Measures for the Management of Membership Dues of the Global Alliance for Trade in Services 

(Trial) 

Chapter I General Provisions

Article 1 To regulate the collection, use and management of membership dues of the Global Alliance for Trade in Services (GATIS), the Measures is hereby formulated in accordance with the Articles of the GATIS, the Regulations for the Management of GATIS Members, and the relevant laws and regulations of the country in which the GATIS is registered.

Article 2 Payment of dues, one of the main sources of funding for the services provided by the GATIS to its members, is a due obligation for GATIS members.

Article 3 Membership dues shall be collected and managed by the Secretariat of the GATIS.

Article 4 The Measures shall apply to the GATIS members.

Chapter II Membership Dues Structure

Article 5 Membership dues are paid per calendar year. Dues levels for GATIS members are as follows:

Member Units: RMB 10,000 (or an equivalent amount in other sovereign currencies) per year;

Council Member Units: RMB 50,000 (or an equivalent amount in other sovereign currencies) per year;

Vice President Units: RMB 200,000 (or an equivalent amount in other sovereign currencies) per year;

Chapter III Rights and Benefits

Article 6 In addition to the rights stipulated in the Articles of the GATIS, the following benefits are provided by the GATIS to its members, Council members and vice president(s):

(i) Members are entitled to

1. participate in policy interpretation and specialized training organized by the GATIS;

2. establish communication channels with other members and non-members of the GATIS;

3. select one representative to participate free of charge in annual conferences, forums, dialogues and other activities hosted by the GATIS;

4. priority in obtaining naming rights for meetings or events hosted by the GATIS;

5. certain discount when participating as an exhibitor in exhibitions hosted by the GATIS;

6. participate in the inspection and matchmaking activities organized by the GATIS;

7. targeted, personalized and exclusive paid services upon request;

8. free copies of the GATIS’s annual reports, conference manuals and other materials, with their information entered into the Membership Information Management System of the GATIS;

9. a GATIS Membership Certificate with a unique number that serves as the only identification code for members to enter the relevant information system of the GATIS.

(ii) Council members are entitled to

1. all services enjoyed by members;

2. opportunities for policy dialogue with host governments, international organizations and relevant institutions through the GATIS;

3. priority in applying for research projects organized by the GATIS;

4. select a representative to speak at major conferences held by the GATIS;

5. priority in organizing important meetings or events of the GATIS.

(iii) Vice president(s) are entitled to

1. all services available to the members;

2. priority in leading the formation of special committees;

3. priority in attending international conferences organized by the GATIS or in which the participation is organized by the GATIS, along with speaking opportunities;

4. priority in becoming a member of high-end study tours organized by the GATIS to carry out study and exchange activities;

5. priority in participating in research and development of policies, norms and standards for global trade in services.

Chapter IV Payment of Membership Dues

Article 7 The membership dues shall be paid annually by check or telegraphic transfer with CNY as the base currency, and other sovereign currencies shall be calculated according to the foreign exchange rate of the Bank of China on the same day. The Secretariat of the GATIS is responsible for collecting membership dues and informing the relevant financial information in advance in writing.

Article 8 The dues for the current year shall be paid in the first quarter (January 1 to March 31), and members may choose to pay their dues for three or five years at a time.

Article 9 Discounts, reductions and exemptions

(i) Discounts

1. Members paying dues for three years in a lump sum are entitled to a 10 percent discount;

2. Members paying dues for five years in a lump sum are entitled to a 20 percent discount;

(ii) Reductions and exemptions

GATIS offers reduced membership dues for micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the field of trade in services, especially for MSMEs founded by women or persons with disabilities (note: the criteria for defining SMEs are in line with those of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization or the World Bank).

Reduction or exemption of membership dues shall be applied in writing by relevant members and will be implemented upon approval by the GATIS after deliberation.

Reduction of dues by 50 percent shall be decided by the President’s Office Meeting through discussions; exemption of dues shall be considered and approved by the Council.

Article 10 The newly joined members shall pay the current year’s dues in full within one month after receiving the Notice of Membership Acceptance issued by the GATIS (members who are approved to join the alliance before June 30 of each year shall pay the current year’s dues in full; those approved for joining the alliance after June 30 shall pay the half-yearly dues, and those approved for joining the alliance on or after November 1 are exempted from the payment of dues for the current year).

Article 11 After receiving the dues, the GATIS will issue a receipt for the membership dues of social organizations within 10 working days.

Article 12 Refunds

Full members of the GATIS who have paid the current year’s dues in full, submitted a formal written request for resignation, and obtained the approval of the Council or the President’s Office Meeting shall comply with the following provisions:

(i) If a written request for withdrawal is submitted before June 30, the dues paid for the second half of the year (July 1-December 31) will be refunded;

(ii) If a written request for withdrawal is submitted on or after July 1, the current year’s dues will not be refunded;

(iii) In the event that the membership is canceled due to violation of the laws and regulations of the country where the GATIS is located, the Articles of the GATIS, or the Regulations for the Management of GATIS Members, the membership dues will not be refunded.

Chapter V Use and Management of Membership Dues

Article 13 The membership dues collected shall be used to provide services to members and to carry out business activities in line with the purposes of the GATIS.

Article 14 Separate accounts will be set up for the membership dues collected by the GATIS for unified management in accordance with the Accounting Law of the People’s Republic of China and the Accounting System for Civil Not-for-Profit Organizations.

Article 15 The GATIS shall publicize to its members the membership dues it collected and spent annually and shall be subject to regular review by the General Assembly. Adjustment of the membership dues shall be proposed by the Council and come into effect after it is passed by the General Assembly with a vote.

Chapter VI Bylaws

Article 16 The GATIS is responsible for interpreting the Measures.

Article 17 The Measures shall be implemented as of the date of its adoption by vote of the General Assembly.