18 September 2024 | 12. pm - 2 pm | Philanthropy Lunch | Legislative and Regulatory Changes for Swiss Foundations and Associations
Format: In-person only (the event will be in English).
Venue: Auditorium de la Pastorale, CAGI
The event is now fully booked. We no longer accept registrations.
In collaboration with the International Geneva Welcome Centre (CAGI), the Maison Internationale des Associations (MIA) and proFonds.
In 2023 and early 2024, Swiss associations and foundations have faced significant legal and regulatory changes, including reforms to corporate law and amendments to the Swiss Code of Obligations, Civil Code, and other related laws. The introduction of mandatory registration with the commercial registry and new transparency requirements has prompted many associations to review and update their statutes. Debates around compensating board members of tax-exempt entities have led to varying practices across different cantons, highlighting a need for harmonization while respecting cantonal autonomy. Regional authorities like Zurich and Vaud have issued new guidelines on compensation, providing clearer frameworks for tax-exempt entities. Case law developments have reinforced the roles of supervisory authorities, while European Court rulings have impacted the rights of associations in climate litigation. Moving forward, the focus on professionalizing the non-profit sector continues, with ongoing legislative efforts to balance effective governance and regulatory compliance. Prof. Giulia Neri-Castracane and Vincent Pfammatter will provide a comprehensive overview of the legislative and regulatory changes, along with key case law developments from 2023 and the first half of 2024, that have impacted Swiss associations and foundations.
PROGRAMME
INTRODUCTION - 12.15 pm - 12.20 pm
Julien Beauvallet, Head of Civil Society Service, International Geneva Welcome Centre (CAGI)
PRESENTATION - 12.20 pm - 1 pm
- Prof. Giulia Neri-Castracane, Director of the Commercial Law Department and Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, UNIGE
- Vincent Pfammatter, Partner at Walder Wyss, Member of the board of proFonds and Academic Fellow of the GCP
Q&A - 1.00 pm - 1.20 pm
UPDATE on the activities of the CAGI, GCP and MIA – 1.25 pm - 1.30 pm
- Mara De Monte, Executive Director, Geneva Centre for Philanthropy (GCP)
- Hervé Pichelin, Director, Maison Internationale des Associations (MIA)
LIGHT LUNCH - 1.30 pm - 2 pm
2 October 2024 | 12.00 - 1.45 pm | Philanthropy Lunch | Art Donations to Museums
Format: In-person & via Zoom
Venue: Room 408, Uni-Dufour
Register here >>
In collaboration with the Art Law Foundation and with the participation of Dr. Anne Laure Bandle, Dr. Peter Mosimann and Prof. Dr. Xavier Oberson
Art donations play a pivotal role in enriching the collections of museums. This panel will analyze the legal framework governing art donations, exploring the intricacies of donor agreements and the obligations they impose on museums. Additionally, we will examine the tax implications for donors and museums, highlighting the benefits and potential pitfalls associated with charitable contributions of art. Beyond the legal and financial aspects, the panel will shed light on the practices and policies that museums employ to accept and integrate donated works into their collections.
PROGRAMME
INTRODUCTION - 12.15 pm
Prof. Henry Peter - Director of the Geneva Centre for Philanthropy (GCP), University of Geneva
PRESENTATION - 12.20-12.30 pm
Dr. Anne Laure Bandle - Attorney at law, lecturer at the Art-Law Centre and the Geneva Centre for Philanthropy (GCP), director of the Art Law Foundation
PANEL DISCUSSION AND Q&A - 12.30-1.40 pm
Dr. Peter Mosimann – Attorney at law, former lecturer in copyright and art law at the University of Basel
Prof. Dr. Xavier Oberson – Professor in Swiss and international tax law at the University of Geneva, attorney at law
Adèle Aschehoug – Head of Fundraising, Plateforme 10, Lausanne
- Panel moderated by Dr. Anne Laure Bandle
UPDATE on the activities of the GCP – 1.40-1.45 pm
Mara De Monte, Executive Director, Geneva Centre for Philanthropy (GCP)
8 October 2024 | 6.15-8 pm | Semaine de la démocratie | Conference “Démocratie et lutte contre la polarisation: quel rôle pour la philanthropie?»
Format: In-person
Venue: Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID), Maison de la paix, Auditorium A2
In collaboration with the Office cantonal de l’économie et de l’innovation (OCEI), Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy (IHEID) and SwissFoundations
La polarisation croissante des débats publics qui caractérise les démocraties contemporaines est un sujet à la fois politique et sociétal : elle reflète un changement profond tant dans les pratiques politiques que dans la représentation du lien social. En même temps, elle s’inscrit dans un contexte médiatique en pleine reconfiguration. Enfin, l’utilisation même du terme de polarisation est sujette à des interprétations variées et parfois controversées.
Dans ce contexte, comment aborder le rôle des acteurs publics, philanthropiques et médiatiques ?
Cette table-ronde explorera tout particulièrement l’action de la philanthropie visant à renforcer le dialogue démocratique et à atténuer la polarisation sociétale et politique. Elle réunira des représentants de la philanthropie, des chercheurs et des représentants des médias qui débattront des différentes manières dont l’enjeu de polarisation influence leur action. Les intervenants analyseront également des réponses concrètes qui ont été initiées dans des contextes de divisions de plus en plus marquées.
28 November 2024 | 12.00 - 1.45 | Philanthropy Lunch | Gestion d’actifs des fondations – Analyse et benchmarking
Format: In-person & via Zoom
Venue: Room 408, Uni-Dufour
In collaboration with SwissFoundations and with the participation of Cyril Berner, PPC Metrics.