Membership

.1) Definitions:

In order to clarify who is eligible for membership and who is not some

definitions of terms are given:

Foreign media - Media organizations whose head offices are located

outside of Egypt, providing guidance, instructions, editorial support

to their correspondents in Egypt and media produced by foreign journalists for foreigners in Egypt. This excludes media organizations which may have an address outside Egypt but are published for Egyptian readers and are produced and printed exclusively in Egypt.

Foreign public - Non-Egyptian readers, listeners or viewers.

Correspondent - A journalist who produces texts, photo's, radio or TV-programs

for foreign media as a main source of living. This includes reporters,

writers, producers, photographers, and cameramen,  soundmen, but excludes

secretaries, administrative personnel and assistants.

2.2) Categories of members:

This paragraph is an expansion of chapter 3 of the constitution.

The FPA acknowledges the following categories of members:

- full members (in the constitution called 'active members'),

- temporary members,

- associate members,

- life members,

- honorary members.

All members, except for those of a temporary status, have their names

published in the membership directory.

Full Members

1.1. Criteria.

Full members are those who meet the following criteria:

- have a permanent accreditation of the Egyptian Press Center as foreign correspondents. The number of the Egyptian presscard needs to be put on the FPA-membership card,

- are correspondents producing material for foreign media and a foreign public,

- live permanently in Egypt

- pay their membership fees. Art. 12 mentions that if a member joins the association during the cause of the year he/she "shall pay from the annual subscription only that amount due for the remainder of the year." Calculations for the remainder of the year shall be done on a quarterly basis.

The FPA secretariat makes sure all criteria are met before a member is accepted.

In case someone applies without meeting these criteria or in case of  questions, the FPA secretariat refers the application to the next board meeting.

1.2. Membership is personal.

Membership is based on personal status. If a member leaves Egypt, he

cannot pass his/her membership on to the person who succeeds him or her.

The FPA never refunds paid membership fees if someone leaves before the

end of the year.

1.3. Rights of members:

Full members are entitled to participate in all FPA activities such as:

- attending FPA press conferences and asking questions,

- participating in FPA-visits and trips,

- participating in FPA general assemblies and voting for members of the

  FPA board or on  any issue for which a vote of the general assembly is needed or

  standing as a candidate  in any election,

- receiving a free FPA-directory,

- receiving free copies of the FPA Bulletin.

1.4. End of membership:

This section is an elaboration of article 13.3 which states that membership ends "if a member no longer meets one of the requirements for membership."

The membership ends when:

a)  a member leaves the country with the intention to settle in another

country for a period  of six months or more. When the board receives a

letter from the member or the company he or she works for stating that

this is the case, the full membership is automatically changed to an

associate membership for journalists non-resident in Egypt. The same

applies to persons who do not report themselves but are known clearly to have left Egypt.

b)  a member ends his/her journalistic career, for six months or more, for other employment or any other reason.  When the board receives a letter from the member or the company he or she works for stating  that this is the case, full membership is automatically changed to an associate membership in the relevant category. The same applies to persons who do not report themselves but who are known clearly to have ended their journalistic career. The board is able to make exceptions if a member provides the board with a letter giving valid reasons for retaining his/her full membership e.g. serious medical problems, treatment, etc. Exceptions are published in the bulletin.

c) The constitution specifies in article 12 that membership ends if membership fees are not paid before November 30 of that year.

d)  the member has violated rules or by-laws of the FPA (see also article 13.4 of the constitution). The board decides about this and publishes the reasons for withdrawal of

membership in the FPA-Bulletin. 

Temporary Members:

This new category was added upon a board decision in June 1997.

Visiting foreign correspondents with a valid temporary Egyptian press card are entitled to apply for a temporary membership of the FPA lasting three months from the date of application. The FPA temporary membership fee is half that of a full membership fee. A temporary member receives  a special FPA temporary membership card.

An FPA temporary member has the right:

- to participate in all FPA-press meetings and trips,

- to put questions during press meetings,

- to receive a free copy of the FPA directory,

- to receive free copies of the FPA bulletin published during his membership term,

An FPA temporary member is not entitled to:

- participate in FPA General Assembly meetings or to run as a candidate for a membership in the FPA board,

- to have his/her name included in the FPA directory.

Associate Members:

An associate member, reads article 10.B. "is a member who does not fulfill the requirements for full membership, who enjoys the FPA's activities and does not have the right of attending the General Assembly nor run for the Board elections." These members can be people who feel associated to foreign media in Egypt in work or for any other reason. They can be journalists living outside Egypt, diplomats, Egyptian

journalists working for Egyptian media, etc. and pay a membership fee.

Associate members are entitled:

- to attend press conferences, without asking questions.

- to participate in FPA visits and travels excluding trips abroad. In exceptional situations the board can make an exception for which a two-third majority in the board is needed where all board members are present or are consulted by telephone or vote by proxy in absentia,

- to receive a free FPA directory,

- to receive free copies of the FPA Bulletin

The associate membership ends when:

- membership fees are not paid on time.

- the associate member has violated rules or by-laws of the FPA . The board decides about this and publishes the reasons for withdrawal of membership in the FPA Bulletin. 

In the membership directory a difference is made between:

a) journalists non-resident in Egypt

b) journalists working for Egyptian media

c) diplomatic and consular members

d) business and other members

The duties and rights of these categories do not differ.

Life Members and Honorary Members

Life members are full members who have served the FPA in an exceptional

way. To become a life member is a board decision. Life members pay no fees.

Honorary members are people who were not a full member but who have

served the FPA in an exceptional way. To become an honorary member is a

decision of the general assembly.

3) Press conferences:

- the FPA organizes as a rule only press conferences under its own auspices which excludes joint conferences with other parties. Exceptions to this rule are subject to a board decision.

- only FPA-members (of all categories) are allowed to attend press

conferences. Participants who are not known to the FPA secretariat

should be asked for their membership card.

- associate members are not allowed to ask questions,

- non-members need to have prior permission of the chairman of the press

conference to enter the press-conference. They are told they are not

allowed to ask any questions.

- Before anyone asks a question they state their name and media first.