EUROPEAN NUCLEAR SOCIETY (“ENS”)
Non-profit-making Association
1040 Brussels, Rue Belliard 65
Juridicial district of Brussels
RLP Corporate Number : 0478.307.097
COORDINATED ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
(21/06/2006)
S T A T U T E S - 25 June 2009
HEADING I - NAME, REGISTERED
OFFICE, TERM, ACCOUNTING
PERIOD
ARTICLE 1
The non-profit-making association shall be known as “The
European Nuclear Society”; the use of “ENS” is allowed.
ARTICLE 2
The registered office is established at Rue Belliard
65, 1040 Brussels in the judicial district of Brussels.
The registered office may be transferred to another
location in the judicial district by a decision of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE 3
The association is constituted for an unlimited period.
It can be dissolved at any time.
The dissolution of the association is regulated in article 32 and
article 33.
ARTICLE 4
The accounting period commences on the 1st of January
and terminates on 31st December of each year.
HEADING II - AIMS
ARTICLE 5
The aims of the association are to promote and to
contribute to the advancement of science and engineering in the field
of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy by all suitable means and in
particular by:
a) Fostering and co-ordinating the activities of the Member Organisations;
b) Encouraging exchanges between the Member Organisations;
c) Encouraging the exchange of scientists and engineers between different
countries;
d) Disseminating information;
e) Ensuring that the Association has adequate means of publication;
f) Sponsoring meetings devoted to scientific and technical matters;
g) Fostering engineering education and training;
h) Encouraging scholarships;
i) Co-operating with international governmental and non-governmental
organisations and with other organisations having similar aims;
j) Promoting international standardisation in the nuclear field;
k) Encouraging the formation of organisations of nuclear scientists
and engineers in places where no such organisations yet exist.
The association can undertake any operations either
directly or indirectly related to its aims and can share activities
that are similar or connected to its aims.
HEADING III - MEMBERSHIP
The association shall be made up of:
The definition of the active members is stipulated in article 7 of
the articles of association.
The definition of the non-active members is stipulated in article
8 of the articles of association.
ARTICLE 6
The number of active members is not to be limited. They are to be
a minimum of three in number.
ARTICLE 7
Any legal entity that fulfils the criteria mentioned
below and that is accepted at the General Assembly can be admitted as
an active member.
The General Assembly shall decide on the admission of members without
having to give reasons for its decision.
The definitions of the active members are specified as follows:
Any organisation of nuclear scientists and engineers
that has at least 50 paid-up members and which has national activities
is eligible to become a «Member Organisation» and may be admitted subject to the approval of the General Assembly.
A member of a 'Member Organisation' is only entitled to the services
of ENS if the member resides in the country of the Member Organisation.
-
« Corporate Member »:
Any organisation operating in the nuclear field is eligible
to become a «Corporate
Member» and
may be admitted, subject to the approval of the General Assembly.
<< Corporate Members>> shall be sought from among scientific and
technical organisations and cultural foundations, universities
or industrial organisations
that are active in the nuclear field.
ARTICLE 8
The Board of Directors may admit other members as
non-active members.
The definitions of the non-active members are specified
as follows.
Organisations of nuclear scientists, engineers, technologists
and/or any members of other professions having aims and constitutions
as «learned societies»,
being willing to comply with the statutes and aims of the
Association, but which are not eligible as «Member
Organisations» may be admitted as « Associate
Member », subject to the approval of the Board
of Directors.
The non-active members do not enjoy of all the rights
of membership. Their rights are stipulated in the statutes below and
in the internal rules (by laws).
ARTICLE 9
Upon their admission, members are subject to the statutes and internal
rules of the Association.
ARTICLE 10
The members are not responsible for the debts of the Association.
ARTICLE 11
The active and non-active members pay an annual subscription.
The amount of this annual subscription is set by the General Assembly.
The Honorary Fellows» do not
have to pay a subscription.
ARTICLE 12
Membership can be terminated:
-
By the withdrawal of a member of the Association addressing his resignation by registered letter to the Board of Directors, at least 3 month before the end of the year, otherwise the member is obliged to pay the subscription fee for the following year.
-
By the expulsion of a non-active member pronounced by the General Assembly based on a majority decision of two thirds of the votes present or represented.
-
By the dissolution of a « Member Organisation », « Corporate Member » or « Associate Member ».
ARTICLE 13
Any member resigning or being expelled as well as
their legal successors have no rights to the social funds of the association.
They may not reclaim any bills, fix any seals or make claims for any
inventory.
HEADING IV – THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
ARTICLE 14
The General Assembly consists of the appointed representatives
of «Member Organisations» and of delegates from «Corporate
Members».
The «Member Organisations» with
up to 200 individual members, who have paid their dues, have the right
to 10 votes. For every 20 additional individual members, the «Member
Organisations» have a right to one more vote up to a
maximum of 100 votes.
The «Corporate Members» have the right
to one vote.
The non-active members are not part of the General
Assembly. However, they enjoy the right of attending the General Assembly
but not the right to vote.
No votes in writing are permitted, however electronic
voting is permitted for urgent matters and for the admitting of new
members.
All votes are weighted unless specified otherwise in
the articles of association.
ARTICLE 15
The powers of the General Assembly are:
-
-
To adopt and to modify the internal rules (by-laws);
-
To admit new active members;
-
-
To pronounce the voluntary dissolution of the Association;
-
To appoint and discharge the directors, the President and the Vice-Presidents;
-
To approve the annual accounts and budget;
-
To take any decisions that may exceed the limits
of the powers that are conferred upon the Board of Directors either
legally or in accordance with the statutes;
-
To appoint and discharge the auditors.
The above mentioned powers are not exhaustive. All
of the powers that are not expressly reserved for the Board of Directors
by the law, by the statutes or the internal rules (by-laws), will be
exercised by the General Assembly.
ARTICLE 16
The General Assembly is to be chaired by the President. The President
is chosen by the General Assembly between its members.
Every Assembly chooses a secretary. The secretary
is occupied with the formalities of the meeting like drafting the minutes.
ARTICLE 17
The General Assembly is to meet at least once per year in order to
approve the annual accounts.
The Assembly must meet in an extraordinary session
when not less than one-fifth of the members non-weighted require it
to do so.
It can be, furthermore, summoned by the Board of Directors
as and when the interests of the Association make this necessary. The
auditors can also convene the General Assembly, as when the interests
of the Association make this necessary.
ARTICLE 18
All Assemblies are to take place on the days and at the time indicated
in the convening notice.
All the members should be invited for each General Assembly.
The notices of the meetings are to be drawn up in
writing by the President and sent out to each member with at least four
weeks advance notice.
The notices of the meetings are to indicate the proposed
agenda.
ARTICLE 19
The Assembly is deemed as being legitimately convened
regardless of the number of members who are present or represented
and its decisions will be taken upon the simple majority of votes
cast; in the event of a tie in the voting, the President shall have
the casting vote.
Decisions of the Assembly including the powers listed in point 1
and 4 of article 15 (modification of the statutes, discharge of the
active members) are not to be taken, unless subject to the special
conditions of the attendance of active members mustering two-thirds
of the voting rights, and with a two-thirds majority of the votes.
The Assembly may only discuss the points mentioned in the agenda.
As an exception, a point not mentioned in the agenda may be discussed
provided that half of the active members are present or represented
and accept that this point may be added to the agenda but no decisions
can be made.
ARTICLE 20
Any active member, who is in possession of a duly signed written proxy,
can represent another active member.
ARTICLE 21
The decisions of the General Assembly are to be
recorded in a special register and signed by the President and the
secretary and by those members, who may wish to do so and are to
be held at the association’s registered office, where those
who are interested may take note of them, but without removing the
registers.
HEADING V – THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ARTICLE 22
“The association is managed by a Board of Directors made
up of a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 12 members.
The members of the Board of Directors are to be appointed by the
General Assembly on the basis of a simple majority of the votes of
those present and represented.
As from 2008, when appointing the members of the Board of Directors,
the General Assembly will assure that the Board of Directors represents
all Active Member with 100 votes, one Active Member with at least
50 votes, one member of the Nordic countries, one member of the Mediterranean
countries, two members of Central and Eastern European countries
and one Corporate member.
If the President comes from one of Active Members listed in §3
(Article 22), the Active Member has the right to nominate an additional
member to the Board of Directors, as the President is considered
disassociated with their National Society in order to maintain neutrality.
A director is appointed for a period of 2 years. The director is
eligible for re-election; in any case, his/her term ends at the latest
on the day of his/her 67th birthday. This rule applies for all existing
and future appointments of directors.
The directors are non-remunerated, unless otherwise decided by the
General Assembly. However, expenses incurred in carrying out their
task may be reimbursed.”
ARTICLE 23
The Board of Directors is to consist of:
-
A President (to be appointed by the General Assembly)
-
A Deputy President (Immediate Past President)
-
Vice President(s) (to be appointed by the General Assembly)
-
Possibly an Honorary President
-
-
The President shall be appointed by the General Assembly
between its members for a term of 2 years. The President cannot be re-elected
immediately for a consecutive term.
The President has the task of calling and chairing meetings of the
General Assembly and of the Board of Directors.
The General Assembly shall appoint up to three Vice Presidents. The
Vice Presidents are to be elected for a term of 2 years and can be re-elected
for up to a maximum of three times.
The mandate of the President, the Vice Presidents and the Treasurer
and other Directors are revocable at every moment.
ARTICLE 24
The Board of Directors can delegate its powers to
one or several directors, third parties or committees. The tasks and
the functioning of these directors, third parties and committees are
stipulated in the internal rules (by laws).
ARTICLE 25
The Board of Directors shall meet at least twice each year or at the
request of at least one-fifth of the directors.
ARTICLE 26
The President shall call the meetings of the Board
of Directors.
The summoning notice of a meeting of the Board of Directors is to be
sent out in writing at least 4 weeks prior to the date that is fixed
for the meeting. It is to contain the agenda for the meeting. The Board
may only discuss the points mentioned in the agenda.
As an exception, a point not mentioned in the agenda
may be debated if two thirds of the members that are present or represented
give their agreement but no decisions can be made.
ARTICLE 27
The Board of Directors may not legitimately make decisions
unless at least half of its members are present or represented. Decisions
are to be taken on a simple majority of the votes, with that of the
President being a casting vote.
The decisions made are to be noted in a register of the minutes of
meetings.
HEADING VI: TREASURER - SECRETARY-GENERAL
ARTICLE 28
The Board is to appoint a Treasurer (member of the Board of Directors)
and a Secretary-General.
The Treasurer will supervise all financial administration
such as keeping the accounts, making tax returns, handling the formalities
for payment of taxes on assets and VAT
and informing the Board of Directors regarding the financial position
of the Association.
The Secretary-General is handling the administration of the Association.
The Secretary-General has the task of drafting the minutes of the meetings
and of ensuring the safekeeping of documents.
He is to make arrangements for obligatory publications in the annexes
of the Belgian State Gazette and to regularly update the list of members
and, if need be, providing the accounts to the Office of the Clerk
of the Magistrate’s Court. The services of the Secretary-General
can be paid for.
HEADING VII – AUDIT
ARTICLE 29
The auditors are to be appointed by the General Assembly
on the basis of a simple majority of the votes of those present and
represented.
An auditor is appointed for a period of 3 years. The auditor may be
re-elected.
The remuneration of the auditor will be decided by
the General Assembly. The remuneration is stipulated in a separate agreement.
HEADING VIII – YOUNG GENERATION
ARTICLE 30
The organisation of the <<Young Generation>> is
affiliated to the association. The powers and functioning of the <<Young
Generation>> is stipulated in separate statutes and by laws of
this organisation.
HEADING IX – FINANCIAL RESOURCES
ARTICLE 31
The financial resources of the Association shall consist of:
-
Subscriptions paid by the <<Member Organisations>> , <<Corporate
Members>>, Associate Members and the <<International Section>>;
-
Donations, bequests and legacies;
-
-
Any other resources or revenues, which may result
from the Association’s
activities.
HEADING X – DISSOLUTION
ARTICLE 32
Dissolution is governed by the Law governing non-profit-making
associations.
ARTICLE 33
In the event of premature dissolution of the Association,
the General Assembly, which has made this decision will, if need be,
appoint liquidators, determine their powers and after discharging of
all debts, will decide on the destination of the property and assets
of the dissolved association, in disposing of the property in question
for use by a body that has been created as far as is possible with similar
aims to the dissolved association.
HEADING XI – MISCELLANEOUS CONDITIONS
ARTICLE 34
Anything that is not expressly covered in these present
statutes is to be governed in conformity with the Law governing non-profit-making
associations.