EUSJA constitution

The text below is taken from the official version of the constitution, and is only for reference.

Please refer to the official version when necessary.

Article 1: Definition

1.1. The European Union of Science Journalists’ Associations founded on 8 March 1971 (hereinafter called “the Union”) is a European, non-governmental, non-profit making, unincorporated association of national, regional, or topical associations of science journalists.

1.2. The seat of EUSJA is in Strasbourg (France), 1 quai Lezay-Marnesia.

1.3. At the General Assembly of 24 November 1994, it was decided to apply for registration at the ‘Registre des Associations du Tribunal d’instance de Strasbourg”.

Article 2: Purposes and Objectives

The purposes and objectives of the Union are:
2.1. To improve communication between the scientific community and society.

2.2. To promote contacts among the various member Associations and among journalists engaged in
reporting science, medicine and technology

2.3. To promote setting up of new national, regional, or topical science journalism associations, especially in nations where there are none, and to help build capacity of science journalism in Europe.

2.4. To promote activities for members and others to discuss and evaluate what good science journalism and communication are and share examples and experiences.

Article 3: Membership

3.1. The members of the Union are national, regional, or topical science (e.g. science, medicine, technology, environment) journalist associations making up the Union.

3.2. New members have to submit a formal written application to the Assembly of the Union and are accepted by simple majority of the weighted votes of delegates present.

3.3. Members are encouraged to participate in the Union’s activities and are obliged to pay the annual fee.

3.4. Supporting members can be admitted. This membership does not include any voting rights or participation in the Assembly.

Article 4: The Assembly

4.1. The supreme authority of the Union is the Assembly of the delegates of the Associations or their representatives.

4.2. The Assembly shall meet at least once a year, and at least half of the Assembly’s membership according to the weighted vote or votes shall constitute a quorum.

4.3. Each delegate can be represented at Assembly Meetings by a delegate of another association, provided that a written proxy is submitted to the Assembly and that each delegate cannot have more than two proxies.

4.4. Each member association will have votes proportional to the size of its full membership and the fees it pays in so that: 100 members or fewer = 1 vote, 101-200 members=2 votes, votes, but no country will have more than a total of 6 votes.

4.5. Each member association can participate and vote in the Assembly. New associations once admitted can participate immediately in the Assembly and exercise the rights as voting members starting with the next Assembly.

4.6. The Agenda for the meeting and the Accounts will be sent out no later than six weeks prior to the meeting, and the Minutes no later than two weeks following the meeting.

4.7. The annual General Assembly will function as the annual Assembly, on written notice.

4.8. Decisions are limited to those items on the Agenda.

4.9. The Board Officers (see Article 5) have no vote unless they represent their Associations

4.10. Decisions of the assembly are taken normally by the majority of weighted votes present.

4.11. The Assembly decides about new memberships by a simple majority of the weighted vote.

4.12. Decisions by e-mail need a two-thirds majority of the weighted votes of all delegates participating.

4.13. The Assembly will dismiss members with a two-thirds majority of the weighted votes of all delegates participating.

4.14. The Assembly will elect the Board Officers according to Article 5.1.

4.15. Any individual member of any of the member associations can stand in the elections for the Board as long as not more than one member from each association stands for election. Candidates have to register two weeks ahead for the election with the acting board and have to present themselves in an e-mail to the delegates of the member associations. The board can refer the organisation of the election to a nomination committee. During the assembly each candidate gets the opportunity to present his or her ideas in five minutes to the Assembly. The Board shall be constituted in the spirit of diversity.

4.16. The Assembly will approve the annual report, the budget and the report of accounts.

4.17. The Assembly will decide on modifications of the Constitution by a two-third majority of the weighted votes of the delegates present.

4.18. The Assembly will decide on the dissolution of the Union, according to Article 9.

4.19. Only members of the Assembly (nominated by the Associations) and the General Secretary may attend Assembly Meetings with the following exceptions:

4.19.1. a member of an association who has been delegated to replace or represent the regular delegate.

4.19.2. any member of an association may request to attend an Assembly Meeting, with the national Delegate, as an observer providing the Chairperson and the members of the Assembly agree to his/her presence. Such observers will not take part in the proceedings unless asked to do so by the chair-person.

4.19.3. a person other than a member of one of the member associations may attend with the permission of the Chairperson and the Assembly members in order to make a presentation to the Assembly. That person may then remain in attendance to provide the Assembly members time to question himn/her on his/her presentation.

4.20. The President or two Board Members or enough members according to the law of the country of registration can call extra-ordinary meetings of the General Assembly. The invitation will be sent to all members at least 8 weeks prior to the meeting.

4.21. Decisions of the Assembly will be communicated to all member associations by the board within two weeks of the Assembly.

Article 5: The Board

5.1. Every second year the Assembly elects at its Annual Meeting a Board consisting of a President and three board members (a Vice President, an Honorary Secretary and an Honorary Treasurer). These Officers act in the name of the Union within the constitution, the budget and the decisions taken by the Assembly. The Officers do not need to be delegates of their Associations.

5.2. In the event of resignation there should be an election to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term.

5.3. The election of the President and the Board members (Vice-President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer) is by means of a ballot; a simple majority of the weighted votes of the delegates present is sufficient for the election.

5.4. The President and the Board members may each be re-elected for a single subsequent term in their function, but from time to time the Assembly may decide that an incumbent Officer or Officers be re- elected for one further specified period up to twelve months, providing that there is a two- thirds majority of the weighted votes of the delegates to the Assembly attending or represented by proxy.

5.5. Member Associations which provide members “Officers” as per 5.1 may elect a separate delegate to represent their interests at the EUSJA Assembly. In this case, the “Officer” has no vote in the Assembly.

5.6. The President acts supported by the Vice-President, the Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer, and reports to the Assembly. The board can unanimously co-opt one member.

5.7. The Honorary Treasurer prepares annually a report of accounts, presents the report to the Assembly and supervises all expenses.

5.8. The Officers shall present a budget to the Assembly annually. The Assembly takes the final decision on the budget. The Officers will have to account for additional expenses in the report of accounts.

5.9. The Assembly shall each year appoint two auditors to examine the books and accounts.

5.10. The Assembly may, if it so wishes, elect Presidents Emeritus who will have the right to sit on the Board but may not vote.

Article 6: Subscriptions

6.I. The Assembly is empowered to set a annual subscription rate for membership of the Union.

6.2. Member Associations should be notified of any proposals to change the subscription rates for the coming year before such changes are to be finalised at a Assembly Meeting.

6.3. A Member Association who does not pay its subscription by the date specified will be issued with a reminder. If the subscription is still not forthcoming they will be warned that their name may be struck off the list of Members. If the subscription is not paid within two years, the Association is struck off the list of Members.

Article 7: Assets of the Union

7.1. The assets of the Union shall be employed exclusively in furthering the purposes and objectives of the Union and for no other purposes provided that nothing in this Constitution shall prevent:

7.1.1.The payment of reasonable and proper remuneration to employees of the Union

7.1.2. The reimbursement of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in relation to the activities of the Union by any member of the Assembly officially representing EUSJA and/or the Board

7.2. The Union shall open and maintain a bank account or accounts in its name, and every withdrawal from any such account exceeding EUR 500 shall be authorised by the according board member.

Article 8: Language

The operating language of the Union shall be English.

Article 9: Dissolution of the Union

If at any meeting of the Board a motion for the dissolution of the Union has been duly proposed and passed by a two-thirds majority of the weighted votes all the delegates present, the Union shall be dissolved and the signatories to any bank account maintained in the name of the Union shall forthwith transfer all assets of the Union to the treasuries of the National Associations in proportion to their subscriptions to the Union.

Madrid
24 March 2018