![[FSFE Logo]](/graphics/logo.png){kind=logo}
Legal Structure
The Free Software Foundation Europe is an international, team-based organisation. Legally, it is set up as a modular structure that allows us to expand it step by step into every country that feels part of Europe, whether it is part of the European Union or not.
The Hub
The Hub is the central legal body, the core of the Free Software Foundation Europe. All members of the FSFE have to be members of the Hub by constitution.
The Hub is the legal body necessary to implement the activities of the team.
The Hub is by happenstance a charitable association ("e.V.") registered in Germany with the following constitution:
The Chapters
Chapters are local legal bodies of the FSFE, formed by the members of the FSFE from that country and sometimes guest members from other countries. Their main function is to receive deductable donations, where possible.
Chapters are integrated throughout the FSFE with their statutes, giving the national teams of FSFE the freedom and autonomy to address the local issues in the way appropriate for the cultural and social identity in those countries.
The constitution for these chapters is usually found by modifying a "template constitution" in order to fit in with the legal system of that country, aiming for charitable status whenever possible.
That template constitution is also available:
Fully-established Chapters currently exist in
Countries currently represented with members in the FSFE: Austria, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
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