INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE ALLIANCE, GENEVA - NEWS

General Assembly ICA Extraordinary General Assembly, 5-6 June 2008, Rome, ItalyOfficial meeting documentation information now available http://www.ica.coop/calendar/ga2008/ including:• Meeting Documentation, Part 1 Includes GA Agenda, Motions, Restructuring Report and Subscription Simulations, Voting Information, ICA Board Election information।• Meeting Documentation, Part II Includes proposed amendments to the ICA Rules, Policies, Procedures and Standing Orders, information on "requests for speak", additional delegate information including shuttle bus schedules to and from hotel to the meeting venue and gala dinner. Recent News ICA Africa Members' Forum Published Yesterday The ICA Africa Members' Forum, recently held in Nairobi, Kenya, was a milestone in reaffirming ICA's position as the representative organisation of co-operatives in Africa which focuses on a member-centred and driven approach to the revitalisation of the regional co-operative movement. One outcome of the Forum was a resolution reaffirming members' commitment to support ICA Africa. The meeting proposed a line of action and consultation that will form the basis of the new four-year strategy plan that will be submitted to the Regional Assembly for Africa for adoption. The Regional Assembly for Africa will be held in November 2008 in Abuja, Nigeria and will address the theme "Revitalising Member Commitment and Involvement for Improved Sustainability of African Co-operatives," For more information: imbsen@ica.coop New to GA 2008 - 5-6 June 2008, Rome, Italy Published Yesterday Official Meeting Documentation Part 11 now available - including proposed amendments to ICA Rules and By-laws. ICA appeal for co-operators hit by earthquake in China Published 05/21/2008 The ICA is calling on ICA members and co-operatives from around the world to show their co-operative solidarity and come in aid of co-operators victims of the recent earthquake in China. See press release >>> ILO launches new grant scheme to promote co-operatives in Africa Published 05/21/2008 The International Labour Organisation (ILO) announced the launch of the CoopAfrica Challenge Funds to support projects up to US$150,000. Co-operative organisations, institutions that provide technical expertise for co-op development and co-operative training institutions will be eligible to apply. The deadline for the first call for proposals is 15 June 2008. See description of funds or contact coopafrica@ilo.orgCoopAfrica is a partnership programme implemented by the ILO and funded by the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) to support the development and promotion of co-operatives in Africa. Partners include ICA, UK Co-operative College, International Trade Union Confederation, COPAC, and the African Union. Co-ops under threat in the European Union Published 05/14/2008 The European Commission is currently examining unfounded claims that co-operatives are accorded preferential treatment which disguise state aid and leads to uncompetitive practice. The legal cases from Spain, Italy and France currently being examined by the European Commission are challenging national co-operative laws and tax rules which ultimately attack the co-operative specificities and thus the co-operative model of enterprise. Cooperatives Europe is spearheading a petition, addressed to the European Commission, "Hands Off our Co-ops! - They compete fairly", and is encouraging members of co-operatives to sign online. See more information on the Cooperatives Europe website (http://www.coopseurope.coop/spip.php?article561) and the petition (http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/hands-off-our-coops.html) New to IHCO - Japanese reconstruction in Java and ICA Extraordinary Assembly Published 05/6/2008 News in English and Spanish about HCA-JCCU funding to rebuild a public health clinic and a local economic development clinic in Sidomulya village in the Bantul district of Java, Indonesia and the ICA Extraordinary Assembly. Garry Cronan has left the ICA Published 05/3/2008 Garry Cronan has left the ICA. We thank him for his contribution to theICA and in particular to the Global 300 Project. ICA wishes him all thebest in his future endeavours. Garry can be contacted atgarrycronan@bluewin.ch.View News Archive Featured Articles Boletín de la ACI Febrero/Marzo 2008 Published 05/19/2008 Printer Version ICA Digest Issue 61 April/May 2008 Published 04/25/2008 Digest ICA Digest Issue 61, April/May 2008, is now available. The focus is on the restructuring of the ICA - a watershed moment offering the real prospect of a renewed vision and structure into the future. there is a report on the Extraordinary General Assembly In June and the ICA strategy on climate change. Regional news includes a special report from ICA's Americas regional and an interview with the Regional Director. There are further details about the ICA's EXPO 2008 in Lisbon, Portugal in October and a report on a Co-operatives Europe submission to the European Commission. There is a feature interview with Carolyn Hoover - Chief Executive Officer of dotCooperationLLC - discussing how information is the backbone to a strong and relevant global Co-operative Movement. Full Story Visit Site Printer Version Global 300 List 2007 Released Published 10/29/2007 GA 07 The International Co-operative Alliance has just released The Global 300 list 2007 - The world's major co-operatives and mutual businesses. The Global 300 list is the second ranking of the largest co-operatives and mutual businesses in the world. The first preliminary listing of the largest 300 co-operatives and mutual businesses was released by the ICA at the Forum for a Responsible Globalisation in Lyon, france in October 2007. The 2007 list has expanded the range of data collected and the depth of analysis. Revenue was used as the criteria for selection and ranking. US currency was used with local currencies converted into USD. Full Story Visit Site Printer Version The Global 300 and Corporate Social Responsibility Published 10/23/2007 GA 07 The Global 300 Project has been enhanced by the International Co-operative Alliance this year by the release of a separate and complementary report of Corporate (or rather Co-operative) Sociaql Responsibility principles and their practice by co-operatives. Co-operative principles in particular the ICA's Statement of Co-operative Identity are the basis for most co-operative operation throughout the world.Some of the best examples of CSR performance are to be found among Global 300 co-operatives and mutuals. The report provides detailed case study examples of current practice across the various CSR streams - giving the flavour of what some co-operatives are currently doing.It is not an exhaustive sample of all that the co-operative is doing. Full Story Visit Site Printer Version Featured Member Site Credit Union National Association (CUNA) The Credit Union National Association (CUNA) is based in Washington, D.C. and Madison, Wisconsin and is the premier national trade association serving credit unions in the USA. In partnership with state credit union leagues, CUNA provides many services to credit unions - including representation, information, public relations, continuing professional education and business development.