1.

According to Article 5 of the Statutes, the Association may comprise active, associate and honorary members.

2.

Annual membership fees for all membership categories shall be established by the Board. Each membership shall be valid for one calendar year. Membership may be renewed from 1 December of each calendar year and shall take effect on 1 January of the following calendar year.

Exceptionally, all new memberships entered into after the annual Challenge organised by the Association shall remain valid until 31 December of the following calendar year.

Membership fees are not divisible pro rata temporis. In the event of the dismissal, refusal or exclusion of a member, the fee paid by that member shall not be reimbursed, either in whole or in part.

The admission of active members shall always be subject to approval by the Board. Pending such approval, a candidate for active membership shall be considered an active member and shall have all rights and obligations associated with active membership, except for the right to vote at the General Assembly.

The annual membership fee must be paid within 30 calendar days of receipt of the payment request. If no payment has been received, one reminder shall be sent. Members who fail to pay their fee within 15 calendar days of receipt of the reminder shall be considered to have resigned. If they subsequently renew their membership, this shall not be considered the admission of a new member.

3.

Membership shall include specific benefits applicable to the different membership categories and levels of financial support, as approved by the Board.

4.

Only active members have full membership rights, including the right to vote at the General Assembly. Active members are the founding members and those admitted as active members by the Board following an application for admission. The names of all active members shall be entered in the membership register.

According to Article 6 of the Statutes, a candidate must fulfil at least one of the following conditions to be eligible to join the Association as an active member:

• perform or promote music both in their home country and in other countries, with an emphasis on blues and roots music;
• be a blues association, festival, concert promoter, record label, booking agency, radio or TV programme, or magazine (in print or online) whose activities focus on blues and roots music;
• be well informed about blues and roots music and the musical life of their own country or region, or be in a position to provide information and materials on blues musicians, composers, blues and roots music, and the musical life of their home country or region.

Applications for admission to the Association must be submitted in writing to the Board. An electronic application form shall be available on the Association’s website, through which candidates for active membership may submit their applications.

The Board shall decide whether or not to admit a new member. It may admit or reject an applicant or invite the applicant to apply again at a later date.

The following annual membership fees shall be payable by active members – thereafter the membershipis valid until 31 December 2027:

• Individuals and small businesses/associations: EUR 100
• Large businesses/associations (annual turnover > EUR 15,000): EUR 200

All EBU members shall have access to the Association’s newsletter.

Membership Benefits for Individual EBU Active Members and Small Businesses/Associations

The following benefits apply to active members classified as individuals or small businesses/associations (annual turnover up to EUR 15,000):

• One free entrance pass valid for all three nights of the annual European Blues Challenge (EBC), provided that the EBU membership fee is paid no later than 31 December of the year preceding the EBC. This benefit is subject to the overall capacity and ticket availability of the venue and to the terms of the contract between the EBU and the local organiser of the EBC. In the case of EBC 2027, 150 tickets are allocated to EBU active members.
• Alternatively, one entrance pass at a 50% discount, valid for all three nights of the annual EBC, if the EBU membership fee is paid between 1 and 31 January. This benefit is also subject to venue capacity and the EBU ticket allocation as defined above.
• From 1 February onwards, EBU members must purchase their entrance tickets at full price through the public ticketing channels.
• One free table at the Blues Market, held each year in conjunction with the EBC.
• The right to propose candidates for the Blues Behind the Scenes and European Blues Hall of Fame Awards.

Membership Benefits for Large Businesses/Associations

The following benefits apply to active members classified as large businesses/associations (annual turnover above EUR 15,000):

• Two free entrance passes valid for all three nights of the annual European Blues Challenge (EBC), provided that the EBU membership fee is paid no later than 31 December of the year preceding the EBC. This benefit is subject to the overall capacity and ticket availability of the venue and to the terms of the contract between the EBU and the local organiser of the EBC. In the case of EBC 2027, 150 tickets are allocated to EBU active members.
• Alternatively, two entrance passes at a 50% discount, valid for all three nights of the annual EBC, if the EBU membership fee is paid between 1 and 31 January. This benefit is also subject to venue capacity and the EBU ticket allocation as defined above.
• From 1 February onwards, EBU members must purchase their entrance tickets at full price through the public ticketing channels.
• One free table at the Blues Market, held each year in conjunction with the EBC.
• The right to propose candidates for the Blues Behind the Scenes and European Blues Hall of Fame Awards.
• The right to delegate two representatives to the General Assembly of the EBU. In accordance with Article 22 of the Statutes, this delegation carries one voting right.

A further description of the rights and obligations of active members shall be set out in the internal rules and regulations to be drawn up by the Board.

5.

Associate members are affiliated with the Association in order to benefit from its activities. They do not have the right to vote at the General Assembly. The following may join the Association as associate members:

• other non-profit organisations supporting the functioning and activities of the Association;
• individuals supporting the functioning and activities of the Association;
• business members, meaning commercial organisations wishing to support the functioning and activities of the Association.

An electronic form shall be available on the Association’s website, through which candidates for associate membership may submit their applications. Candidates shall be considered associate members once payment of the corresponding fee has been received.

Associate members, like active members, are entitled to participate in projects undertaken by the Association.

The General Assembly shall determine the following category of associate membership: EBU Fan.

The following membership fee shall be payable by associate members:

• EBU Fan: EUR 20 (persons under the age of 18 are not required to pay a membership fee to become an EBU Fan).

The following specific membership benefit shall apply to associate members:

• EBU Fan: access to the Association’s newsletter.

A further description of the rights and obligations of associate members shall be set out in the internal rules and regulations to be drawn up by the Board.

6.

Honorary membership may be conferred upon persons who render or have rendered notable services to the Association, upon the recommendation of the Board and by a decision of the General Assembly adopted by a simple majority of the members present or represented. Honorary members may participate in the General Assembly in a consultative capacity but shall have no voting rights. Honorary members shall not be required to pay an annual membership fee. A further description of the rights and obligations of honorary members shall be set out in the internal rules and regulations to be drawn up by the Board.