Section 1.
Name, legal form, registered office, objectives, term
Article 1
The Association bears the name “European Radon Association ERA (hereinafter called “The Association” – www.radoneurope.org). The Association is organised under the Belgian Law on International Non-Profit Organisations of June 27, 1921, as amended.
Article 2
The registered office of the Association shall be located at 1000 Brussels, Ravensteinstraat 36, in the judicial district of Brussels. It may, however, be transferred to any other location in Belgium by a decision of the General Assembly.
Article 3
The Association objectives are:
• To promote and to participate in activities to reduce radon risk within the population, recognizing radon as the second cause for
lung cancer
- To promote and to participate in activities to reduce radon risk within the population, recognizing radon as the second cause for
lung cancer - To promote public awareness of radon risk, radon measurement, radon mitigation and radon preventative techniques..
- To ensure/develop/adopt quality standards in radon measurement, radon mitigation and radon prevention in new
constructions. - To provide an effective partnership between radon professionals in the field and other interested public and private
stakeholders. - To serve as a consultative body with regards to laws and regulations concerning radon.
- To organize an annual Radon conference or workshop combining scientific presentations and technical exhibitions from
companies working with radon. - Strive for the highest standard of fairness and integrity
The Association is unselfish in its activity. In their use for the public benefit, its funds may only be utilised for purposes in accordance with the statutes. It may not favour any person by means of expenditures which are foreign to the objectives of the Association.
The Association shall confine its activities to the above objectives and shall not participate in socio-political activities neither directly or indirectly through collaboration with other bodies.
Article 4
The Association is constituted for an unlimited period.
Section 2.
Members, Membership, dues
Article 5
All members of the Association shall be dedicated to the highest standard of excellence and ethical performance of activities in any aspect of the field of radon.
Article 6
All members have the right to be informed on the decisions of the General Assembly, the Executive Committee, the accounting system and the membership lists. All Members have the right to attend the meeting of the GeneralAssembly, the right on appeal when being excluded (2/3 majority and the right for defence), the right to attend the events organized by the Association.
Article 7
Each member of the Association must adhere to the Code of Ethics and pay their membership annual dues.
Article 8
The individual opinion of the members of the Association do not reflect the opinion of the Association as a whole.
Article 9
Members who fail to pay their annual due and who fail to respond to a late payment reminder notice within 2 months of its delivery will be considered as having resigned from the Association.
Article 10
The Executive Committee has the right to exclude from the Association those members whose actions are deemed by it to be in breach of the Statutes or the Code of Ethics.
Article 11
Membership is open to all persons that are actively involved in any aspect of the field of radon. Membership is acquired via submission of application, and acceptance by the Executive Committee. Upon admission all members acknowledge these statutes.
Article 12
Ordinary Membership in the Association is available to individual persons from different sectors (i.e. educational institutions, authorities, corporations, private organizations, partnerships, etc.) interested in and supportive of the purposes and activities of the Association. Ordinary Members in good standing are entitled to identify themselves as a Member of the Association, to use the ERA Logo appropriately but only for personal (i.e. non-commercial) purposes , vote at the General Assembly (based on the principle “one person one vote”), and enjoy all other rights, privileges and benefits of the Association.
Article 13
Company Membership is available to companies active in the radon field (i.e. corporations, private organizations, etc) interested in and supportive of the purposes and activities of the Association. Company Members in good standing are entitled to identify themselves as a Member of the Association, to use the ERA Logo appropriately for commercial purposes , vote at the General Assembly as described in Article 36 below (two votes per Company Member), and enjoy all other rights, privileges and benefits of the Association.
Article 14
Associated membership is available to representatives of sister radon associations and to representatives of organizations involved in radon. Associated members shall not be required to pay annual dues and have no voting rights in the Association.
Article 15
In recognition of exceptional service to the Association or contribution to radon science and technology, the Executive Committee may elect individuals to honorary membership in the Association. Honorary members shall not be required to pay annual dues but have voting rights in the Association, as an individual member.
Article 16
Student membership is available to bonafide, full-time students not employed in a field related to radon science and technology. Student membership involves no voting rights in the association.
Article 17
The Annual Dues applicable to each class of membership is set by the Executive Committee as required.
Section 3
The organs
Article 18
The organs of the Association are the Executive Committee and the General Assembly.
Section 4
The Executive Committee
Article 19
The Association is directed and administered by an Executive Committee formed by: a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and at least six and not more than eleven Committee Members. All members of the Executive Committee are Ordinary members elected at an Ordinary General Assembly. All positions on the Executive Committee are voluntary and unfunded. The composition shall be well balanced with respect to various scientific and technological sectors within the radon field. When the President is coming from the private sector the Vice-President shall be from the non-private sector and vice versa. All members of the Executive Committee have voting rights.
Article 20
The term of each member of the Executive Committee is two years, beginning on January 1 of the year following the year of election. Members of the Executive Committee may be re-elected. Only citizens of European countries can be members of the Executive Committee. If a member resigns or dies during his/her term, the Executive Committee shall fill the vacant position for the remaining of the term by electing another member of the Association. The nomination has to be confirmed by the next General Assembly.
Article 21
The Executive Committee will meet not less than once a year. It shall meet as often as the President deems necessary, or on the initiative or request of 3 of the other Committee Members. A quorum is formed when 5 Committee Members are present at the first attempt or a minimum of three members at a second, called at least one hour after the first. In both cases, a majority of votes is required for decisions to be passed. In the case of a tied vote, that of the President is decisive.
Article 22
The responsibility of the Executive Committee are:
- a. To organize the scientific and professional activities, financial management and administrative affairs of the Association, and to decide on the necessary contracts and acts.
- b. To enact the decisions of the General Assembly.
- c. To draw up the annual report of the Association (overview of activities, events, status of membership, the annual budget and balance sheet), and to present it to the General Assembly for approval.
- d. To draw up the internal regulations for approval by the General Assembly.
- e. To admit new members and report to the General Assembly.
- f. To nominate delegates for specific activities of the Association.
- g. To cover vacancies on the Executive Committee by co-option until the next General Assembly.
- h. To schedule the annual General Assembly meeting and scientific meetings
- i. Any other activity which is not the exclusive responsibility of the General Assembly.
Any other activity which is not the exclusive responsibility of the General Assembly
Decisions concerning (e) and (g) require the positive vote of the majority of the Executive Committee.
Article 23
The Executive Committee shall exclude from the Association those members whose actions are deemed by it to be in breach of the Statutes or the Code of Ethics. The decision has to been approved by at least 2/3 of the members of the Executive Committee and with respect to the right of appeal and defence of the concerned member.
Article 24
The President will have the following duties:
- To act as legal representative of the Association in all private or public bodies
- To call, preside over and adjourn sessions of the General Assembly and the Executive Committee; to preside over the deliberations of both bodies
- To enact the decisions of the Executive Committee
- To direct payments and authorize documents, minutes and correspondence with his/her signature
- To adopt any urgent measure necessary which the good government of the Association requires or, in the course of his/her activities, he/she deems necessary or convenient (with the subsequent account to be given to the Executive Committee).
The President can be elected for two consecutive two years periods.
Article 25
The Vice-President takes over the duties of the President in the absence of the President or the duties delegated by the President.
Article 26
The Secretary is responsible for all purely administrative work of the Association. He/she will expedite certifications, maintain the Members and Minutes Records, files and correspondence, and is responsible for the custody of the Association’s documents, ensuring the presentation of information on Executive Committee designations, General Assemblies.
Article 27
The Treasurer will collect and safeguard the Association’s funds and will comply with the payment orders given by the Executive Committee or, if necessary, by the President. He/she shall intervene in all receipts and payments made by the Association, noting them in the Accounts Book, and present a state of the accounts to the executive Committee for approval. The Treasurer is responsible for the custody of budget and balance reports to the Authorities.
Article 28
The Committee Members will comply with their obligations as members of the Executive Committee, as well as those arising from the delegations or working groups assigned to them by the Committee.
Section 5
The General Assembly
Article 29
The General Assembly is the senior organ of the Association. It shall consist of members of the different categories as described in section 2, who have duly paid their respective membership dues, if applicable.
Article 30
The General Assembly is responsible for
- the acceptance of the Executive Committee’s annual reports
- the election and approval of the Executive Committee
- the dismissal of Executive Committee members
- the approval of the budget resolved by the Executive Committee and presented by the Treasurer
- modification to the Statutes
- modification to the Code of Ethics
- dissolution of the Association
Article 31
An Ordinary General Assembly shall take place every year. The Ordinary General Assembly is called by the Executive Committee together with an announcement of the agenda under the leadership of the Chairman. The chairman shall be the President or Vice-President in case of absence of the President.
Article 32
Extraordinary General Assemblies are called if required in the interest of the Association. At least four members of the Executive Committee or a third of the members who have voting rights are requested for calling an Extra-Ordinary General Assembly, whilst advising of the purpose and the reasons. The resolution is directed to the secretary of the Executive Committee, who shall pass it on without delay to all members of the executive committee. Extraordinary General Assemblies are chaired by the President or the Vice-President in case of absence of the President.
Article 33
For each Ordinary and Extra-ordinary General Assembly, the chair shall appoint an Assembly Secretary and designates 2 members of the Association present to assist in the voting procedure.
Article 34
The Notice with the agenda, the date, time and location of any General Assembly shall be signed by the President and sent by the Executive Committee Secretary via electronic mail to all members of the Association no later than 1 month prior to the fixed date.
Article 35
Resolutions requiring a Meeting of the General Assembly may be made by the organs and the delegates and must be submitted to the secretary at least six weeks before the Meeting. The General Assembly shall decide by a simple majority vote about the admissibility of resolutions which are received later, and about urgent resolutions.
Article 36
Each ordinary member shall have one vote. Each company member shall have 2 votes per company, independent on the number of individual members belonging to that company. Decisions shall be made by simple majority vote. In the case of an equality of votes, the vote of the President or Vice-President in case of absence of the President, shall be decisive. Resolutions on points that were not included in the agenda may only be adopted by a two-thirds majority vote of the members present or represented. The decisions of any General Assembly shall be recorded in minutes by the Assembly Secretary and signed by the President or Vice-President. Excerpts from, or copies of, such minutes shall be certified by the President, or the Vice-President.
Article 37
Resolutions passed about alterations to the statutes or dissolution shall require a two-thirds majority of the votes cast at the General Assembly.
Article 38
A written record of the course of the meeting is prepared in every case by the appointed secretary of the General Assembly.
Section 6
Honorary Activity
Article 39
All members of the organs of the Association exercise their activities in an honorary capacity.
Section 7
Special Purpose Fund
Article 40
To achieve the objectives scheduled in Section 1, insofar as a cash flow in excess of the expenditures is achieved, a special purpose fund is to be invested.
Section 8
Dissolution
Article 41
In the event of dissolution, the abolition of the Association or in the event of the lapse of the previous purpose, then the entire existing funds are passed to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support their public health activities.