Becoming a shareholder
As the first European press cooperative, Voxeurop is owned by its readers as well as its journalists, translators, partners and founders. The purpose of this project is to welcome all those who value an independent press and want to get involved in journalism aimed at a European audience. Join the club!
3 reasons to become a shareholder
Support an independent media outlet
By buying shares (1 share = €100), you become a shareholder in our European press cooperative. This means supporting the work of around thirty journalists and translators who spend their days reporting on stories that reach across Europe's borders. As media organisations become increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few billionaires, you are supporting quality journalism that is 100% independent and serves the public interest.
Take part in a cooperative form of governance
By becoming a shareholder, you play a part in Voxeurop's management by voting on its strategic priorities at general meetings held by videoconference. You can choose to go further still – for example, by volunteering your expertise or your time to the team; by becoming an ambassador for Voxeurop to those around you; or by representing your category of shareholder on the Supervisory Board.
Become part of a community
Becoming a shareholder of Voxeurop also means joining a community of around a hundred other co-owners. They come from more than 20 different countries to date, and are all united by this same journalistic endeavour. You'll have the opportunity to talk to them and the team at online events and in our shareholders-only chat room. By buying shares, you are joining a social venture that transcends borders of language and nation!
To find out more, read our articles of association here. The purchase of shares is only open to Voxeurop subscribers.
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Your benefits as a shareholder
1
communication channel dedicated to shareholders – your direct link to the team.
2
major live interviews a year with leading European figures, with a focus on questions of press independence and pluralism of information.
1
live event reserved for Voxeurop shareholders, every year in the spring, before the Annual General Meeting. It's a chance to ask the team all your questions.
Questions and answers
Subscribing to Voxeurop (see our offers) means paying a monthly or annual fee in exchange for a number of benefits: access to our paywalled articles, participation in surveys and polls, invitations to events, and so on.
Becoming a shareholder of Voxeurop means investing by buying shares in the cooperative and becoming a co-owner. The shares are not redeemable for 5 years. You vote on the strategic direction of the cooperative, and can get involved in its development. It is possible to buy shares on a regular basis, but shareholders are not bound by any recapitalisation commitments.
Becoming a shareholder means acquiring one or more shares in the cooperative's capital, one share being valued at €100. Holding one or more shares gives you the right to vote at our general meetings.
Shareholders are grouped into 6 categories:
- Beneficiaries – individuals (1 to 9 shares);
- Benefactors – individuals (> 10 shares);
- Producers – by invitation (1 or more shares)
- European civil-society organisations – media, associations, partners, etc. (1 or more shares)
- Donors – organisations with a mission to support journalism (> 10 shares);
- Founders – associates (> 10 shares).
Under its articles of association, Voxeurop SCE does not pay dividends to its shareholders. All profits are reinvested in the company.
Buying shares is only open to Voxeurop subscribers. Once your subscription is active, log in to the site using Steady and fill in the form. It will give you two payment options (credit card or bank transfer). You will then receive a certificate of co-ownership and all our communications to shareholders.
There is at least one General Meeting a year, held by videoconference. If you are unable to attend, you can vote online or appoint a proxy. Voting is not compulsory, but it is strongly encouraged. It guarantees equal participation within each shareholder group on the principle of one person = one vote.
No. At Voxeurop, we firmly respect the principle of journalists' independence. As a shareholder, you are invited to vote and participate in the cooperative's economic success, its future development and its impact in Europe. No shareholder can have any influence on the publication, censorship or withdrawal of an article.
Governance is set out in the Articles of Association.
The General Meeting brings together all the shareholders at least once a year to decide on the next phases of the project and to vote on the accounts. The shareholders are grouped into 5 colleges (1: beneficiaries, 2: producers, 3: benefactors and ambassadors, 4: partners, 5 : founders), each with a percentage of voting rights. Within each college, each member has one vote.
The Supervisory Board has up to 18 members, representing all the categories of shareholder. To protect the independence of the editorial team, at least half the seats on the Supervisory Board are reserved for Voxeurop journalists and translators.
If you are resident in France for tax purposes, you are entitled to a tax deduction of 50% of the total amount invested.
For example: if you bought 3 shares (1 share = €100), that's €300. After the tax deduction the cost to you will only be €150.
If you represent a company subject to corporation tax in France, you can claim a tax deduction equal to 25% of the amount invested.
For example, if you bought 10 shares (1 share = €100), that's €1000. After the deduction, the cost will be €750.
The tax deduction is applied upon purchase of the shares. It becomes irreversible if they are held for at least 5 years.
Yes, you can always support us further by buying additional shares. We would love you to do so!
If you are resident in France for tax purposes, you will once again be able to claim a tax deduction of 50% of the amount paid.
In the event of bankruptcy, your investment of shares in the cooperative may not be reimbursed. Shareholders' liability is limited to their contributions. You cannot lose more than the value of the shares you have purchased.
Do you have any further questions? shareholders@voxeurop.eu
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