Into the final straight

APRA Europe has cleared a key hurdle towards becoming a separate legal entity, which will benefit the entire reman industry – and the organisation also has important news about membership.

About a year ago, APRA - together with the board of APRA Europe – decided to manifest APRA Europe as a separate European legal entity. Updates have been communicated constantly – and now, APRA Europe has cleared the key hurdle on the way to becoming a legal entity and has entered the final straight.

“I am happy to announce that we now hold the notarial deed of incorporation in our hands,” says Dr. Daniel C. F. Koehler, chairman of APRA Europe. Throughout the last year, APRA and its European division have been elaborating contracts and bylaws, going through a number of correction loops, holding discussions with expert lawyers and arriving at a satisfactory basis for the incorporation.

The legal entity is being established in Brussels, Belgium, as an AISBL (association internationale sans but lucratif) or INPA (international non-profit association) in English.

The above referenced notarial deed is the first and most important one of three formal acts which are required. Now following is the confirmation of the incorporation by Royal Decree. After issuing the Decree, the new APRA Europe AISBL goes live on the date of publication in the Belgian Official Journal. The whole process still takes about up to three months from now.

“Our valuable members have shown much patience and given us much support up to this point and I am relieved that we have now entered the final straight,” states APRA Europe vice chairman Peter Bartel.

But why all these efforts?
• The legal entity will give the organisation - and with it the whole remanufacturing industry – more weight in the European Union.
• It facilitates targeted lobbying within law-giving institutions and among other politicians.
• Members - as well as the whole remanufacturing industry - will benefit from a more precise, more reliable and more predictable business environment.
• European members may find more identity with the association while also having a direct contact person within Europe.
• Decision processes within the cornerstones of the legal entity will be accelerated, leading to a more efficient organisation as well as independent European association operations.
• Formal legal presence also allows for receiving EU funds for APRA Europe’s ongoing contributions to remanufacturing-related R&D projects which can directly contribute to the sustainable success of member companies.

Membership renewal
“I have one more important, but very operational, thing t add,” says Koehler. “Intermediately we had to postpone the membership renewal for 2018 and 2019. That’s why I want to repeat it, here. The transformation process means we have not been able to invoice our members for 2018 and therefore they have not received feedback about the renewal of their membership. But of course, all companies that were a member on December 31 2017, still are an APRA Europe member. As soon as we have received the Royal Decree, we will be able to open our bank account and start sending out invoices for renewal. Due to the delay, members will face a double invoice for 2018 and 2019 membership, coming in the first quarter of 2019.” Koehler concludes: “Thank you again to all members for backing our journey. We will respond with still better services and more value for membership.”