INTERNAL REGULATIONS

Art. 1. Categories of members (article 4 of the Articles of Association)

ESTC consists of both Full and Affiliate Members.

The Full Members must belong to one of the categories listed below:

• Material Manufacturers & Suppliers
• Specialty Manufacturers & Service Organisations
• Testing Laboratories, Services and Equipment
• Base Contractors
• Specialty Contractors
• Builders & Installers
• Landscape & Recreation Installers
• Independent Professionals & Consultants

Affiliate Members must belong to one of the categories listed below:

• Sports governing bodies
• Universities
• Affiliate Organisations

Art. 2. Conditions for membership

Art. 2.1. General conditions for membership of companies

The general conditions for membership of companies in ESTC are as follows:

• potential member companies should be operating for at least 1 year;
• potential member companies should fall into at least one of the categories listed hereafter;
• ownership of potential member companies should not be based in a country with a non-market economy.
• Potential members should have the recommendation of at least 2 ESTC members.

Art. 2.2. Specific conditions per membership category

The specific conditions per membership categories in ESTC (if any) are as follows:

Art. 2.2.1. Full members

– Material Manufacturers & Suppliers

Companies whose primary business is to provide materials or manufacturing services to the synthetic turf industry. These companies do not provide turn-key installation of the synthetic turf nor provide the overall warranty for an installation.

– Specialty Manufacturers & Service Organisations

Maintenance service companies, equipment manufacturers, professional service organisations, recycling companies and other companies who sell their products/provide their services primarily to the buyer or end-user.

– Testing Labs, Services & Equipment

Independent testing companies capable of testing synthetic turf and its components.

– Base Contractors

Companies whose primary responsibility is building the base under the sports field, and not the synthetic turf system above the base

– Specialty Contractors

Companies that are involved in single elements of the contracting work of a synthetic turf field such as drainage systems, field removal and irrigation.

– Builders & Installers

Companies whose primary responsibility is installing synthetic turf systems either directly or indirectly through a sub-contractor or distributor. These organisations often have turn-key responsibility for the synthetic turf installation and provide the overall warranty for the installation. It is recognized that some companies in this category may manufacture synthetic turf or provide other system components.

– Landscape & Recreation Installers

Companies whose primary responsibility is installing landscape, golf, and recreation synthetic grass, but does not install sports fields.

– Independent Professionals & Consultants

Companies with  legally  registered or licensed design professionals or engineers, as well  as those with non-licensed practitioners or consultants that represent or advise the owner/end-user with surface and systems selection information, technical specifications, system designs, bid and construction documents, etc.

Art. 2.2.2. Affiliate members

• Universities, University in sports-marketing, research.
• Sports governing bodies. National, European or International Sports governing body. This could include leagues, clubs.
• Affiliate Organisations

Art. 3 Membership fees

The annual membership fee will be based on your company’s sales in the synthetic turf industry in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and calculated according to the following table

A subsidiary/brand will be charged only 50% of the regular contribution, with a maximum of € 3.000.  For a subsidiary/brand to become a member, the mother company needs to be a member

as well.

A company’s individual information on revenue classification will only be disclosed to ESTC staff, who will operate under strict confidentiality regulations. ESTC Council members will

not have access to this information. All ESTC members will be asked at the end of each year to confirm their membership category based on which the fee for the following year will be calculated.

Art. 4 Code of Conduct & Ethics

All ESTC members are bound by the ESTC Code of Conduct & Ethics (see annex 1).  This code sets out various rules which ESTC members must abide by.

ESTC has a procedure in place for dealing with complaints of non-compliance to the Code, which is stipulated in the ESTC Code of Conduct & Ethics.

Art.5 Working Groups & ad-hoc Committees

Art. 5.1. Working Groups

The decision to install a working group shall be taken by the Council. Any member can put forward a request to install a working group.

Each working group shall have a chairman. The chairman shall be appointed by the Council at the recommendation of the working group. The term of office of a working group chairman shall be  3 years, renewable once.

At  least one working group meeting will be organized a year. The Working Group chairmen can decide to have additional working group meeting, either in person or by conference call.

Each working group meeting or conference call will need to have an ESTC staff member present.

Each working group shall appoint a core group of members to carry out the work. Any full or affiliate member is entitled to participate in the meetings.

Art. 5. 2. Advisory Committee

Upon recommendation of  the Director General, an Advisory Committee may be installed. The purpose of this Committee shall be to debate on the future strategy of the Association and to give its

recommendations to the Director General. The outcome of the discussions of the Advisory Committee are not binding. The composition of the Advisory Committee is decided on by the Director eneral.

Art. 6 Amendments to the Articles of Association

The following ‘rights of full members’ have been approved by the Council and will be integrated into the Articles of Association at the next revision.

Each full member shall have one vote. Decisions will be taken by single majority.

Full members have voting rights for the following:

• Approval of the budget (upon recommendation by the Council)
• Approval of the annual accounts (upon recommendation by the Council)
• Approval of the strategic plan
• Nomination of the members of the Council
• Any other subject the Council wishes to consult the members on

Voting will occur by e-mail correspondence. An e-mail will be sent to all full members outlining the subject to be voted on and members will be given 2 weeks to respond.