Aims The aims must be genuinely international in character, with the intention to cover operations in at least three countries. Hence such bodies as the International Action Committee for Safeguarding the Nubian Monuments or the Anglo-Swedish Society are excluded. Societies devoted solely to commemorating particular individuals are therefore likewise ineligible, even if they have made major contributions to the international community.
Members There must be individual or collective participation, with full voting rights, from at least three countries. Membership must be open to any appropriately qualified individual or entity in the organization's area of operations. Closed groups are therefore excluded, although the situation becomes ambiguous when only one member is allowed per country by the organization, thus effectively closing the organization to other qualified groups in that country. Voting power must be such that no one national group can control the organization. National organizations which accept foreigners as members are therefore excluded, as are religious orders or communities governed on a hierarchical basis, and also informal social movements.
Structure The Constitution must provide for a formal structure giving members the right periodically to elect a governing body and officers. There must be permanent headquarters and provision made for continuity of operation. Hence the exclusion of ad hoc committees or the organizing committee of a single international meeting, though standing committees which link a series of meetings are eligible.
Officers The fact that for a period the officers are all of the same nationality, to facilitate management operations, does not necessarily disqualify the organization, but in this case there should be rotation at designated intervals of headquarters and officers among the various member countries.
Finance Substantial contributions to the budget must come from at least three countries. Hence the exclusion of the many "international" unions and societies operating in North America on budgets derived almost wholly from the United States members (see Type G). There must be no attempt to make profits for distribution to members. This does not exclude organizations which exist in order to help members themselves to make more profits or better their economic situation (eg trade unions or trade associations); but it does exclude international business enterprises, investment houses or cartels. The distinction between a trade association and a cartel is often unclear; in practice the external relations of the body are used as a guideline.
Relations with other organizations Entities formally connected with another organization are not necessarily excluded, but there must be evidence that they lead an independent life and elect their own officers. Internal or subsidiary committees, appointed by and reporting to one of the structural units of a given organization, are excluded.
Activities Evidence of current activity must be available; organizations which appear to have been inactive for over four years are eventually treated as "dissolved" or "dormant" (and transferred to Type H, with the indication "no recent information").
Other criteria No stipulations are made as to size or "importance", whether in terms of number of members, degree of activity or financial strength. No organizations are excluded on political or ideological grounds, nor are fields of interest or activity taken into consideration. The geographical location of the headquarters and the terminology used in the organization's name (whether "committee", "council", etc) have likewise been held to be irrelevant in the determination of eligibility. Organizations whose names indicate a specialized function (eg "foundation", "tribunal") are, however, placed in Type F.