine Rizzo, Maltese, holder of ID Card number 355082M, residing at “Sibbi”, Triq Sant’ Anna, Mgarr, MGR2113, Secretary General;

Noel Zarb, Maltese, holder of ID Card number 20287M, residing at 166, Evergreen, Lia Street, Zabbar, ZBR1411, Assistant Secretary General;

Philippa Naudi, Maltese, holder of ID Card number 289295M, residing at 11, Camelia, Flat 16 Triq Ghajn Rasul, St Paul’s Bay, Activities Coordinator;

Mark Grech, Maltese, holder of ID Card number 141490M, residing at 16, Triq il-Kanada, Naxxar, NXR3243, Public Relations Officer;

Paul Borg Bonaci, Maltese, holder of ID Card number 567577M, residing at 7 St. Marija Flats, Triq Ruzar Mizzi, Mosta, Financial Officer.