The Articles of Association determine the composition of the General Meeting. The General Meeting is made up either of all members who have paid their subscriptions, or of delegates elected by these members. For the application of this second option, the member-policyholders may be divided into groups according to the nature of the contract taken out or according to regional or professional criteria. The number of delegates may not be less than fifty.
The Articles of Association may provide that the members of the General Meeting may take part in the meeting by videoconference or telecommunication means enabling the identification and effective participation of the members in accordance with the procedures laid down in Articles R. 225-97 and R. 225-98 of the Commercial Code. They are then deemed to be present for the purposes of calculating the quorum and majority.
The Articles of Association may make applicable to members, under the conditions they lay down, the provisions relating to remote voting by post or by electronic means laid down for shareholders by article L. 225-107 of the Commercial Code and by articles R. 225-75, R. 225-77, R. 225-79 and R. 225-81 of the Commercial Code. For the purposes of these provisions, “member” shall be understood to mean “shareholder” and the postal voting form shall comply with the model annexed to this Code. In the case of any proxy given by a member without indicating a proxy holder, the Chairman shall vote in favour of the adoption of the draft resolutions presented or approved by the Board of Directors, and against the adoption of all other draft resolutions. To cast any other vote, the member must choose a proxy who agrees to vote in the manner indicated by the principal.
The Articles of Association may provide for the possibility of voting by electronic means during the General Meeting, provided that the secrecy of the vote and the fairness of the ballot are respected.
The list of members entitled to attend a General Meeting is drawn up by the Board of Directors on the fifteenth day prior to the meeting. Any member may, either personally or through a proxy, inspect this list at the registered office.
Any member of the General Meeting may be represented by another member or, if permitted by the Articles of Association, by a third party. The Articles of Association may prohibit a person employed by the company from being appointed as proxy; they must set the maximum number of proxies that may be entrusted to a single proxy, which may not exceed five.
However, this number may be increased to the extent necessary to ensure that the lowest regulatory quorum does not require the effective presence of more than one hundred proxies.
In this case, the Articles of Association must specify the maximum number of proxies that may be entrusted to a single representative in excess of the regulatory five.
Members or third parties holding proxies must deposit them at the Company’s registered office and have them registered there at least five days before the General Meeting, failing which such proxies shall be null and void.
Each member is entitled to one vote and one vote only, without the Articles of Association being able to derogate from this rule.