Members

1. Membership of the Association implies strict adherence to the Constitution, to the By-laws and to any lawful decision made or to be made by the organs or officers of the Association.

2. Members of the Association are not personally liable for the debts and liabilities of the Association.

3. The Association is liable only to the extent of its assets.

The five categories of members are described in article 5 of the bylaws.

Admission of new members

Individuals applying for membership shall do so on the standard application form, which shall be signed by one of the Bureau members. For minors under 16 years of age the application form shall be filled by the legal representative. In the absence of response from the Association by post or email within a month, the application is considered as accepted.

The bylaws and internal rules, to be available for download from the association's website, can be delivered in printed form to the new member upon request.

Termination of membership

Individual membership terminates:

a) on withdrawal; b) on death; c) on failure to pay membership fees; d) on expulsion.

Membership fee

Effective members must pay every year a membership fee. Beginning with year 2007, the fee is set at 50 fifty euros per annum. A 50% reduction is for the moment applied to citizens of NIS; this reduction is subject to revision.

The fee for associate members is set at 2000 euros minimum per annum. That for affiliate members is 500 euros.

Associate members enjoy a number of votes (between 1 and 5) that depends on the amount paid, in accord with article 6.3 of the bylaws.

The fee to be paid is re-evaluated each year by the bureau. The amount is then voted by the General Assembly. The same procedure applies to the number of votes conferred to associate members as a function of the fee paid by them. [Membership fees shall be due on 1 January of every financial year. New Members adopted by the association during a financial year shall pay the full fee. New Members joining the Association on the occasion of the payment of an Eucass conference registration fee shall enjoy a two-year membership so long as the periodicity of this conference remains two years.]

Exemptions

Honorary members are not required to pay any fees; the fee is waived for unsalaried students. The latter are required to submit a statement from their educational institution attesting to their quality as a student.

In the event the fee is not paid on time, membership will terminate six months after the end of the year for which previous payment had been received.

Any fee paid to the association is not refundable when membership is terminated, regardless of the cause of termination.

Privileges

Individual Members shall have the following privileges:

• The right to vote at General Assemblies;
• The right to elect Bureau Members;
• The right to hold office in the Executive Committee;
• The right to hold office in Technical Committees;
• Reduced registration fees at conferences organised by the Association;
• Benefit from agreements with Collaborating Societies;
• Inclusion in the association’s directory.

Expulsion

In accord with article 6 of the bylaws, a member can be excluded. The motives for exclusion are the following:

• lack of assiduity;
• dangerous behaviour towards other members with or without deterioration of equipment;
• behaviour that doesn't comply with the goals or the ethics of the association which adheres to European democratic values, and rejects ostracism;
• violation of the bylaws or internal rules.

The expulsion is pronounced by the Bureau after a hearing of the member against whom the procedure is engaged, on simple majority for lack of assiduity, on 2/3 majority in the other cases. The General Assembly is kept informed of the decision. The member will be convoked by registered mail two weeks before the Bureau meeting which is to hear the case.

The letter shall give the motives for expulsion. The member can be assisted by another member of his choice. In the event expulsion is voted the member will be notified by registered mail.

Withdrawal

In conformity with article 6 of the bylaws, the resigning member must inform the President of his decision by simple mail.

Management

The President is the representative of the association vis à vis legal instances. He delegates the day to day management to the Secretary.

The Association can open secondary accounts in various countries of continental Europe if needed. One local representative can then be nominated by the bureau with license to make payments locally. To the extent possible, the representative should be one of the vice-Presidents.

In general, any check must be signed by one of the following: President, Secretary or Treasurer.

For any payment drawn from a secondary account the local representative based in the city or region where the account is open has delegation to sign the checks.

A document signed by two of the above representatives is necessary to authorise payments above 5000 Euros.

The Treasurer is responsible for keeping the assets and the books of the association. To that effect, he is responsible for keeping himself informed with diligence of the transactions executed on the Association's account.

Operation of the Association

Individual behaviour

The members must abide by the rules and regulations which are applicable to the rooms and buildings hosting the Association.

Local Division, thematic Division

When an activity is shared by 10 participants or more, the Bureau may decide to establish a local division or a thematic division.

The creation and operation of the divisions must be validated by an ordinary or extraordinary General Assembly.

Ordinary and extraordinary General Assemblies

The modes of convocation are described in article 10 of the bylaws.

The elections are by secret ballot in the box managed by the appointed secretary. The other votes can be by show of hands except if a minority of over 20% of the present requests it. Minors have the right to vote at age 16 and above.

A secretary is appointed at the beginning of the meeting. He/she drafts the minutes of the assembly.

Absentee voting is allowed; voting with power of attorney also is, with a limit of five powers per representing member.

Miscellaneous regulation

Changing the internal rules

The internal rules are prepared or amended by the Bureau according to article 13 of the bylaws; they are subsequently presented to the nearest ordinary or extraordinary General Assembly to validate the fees and voting rights of associate and affiliate members (articles 5,6,7 of the bylaws). The amended internal rules will be posted on the Association's website within one month's delay of the date of the amendment (e.g. after the General Assembly for the voting rights and the membership fees).

Announcement

The internal rules are posted in the Association's quarters and on its website.