All attendees

• Ensure that the GoToMeeting software is installed on your computer/cell phone.
• Test your internet connection. If your internet/wi-fi is weak, make sure you know how to make a hotspot with your gsm in order to stay connected; and if you are working from home, then ask your housemates to stay off the internet during the meeting.
• Insert your name and first name when you dial in. Anonymous callers will be disconnected. If you don’t know how to insert your name, ask the Secretariat to do this for you.  
• Mute your microphone when you are not speaking. Questions will be taken after each presentation.
• Ideally, use headphones with a microphone to avoid background noise.
• Stay in the meeting the whole time, in order not to disrupt decision-making. There will be regular breaks. If you really must leave the meeting, please inform the Secretary General via the chat facility and do not leave until you receive confirmation.
• Make sure you have your coffee/drink at hand!

Presenters

• Be prepared for your presentation, and shut down any unnecessary programs/screens before the meeting.
• Make sure you know how GoToMeeting works.
• Use your webcam – but only when presenting.
• Share your own screen for the presentation, but only when you are presenting (we do not want to see your emails, even if they are interesting!).

Secretariat:

• The Articles of Association require proxies to be awarded before the GM, so all members are asked to provide these by lunchtime on the day before the GM.
• Liesbeth Switten (Liesbeth@switten.be / +32 (486) 55 83 01) will be available to assist members having difficulties dialling in.
• Before/at the start of the meeting, a slide will be presented giving guidelines for attendees.
• Ensure that the meeting is recorded, to enable the resolution of any disputes regarding the accuracy of the minutes.
• Report decisions in the minutes along with details of votes received - for example:

               DECISION (12)    Board strategy for 2020

               RESULT:      Approved (For: 490 votes [BE … SK] / Against: 60 votes [NO, AT])

• After the meeting: (1) send the draft minutes to members as soon as reasonably possible; and (2) ask each member to formally confirm in writing that the minutes correctly record their opinions and votes as expressed at the meeting and to do so within 3 weeks at the very latest.

Chair

• At the start of the meeting repeat the conditions in the Articles of Association for attending decision-making meetings, being:
  1. Decision-making meetings can be held online provided all Members: (1) can be identified; (2) can follow the debate; and (3) can express their opinions in real-time. [We use GoToMeeting software because this shows the identity of attendees.]
  2. Votes cast at the meeting may not be changed after the meeting.
  3. After the meeting, members will be required to confirm their opinions and votes in writing within 3 weeks. The AIB will accommodate this by sending out the draft minutes as soon as reasonably possible and ask each attendee to formally confirm by email that these minutes correctly express their opinions and votes.

           Note that: (1) this is a request to confirm, not a request to reconsider!; and (2) the intention is that confirmation should be provided sooner than within 3 weeks.

• At the start of the meeting, announce the proxies and confirm the attendees as listed in the GoToMeeting dashboard, identifying any members that are not represented.
• Ask all attendees to stay in the meeting for its entire duration (except during agreed breaks, of course!).
• At the start of the meeting, present the proposed agenda and announce the timing of any breaks. [Be ruthless in observing breaks, as some people will leave and then re-join …]
• Show a title slide for each topic that is discussed, so that members know which topic is being discussed.
• Take votes by 'negative voting' - that is, presume that any proposed decisions are supported unless members vote against them.
• Ask members to confirm the result of each vote at the meeting and to propose amendments for the minutes if they disagree.

Annex 1: Excerpt from the AoA relating to provisions for decision-making at General Meetings

6.1.6.        Attendance at the General Meeting may also be achieved by telephone conference, any digital meeting format or e-mail, unless at least five (5) Members notify disagreement in advance to the Secretary General and on condition that all Members can be identified, can follow the debate and can express their opinions in real-time.

6.1.7.        After debating by telephone or in a digital format, the Members shall confirm the opinions expressed and the votes cast by sending them to the Secretary General in any written form including without limitation email, within three (3) weeks.

 6.1.8.       Any Member that is unable or unwilling to attend the meeting may send its own vote or votes to the Secretary General in advance, in any written form and including without limitation email or proxy awarded to the representative of another Member. If a representative is unable to attend a General Meeting, he or she may be represented by the representative of another Member or by a proxy holder belonging to the same Member or its agent. The proxy shall be delivered to the Secretary General before the General Meeting.

6.1.9.        Within three (3) weeks after the General Meeting, the Secretary General shall prepare a set of minutes comprising the list of Members with the names of representatives attending, the decisions that have been adopted and points of information given. These minutes shall be distributed to all Members by publishing them on the website. Members shall have two (2) weeks to provide comments on draft minutes, and final minutes are to be published on the website within 1 week thereafter. The original copy of the minutes shall be retained by the Secretary General.