Join ICA
Value of Membership
As a member of the ICA you will benefit from ICA's activities in the areas:
- defining and promoting the co-operative difference
- providing access to the latest network for co-operators at all levels of activity
- representing the co-operative enterprise and the views of ICA members in multilateral organisations including the United Nations system, the European Union and others
- defending the co-operative movement with national governments at the request of members
- providing technical assistance for co-operative development
- organising conferences and seminars
- disseminating information on co-operatives
As a member of ICA your organisation will be entitled to:
- contribute to governance of the international co-operative movement
- contribute to the definition of the work programme of the ICA
- elect and be eligible for ICA leadership positions at the global and regional level
- participate in ICA's sectoral organisations and thematic committees
- participate ICA various meetings including Regional and General Assemblies
- benefit from development support which ICA provides to its member organisations
- develop business relationships and partnerships with other ICA member organisations
- be represented and defended by ICA in case of conflict or dispute with your countries public authorities or with international institutions.
- purchase and use a .coop domain name to demonstrate your co-operative identity.
Eligibility
Membership is open to organisations which conform to the ICA Statement on the Co-operative Identity and observe the aims of ICA.
ICA welcomes applications from the following category of organisations to be a ‘Member’:
- National union or federation of co-operative organisations
- National confederation of co-operative unions (apex organisations)
- National co-operative business organisation with majority individual ownership
- Individual co-operative organisation (primary or grassroots co-operatives)
ICA welcomes applications from the following cateogory of organisations to be an Associate Member:.
- Organisation owned and controlled by co-operatives
- Educational, research or other institution which promotes or finances co-operatives and the co-operative movement
- International and regional (supranational) federation or union of co-operative organisations
- Organisation which supports co-operatives
Associate Members have no voting rights.
See ICA Rules (pdf) andICA Bye-Laws (pdf) in English.
Membership Procedure
Candidates for membership must fill in a Membership Application Form and provide ICA with the following documents/information:
Please send the completed form and supporting documents to ICA (15 Route des Morillons, 1218 Grand Saconnex, Geneva, Switzerland).
Following a review at the global and regional levels, ICA will contact its current members in the country (if any) for their comments. Once the application is complete, the ICA Secretariat in Geneva submits the application to the ICA Board which decides on whether to accept the candidate organisation into ICA membership. The ICA Board meets three times a year and considers new applications at each of its meetings.
The candidate organisation is advised of the decision of the ICA Board shortly after the end of the Board meeting. Membership is activated after the receipt of the subscription fee.
Contact ICA Membership Department
If you need any further information and have any questions regarding becoming a member of ICA, please contact:
Iain Macdonald, Director-General ,
E-mail: macdonald@ica.coop OR
Gretchen Warner, Membership and Development Manager
E-mail: warner@ica.coop
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