“Fatshimetrie”: The Federation of Congolese Enterprises (FEC) recently held an Extraordinary General Assembly on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, with the aim of submitting fifty-two (52) proposals for amending the revised statutes in 2023. These adjustments were made in response to difficulties encountered in the interpretation and application of the Federation’s old Statutes and Internal Regulations since their adoption in 2023.
These changes were driven by the need to strengthen the legality and clarity of the provisions of the Statutes and Internal Regulations. It was also a matter of adapting the functioning of the FEC to the modern standards of an Employers’ Union and a Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Trades, Mines, Agriculture and other sectors of the Congolese economy.
Among the major changes made to the statutes is the classification into three categories of members: effective members, honorary members and sympathizing members. This restructuring aims to diversify and broaden participation within the FEC, by integrating entrepreneurs, liberal professionals, legal or natural persons, as well as organizations providing support to all federal activities.
One of the notable developments concerns the procedure for joining the FEC, which is now clearer and more transparent. Applications for affiliation must be addressed to the appropriate bodies of the Federation, with avenues of appeal provided in the event of an initial refusal, guaranteeing greater fairness in the processing of applications.
In addition, particular attention has been paid to the disciplinary regime of the members of the Federation, including the National President and the Managing Director, to ensure good governance and make all stakeholders accountable. Control and monitoring mechanisms have also been strengthened, in particular by establishing dedicated committees and specifying the terms of collaboration between the various bodies of the FEC.
Finally, the FEC has demonstrated innovation by introducing specialized commissions such as the Commerce Commission, the Insurance Commission, the Young Entrepreneurs Commission and the Public Health Commission, in order to respond more effectively to the specific challenges encountered by the different sectors of activity represented within the federation.
Ultimately, these changes to the FEC statutes demonstrate a desire for adaptation and modernization to strengthen the legitimacy, transparency and effectiveness of this organization serving Congolese businesses.