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- I - Denomination, seat, term, objectives, means
- Article 1: Denomination.
An association has been founded among the subscribers of the present Articles of Partnership, according to the law of July 1st, 1901, and the decree of August 16th, 1901, with the following denomination:“Association for the Foundation Europe”.
- Article 2: Social seat and term.
The social seat is located in PARIS - France. It can be moved anytime by a simple decision of the Executive Board.
Two other branch offices have been opened in MILAN - Italy and BRUXELLES - Belgium
Others can be opened among the member States of the European Union, upon decision of the Executive Board.
The present Association is founded on a not limited term.
- Article 3: Objectives.
The “Association for the Foundation Europe” aims to be faithful to the values acknowledged by the Catholic Church, to promote these values in every European Institution (European Parliament, European Committee, European Council, Court of Justice), and also in the Council of Europe, with the same spirit of the Manifesto of Bruxelles approved in the European Parliament on April 3rd 2003, and considered in the present Articles of Partnership.
The Association is clearly independent from any gerarchy of the Catholic Church.
Its goals are:
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Start any kind of project or activity towards the promotion of human rights and dignity among the European Institutions, as founding principles of Europe,
- Realize these activities in every environment and at every level of life of the citizens of the European Union (childhood, young age, old age, professional life, family life, cultural life),
- Act as a mediator and/or as a means of the Councils that promote human rights and dignity in the context of a united and democratic Europe, especially through the information exchange among the national, european and international networks, involved in the field of human rights and dignity.
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Study every document and report edited by the European Union and by the European Council, directly or indirectly concerning the topics listed above.
- Article 4: Means.
The present Association, in order to reach the goals defined in the previous article will:
- organize conferences, public talks, seminars, round tables and any other public activity with an informative, cultural and pedagogic meaning.
- cooperate with and join any public or private, national, european or international organism which share the same goals and values.
- appeal to any communication media, any kind of publication, such as newspapers, magazines, books, visual and audio broadcasting, websites, etc. that can awaken public opinion and press to the Association’s goals and works.
- in general, develop any activity towards the protection and promotion of human rights and dignity.
The Association will make itself acknowledged by the European Institutions in order to take part to the auditions and councils that these Institutions organize.
In order to promote its values in front of the public, the Association might employ experts and cooperate with european congressmen who share the same values and pursue the same objectives in their political activity.
- Article 5: Resources of the Associations.
The Resources available to the Association are:
1.membership fees,
2.grants received from public or private organisms,
3.donations received according to the current laws
4.profits from sales and services.
- II - Members
- Article 6: Cathegories and definition of members
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The Association is composed of ordinary, honorary and charter members.
1.ordinary members are the ones who adhere to the present Articles of Partnership, endorse the Manifesto of Bruxelles mentioned above, and who are accepted by the Executive Board on the conditions specified in the present article.
2.honorary members are the ones who are worthy of a special honor, under decision of the Executive Board, because of their particular service to the community, because of their financial support, or because of the national or european fame of their works, which pursue the same objectives of the Association; they are appointed in accordance with everything expressed in the article 10;
3.charter members are the ones who participated to the foundation of the Association, and whose signatures are showed at the end ot the present Articles of Partnership; will be considered as charter members non only the ones that have proceeded to the legal depositing but also the ones that, by extension, have affixed their signatures in the following three months.
Any moral person, of any nationality, might take part in the Association according to the conditions and modalities described in the present article. This person must then appoint a permanent representative; this nomination is addressed to the President with any appropriate means.
- Article 7: Admissions of ordinary members.
All the membership applications are addressed to the President through a motivation letter.
The Executive Board is not required to justify the decision of acceptance or denial.
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Article 8: Loss of membership.
Any ordinary member or charter member might resign at any time, simply through a letter addressed to the President.
The exclusion of an ordinary or a charter member might be suggested because of heavy reasons, or because of the continuous nonfulfilment of the membership fee. The exclusion is decided by the General Assembly with attendace of the majority of members, in front of which the departing member is invited to justify his or her position.
- Article 9: Membership fee.
Ordinary and charter members must pay an annual membership fee, which amount is decided by the Executive Board.
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Article 10: Honorary Committee.
The Honorary Committee is composed by honorary members.
Acceptance and denial of honorary members is decided by the Executive Board in a confidential way.
- III - General Assembly
- Article 11: General Assembly Composition
The general assembly is made up of every ordinary and charter members of the Association that are in order with the payment of the membership fee.
Honorary members might attend and take part in the discussion.
- Article 12: General Assembly.
The General Assembly gathers once a year and every time that it is summoned by the Executive Board or under request of at least one quarter of the members, at the social seat or in the place pointed in the summons.
The agenda is drew up by the Executive Board. It must enclose the summons.
It is chaired by the President of the Association or, in his or her absence by the Vice-President; the General Secretary guarantees the burocratic service.
- Article 13: Voting rights and majorities.
Only members who are admitted to the Assembly and are actually present can express their vote. Any vote on behalf of some other member cannot be accepted.
Any kind of decision, regarding topics not included on the daily agenda that appear on the General assembly Summons, cannot be taken.
Decisions are taken with the simple majority of votes, with an exception for the application of articles no. 19 and no. 20.
Decisions of the General Assembly are registered on a book signed by the President and by the General Secretary; it is held at the seat of the Association and it is at the disposal of any member.
- Article 14: Powers of the General Assembly.
The General Assembly holds full power in order to achieve the Association’s goals, as they were defined in article no.3. These powers mainly consist in:
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Receiving and approving the activity report and the financial report of the Executive Board,
- Approving the consolidated balance sheet and the estimate of the following mandate, suggested by the following Committee,
- Defining the action fields and approving the working plan, prepared by the Executive Board,
- Electing members of the Executive Board, after the initial period of three years, and deciding to terminate their charge.
- IV - The Executive Board.
- Article 15: Executive Board Composition.
The Executive Board is composed of four members at least.
The members of the Executive Board are elected by the General Assembly among the ordinary and charter members for a renewable mandate of three years.
The election of members of the Executive Board will be made considering a list proposed by the retiring Executive Board.
Their mandate is renewable at any time by the General Assembly that will take care of replacing the dismissed members.
The Executive Board will then elect the President of the Association, one Vice-President at least, the general Secretary and a Treasurer.
It will itself define its rules and inner functioning procedures.
The charter members designate among them the first members of the Executive Board for a three - year - term; their signatures at the end of the present document certify their nomination.
- Article 17: Competence of the Executive Board.
The Executive Board defines the business of the Association, in regard of the social goals, and in the field of the orientation and resolution decided by the General Assembly.
It can decide about new members’ applications with final responses that it does not have to be justified, as in the case of denial, in accordance with what has been said in article no. 6.
It can give or take the honorary membership title in accordance with what has been said in article no.1.
It decides the amount of the annual membership fee.
It summons the General Assembly and decides the daily agenda. Generally, it prepares every project that will be proposed to the General Assembly.
It closes the activity report prepared by the President at the end of every fiscal year, the balance sheet and the financial report prepared by the Treasurer, submitting them to the approval of the General Assembly. The Executive Board also prepares the financial forecast that will be submitted to the General Assembly.
It can also create special work councils with the aim of achieving some of the Association’s activities or goals; it rules upon the decision of every action necessary or useful in order to obtain funds - towards the Association’s goals.
It can decide the creation of branch offices in the member States of the European Union and it decides the modalities or their functioning.
It decides upon every legal action and it is represented by its President or by another member of the Executive Board, explicitly appointed for this task.
- Article 18: Operating Instructions of the Executive Board.
The executive Board cannot effectively gather if the majority of its members is not present.
It is chaired by the President or, in the case of his or her absence, by the Vice-President.
Every decision is taken on the simple majority of the administrators that are present. No vote can be taken on behalf of some other member. In the case of even score, the President’s vote is predominant.
Every decision of the Executive Board will be deposited on a register signed by the President and by the General Secretary, which will be kept at the Seat of the Association.
- V - Alteration in the Articles of the Association and Dissolution
- Article 19: Alteration in the Articles of the Association.
The Articles of Partnership can be modified by the General Assembly under proposal of the Executive Board or at least of a fourth of the members who are accepted in it.
In both cases, the proposals of alteration are marked down in the daily agenda of the following General Asembly, and this daily agenda must be sent to every member with at least 30 days’ notice.
The Assembly cannot effectively deliberate if at least half of the members accepted is not present. If this quota is not reached, the Assembly will be summoned again - not before the following fifteen days - and it can effectively deliberate under any number of members who are participating.
Any alterations in the Articles are approved under a two - third majority of votes.
- Article 20: Dissolution of the Association
The General Assembly, solicited to make a decision upon the dissolution of the Association, is explicitly summoned for this purpose.
It gathers and deliberates according to the modalities mentioned in the previous article.
In the case of its dissolution, it appoints one ore more commissioners in charge of winding up the goods of the Association.
The General Assembly assigns the net credit balance to on or more organisms specifically appointed, and that pursue the same objectives.
Paris, March 30th, 2006
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