The C.O.M. News, September 2002 nr.108

Below is a summary of the distribution of duties of the C.O.M. Board of Directors:

- Please find at the attached hereto Annex nr. 1 the up-to-date list of all National C.O.M.s or equivalent entities which are members of the C.O.M.. They are always asked to let us know in due course every eventual individual rectification to be introduced in this general information, and we thank them in advance. We also insist so that in future all changes of address, telephone, fax and/or E-mail be notified, without delay, to our General Secretary with a copy to our General President.

- The C.O.M. is holding a stock of its banner (flag) (1,75 x 1,75 m) available to the National C.O.M.s or other equivalent entities, at an unit price of EURO 73,00 plus postage (EURO 5,50 to Europe, or EURO 8,50 to non-European countries). Orders should be sent to the General Treasurer and paid through a bank transfer to the C.O.M. account (see page 1).

- Countries, Associations, Clubs, etc. inviting and/or requesting the presence of members of the C.O.M./B.D. and/or O.M.J./E.C. and/or C.O.M.P.E. and/or C.R.O. in their bird exhibitions, meetings, briefings, etc., are obliged to cover all travelling and stay expenses of those invitees. If the invited person(s) takes the decision to travel by aircraft, the ticket out and home will be paid in full by the inviter. Whatever is the case, the trip cost has to be setlled in advance by the previous sending of either the required ticket(s) or an international cheque covering all expenses.

- Every purpose to put the name(s) of any member(s) of the C.O.M./B.D. and/or O.M.J./E.C. and/or C.O.M.P.E. and/or C.R.O. in Commissions or Committees of Honour of such events has to be object of a written request through the respective National C.O.M. or equivalent entity. A copy of that letter should be sent to the C.O.M. General President.

- Interested individuals or entities may subscribe « Les Nouvelles de la C.O.M. » (published twice a year in French language), by transferring the sum of € 15,00 from Europe (postage included) or € 20,00 from non-European countries (postage included) to the bank account of C.O.M. (see page 1), with the mention « Nouvelles subscription ».

An English version (« The C.O.M. News ») is available only through Internet: http://www.conf.org

- The C.O.M. Statutes, the Internal Regulations, the Specifications (with the norms of procedure for the organisation of a World Championship) and the Regulations to C.O.M. Shows and Competitions (existing only in French language) are available for a total price of EURO 10,00 (postage included).

- The Information Bulletins published by the C.R.O. are available for a price of EURO 10,50 per copy to Europe (postage included), or EURO 12,50 to non-European countries (postage included). These amounts should be transferred to the C.O.M. bank account (see page 1), mentioning the title of the Bulletin.

- Harz (Roller) Canaries (in French, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, German and Dutch) :          € 12,50 per copy
- Coloured Canaries (two versions, seven languages) :                                                           € 12,50 per copy
- Type Canaries (two versions, seven languages) :                                                                 € 15,00 per copy
- Exotics, Gouldian Finches (two versions, seven languages) :                                                € 15,00 per copy
- European Fauna (in French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese) :                                            € 22,50 per copy
- Hybrids (indicating the permitted crossings) (in French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese) :    € 12,50 per copy

-       These prices do not include postage. Orders should be addressed only to:

                                                                                                           Mr. W.J. MULDER, C.O.M. General Treasurer
                                                                                                   Verwerstraat 39, NL - 7415 RZ DEVENTER, Netherlands

To avoid the high cost of bank fees, the General Treasurer requests all payments (including membership fees) to be made in €uros through a bank transfer FREE OF CHARGE to the credit of C.O.M.

- The following « Standards » manuals are not available, but in progress of reissue:

- Harz (Roller) Canaries (in English) - Domestic Exotics F1
- European Fauna - Hybrids (indicating the permitted ones)
- Budgerigars (section I) - Psittacines (sections J / N)
The "Standard" manual for Malinois (Waterslager) is in preparation. A meeting of O.M.J. expert-judges will take place in 2004.

- C.O.M. rules to be followed for the recognition of « International » bird shows or championships:

Every Club, Association or Federation wanting to obtain from the C.O.M. the recognition as « International » to a bird exhibition or championship must put a formal petition via its National C.O.M. or equivalent entity. This application, in case of approval, will be sent to the C.O.M. General President. Under such an agreement, the National C.O.M. or equivalent entity takes the responsibility not only for the event scheduled dates but also, addable to the required foreign judges, for the appointment of the necessary O.M.J. national judges.

Every petition must be in C.O.M. possession at the longest until the 31st December of the year preceding the concerning exhibition. Furthermore, this application should state the exact duration dates of the exhibition.

The petition also has to include the payment of EURO 350,00 to the C.O.M. General Treasurer, as a contract amount owed to the C.O.M. by the concerning Club or Association.

All applications will be mentioned at the C.O.M. Statutory Congress of January and will be published in « Les Nouvelles » (« The C.O.M. News ») of March and September.

During the judging period of the championship, a member of the O.M.J. Executive Committee must be present to control with the organisers the full accomplishment of the regulations. A member of the C.O.M. Board of Directors, being an O.M.J. judge, may also fill this office.

This O.M.J. and/or C.O.M. member must be foreign to the organising country and, if accorded, he may judge too at the exhibition.

His travelling expenses (by plane, train or car), as well as his eventual stay costs, will be supported by the organisers.

The daily individual judging allowance to be paid, also by the organisers, will be the one rated (at the C.O.M./O.M.J. Congress of August) for the « World Championship » of the current year.

When putting in their requests, Clubs must affirm that they will rigorously abide by the following rules:

· the participation of exhibitor-breeders from at least 3 different countries at least, including the organising one;

· every exhibitor-breeder has, obligatorily, to be a member of a Bird Society and/or Federation affiliated with C.O.M.;

· the judging must be only done by O.M.J. judges from at least 3 different countries at least, including the organising one;

· the judges’ list drawn up by the organisers should be addressed to the O.M.J. Secretary at least 30 days before the judging date;

- the O.M.J. Secretary will confirm to the organisers the proposed judges and the designated supervisor;

· the prizes catalogue has to mention the names of the officiating judges and their countries;

· copies of an entry form and a prizes catalogue must be sent to the C.O.M. General President and to the O.M.J. Secretary as soon as the exhibition/competition closes.

The importance of the above requirements is to be specially noted. Failure to adhere to these rules may lead C.O.M. to refuse, in any future occasion, the “International” designation to exhibitions organised by the Club that has not performed its duties and obligations.

• the candidates must be proposed by their National C.O.M. or equivalent entities;

• the theory and practical examinations will take place during an international or a major national show.

• the O.M.J. Secretary must be informed, before 30th June, of the venue and date of the examinations, and of the number of candidates per section;

• the examinations must be supervised by an O.M.J.-E.C. or a C.O.M.-B.D. member (being an O.M.J. judge) not belonging to the organising country;
If there are more than 10 candidates for the examinations, the presence of two such supervisors is required;

• the examiners must be O.M.J. specialist judges;

• the examinations consist of a theory test (the supervisor will provide the questionnaires) and a practical test for which the organisation will provide the birds: at least 3 teams and 10 individuals for each category (section), except for Singing Canaries (with 2 teams and 4 individuals);

• complete files (containing the C.O.M. identity form, the theory test and both sets of judging score sheets completed by the examiners and by the candidates) and a written appraisal signed by the supervisor will be delivered directly to the O.M.J. Secretary;

• each candidate may only take the O.M.J. examination in a main specific discipline (section), bearing in mind that for Coloured Canaries, Exotics and European Fauna, the Hybrids section may possibly be considered as a complementary specialisation;

• every O.M.J. judge candidate must have been a national judge in his chosen section for at least the last 5 entire years (to be checked by the supervisor);

• the country that organises the examinations must take charge of all the costs involved, including travelling, board and lodging expenses of the O.M.J.-E.C. or C.O.M.-B.D. supervisor(s).

  -      Issue of bird rings: member countries are reminded that the rings must be delivered to the breeders as soon as possible after 1st October of every year; this applies to all kinds of birds (see « Les Nouvelles de la C.O.M. » No. 85 of March 1991).

                • Please note: only the breeder himself/herself is responsible for the size of the rings he/she uses.
               Any deformed, illegible or too large ring will lead to the disqualification of that exhibit.

                • To participate in World Championships with birds bearing rings issued by a member country, the breeder- exhibitor is OBLIGED to have his/her main residence in that same                country. Any infraction will lead to disqualification of all the birds of any breeder-exhibitor contravening this requirement.

                 • “Partnerships” cannot participate in World Championships and/or International Shows organised under C.O.M. patronage. Member countries must refuse to allow the                participation of “partnerships”, and any irregularity detected during such exhibitions will be penalised by the disqualification of all the birds entered by such breeders.

€ 10,00 for entry (registration) fee of each new O.M.J. judge (to be paid only once).

- ATTENTION: it is reminded that membership rates must be settled before March 31st of each year.

- A listing of the active members of the Ornithological Research Commission (C.R.O.) can be found at the herein Annex nr. 2.

- The C.O.M. is registered under the number V.413.416 at the Chamber of Commerce in The Hague (Netherlands).