APPROVED

by Minutes No. 1

of the General Meeting of Founders

dated 24 January 2024

CHARTER

of the Union of Non-Profit Organizations

“World Feline Association of Cats WCA”

Moscow - 2024

1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.1. The Union of Non-Profit Organizations “World Feline Association of Cats WCA” (hereinafter referred to as the “Association”) was established in accordance with the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, the Federal Law “On Non-Profit Organizations” and other legal acts of the Russian Federation in the legal form of an association (union).

1.2. The full name of the Association in Russian is: Союз некоммерческих организаций «Мировая фелинологическая ассоциация кошек ВЦА»; the abbreviated name of the Association in Russian is: Мировая ассоциация кошек ВЦА; the full name of the Association in English is: Union of non-profit organizations “World Feline Association of Cats WCA”; the abbreviated name of the Association in English is: World Cat Association (WCA).

1.3. The registered office of the Association is in the city of Moscow.

2. LEGAL STATUS OF THE ASSOCIATION

2.1. The legal status of the Association is determined by the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, the Federal Law “On Non-Profit Organizations”, other regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation, and this Charter.

2.2. The Association is a legal entity from the date of its state registration.

2.3. The Association is a non-profit corporate organization. It does not pursue profit-making as the principal purpose of its activities and does not distribute any profit received among the members of the Association.

2.4. The Association may own separate property recorded on its independent balance sheet; may acquire and exercise property and non-property rights in its own name; may bear obligations; and may act as a claimant or defendant in court.

2.5. The Association may, in accordance with the established procedure, open bank accounts within the territory of the Russian Federation and outside its territory.

2.6. The Association is liable for its obligations with all property belonging to it and recorded on its independent balance sheet. The Association is not liable for the obligations of its members.

2.7. The Association has a round seal bearing its full name in Russian. The Association may have stamps and letterheads bearing its name.

2.8. In order to achieve the purposes provided for by this Charter, the Association may participate in other legal entities in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, establish other legal entities, and join associations and unions.

2.9. The Association is established for an unlimited term.

3. PURPOSES AND SCOPE OF ACTIVITIES OF THE ASSOCIATION

3.1. The purpose of the Association is to unite its members - non-profit organizations operating in the field of felinology - as well as to represent and protect the common interests of the members of the Association and to develop felinology at the Russian and international levels.

3.2. In order to achieve the purpose specified in Clause 3.1 of this Charter, the Association carries out the following activities:

development and implementation of programs, projects and events aimed at the development and support of felinology in accordance with the statutory purpose of the Association;

professional consolidation and the strengthening and development of relations among the members of the Association in accordance with the statutory purpose of the Association;

creation of a common information environment among felinologists in accordance with the statutory purpose of the Association;

organization and holding of feline shows, breeding reviews, competitions, cultural and public events, and other events corresponding to the statutory purpose of the Association;

assistance in organizing a system for the voluntary registration and record-keeping of catteries and cat fanciers’ clubs, and maintenance of the relevant registers and record books;

organization of a system for the registration and re-registration of cats in accordance with the procedure and on the terms established by the relevant national and international non-governmental feline programs (feline standards), including maintaining breeding records, documenting and registering animal matings, organizing and voluntarily registering kitten litters, issuing the relevant breeding documents, title certificates and transfer documents for the transfer of animals, in accordance with the statutory purpose of the Association;

creation of databases and other information systems that contribute to improving the effectiveness of the Association in accordance with its statutory purpose;

assistance in preparing cats for breeding reviews and shows, creating the necessary conditions for such preparation, assisting in organizing and carrying out trips by cat owners and their animals to shows and other felinological events, and implementing show rules and show classes;

assistance in the development of breeding work, carrying out work to determine cat breeds and breed standards, and developing and improving existing cat breed standards;

cooperation with organizations and institutions having similar purposes, including international organizations and institutions;

development and implementation of standardization for cat breeds, rules for holding cat shows, seminars and other events held under the auspices of the Association;

assistance in training feline instructors who work with cats;

assistance in training cat show judges and maintenance of a register of recognized judges;

work with young people to foster humane treatment of animals and organize efforts to combat cruelty to cats, in accordance with the statutory purpose of the Association;

cooperation with interested state authorities and local self-government bodies, public associations, educational institutions and mass media in order to consolidate efforts aimed at implementing the statutory purpose of the Association;

assistance in developing cooperation and establishing, maintaining and developing relations among the members of the Association, as well as between members of the Association and international and national organizations and associations, in accordance with the statutory purpose of the Association;

organization and holding of various events aimed at implementing the statutory purpose of the Association, including conferences, seminars, symposia, exhibitions, round tables, master classes, meetings, consultations, negotiations and other events, including events involving leading Russian and foreign specialists, held both in a traditional format and with extensive use of modern means of communication and the Internet;

representation and protection of the Association’s rights and the lawful interests of its members before state authorities, local self-government bodies and public associations, and provision of comprehensive assistance to members on matters relating to the Association’s sphere of activity;

provision of organizational, advisory and other assistance to members of the Association on matters relating to the Association’s sphere of activity;

educational activities aimed at compliance with sanitary standards and rules for keeping cats in Russia, in accordance with the statutory purpose of the Association;

publishing activities involving the production of magazines, newspapers, collections and reference books covering the statutory activities of the Association;

creation of specialized Internet resources and distribution of reference materials and information on the Internet covering the statutory activities of the Association;

assistance with activities related to the production and distribution of films and television and radio programs intended to cover the statutory activities of the Association.

3.3. In order to achieve its statutory purposes, the Association has the right to:

exercise in full the powers provided for by the applicable legislation of the Russian Federation and this Charter;

interact and develop cooperation with commercial and non-profit organizations, including foreign and international organizations;

enter into civil-law transactions that do not conflict with the Charter of the Association or the applicable legislation of the Russian Federation;

transfer funds and other material resources, on a contractual basis, to persons performing work or providing services for the Association;

use the Association’s funds to achieve its statutory purposes; write off from its balance sheet worn-out or obsolete tangible assets and intangible assets belonging to the Association; and revalue fixed assets and current assets independently or with the involvement of an independent appraiser;

develop its material and technical resources and attract funding to develop and improve the effectiveness of the Association’s activities;

develop and approve mandatory and recommendatory internal documents governing the Association’s activities in achieving its statutory purposes;

apply to state authorities, local self-government bodies, state and municipal institutions, and non-profit organizations in order to resolve matters that contribute to the achievement of the Association’s statutory purposes;

freely distribute information about its activities;

establish mass media outlets;

represent and protect its rights and the lawful interests of its members before state authorities and local self-government bodies;

participate in the development of decisions by state authorities and local self-government bodies on matters concerning the statutory activities of the Association, in the manner and to the extent provided for by federal laws;

independently determine the forms, systems and rates of remuneration for persons employed by the Association;

hire specialists to assist in implementing the purposes and scope of activities of the Association;

send specialists on business trips to participate in events related to the exchange of experience, retraining and advanced professional development, including abroad;

independently develop and approve regulations, plans and programs for its activities;

conclude agreements consistent with the purposes and scope of activities of the Association.

3.4. The Association may conduct income-generating activities only insofar as such activities serve the achievement of the statutory purposes for which it was established and are consistent with those purposes, provided that such activities are specified in this Charter. Such activities include income from lectures, seminars, symposia, conferences, exhibitions, competitions and other statutory events held on a paid basis in accordance with this Charter; advertising, information and publishing activities conducted within the framework of the Association’s statutory activities; the acquisition and disposal of securities and property and non-property rights; and participation in commercial companies.

3.5. Income-generating activities are carried out by the Association in accordance with the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, the Federal Law “On the Enactment of Part One of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation”, and other legislative acts of the Russian Federation.

4. MEMBERSHIP IN THE ASSOCIATION; RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERS

4.1. The members of the Association are its Founders, as well as legal entities - non-profit organizations that share the purposes of the Association and recognize its Charter and that joined the Association after its establishment in accordance with the procedure and on the terms provided for by this Charter. Persons specified in Federal Law No. 7-FZ (Article 15, Clause 1.2) may not be members of the Association.

4.2. Membership in the Association is voluntary.

4.3. Procedure for admitting an Applicant to membership in the Association:

4.3.1. An applicant for membership in the Association that is a legal entity submits an application to the President of the Association, together with a resolution of the authorized body of the legal entity approving its accession to the Association.

4.3.2. A new member is admitted to the Association by decision of the President of the Association within three months from the date the relevant application is submitted.

4.3.3. The President’s decision to admit the applicant to membership in the Association or to refuse admission shall be communicated to the applicant no later than one month from the date of the decision.

4.3.4. A new member of the Association must pay the admission fee and annual membership fee within ten business days from the date of the decision admitting it to membership in the Association.

4.3.5. An applicant for membership in the Association acquires the rights and bears the obligations of a member of the Association from the date on which the President adopts the decision to admit it to membership.

4.4. Members of the Association have the right to:

1) participate in the management of the affairs of the Association in accordance with the procedure established by law and this Charter;

2) obtain information about the activities of the Association and review its accounting and other documentation in the cases and in the manner provided for by law and this Charter;

3) challenge, in accordance with the procedure established by law, decisions of the Association’s bodies that entail civil-law consequences;

4) acting on behalf of the Association (Clause 1 of Article 182 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation), demand compensation for losses caused to the Association (Article 53.1 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation);

5) acting on behalf of the Association (Clause 1 of Article 182 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation), challenge transactions entered into by the Association on the grounds provided for by Article 174 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation and demand the application of the consequences of their invalidity, as well as the consequences of the invalidity of void transactions of the Association;

6) use the services provided by the Association free of charge and on equal terms with its other members, unless otherwise provided by law;

7) withdraw from the Association at their own discretion;

8) exercise other rights provided for by law and this Charter in accordance with the procedure established by the Charter of the Association.

4.5. Members of the Association are obliged to:

1) participate in the formation of the Association’s property in the manner, by the means and within the time limits provided for by this Charter and in accordance with applicable legislation;

2) not disclose confidential information concerning the activities of the Association;

3) participate in decision-making where such participation is required under applicable legislation and/or this Charter for the adoption of such decisions;

4) refrain from actions knowingly intended to cause harm to the Association of which the person is a member (where such actions are identified, the member of the Association bears civil, administrative and/or criminal liability in accordance with applicable legislation);

5) refrain from acts or omissions that materially hinder or make impossible the achievement of the statutory purposes for which the Association was established;

6) pay the membership fees provided for by this Charter;

7) make additional property contributions pursuant to a decision of the General Meeting of Members of the Association.

4.6. A member may be expelled from the Association by decision of the President in the following cases:

4.6.1. failure to meet the requirements applicable to members of the Association;

4.6.2. failure to comply with decisions of the governing bodies of the Association adopted within their competence;

4.6.3. violation by a member of the Association of the procedure or deadlines for payment of membership fees;

4.6.4. failure by a member of the Association to comply with the requirements of this Charter;

4.6.5. in other cases provided for by the applicable legislation of the Russian Federation.

4.7. A decision to expel a member from the Association adopted by the President of the Association shall be communicated to the expelled member within 30 days from the date of the decision.

4.8. A member of the Association is deemed expelled and ceases to enjoy the rights and bear the obligations provided for by this Charter immediately after the President of the Association adopts the decision to expel the member from the Association.

4.9. A member of the Association may withdraw from the Association at its own discretion. For this purpose, the member sends a written notice of withdrawal to the Association. The member is deemed to have withdrawn from the Association on the date the Association receives the notice of withdrawal. From the moment of withdrawal, all rights and obligations of that person as a member of the Association under this Charter cease.

4.10. Admission fees, membership fees and other contributions to the property of the Association paid before the decision to expel a member or before the member’s withdrawal are not refundable to a member that has withdrawn from or been expelled from the Association.

5. BODIES OF THE ASSOCIATION

5.1. The bodies of the Association are:

5.1.1. the General Meeting of Members - the supreme collegial governing body;

5.1.2. the President - the sole executive body;

5.1.3. the Internal Auditor - the supervisory and audit body.

6. GENERAL MEETING OF MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION

6.1. The supreme governing body of the Association is the General Meeting of Members of the Association. The principal function of the General Meeting of Members is to ensure that the Association complies with the purposes for which it was established.

6.2. The competence of the General Meeting of Members includes deciding the following matters:

6.2.1. determining the priority areas of the Association’s activities and the principles for the formation and use of its property;

6.2.2. approving and amending the Charter of the Association;

6.2.3. determining the procedure for admitting members to and expelling members from the Association;

6.2.4. electing the Internal Auditor of the Association and terminating the Internal Auditor’s powers before the expiry of the term;

6.2.5. electing the President of the Association and terminating the President’s powers before the expiry of the term;

6.2.6. establishing other bodies of the Association and terminating their powers before the expiry of the term;

6.2.7. deciding on the establishment of other legal entities by the Association;

6.2.8. deciding on the Association’s participation in other legal entities, the establishment of branches and the opening of representative offices of the Association;

6.2.9. deciding on the reorganization or liquidation of the Association, appointing a Liquidation Commission (Liquidator), and approving the liquidation balance sheet;

6.2.10. deciding on the approval of an audit organization or an individual auditor of the Association;

6.2.11. deciding on the procedure for determining the amount and method of payment of membership fees and on additional property and other contributions to the property of the Association;

6.2.12. approving the Regulations on Membership in the Association and other local regulatory acts of the Association falling within the competence of the General Meeting of Members;

6.2.13. approving the annual report and accounting (financial) statements of the Association;

6.2.14. approving transactions provided for by Article 27 of the Federal Law “On Non-Profit Organizations”;

6.2.15. deciding other matters assigned by federal law and this Charter to the competence of the General Meeting of Members of the Association.

6.3. Matters specified in Clauses 6.2.1-6.2.14 of this Charter fall within the exclusive competence of the General Meeting and are decided by a qualified majority of two-thirds of the votes of the members of the Association present at the General Meeting of Members. Decisions of the General Meeting of Members on other matters within its competence are adopted by a simple majority of the votes of the members present at the General Meeting, unless this Charter provides otherwise for the adoption of a decision.

6.4. At the General Meeting of Members, each member has one vote.

6.5. The President of the Association convenes and prepares the General Meeting of Members.

6.6. When a General Meeting of Members is held, the members of the Association present at the meeting are deemed to have participated in the meeting.

6.7. The General Meeting of Members is competent to act (has a quorum) if more than half of the members of the Association are present.

6.8. An ordinary General Meeting of Members is held once a year.

6.9. An extraordinary General Meeting of Members is held by decision of the President or at the request of members of the Association representing at least 50 percent of the total number of members of the Association.

6.10. Members of the Association may participate in the General Meeting remotely by electronic or other technical means, provided that methods are used that make it possible to reliably identify the person participating in the General Meeting and allow that person to participate in the discussion of agenda items and to vote.

7. SOLE EXECUTIVE BODY OF THE ASSOCIATION

7.1. The day-to-day management of the Association is carried out by the President of the Association (hereinafter referred to as the “President”). The President is accountable to the General Meeting of Members. The President is elected by the General Meeting of Members for a term of 5 (five) years.

7.2. The President:

acts on behalf of the Association without a power of attorney and represents the interests of the Association in relations with state, public and other organizations;

organizes the implementation of decisions adopted by the General Meeting of Members;

issues powers of attorney and performs other legal acts on behalf of the Association;

signs employment contracts with employees of the Association;

exercises the rights and performs the obligations of an employer with respect to employees of the Association;

applies disciplinary measures and incentives to employees of the Association in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation;

ensures that decisions adopted by the General Meeting of Members are communicated to the members of the Association;

prepares and submits for consideration by the General Meeting of Members the annual report, a report on the implementation of decisions of the General Meeting of Members, and a draft financial plan;

prepares current and long-term plans for the Association’s activities and submits them for approval by the General Meeting of Members;

ensures the maintenance of accounting records and the filing of reports required by the legislation of the Russian Federation;

decides to convene the General Meeting of Members;

decides on the admission of new members to and the expulsion of members from the Association in accordance with the procedure approved by the General Meeting of Members.

7.3. In exercising the President’s rights and performing the President’s duties, the President must act in the interests of the Association and exercise rights and perform duties in relation to the Association in good faith and reasonably.

8. INTERNAL AUDITOR

8.1. Control over the financial and economic activities of the Association is exercised by the Internal Auditor of the Association. The Internal Auditor is elected by the General Meeting of Members for a term of 5 (five) years. The President of the Association may not serve as the Internal Auditor.

8.2. The Internal Auditor audits the financial and economic activities of the Association and submits a report to the ordinary General Meeting of Members.

8.3. The powers of the Internal Auditor may be terminated before the expiry of the term by decision of the General Meeting of Members or upon the Internal Auditor’s own application.

8.4. The procedure for auditing the financial and economic activities of the Association is determined independently by the Internal Auditor.

8.5. During an audit, upon the written request of the Internal Auditor, the employees of the Association and the President of the Association must provide documentation and/or explanations within the period specified in the request.

8.6. By decision of the General Meeting of Members, the Internal Auditor may be instructed to conduct an extraordinary audit of the financial and economic activities of the Association for the period specified in that decision. The General Meeting of Members must decide to conduct an extraordinary audit of the financial and economic activities of the Association where a written request is made by at least one-third of the members of the Association.

8.7. The Internal Auditor prepares a report on the results of an audit of the financial and economic activities of the Association. The report on the results of an extraordinary audit is submitted by the Internal Auditor to the General Meeting of Members.

9. SOURCES OF THE ASSOCIATION’S PROPERTY

9.1. The sources of formation of the Association’s property in monetary and other forms are:

9.1.1. admission (one-time) fees and current (regular) fees paid by members of the Association;

9.1.2. voluntary property contributions and donations;

9.1.3. dividends (income, interest) received from shares, bonds, other securities and deposits;

9.1.4. income derived from the property of the Association;

9.1.5. other receipts that do not conflict with the legislation of the Russian Federation.

9.2. Regular contributions from members are made once a year in the amount and within the time limits established by the General Meeting of Members.

10. BRANCHES AND REPRESENTATIVE OFFICES OF THE ASSOCIATION

10.1. The Association may establish branches and open representative offices within the territory of the Russian Federation.

10.2. Branches and representative offices of the Association are not legal entities; they act on behalf of the Association and on the basis of regulations approved by the Association.

10.3. Branches and representative offices carry out activities on behalf of the Association.

10.4. Branches and representative offices are provided with property that is recorded both on their separate balance sheets and on the balance sheet of the Association.

10.5. The heads of a branch or representative office act on the basis of a power of attorney issued by the Association.

10.6. The Association is responsible for the activities of its branches and representative offices.

10.7. The Association independently determines its organizational structure.

11. ACCOUNTING AND REPORTING OF THE ASSOCIATION

11.1. Accounting, operational and statistical records and reporting in the Association are maintained in accordance with the rules in force in the Russian Federation. The organization of document flow in the Association and in its branches and representative offices is determined by the General Meeting of the Association.

11.2. Responsibility for the state of accounting and the timely submission of accounting and other reports rests with the President of the Association.

11.3. Officers bear liability established by law for the accuracy of the information contained in the annual report and balance sheet.

12. STORAGE OF THE ASSOCIATION’S DOCUMENTS. PROVISION OF INFORMATION BY THE ASSOCIATION

12.1. The Association must retain the following documents:

1) the Charter of the Association;

2) documents confirming the Association’s rights to property recorded on its balance sheet;

3) documents approved by the governing bodies of the Association;

4) regulations concerning branches and representative offices of the Association;

5) annual financial reports of the Association;

6) accounting documents;

7) financial reporting documents submitted to the relevant state authorities;

8) minutes of General Meetings of Members of the Association;

9) other documents provided for by the legislation of the Russian Federation, this Charter and the internal documents of the Association.

12.2. The Association stores the documents specified in Clause 12.1 of this section of the Charter at the registered office of the Association.

12.3. Upon reorganization of the Association, all documents are transferred to the legal successor in accordance with the established procedure.

12.4. The Association provides its members with access to the following documents:

1) the Charter of the Association and internal regulations approved by the General Meeting of Members;

2) minutes of General Meetings of Members;

3) opinions of the audit organization or individual auditor of the Association.

12.5. At the request of a member of the Association, the Association must provide that member, for a fee, with copies of the documents specified in Clause 12.4 of this Charter and other documents of the Association provided for by the legislation of the Russian Federation. The amount of the fee is established by the President of the Association and may not exceed the costs of producing the copies and the expenses associated with sending the documents by mail.

12.6. The expression of will of the collegial bodies of the Association within the competence defined by this Charter is formalized by a resolution that has direct effect or serves as the basis for the issuance of the relevant order of the President of the Association.

12.7. Local regulatory acts are formalized as policies, procedures, regulations, rules and instructions approved by an order of the President of the Association.

12.8. Organizational and administrative documents are formalized as orders and directives of the President of the Association.

13. PROCEDURE FOR AMENDING THE CHARTER OF THE ASSOCIATION

13.1. Amendments to the Charter of the Association are approved in accordance with Clause 6.4 of this Charter and are subject to state registration.

13.2. Amendments to the Charter of the Association enter into force from the date of their state registration.

14. REORGANIZATION AND LIQUIDATION OF THE ASSOCIATION

14.1. The Association may be reorganized by merger, consolidation, division, spin-off or transformation. The Association may be transformed into a public organization, an autonomous non-profit organization or a public-benefit foundation.

14.2. The Association is deemed reorganized, except in cases of reorganization by consolidation, from the date of state registration of the newly established organization or organizations.

14.3. The Association may be liquidated by decision of the General Meeting of Members or by a court decision on the grounds and in accordance with the procedure provided for by the legislation of the Russian Federation and this Charter.

14.4. The liquidation of the Association is carried out by a Liquidation Commission (Liquidator) formed by the body that adopted the decision on liquidation. From the date of appointment of the Liquidation Commission (Liquidator), the powers to manage the affairs of the Association are transferred to it. The Liquidation Commission (Liquidator) acts in court on behalf of the Association being liquidated.

14.5. Upon liquidation of the Association, settlements with creditors are made in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation.

Upon liquidation of the Association, the property remaining after creditors’ claims have been satisfied may not be distributed among the members of the Association and shall be applied to the purposes for which the Association was established.

14.6. All documents of the Association (management, financial and economic, personnel and other documents) are transferred, in accordance with the established procedure, to the legal successor organization or, in the absence of a legal successor, to a state archive for permanent storage.

14.7. The liquidation of the Association is deemed completed, and the Association is deemed to have ceased to exist, from the date an entry to that effect is made in the Unified State Register of Legal Entities.

Document signed with an electronic signature

Date and time of signing: 2024-02-09 13:40:09

Certificate: 302616867233831430310446035356688407676

Certificate owner:

MAIN DIRECTORATE OF THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE

OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION FOR MOSCOW

Treasury of Russia

Valid from: 2023-07-06 to 2024-09-28