ASSOCIATIONS

              associations

An association is  the meeting  of  several people  who decide to gather around  a common activity, with an aim other than that to share benefit.

Contrary to a commercial company, an association is  with nonlucrative goal, i.e. its objective is not to earn money.

1.   WHY CREATE AN ASSOCIATION?

The creation of an association answers the need and the desire for acting together. To share its knowledge, its activity, its energy makes it possible to carry out tasks and projects which it would not be possible to only achieve.

2.   WHAT THE "LAW 1901"?

The "law 1901" is a law voted in France the 1 ^er July 1901 which gives the right to the individuals to gather in association. It is by this famous law that is recognized and organized the principle of  the right of association.

It marks a large projection in the recognition of public freedoms and the exercise of  the democracy: before this law, any meeting of people, any independent movement were prohibited and repressed. Today, the right of association is  a fundamental freedom  protected by the Constitution.

3.   IS IT EASY TO CREATE AN ASSOCIATION "LAW 1901"?

Within the framework of the law 1901, the creation of an association is done completely freely, without request for authorization. The formalities are very simple: association must be composed of at least two members and it must  be declared  near the prefecture.

This declaration consists in making known the name and the object (the goal) of association, its founder members, its rules of operation, etc. The whole of these elements constitutes its  statutes. It makes it possible to make  public  association, to give him a legal capacity: association is like a person, it can for example conclude from the contracts, buy and sell, perceive contributions, etc.

4.   HOW DOES AN ASSOCIATION FUNCTION?

The law does not impose any structure of operation. Associations generally include/understand:  an office, generally composed of a president, founder members and of a treasurer, who assumes administrative duties;  a council, which represents the members;  a General meeting, which brings together all the members and votes the budget, elects the office and the council, etc.

Association draws its resources money which its members (contributions ) pay.  The voluntary ones, generally members of association, devote free part of their time to his operation and its animation.

5.   HOW MUCH Y Does It Have ASSOCIATIONS IN FRANCE?

It is not easy to know exactly the number of associations in France. It is created some more than 60 000 each year, and when they disappear, their dissolution is not always recorded. At the beginning of the years 2000, one evaluates the number of associations in France between  700 000 and 900 000.  Approximately 20 million people are members of one or more associations.

There are associations of any size and any kind. Most (nearly a quarter) are those which carry on their activity in  the sporting sector. One also finds organizations religious, of medical and social action, defense of the humans right, defense of the consumers, environmental protection, protection of the animals, etc.

6.   WHAT Does One CALL RECOGNIZED ASSOCIATIONS Of PUBLIC UTILITY?

Beside associations which are simply declared, there are  recognized associations of public utility. To be seen recognizing this quality, these associations must fill a certain number of criteria. They can then profit from State grants and  collect gifts.

These associations work in many fields of action: social, medical, educational, scientific, cultural, environment, defense of the sites and the monuments, international solidarity, etc.

7.   WHICH IS THE ROLE OF ASSOCIATIONS OF SOLIDARITY?

Associations of solidarity try  to mitigate the insufficiencies of the State  as regards social and medical assistance. They act with the daily newspaper to bring a material aid and moral to the people more in difficulty: the Restaurants of the heart distribute free meals, the popular Help allows the most stripped to leave on holiday, Emmaüs helps exclude them to be reintegrated, Aides is specialized in the assistance with the people reached of the AIDS, etc. These associations function thanks to  the gifts  and  the voluntary help.

This solidarity is also addressed to the other countries, within the framework of  the nongovernmental organizations (ONG). These associations act at the international level in fields where the States are not sufficiently committed: in  emergencies  (famine, war) in order to bring  a humanitarian aid  (Doctors without borders) or in  the defense of the humans right  (International Amnesty, League of the humans right), etc.

8.   WHICH IS THE WEIGHT OF THE ASSOCIATIVE MOVEMENT IN THE COMPANY?

One speaks about associative movement  to indicate the whole of associations and their importance in the company. Because they are numerous, dynamic, that they relate to all the sectors of the life and all the ages, associations create  bonds between the citizens: they play an essential role in the social life.

More and more, associations become  special interest groups: they try to influence the political leaders. It is in particular the case of associations of defense of the consumers, associations ecologists or associations for the defense of the right to housing.