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New Statutes of the International Association for Vegetation Science. Name,
Languages and Seat Article 1 1. The Association
shall be known as Internationale Vereniging voor Vegetatiekunde. 2. The
official languages of the Association for symposia, excursions, publications
and other activities shall be Dutch, English, French, German, and Spanish.
All official documents shall be published in Dutch and English. 3. The seat of
the Association shall be in the municipality of Wageningen, The Netherlands. Aims Article 2 1. The aims of
the Association are: a. to promote
research and education in vegetation science; 2. These aims
will be achieved by a. the
organization of scientific meetings; Duration Article 3 1. The
Association is established for an indefinite period of time. Membership Article 4 1. Membership in
the Association is open to all who are interested in vegetation science and
are willing to support the aims of the Association. The Association shall
consist of individuals who shall be either Full Members, Associate Members or
Honorary Members. Full Members pay an annual membership fee. Associate
Membership can be obtained by those who are interested in vegetation science
but live in a country with currency exchange problems or have financial
problems of another kind. Honorary membership is obtained through election by
the Council after nomination by at least five members. All members
can participate at all meetings of the Association and have voting right at
the General Assembly. 2. Membership
is obtained by application to the Secretary of the Association. 3. Membership
terminates: a. through
death of the member; 4. Membership
can be terminated by the member at the end of any fiscal year. This proceeds through
a letter to the Executive Committee giving four weeks notice. If the notice
has not taken place in time, membership is continued until the end of the
next fiscal year. Membership is
terminated immediately: a. if it
cannot reasonably required of the member to continue membership; 5. The
Executive Committee may give notice of termination on behalf of the
Association to take effect at the end of the current fiscal year when a
member, after If termination
has not taken place in time, membership continues until the end of the next
fiscal year. However, membership can be terminated immediately if it cannot
reasonably required of the Association to continue membership. Notice of
termination shall be in writing and contain the reasons for termination. 6. Expulsion
from membership can only be proclaimed when a member acts in violation of the
statutes, by-laws or decisions of the Association, or when the member damages
the Association in an unreasonable way. Expulsion is by the Executive Committee.
Notice of expulsion shall be in writing and contain the reasons for
expulsion. The member concerned may appeal against the decision at the
General Assembly within one month after receipt of the notice. During the
term of appeal and pending the appeal the member is suspended. A suspended
member has no right to vote. 7. When the
membership ends in the course of a fiscal year the member shall pay the
contribution for that year, unless the Executive Committee decides
differently. 8. a. Members of
the Association may be organized in Regional Sections. Donors Article 5 1. Donors are
those who are admitted as donors by the Executive Committee. The Executive
Committee may terminate donorship by written notice. 2. Donors are
obliged to pay a yearly contribution, the minimal size of which is
established by the General Assembly. It is also possible to become a
life-time donor by paying a single lump sum, the minimal size of which is
established by the General Assembly. 3. Donors have
only the right to attend the General Assembly, where they have the right of
speech but no right of vote. Membership dues
Article 6 Full members
shall pay annual dues. Associate members and honorary members are exempt from
paying dues. The annual dues shall be determined by the Council. Council Article 7 The Council
shall consist of at least 40 members who are elected by ballots sent to all
members of the Association. Members of the Council are elected for a term of
four years. Members of the Council can be immediately re-elected for up to
two consecutive terms. At least 60 candidates for membership in the Council
shall be proposed by the general membership. Executive
Committee Article 8 1. The
Executive Committee shall consist of at least three and at most seven
members, who shall appoint, from their own membership a President, a
Secretary, a Treasurer and a Publication Officer. 2. The Council
shall appoint the Executive Committee from its own membership. 3. Members of
the Executive Committee can be suspended and dismissed by the General
Assembly, with the reasons given. Decisions must be made by a two-thirds majority
of the votes. 4. A
suspension ends if the General Assembly has not decided on dismissal within
three months. The suspended Member of the Executive Committee may defend
his/her position in the General Assembly and be assisted by a lawyer. 5. Members of
the Executive Committee are elected for a term of four years. Members of the
Executive Committee can be immediately re-elected for up to two consecutive
terms. 6. If the
number of Members of the Executive Committee is reduced to fewer than the
number mentioned in sub 1, the Executive Committee is nevertheless authorized
to govern the association. The Executive Committee is obliged to ask the
Council to fill the vacancies as soon as possible. 7. The
articles 11 to 14 included are as far as possible applicable to meetings and
decision making of the Council. Article 9 1. The
Executive Committee shall be in charge of the daily affairs of the
Association. 2. The
Executive Committee can, with the previous approval of the General Assembly,
enter into agreements concerning the acquisition, alienation or encumbering
of registered goods and enter into agreements where the Association is
committed as surety or co-debtor, supports a third party or offers security
for the debt of somebody else. Article 10 1. The
Executive Committee represents the Association. 2.
Responsibility for representation may also be assigned to the President,
together with the Secretary or the Treasurer, or to the Secretary together
with the Treasurer. General
Assembly Article 11 The place
where a General Assembly is held shall be determined by the Council. Article 12 1. To the
General Assembly are admitted all members of the association who are not
suspended and those who are invited by the Executive Committee or the General
Assembly. A suspended member has access to the meeting where the decision on
his/her suspension is discussed and has the right to speak. 2. Each Member
has one vote in the General Assembly, with the exception of suspended
members. Members can delegate, in written form, their vote to another member.
Each member can cast at most five proxy votes. 3. A unanimous
decision of the members of the association, even if not assembled, and if
made with the previous knowledge of the Executive Committee, has the same
validity as a decision by the General Assembly. Such a decision may be
prepared in writing. 4. The
President determines voting procedures during the General Assembly. 5. All
decisions for which no larger majority is required by the Law or these
Statutes, are taken by an absolute majority of votes. If the votes on
substantial matters are evenly divided, the proposal is rejected. If the
votes on persons are evenly divided, the decision is assigned by lot. If at
an election with more than two candidates are involved and none of them has
received the absolute majority of votes, voting is repeated between the two
persons with the largest numbers of votes, if necessary after an intermediate
vote. 6. If fewer
than 50 members are present or represented, voting must be by postal ballot. Article 13 1. The General
Assembly is presided over by the President, or by the eldest Member of the
Executive Council when the President is absent. 2. The opinion
of the President about a decision made at the General Assembly is decisive.
The same holds for the contents of a decision insofar as this regards a
non-written proposal. However, if the opinion of the President is questioned
immediately after being expressed, a new vote may be required by the majority
of the General Assembly, or by a Member if the vote was not by call or in
writing. Through the new vote the consequences of the earlier vote lapse. 3. Minutes of
a General Assembly shall be recorded by the Secretary or a person designated by
the President. These minutes are established in the same or the next General
Assembly and signed by the president and the secretary of that meeting. Article 14 1. The fiscal
year of the Association is equal to the calendar year. The General Assembly shall
meet at least once a year, within six months after the end of the fiscal
year, unless this term has been extended by the General Assembly. During the
meeting the Executive Committee submits a report on the past period and on
the activities carried out. The Executive Committee also submits a financial
balance and a profit and loss account. These
documents are signed by the Members of the Executive Committee. If the
signature of one or more Members is missing, an explanatory note is appended. 2. If there is
no report from an accountant on the reliability of the documents mentioned in
sub 1, the General Assembly appoints, yearly, a commission of at least two
members who are not Members of the Executive Committee. 3. The
Executive Committee is obliged to provide this commission with all
information required to show the cash and assets, and to show the financial
documents of the Association. 4. The
commission investigates the documents mentioned in sub 1 and sub 3. 5. In case
special book-keeping expertise is needed, the commission can, at the expense
of the Association, ask an expert to assist. The commission
reports to the General Assembly. Article 15 1. General
Assemblies are called by the Executive Committee as often as it considers this
necessary or according to the Statutes. 2. Upon
receipt of a written request from at least 50 Members, the Executive
Committee shall call a General Assembly, which shall be held within four
weeks after the request has been received. In case the request is not
answered within two weeks the requesting Members can call a General Assembly
themselves through a letter to all Members at the expense of the Association.
In this letter the agenda of the meeting must be included. 3. The General
Assembly is called through a written notice to the members with voting right,
giving 14 days notice. Changes in the
Statutes Article 16 1. Changes in
the Statutes can only be made through a decision at the General Assembly in
the call for which meeting the proposal for changes shall be announced. 2. Those who
have issued a proposal shall make the text of the proposal available at a
place suitable for the Members for at least five days prior to the end of the
day on which the proposal is to be discussed. 3. Changes in
the Statutes can only be made by a majority of at least two-thirds of the
votes. If fewer than 50 members are present or represented, voting must be by
postal ballot. 4. Changes in
the Statutes become effective after they have been notarized. Each Member of
the Executive Committee is authorized to sign this document. 5. The
sub-articles 1 and 2 are not applicable if all members with voting right are
present or represented at the General Assembly and the decision on changes in
the Statutes is unanimous. 6. After the
changes have been inserted, the Executive Committee shall put an authentic
copy of the resolution for a change and of the full text of the Statutes at
the register of the Chamber of Commerce. Dissolution Article 17 1. Article 16
sub 1 - 3 applies to any decision by the General Assembly on dissolution. 2. The General
Assembly decides on disposal of the assets of the Association, as far as
possible in line with the aims of the Association. 3. The financial
settlement is carried out by the Executive Committee 4. After its
dissolution the Association continues to exist if this is necessary for the
financial settlement. During the settlement the Statutes will continue to
apply as far as possible. In documents issued by the Association, the words ‘
in liquidation’ shall be used. 5. The
settlement ends when no known assets are left. 6. Documents
of the dissolved Association must be kept for ten years after the settlement.
They are kept by whoever is designated by those involved in the settlement. By-laws Article 18 1. The General
Assembly can establish by-laws on topics which are not or not sufficiently
covered by these Statutes. 2. By-laws
shall not contain clauses which violate the law or these Statutes. 3. Article 16
sub 1, 2 and 5 apply to changes in by-laws as well as their establishment. Final clause Article 19 The General
Assembly exerts authority in any matters not allocated to other organs by law
or the Statutes. - - - - - These Statutes
are based on Statutes which have been duly established and adopted at the
General Assembly of the IAVS of 11 September 1996 in Lancaster and adopted by
the General Assembly of the IAVS of 2 August 2001 in Freising. Note: The
Lancaster version of the above-mentioned Statutes is a thoroughly revised
version of the Statutes adopted at the General Assembly held in Prague in
1982, which in their turn are a revised version of the Statutes of the
Association Internationale de Phytosociologie (Internationale Vereinigung für
Vegetationskunde, International Society for Vegetation Science) as adopted at
the meeting of the above society during the International Botanical Congress
held at Paris in 1954. The 1954 Statutes formalized the constitution of the
society at Marseille in 1939 and its postwar reconstitution at Hilversum in
1947. |
