The
birthplace of the cooperative credit is Germany. Credit
co-operatives as a legal form originated in the late 19th century. Start
of mass development of agricultural credit cooperatives and countries
associated with the names and work of Friedrich Raiffeisen, Hermann
Schulze-Delitzsch and Wilhelm Haas. Raiffeisen
founded the first rural credit banks, which were both in the interests of its
members trading activities salal credit
union .
Germany
currently has a developed system of credit cooperatives, which plays an
important role in financing agriculture. Credit
cooperation is part of the German Co-operative Union of Raiffeisen. Credit
cooperatives, pouring what is called cooperative banks, banking institutions
are universal for all small and medium business. But
the main purpose of the cooperative banking system is the enterprise
development, especially in rural areas.
Today
in Germany there are about 2.5 thousand credit cooperatives with more than 14.5
million members and 30 million customers. About
80% of farmers, 60% of artisans, 75% are paederzhatelyami resellers and
customers of these organizations. The
co-operative banking sector occupies a prominent position in the credit system
of the country. It
accounts for over 19% of the aggregate balance of all universal banks in the
country, 25% of the non-bank deposit customers. The
decentralized structure makes it possible to have close contact with customers,
provides a flexible business policy and makes decisions on granting loans
shorter (20, p. 14).
The
task of co-operative banks is to increase the income of its members and to
assist in the development of their business. Credit
banks provide to their shareholders preferential loans at low interest rates on
government funding programs. In
addition, some of the co-operative banks are involved in the trade of goods of
local production: they engaged in the purchase of agricultural products,
marketing of agricultural products and supply agricultural equipment.
Specific
conditions in which there are credit unions in Germany, the general principles
of their activities, the relevant legal provisions, and special
characteristics. General
principles of the credit company as an organization created for the joint
management of the case, are:
-
Mutual, meaning union actors in similar conditions, and financial resources to
develop joint efforts of companies and make a commitment to mutual guarantee;
- Self-management, ie founders
themselves set and regulate the internal relations of a partnership, thereby
protecting it from outside influence. Shareholders
are free to determine the structure and competence of the governing bodies of
the company, the subject of his business. The
effect of a firm rule - one vote when voting company has one vote;
-
Mutual responsibility follows from the above and suggests that the members of
the credit company shall be jointly and severally liable for the activities of
the cooperative;
- Identity, ie established
two-way relationship between the shareholder and partnership. On
the one hand, it is the founder, co-owner of the partnership, the other - the
consumer or user of its activities;
-
Voluntary presupposes freedom of the individual decision to assign its obligations
and obtaining rights when entering into a partnership;
-
Findings suggest that the right to become the founder of credit granted to each
company, as recognized legal and statutory provisions on partnerships. It
follows that the right parent can benefit from various social groups, both
individuals and legal entities;
-
Local and regional orientation activities means that the geographical scope of
the partnership activity should be limited for the purpose of the most complete
account of consumers of its founders;
-
Complementarity implies that the partnership in addressing the numerous
questions of them for reasons of commercial expediency transfer institutions of
other levels salal credit union .
The
effective operation of credit cooperatives in Germany due to the voluntariness
of education institutions and credit cooperatives accumulation of financial
resources of individuals and entities, the direction of credit cooperation to
ensure the most favored to the participants in the credit, billing, counseling,
mediation and other forms of service, using the accumulated funds primarily for
production purposes as well as
government support credit cooperatives.
The
emergence of the credit cooperative system in the Netherlands is the end of the
19th century. First local
cooperative bank was established in 1896. Later,
on the basis of several local banks did the first central bank. The
basis of credit cooperatives were the principles of Raiffeisen.
In
the Netherlands, the leading role in agricultural lending cooperative owned
bank - Rabobank, which accounts for 90% of all loans to the country's
agriculture. The
system currently includes 60 local Rabobank and one central bank. Local
chapters are members of the Rabobank-shareholders. For
those wishing to get a loan for the purposes of their professional activities,
such membership is mandatory. The
supreme governing body of a local bank is the general assembly, which is
elected by the Governing Council and the Supervisory Board. Governing
Board and appoints the General Manager and his powers. General
Manager is responsible for the daily operations of the bank, and periodically
report to the Board of Governors. The
Board of Governors is to take the most important decisions on investing,
lending and loans, exceeding the credit limit recruitment. The
Supervisory Board supervises the Board of Governors (24, p. 137).
Community
Bank is solely responsible for the efficiency of its operations, credit policy,
profitability and good financial position. Shareholders
shall be liable in the event of failure of the bank, however, due to the fact
that some of the revenue credited to the reserve fund, there is a collective
responsibility within the whole structure, so the risks involved are minimal. These
banks are direct shareholders and have contacts with Rabobank Netherlands. The
central bank controls the solvency and liquidity of the banks: it is entrusted
with the banking infrastructure, as well as the financing and provision of
other banking services to clients operating at the national or international
level salal credit union .
Features of salal credit union