MARS & MERCURY - EUROPE

INTERNATIONS COORDINATION COMMISSION

Report of the General Meeting of the 9th of November 2018 held in Gent ( Genth - Belgium )

At the request of the General President members of the Association Mars & Mercury – Europe met this day in General Assembly.

Are present, Sirs:

Hans MATHIJSEN General President ( Nl ) Michel GRETSCH Act. General Vice-President and President of the Luxemburg Circle Philippe GIELEN Secretary General. ( B ) Jan LENIÈRE General Treasurer. ( B ) Pierre DEGREEF President of the Belgian Circle Marc VAN DE WAL Vice- President of the Belgian Circle Michel COURTIN Past General President ( B ) Alain ARYS Delegate of the Belgian Circle Pierre DISSEL Past General President and President of the French Circle Christian CUNY Delegate of the French Circle Jacques LEROY Delegate of the French Circle Henri BARTKOWIAK Delegate of the French Circle Wolf-Arthur KALDEN Past General President and delegate of the German Circle René FABER Delegate of the Luxemburg Circle Ton VOETS Acting President of the Dutch Circle H.Paul HADEWEG SCHEFFER Delegate of the Dutch Circle Jan UNGER Delegate of the Dutch Circle Pierre ZUMWALD Past General President and President of the Swiss Circle Denis AUGSBURGER Delegate of the Swiss Circle Olivier CINGRIA Delegate of the Swiss Circle Jean-Marc PETERMANN Delegate of the Swiss Circle

Are excused, Sirs:

Ronald CAZAERCK Auditor Marc DE BRACKELEER Delegate of the Belgian Circle Eddy DE BOCK Delegate of the Belgian Circle Hervé HUBERT Delegate of the Belgian Circle Jos VANDORMAEL Delegate of the Belgian Circle Torben von LOWZOW President of the Danish Circle Peter Vinther CHRISTENSEN Delegate of the Danish Circle Thorbjorn HEIN Delegate of the Danish Circle Benoit CHAUCHEPRAT Delegate of the French Circle Remy WALTER Delegate of the French Circle Ulf HANSEN Delegate of the German Circle Stefan JAENECKE Delegate of the German Circle Philipp van HEEREMANN Delegate of the German Circle Jean-Paul KRAUS Delegate of the Luxemburg Circle Jean-Paul SCHMIT Delegate of the Luxemburg Circle Pierre FREICHEL Delegate of the Luxemburg Circle Raymond SCHMITZ Delegate of the Luxemburg Circle Gaston REINIG Candidate General President (L ) Jan BAUDOUIN Past General President ( Nl ) Peter ROOIJMANS Delegate of the Dutch Circle Zygmunt BUGOWSKI President of the Polish Circle Sławomir MICHALSKI Delegate of the Polish Circle Jerzy BOGUSZ Delegate of the Polish Circle Joaquin ILLA JUANDO Past General President and President of the Spanish Circle

Pagina 1

1 - Welcome of the General President Hans Mathijsen

2 - Agenda

The agenda is adopted without any new items.

3 - Minutes of the General Meeting of November the 10th 2017 in Namur (B)

The minutes of the meeting are adopted without remarks.

4 - Composition of the delegations :

The list of potential participants , previously transmitted to all present delegates, is approved. The excused Presidents ( Germany, Denmark, Spain, Poland ) and Delegates are mentioned. Germany is represented by Wolf-Arthur Kalden ( Past G. P. ), Denmark by Hans Mathijsen ( G. P. - Nl ) Spain by Michel Courtin ( Past G. P. - B ) and Poland by Philippe Gielen ( S. G.- B ).

5 - Report of the General President:

Mister Presidents, Mister Delegates Dear Sirs, dear friends,

First we want to stand still at the coming centennial anniversary of the end of the Great War that takes place the day after tomorrow. It’s exactly this event which lead to the concept of M&M which creation took place 8 years later (1926) . This foundation in Belgium inspired M&M internationally and lead to what M&M Europe actually is. The Board of M&M Europe sitting in front of you carried on, during her three years term, the “Road Map” established by the Zumwald Board. Our Board put the focus on the intensification of the relations between Circles and through that the reciprocal relations of their members. In that frame initiatives were taken towards Portugal, Denmark, Germany and Poland. Those lead to cross border activities with additional value for the participating Circles and their members. Also an initiative was launched to bring in the Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania into the M&M circle. This project is now, via the military attaché of Lithuania in The Hague, the Netherlands, subject of talks on ministerial level in the three countries. We also want to mention that contacts were laid with Norway. This could lead to renewed connections of Norway with M&M. From the contacts with National Presidents, especially from Denmark and Germany, it appears that projects, with real potential of additional value for the participants, can even realize cross border attendances. This is not the slightest lesson we can deduct , as well on European level as national level, about contacts between the branches.

Plans and initiatives are very present: this Board had taken as goal to promote international contacts, especially between the members, there where possible.

So are actually intended : a visit to the JHQ Brunssum, what can be important for the Circles of Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxemburg, France and possibly even Denmark.

We also thought to organize a reception at the NATO with/for the Circles member of M&M Europe, with or without the Society of Military Law and War Law ( ISSML ).

An obvious medium to promote contacts between the M&M members – from which Circle they would be – is to put each personal data to each mutual disposal. We have chosen for a “Linked In”- platform, not only because of the rules to apply (GDPR , AVG) but also because of some individual reserves. This makes possible, to the one who wants, to exchange contact information’s and professional contacts in a ( secured ) group surrounding, to which everyone should be invited through the national secretariats. Good news is that the recently designated German President is in favour of this initiative, in the course of which everybody can choose for him selves to deal information’s or not. I mention this with some pleasure because especially Germany was recognized in the past as reticent on this subject.

I want to thank my predecessor Pierre Zumwald for his work on the website of M&M Europe; this is also a nice example of transition and continuity as wat a nice composition as M&M Europe represents and needs.

Pagina 2

It’s for me a privilege to ask your support for my successor, the General Gaston Reinig, from Luxemburg. I can offer him my support and my best wishes of success and hope that you can follow me in this. You can do this by putting your handwriting on the shield of Mars & Mercurius, which I ask the acting Vice President to hand him over in everybody’s name.

At the end I want to thank awfully my colleagues of the Board, Philippe Gielen and Jan Lenière, for the warm, pleasant and fruitful collaboration which I was allowed to deal with them. They are themselves to humble to ask attention on them; although they are “in the shade”, but not from a secret service, they deserve this public praise in your forum. To this purpose I took with me some delicious wines I wish them to enjoy in a common meal and wish them all the pleasure with that together with my thanks.

You, Presidents, and Delegates, I want to thank you for your confidence which made it possible to me to function during those three years.

I will be honest: I couldn’t make through the ambition I had to remove all barriers about cross border contacts; but at the same time I’m glad to have been able to put some ‘train on the rails” which could lead to that. Every journey starts step by step and is completed thanks to endurance; I’m glad to have been able to contribute to this first steps. Where possible I will contribute to the “ endurance “.

I’m thankful that I was made able to realise my “journey” or period as your President; I appreciate this very much and hand you over in the good hands of my successor, General Reinig.

Thank you very much.

Hans Mathijsen President of the Inter-Nations Coordination Commission Mars and Mercury

6 - Financial Report 2015

a ) Mr Jan Lenière started his PowerPoint presentation, by delivering to all the delegates the details on paper of the situation on 31/12/2017 : € 15.400,13 total of the possessions on all existing accounts ( Details see annexed tables ) b) Financial Control: the Secretary General reads the report of the Auditor, Brgd Gen. Ronald Cazaerck, excused (see annexe). The Assembly is asked to discharge the General Treasurer, what was done.

c ) Presentation of the situation on 5/11/2018 : € 15.412,37 total of the possessions on all existing accounts : ( Details see annexed tables) Above figure doesn’t take into account the expenses to be done for the General Meeting 2018. Also an estimation of the situation on 31/12/2018 was presented.

d ) Yearly contribution of the National Circles : - All countries are in a good standing of payment for the year 2018 except Spain and Poland, for the last I refer to article 11. - Definition of the 2019 contribution of the National Circles: The formula to be applied since 01-01-2017 is maintained with unanimity, as to be : €150 for each Cercle + €0,75 per member on the 31st of December of the former year without any exclusion

e) Budget : The Treasurer presents his budget for 2019 ( see annexe ) Special Points : - The follow-up of the Trans-Europe project is not considered , the new General President, together with the Board, will try to obtain some sponsoring to cover this expenses. - The main extraordinary expense is the € 500,- foreseen to update the website.

Pagina 3

7 - Report 2015-2016 of the National Circles :

B : Report of the Royal Cercle Mars et Mercure Belgium 2017 (November 2016 - October 2017).

Balance sheet of the past year : 750 members distributed over 11 clubs. Decrease explained by a big amount of natural departures. Final conclusions of the 2017 Forum on the site of MM Belgium and publication of a report. Exemplary distributed to all participants of this GM. The reflexion about the future of Economeet ended in a symposium , organised on the RMA on the 1st of October 2018. For its putting in place a monthly meeting was organised in the Prince Albert Club with a general co-ordinator of the strategic group, representatives of the National Board and presidents or representatives of most of the clubs to define the work frame : constitution of 5 groups with an average of about 10 members, coming from practically all the clubs, with following composition : 1 animating president 1 reporting secretary and the members . 5 themes where considered : member to member, Defence, internal Relations, Labour world, Marketing. At the end of the day, compilation of the exchanged ideas and report of the secretaries of group and seance plenary session. All these propositions will be synthesised by the national secretary and used, after acceptation by the Board of Directors, to insure the beaming and the perenniality of the Circle. Events . Above the monthly meetings all big annual events in each Club went well. In September, club Alsace (FR) and club Luxemburg ( B ) twinned. Success on level of MM Europe. Successful National Day 2017organised by club Namur. ND 2018 will be organised by club Gent on this 10th of November 2018. Fusion between the clubs of the province of Belgian Limburg: club Kempen Maasland and Hasselt are uniting and become club Limburg-Kempen. Starting on 1st of January 2019. Future Perspectives: confidence in the putting in place of measures permitting the recruitment and de facto the beaming of the circle. GRDP in progress : 300 answers on 800, means today 38 %. Website and Yearbook are accessible only for those who answered positively to the request of authorisation of the exploitation of their personal data.

Presented by Pierre Degreef, President of the Belgian Circle

CH : Activity report 2018 of M&M Switzerland

Mister President, Misters Members of the Board, Misters Members of the European delegations, Dear Friends,

It’s a pleasure to present you the report of M&M Switzerland taking into account three points :  Strengths and weaknesses  The effectives  The balance of the year You can see, although it’s remaining in the continuity of last year, it presents some evolution compared to last year.

Strenghts and weaknesses, developments during last year On level ofstrength, like always the quality of the organisation, even if the 2018 program was limited to one shooting activity and two “stamm” aperitifs. The number of participants stays low but with high quality. The Board , auto-proclaimed for a period of two years, works on the possibility to handover « the keys » of M&M Switzerland to relieving young officers … and the results are encouraging. The basic work done to think over M&M Switzerland has led to simplification of the structure and the establishment of a new activity M2M (member 2 member) made possible to propose novelties and seems to be adapted to the wishes of the members. We also worked to get nearer to a of@campus company who gathers university students in course of management studies within the army.

So, at the level of priorities :  We advance M&M via Europe  We work to get a higher dynamic with a reservoir of younger people.

Pagina 4

Evolution of the adhesions About adhesions a pause has been decided and the Circle counts actually 91 members due to the filtering by the Board of the bad payers.

Balance of the past year The proposed activities are limited to a minimum program but allows to communicate. I It is urgent that our real difference : the two faces mars & mercury together with our European network becomes well understood and brings a real increase in value to our members. That Mars & Mercury Switzerland may live long, so as her members ! And that Mars & Mercury Europe may prosper! I thank you for your attention !

Presented by Mr Pierre Zumwald, President of the Swiss Circle

D : Activity report 2018 of M&M Germany

1. Spring event (March) 2018 in Ulm at the Joint Support and Enabling Command (JSCE) 2. Autumn event (Mercure) 2018 in Heidelberg at the Heidelberger Druck 3. Members: about130 (continuous recruitment ) 4. Active contacts with the Ministry of Defence 5. Previsions 2019 : Spring meeting in Stettin (Pl) at the Nord-East multinational Corps, the Autumn event (60st anniversary of the Circle) is not yet planned

Presented by, Mr Wolf-Arthur Kalden , Past General President.

DK : Activities in Mars and Mercury Denmark during the past year

The Danish organization has implemented a revised strategy to serve the purpose of being an attractive forum for the senior representatives from the Danish military, corporates and institutions.

The main elements are :  2 arrangements a year with relevant content for the members  Ad hoc meetings on relevant subjects for smaller groups of members  Ad hoc information from the Chief of Defence Force  Alignment of members in the association to serve the purpose

The implementation of the strategy was a quite dramatic change to Mars and Mercury Denmark, but was necessary in order to make it relevant and ensure, that Mars and Mercury Denmark would serve the purpose going forward. In this process app 150 members left and 60 individual joined Mars and Mercury Denmark as new members. The association has today 184 members.

Themes for the 2 events held in 2018 were :  Overview and risk assessment of global risk zones  Implementation of strategies, exemplified by the newly approved 5 years defense budget and PostNord, the Danish/Swedish postal service group.

A meeting for a smaller group of members was arranged in connection with an official visit of the Chief of Defence Force Marshal Mark Donald Binskin.

The undersigned was elected President of Mars and Mercury Denmark at the AGM in May.

Kind regards,

Torben von Lowzow

Send, with his wishes , by Torben von Lowzow, President Mars et Mercure Danemark Presented to the Assembly by the General President .

Pagina 5

E : The M & M Circle of Spain has still only one member left being myself, Joaquim Illa Juando. The more active members of the past are all past over, and some others , although sympathetic, didn't show further interest to any support or contribution.

This means : nothing new is to consider.

I address my best greetings to all members of Mars & Mercury who always received me with such kindness and consideration.

Signed: Joaquim Illa Juando, Past General President M&M EU, President M&M Spain

F REPORT OF THE NATIONAL CIRCLE MARS ET MERCURY FRANCE

1. WORKFORCE The two recruitments in 2017 replaced the two members who died in the year. We therefore contributed for 102 members. Unfortunately our Vice President Alain Layrac passed away in 2018

2. LIFE OF THE CIRCLE

Dinner conferences The Alsace Club, Strasbourg section and Mulhouse section, the Flanders Artois Club organize a conference dinner every month.

EMIA preparation Since 2013, the Mars and Mercure circle and the AOR 67 have been organizing exam preparations for the oral entrance examination to the EMIA (Inter-Arms Military School of St Cyr-Coëtquidan). This contest is open to the following categories: - Active soldier - Brigadier or Corporal - Chief Brigadier or Master Corporal - Sergeant - Staff Sergeant The written tests take place in January; sports tests in May; oral tests in June. In 2013 and 2014 were organized evenings of blank exams. In 2015, courses were added to these evenings. In 2016 a 2-days training course was organized; morning classes and afternoon blank exams. In 2017, at the request of the Colonel Commanding the 2nd Hussars Regiment, a 6-day training course was held at Oberhoffen camp (4 days of classes and 2 days of blank exams) and was supported by the institution. 29 trainees presented themselves, 18 were received at EMIA and one candidate joined the CTA school, what means a success rate of 65.51%. In 2018 this instruction lasted 5 days (course). Out of 19 trainees, 9 were received, a success rate of 47.36%. The absence of blank exams explains this result. In 2019 it is planned to organize two days of blank exams and one week of classes. The organization of these courses was made possible thanks to the help of members of Mars and Mercury, the AOR 67, the ANORAA as well as the association of auditors of Alsace of the IHEDN. Forty volunteers intervened either to do courses or to sit on juries.

They are : - Honorary reserve officers - RO of the operational reserve - RO of the citizen reserve - Active officers or retired - General officers in 2nd section - Academic people

Twinning In 2018 the ceremony of the 60th anniversary of the creation of the Circle Mars and Mercure France took place. On this occasion, we celebrated the twinning of our friends of the club Luxembourg (B) with the club Alsace (F).

Pagina 6

Sponsorship The association of members of the Legion of Honour and the UNOR (National Union of Reserve Officers) ask us to sponsor young people. As such we have sponsored Julie W. who has just joined the DRM (Directorate of Military Intelligence).

3. PROJECTS Dinner conferences Every month in the 3 sections.

Presented by Pierre Dissel, Past General President M & M EU, President of the Cercle de France

LU : Activity report 2018 of M&M Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg

This year again we must announce that the number of our members has been reduced as a result of deceased. We are now about forty and far from the sixty we still had few years ago. The average age has not dropped and we stay at 74 years. The reason for this continuous decline is well known, no more compulsory military service, now since more than 60 years and no more reserve service, reservoir required for a normal recruitment by Mars and Mercury. We try to recruit army professionals but they only join us after their retirement, which means around 60 years of age. A professional army, which operates mostly without major incidents in an international framework beyond our borders, does not create discussions in the civil population. It is true that most Luxembourgers are not opposed to this army, but on the other hand, it does not give them a great interest. Defence becomes for them more and more a case of Foreign Affairs, a subject that does not worry the average Luxembourger. Also therefore few civilian candidates are interested in the military and Mars and Mercury.

In summary, recruitment out of a Reserve framework is impossible, in the civilian environment it is difficult, the solution within the retired army professionals exists and is constant, but very limited by present time. Recruitment is normally done through personal and individual contact.

Our activities are quite limited, 4-5 meetings a year, which does not mean that we don’t see each other more often, the opportunities to do so are many in a country the size of Luxembourg. The meetings are limited, as already announced last year, for most of the time to culinary activities, given the advanced age of members, at noon and no more in the evening. The main meeting of the year, which we call "gala", as we do not know a national day, is held as always at the beginning of the year. The next "gala" will be held on February the 08th , 2019, at Casino 2000 in Mondorf, a well-known spa town, to which you are cordially invited.

Events with military or economic interest, being more rare, are nevertheless occasionally programmed. So we hope to be able to admire at the end of next year the arrival of the new Luxembourg A400 at Luxembourg airport as well as the year after the presentation of the new military helicopters.

The contacts with our neighbouring circles are mainly with our Belgian and French neighbours, but yet quite sporadic.

Presented by Mr. Michel Gretsch , Past General President M&M EU, President of the Circle of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg

NL : M&M Netherland had a lively year with important rehandlings as to their structure as to their Articles. Their acting President, Ir Ton Voets, gives verbal report to the Assemblée and their new President send us following report :

REPORT 2018 OF THE DUTCH CIRCLE M&M

 Facts, members and concerns o Facts: . December 2018: 214 members in 6 clubs.

Pagina 7

. About 8 new members in 2018 and a loss of about 10. . New board chosen at the Extraordinary General Assembly Nov. 30.

o Concerns: . Decrease in members has been stopped, but not growing yet. . Average age (67); members 35-90 years, many between 55 and 59. . Lack of younger new members. . Club North has too little members and almost all are of high age.

 Financial position o Healthy financial position enables support of activities to increase number of members.

 Projects 2018 o M&M Golf day o M&M General Assembly March 2018 with a visit to the Grebbe Line Visitors Centrum and a M&M diner. Step down of Board members. o Extra General Assembly hold on Nov. 30: new board installed. High attendance. Meeting completed with a M&M walking dinner; o Budget € 10.000 Nov. 30: to focus on recruitment, member retention, communication, website and social media. o New committee for Recruitment and Communication established: . Publicity campaign in professional magazines, etc. . Personal approach.

 Plans 2019 o Drafting a new vision paper on future position taking into account by the new Board, based on enquiries of the members: . Evaluation strategy 2018 . Developments in the surrounding society . Developments within and around National Armed Forces . Decrease in number live time career officers (Mars) . Flexible employment Dutch officers (Mars) . Flexible employment (Mercurius) . Physical meetings partly replaced by digital social communities.

 Projects 2019 o Implementation of the M&M vision paper by a portfolio of projects . Communication, including website and social media . Working on recruitment and member retention. o Reconsidering the height Dues 2019 and 2020 and the amount of distribution to the 6 clubs directly. o Participation / Presentation on National network events. o Harmonisation national/circle public relation and recruitment products. o Year Book (digital; printed version, probably on demand). o Clubs: . Events, with and without partners . Visiting military bases and civil companies . Battle tours . Participation vision related activities . Recruitment. o M&M gala 2019 to be organised by club Utrecht. Transmitted by Mr. Peter Pietersen, President of the Dutch Circle.

Pagina 8

PL: Written message of the Polish President : ( presented by the Secretary General )

Mr.Chairman, Warsaw,5 November 2018 Gentlemen ,Colleagues

Good Afternoon

Firstly I would like to apologize for absence polish representatives on the Annual M&M Europe Meeting .I have had inform Secretary General about it during his visit on 23th October in Poland which visit was very fruitful for us and both side were very satisfied to exchange opinion and to discuss about future.

I would like to authorize Secretary General Philippe GIELEN to represent Poland at the GM and introduce polish situation after meeting in Poland. I think that now he is the person who knows the best current polish situation and will be able to present it in the best way during GM.

At the end I would like to wish all participants of GM all the best and to have a very successful meeting. Col.ret.Antoni Zygmunt Bugowski Chairman of the Board of Polish Circle

For the further situation please look to article 11

8 - Discharge of the Board :

Discharge is given by unanimity to the Board for the management of the past years trading. The acting President thanks all Delegates for their confidence

9 – Update of the Articles and the Standing Orders:

The new Articles sent by mail to all participants were approved with only one remark : some text should be introduced about the necessary rules to follow the new European rules about protection of private life . ( GDPR )

10 – Designation of the Auditor:

The actual Auditor , the Belgian National Past President Ronald Cazaerck, excused for medical reasons, informed us that he agrees to be maintained in this function. This gets unanimous applause . The Past General President, Mr Michel Courtin, agrees the function of eventual substitute.

11 – Situation of M&M Poland

For the moment, the Polish Circle is in an extremely difficult situation, of which the Secretary General, who went on the spot as an observer, makes a detailed verbal report to the Assembly.

Due to this situation, the Polish Bureau has asked the Secretary General to propose to the Assembly General a suspension of any participation, financial and other, including amounts still due, up to the end of 2019, when they hope that the political situation will have evolved and will allow them to function again normally.

The members of the Polish Bureau, however, have insist to mention that all their friends from other M & M Circles are still very welcome, but this on private ground.

The Assembly agrees, hoping for a favourable development allowing the Polish Circle to fully resume its place in 2020.

Pagina 9

12 – Elections :

All mandates are to be renewed.

The Secretary General, Philippe Gielen, and the General Treasurer, Jan Lenière, are reconducted in their function.

The vice -presidency is still in a stadium of negotiations within the ranks of Mars & Mercury Belgium, who, following the order of succession, has to propose a candidate. The M&M EU Board assures the follow-up. All Circles will be informed, as soon as known, who will be the member fulfilling the function of Vice-General President for the period 2019-2021.

The new General President, proposed by the Circle of the Grand-Duchy of Luxemburg, is honorary General Gaston Reinig . He becomes elected by unanimity.

Hereafter the main points of his career : :

Gaston Reinig

Soldiering has remained to a large extent at the core of his career. His rise through the ranks from junior to general officer is dominated by operational duty at home and operational missions. Prior to assuming command as Chief of Defense of Luxembourg, General Gaston Reinig served as operational commander of the Luxembourg Armed Forces and as Luxembourg’s military representative to NATO, Western European Union and European Union. After having left the Defense in 2013, he joined the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and was assigned to take the positions of military adviser to the permanent representation of Luxembourg to the United Nations and finally military adviser to the permanent representation of Luxembourg to the Political and Security Committee of the EU. As such, he also assumed the chairmanship of the Special Committee Athena, responsible for all budgetary issues in relationship with the military operations of the European Union.

As of June 2016, he serves as the strategic adviser to the CEO of LuxGovSat, a public private venture between the Luxembourg Government and the global satellite operator SES. This venture was formed with the objective of exploiting a satellite, intended only for governmental and institutional uses. He serves in a second advisory role as the strategic adviser to the Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development of Cargolux, Europe’s largest all- cargo airline.

He was educated in Belgium, France, Germany and US and holds a master degree in social and military sciences.

General Reinig has to ask you to excuse his absence, for urgent family reasons, these reasons are very pertinent as to be an imminent paternity, but he has transmitted us following message :

Mister General President, Misters National Presidents and members of the national delegations, Misters members of the Board of the Mars and Mercury Europe Circle, Dear all,

I thank you for the confidence you put on me by accepting my candidacy to the function of General President of the Mars and Mercury Europe Circle. I promise you to be equal to the task which waits on me all along this mandate. I profoundly regret not to be able to assist to this General Meeting, due to family reasons – being heartening – which immobilizes me next to my wife. The Articles of the Inter-nations Coordination Commission do foresee that the Vice-General President should present the headlines of his mandate as General President. The special circumstances which brought Luxemburg to the Presidency and Belgium to the Vice-Presidency topple over this habit. It’s on this behave that I address you these few words.

Pagina 10

I thank General President Hans Mathijsen, Secretary General Philippe Gielen and General Treasurer Jan Lenière who gave me the possibility to assist to the preparatory meeting to this General Meeting in Amsterdam last 25th of October . This meeting gave me the possibility to deepen my knowledge in the different files of the Mars and Mercury Europe Circle. I also thank the acting Vice-General President and National President of the Circle Mars and Mercury of the Grand-Duchy of Luxemburg Michel Gretsch who initiated me actively in my coming function.

I noticed the ambitions and cardinal points of the actual Presidency –promotion and reinforcement of the contacts between national Circles, between individual members and extension of the network of Circles to other countries of Europe. I subscribe completely these objectives, and in a sense of continuity of the actual Presidency, I have the intention to pursuit these objectives, even to try to reinforce them. It’s clear, in my eyes, that to do this it will be necessary to be present to reinforce the bonds and to create new ones, so, at the minimum, to visit regularly the National Circles, perhaps to prospect the interest in other potential European countries.

Having analysed the financial reports, to realize this objectives, it also became clear to me that the financial means of the Mars and Mercury Europe Circle will have to be increased without touching to the financial reserves.

It’s on this subject that I want to raise up the help of the National Presidents to suggest ideas, that I would call budgetary keys, which would make possible this budgetary increase without touching the dues of the Circles. Is "sponsoring" by national industries a solution?

In a final note, I would like to sincerely thank the President General and his team for their tireless work towards the objectives of the Mars and Mercure Europe Circle. Gentlemen, Mars and Mercury is truly a unique organization and this character must be protected by each of our members.

I thank you all for your presence and fellowship. Kind regards,

Gaston Reinig, honorary General

13 : Webste and communication

The new site is already in operation (currently still the personal property of the Secretary General). However its management lacks a bit of flexibility, which is why the Past President, Pierre Zumwald, will soon install a new version of site that will allow the Secretary General to manage the content independently. Here is a reminder of the objectives presented at the previous GM concerning communication via the web: Three levels to boost communication A website to present the European circle and make the link between the National Circles and its members using the latest technologies and can be declined in PC site, tablet, smartphone: www.mars-mercurius.eu (A first site is in operation and will evolve in 2019) A newsletter to inform and keep in touch with the members of the National Circles and / or with the Presidents of Circles: https://mailchimp.com/(It is operational and can be used by the Committee) An exchange group on LinkedIn with the aim of facilitating discussions on topics related to M & M : https://wwww.linkedin.com/groups/1202236 ( It is operational and works however without animation) A Webmaster reporting directly to the Committee would be a good thing. A pressing and urgent request is addressed to the Presidents of Circles to find and propose a Webmaster His principal function would be, as a coach, to give dynamics to the LinkedIn group. He will also have the job to keep the quality of the site on level, in co-ordination with the persons charged to bring in the data.

Pagina 11

14 - New members of M&M Europe

No progressions : the attempts towards Italy ( Member from 1961to 1993 ), Portugal and Greece are still without success. For new attempts please go to the report of General President Hans Mathijsen in article 5.

15 – GDPR

The General Secretary remembers to the Assembly, that in view of the new European rules of protection of private life, the personal data of the leaders of the different Circles can only be published on the website after these persons have send back the filled out GDPR-form completed with their permission.

16 – Miscellaneous

The Swiss President Suisse, Mr Pierre Zumwald, propose to compose standard rules to propose to all new members ( new Circles ). The New Articles and Standing Orders will be the essential part of it.

17- Next General Meeting

The next General Assembly will be organized, according to the old tradition, in the locality of the National Day of M & M Belgium, which will be La Louvière / Mons (B). Given the choice of Friday by the M & M Club of Mons for the Belgian National Day we must see what is the best day to organize the General Meeting of M & M EU, Thursday, October 10th or Saturday, October 12th. For now, our preference is on Thursdays. The agenda will follow the usual pattern and the details of organization will be transmitted as soon as established.

The Belgian National Day, organized in La Louvière by the Mons Club will take place on Friday, 11th of October, 2019. The speaker will be Mr Bernard Gilliot, President of the Federation of Belgian Enterprises (FEB).

18 - Final word of the General President

The acting General President concludes the meeting to a height of 19.30 hours The agenda being exhausted, the President expresses his satisfaction and thanks all the participants and the organizers .

Philippe Gielen Secretary General

Pagina 12

Annexes

Annex to article 6 a : Financial Report on the 31/12/2017

Annex to article 6 b : Report of the Auditor

Annexes to article 6 c : Financial report on the 5/11 and estimation on the 31/12/2018

Annex to article 6 d : Contributions

Annexe to article 6 e : Budget 2019

Secretary’s office : Philippe Gielen - Aardbruggenstraat 61, B-3570 Alken Tel +32 (0)11 31 35 99 GSM +32 (0) 472 07 37 23 Bank account ING : IBAN : BE57 3100 2925 9835 – BIC : BBRUBEBB www.mars-mercurius.eu

Pagina 13