Euro-Ataxia Statutes (as per 09 August 2007)

a European non profit association whose member organisations work together
to give people with hereditary ataxia as normal a life as possible.

Home
News & developments (blog)
Agenda
Search
Euro-Ataxia Statutes
Members & potential members
Board of directors
Medical & scientific board
Activities
Newsletters
Banking information
Contact

History

On 25 February 1992, by Royal Decree, Boudewijn / Baudouin, king of the Belgians, granted legal personality to the international association “Euro-Ataxia”.
On 23 November 1994, by Royal Decree, Albert II, king of the Belgians, approved the amendments to Euro-Ataxia’s statutes, made by it’s general meeting of 7 to 9 October 1994.
On 06 September 2006, amendments to Euro-Ataxia’s statutes, made by it’s general meeting 1 October 2005, were published in the Belgian Gazette.
On 09 August 2007, amendments to Euro-Ataxia’s statutes, made by it’s general meeting of 16 September 2006, were published in the Belgian Gazette.

Euro-Ataxia Statutes, as translated from Flemish

EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF HEREDITARY ATAXIAS

ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

Article 1

The Belgian law of 27 June 1921 will be applicable to the European Federation of Hereditary Ataxias, referred to hereafter as Euro-Ataxia.

Article 2 (Seat and offices)

Euro-Ataxia has its seat in Belgium, at present at Avenue Générale Médecin Derache 36, 1050 Brussels. The seat of Euro-Ataxia may be moved to any place in Belgium under a decision adopted by the Board of Directors; within one month of having been adopted, any such decision must be published in the supplements to the Belgian Gazette. For the purpose of conducting its business, Euro-Ataxia may establish offices anywhere it wants to and at any time. The official language of the association is English.

Article 3 (Objectives)

Euro-Ataxia is an international non-profit association with the following objectives:

a. Keeping up with and supporting medical research on hereditary ataxias;

b. Central processing of information on such research and passing it on to the members of Euro-Ataxia;

c. Promoting and improving contacts between practitioners concerned with hereditary ataxias and persons affected by any hereditary ataxia;

d. Investigating social, political and cultural matters connected with the welfare of people affected by any hereditary ataxia, as well as promoting and improving the exchange of information on such matters;

e. promoting co-operation on an international level between national associations for people affected by any hereditary ataxia;

f. Co-operating with or being members of other national and international organisations and institutions that have the objective of furthering the welfare of individuals affected by a physical disablement and, inter alia, those suffering of a neuromuscular disease;

g. Gathering funds and collecting, managing, using and distributing contributions, legacies and donations or the yields therefrom, for the purpose of stimulating and promoting both medical research into hereditary ataxias and the welfare of people affected by any hereditary ataxia.

Article 4 (Membership)

Euro-Ataxia has the following sorts of members:

Full members;
Associate members;
Affiliated members;
Honorary members.

Full members: National Associations for Ataxia from Member States of the EU will be admitted to Euro-Ataxia as regular members with the right to vote. They will be subject to the provisions of the Articles and to the rules as applicable in this respect.

Associate members: National Associations for Ataxia from countries outside the EU may be admitted to Euro-Ataxia and will be subject to the rules as laid down in the Statutes. Associate members have the right of attending Euro-Ataxia meetings and will have full rights to vote, except in matters relating directly to the EU.

Affiliated members: Charitable organisations that do not meet the criteria required for full or associate members, as well as individuals from countries where no National Association for Ataxia is in existence, may be admitted as affiliated members. An affiliated member may attend all Euro-Ataxia meetings as observer without the right to vote. The Chairman may permit an affiliated member to address the meeting.

The foundation of a National Association for Ataxia in the country of an affiliated member will result in the termination of such affiliated membership in the event where this national association will be admitted to join Euro-Ataxia as a full or associate member.

Honorary members: Individuals or associations liable to make any valuable contribution to Euro-Ataxia may be appointed as an honorary member for an unlimited period of time. An honorary member may attend all meetings of Euro-Ataxia in the capacity of observer without the right to vote.

An application for each type of membership has to be addressed to the Board of Directors. The next general meeting will then decide on any such application.

Article 5 (Contributions)

Contributions will be set each year by the general meeting.

Article 6 (Termination of membership)

Any membership can be terminated at any time by way of notice in writing. to the Board of Directors. The member will have to comply, nevertheless, with his financial commitments for the rest of the financial year. Any membership can be terminated also in the following events:

Failure to comply with financial commitments. Any member in arrears for one year with the settlement of financial commitments will be considered as having terminated his membership. In the event where the member has difficulties in complying with his financial commitments, he may appeal to the Board of Directors. The conditions under which his membership in Euro-Ataxia can be maintained will then be reassessed;
Activities in conflict with the best interest of Euro-Ataxia. Any membership can be terminated because of any activity considered as detrimental to the best interest of Euro-Ataxia. Any decision on an exclusion of this nature will have to be adopted by the Board of Directors at a meeting, with a four-fifths majority, at least, of the number of members attending. The member concerned will be informed sixty days, at least, in advance of the meeting and given the opportunity of hearing the evidence and of defending his actions. The member will also have the right of entering an appeal with the general meeting, in which case any decision adopted in favour of excluding the member will have to be adopted with a three quarters majority of the members attending.

Any renewal of membership after exclusion will require the support of four fifths of the number of members attending a meeting of the Board of Directors convened for this purpose. Any such decision will require confirmation from four fifths of the attendance at a subsequent general meeting.

Article 7 (Composition)

The organisation of the Federation will consist of

the general assembly
the Board of Directors;
the day-to-day management;
the Secretary General.

Article 8 (General Assembly)

The general meeting holds all the authority required for achieving the objectives of the Federation.

The general meeting consists of delegates appointed for this purpose by the full and the associate members. Affiliated and honorary members may attend the general meeting, but without the right to vote.

The general meeting will convene each year. The general meeting may convene at any and all times as an extraordinary general meeting, upon a request from the majority of the Board of Directors.

Article 9 (Board of Directors)

The Board of Directors consists of the Chairman and of the Directors and is elected by the general meeting. At least one individual with ataxia and one scientist have to be members of the Board. The Board consists of at least three individuals and of fifteen individuals at the most, including the Chairman. Conditions for eligibility are: at least two years of membership of Euro-Ataxia, and a minimum age of 18 years.

The Board of Directors will have to meet once each year, at least; both the date and the venue will be determined by the Secretary General in consultation with the Board of Directors.

Under the responsibility of the general meeting, the Board of Directors will be in charge of the affairs of EURO-ATAXIA during the period between two general meetings. The Board of Directors will be invested with all the authorities and commitments with which the Board is entrusted by the general meeting and under these Statutes.

Article 10 (Day-to-Day Management)

The day-to-day management of Euro-Ataxia consists of the President, the Deputy President, the Treasurer and the Secretary-General.

Any one person may be entrusted with more than one of these tasks.

The day-to-day management will be elected, with exception of the Chairman, by the Board of Directors, from among its members and for a term of two years or until the next general meeting.

The members of the Board and the Chairman can be re-elected.

The President is the head of Euro-Ataxia and will chair the general meeting as well as any meeting of the Board of Directors.

The Deputy President will act in the capacity of Chairman in the latter's absence.

The Treasurer will carry out the tasks of his office according to the instructions received from the Board.

The Secretary-General has the responsibility of implementing the instructions from the President and the Board as regards the matters of Euro-Ataxia. Specific tasks may be delegated to paid staff but final responsibility will rest with the Director elected.

Article 11 (Secretariat)

The secretariat of Euro-Ataxia will be established with the Secretary General or with the Chairman or at an office set up for this purpose. The Board of Directors has the authority to recruit the employees as deemed necessary for achieving the objectives of Euro-Ataxia.

Article 12 (Binding documents)

Any documents that are binding for the Federation, except for special powers, will be signed by the President, the Deputy President, the Secretary General or the Treasurer.

Article 13

In any legal action against Euro-Ataxia, the latter will be represented by the Chairman or by any Member of the board appointed for this purpose.

Article 14 (Procedures to be followed for the general assembly and board meetings)

Convening notices for any meeting will have to be accompanied by a provisional agenda and posted one month, at least, in advance.

The report on any meeting will be mailed to all members within four weeks. The report on any meeting of the Board of Directors will be mailed to all the members of the Board.

The quorum for meetings of the Board will be equal to half of the members and one third of the members entitled to vote for general meetings and who are either attending or represented by proxy.

Any member of the Board or of the general meeting who is unable to attend, may have himself represented in votes by any other member of the Board or of the general meeting, provided the Secretary General has received a duly signed power of attorney prior to the meeting.

Any and all decisions will be adopted with the ordinary majority of the vote, except as stipulated otherwise under the statutes.

Article 15 (Statutes)

This text of the Articles will be binding as regards any and all disputes.

Article 16 (Responsibilities of the Board of Directors)

The Board of Directors will report each year in writing to the general meeting. The reports will be drawn up by the members of day-to-day management and mailed to all the members, one month, at least, prior to the general meeting. The financial year is the calendar year.

The accounts for income and expenses, for selling and purchasing goods with regard to Euro-Ataxia will be kept by the Treasurer. Except for reasonable limitations as to time and space, the accounts will be available for inspection by the members.

Euro-Ataxia may receive and use any and all donations, contributions, gifts, subsidies and legacies given in support of specific or general objectives of Euro-Ataxia.

Euro-Ataxia may enter into contracts, it may purchase, rent or lease real property and movable assets, it may pay salaries to employees and incur any other expenses required in conducting its affairs.

Article 17 (Amending the statutes)

With the reservation of article 55 of the law of 27 June 1921, proposals to amending the Statutes may be submitted by the Board of Directors or by at least three members of the general meeting who have complied with their financial obligations. A proposal aimed at the discontinuation of Euro-Ataxia can be submitted only by one third of those members who are entitled to vote.

The statutes may be amended at any ordinary gathering of the general meeting or at a general meeting convened specifically for this purpose.

The Board of Directors will inform all members of Euro-Ataxia one month, at least, prior to the meeting where the amendment will be discussed, of the text of any amendment proposed as well as of the date and venue of the said general meeting.

Amending the Articles or discontinuation of the Federation requires the votes of at two thirds, at least, of the members attending or represented by proxy and entitled to vote. In the absence of a quorum, a new general meeting will be convened under the same conditions as above and that will then adopt a final and valid decision on the proposal, regardless of the number of members attending or represented.

Amendments of the statutes will become effective only after Royal approval and publication as foreseen in article 51, paragraph 3 of the law of 27 June 1921.

Article 18 (Dissolution)

In the event of discontinuation of Euro-Ataxia, the Board of Directors will be in charge of the liquidation, unless the general meeting has decided otherwise. Any remaining funds will be transferred to the benefit of a European organisation that supports research into hereditary neurological diseases.

Article 19 (Other cases)

Any and all cases not foreseen by these statutes will be dealt with in accordance with the Belgian law of 27 June 1921 on international non-profit associations.