Decree relative to Jointly Owned Forests ( No. 163 of 2003)

NB: Unofficial translation © Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Finland Government Decree on Jointly Owned Forests (163/2003) Section 1 - Partnership’s first meeting (1) A land survey office must notify the Forestry Centre of the entry of a jointly owned forest to the real estate register without delay. The Forestry Centre must convene the first meeting of the shareholders within three months from the date when the jointly owned forest is entered to the real estate register. (2) The meeting referred to in subsection 1 above must be notified to the shareholders at the partnership’s cost by a letter sent at least 14 days before the meeting. The meeting must also be notified in a local newspaper and notice boards of municipalities where the shareholding real estates of the jointly owned forest are located 14 days before the meeting. (3) When the Forestry Centre has ratified a decision concerning the change of the use of a jointly owned area into a jointly owned forest referred to in section 16(3) of the Act on Jointly Owned Area (758/1989), it must notify this to the land survey office without delay. The time for convening the meeting referred to in subsection 1 above starts when the decision of the Forestry Centre concerning the ratification becomes legally valid. Otherwise the provisions laid down in subsection 2 apply to the meeting. Section 2 - Election of the administrative board (1) The administrative board is elected in the first meeting of the shareholders of the jointly owned forest. (2) The administrative board must ensure that the rules of procedure and forest plan of the partnership are drawn up without delay. The administrative board must also take the other necessary action to start the activity of the partnership. Section 3 - Minutes (1) Minutes must be drawn up in each meeting of the partnership and administrative board. The minutes are signed by the chairman and verified by the person who draws up the minutes. (2) The members of the administrative board are entitled to have their dissenting opinion recorded in the minutes of the administrative board. Section 4 - Entry into force (1) This Decree enters into force on 1 March 2003. (2) Measures necessary for the implementation of this Decree may be undertaken before the Decree’s entry into force.