Statutes

 

ARTICLES:

 

ARTICLE 1

An international association without purpose of profit, named European Water Resources Association (EWRA) is founded.


ARTICLE 2

The registered office of the association is established in Athens-Greece.


ARTICLE 3

Purpose/Goals
The association's aims are:

  1. To promote research and the application of scientific knowledge on water resources to practical engineering activities.

  2. To promote the exchange of scientific knowledge in the field of water resources between European scientists and engineers and to contribute to the dissemination of results of scientific and technical advances by European specialists in this field to other regions of the world.


ARTICLE 4

Means to achieve the goals:

  1. Organize meetings to provide a forum for discussions between scientists and professional engineers on specific practical problems in the field of water resources.

  2. Provide information (in English) on scientific knowledge to be applied in practical water resources activities from and to all European countries and other regions of the world.

  3. Publish an international scientific and technical journal "Water Resources Management" with accessible subscription fee and without page charges.

  4. Establish working groups for studying the application of scientific methodologies to real world water management problems.

  5. Organize courses for interested scientists and engineers from European and other countries, particularly the developing countries.

  6. Cooperate with other similar organizations.


ARTICLE 5

The association does not have commercial activities and does not interfere with politics.


ARTICLE 6 (amended 2011)

Member of the association can be any physical or legal person from any country of the world who is engaged in an activity which is compatible with the aims of the association.


ARTICLE 7

Acceptance of a new member is made by decision of the Executive Committee.


ARTICLE 8 (amended 2011)

Kinds of membership:

  1. Membership of physical persons from any country of the world.

  2. Student membership.

  3. Institutional membership for commercial enterprises, public institutions, water resources associations, NGOs etc.

No fees are paid for all first two categories. An annual fee of 200 € should be paid for each member of category 3.


ARTICLE 9

Membership comes to an end by:

  1. resignation;

  2. exclusion;

  3. decease;

  4. non-payment of a membership fee.

The General Assembly decides the exclusion of a member on the proposal of the Board of Management, by simple majority in the presence of at least 2/5 of the members. The member concerned has the right to be heard at the General Assembly, if he expresses the wish thereto within two months after the notification, by recorded mail, of the exclusion procedure started against him.


ARTICLE 10

Members belonging to membership groups 1-4 of Article 8, are entitled to:

  1. Participate in all activities of the association.

  2. Participate in the General Assembly.

  3. Make proposals to the governing bodies of the association.

  4. Receive the EUROPEAN WATER newsletter.

Members belonging to membership group 5 are entitled to the above-mentioned rights only by representatives of their institution/company/association.


ARTICLE 11

The revenues of the association can consist, amongst other things, of:

  • fees of any kind;

  • subsidies, allowances or donations;

  • other revenues not provided from commercial activities of the association (e.g. research consortia, cources etc.).


ARTICLE 12

The association has the following administration bodies:

  1. the General Assembly (G.A.).

  2. the Board of Management (B.M.).

  3. the Executive Committee (E.C.).


ARTICLE 13

  1. The General Assembly possesses the power to take all decisions in order to achieve the purpose of the association and more in particular for:

    1. the approval of the programme and report of activities, the budget and accounts, including the membership fee;

    2. the election and dismissal of the members of the Board of Management;

    3. amendments to the articles of the association;

    4. the General Assembly may also decide to liquidate the association.

  2. The General Assembly may decide legally in the presence of at least 1/5 of the members. The second General Assembly-in respect to Article 13.3 - may decide legally, irrespective of the number of members present. Apart from the exceptional cases determined in the present articles of association, the resolutions in the General Assembly are adopted by simple majority of the members present. Abstentions are not taken into account; in the case of a tie vote, the proposal is rejected. The decisions are notified to all the members within two months. It is not possible to decide on any item not mentioned on the agenda. A proposal is accepted without a General Assembly convocation if it has been accepted in written form by all members.

  3. The General Assembly meetings are chaired by the President of the association at least once per year, upon convocation by the President and on a date and at place fixed by the Executive Committee. The convening notices shall mention the agenda, place and date of the General Assembly and shall be forwarded at least one month before the date of the assembly. The convening notices shall mention the date of a second General Assembly, which may decide legally, irrespective of the number of members present.

  4. The General Assembly is also convened when at least ten members send a written request thereto to the President. This request shall mention the agenda. The president shall then convene the General Assembly within two months after receipt of the request.

  5. Each member may arrange to be represented at the General Assembly by another member to which it will have given a self-written and signed proxy. There may not be more than three proxies per person. The General Assembly may decide legally if not more than 50% of the members have notified their absence in writing at least two weeks before the assembly. In that case the President convenes another General Assembly, which may decide legally, irrespective of the number of members absent.

  6. Motivated proposals for items of the agenda of the General Assembly shall be sent to the President in written form three months in advance to the General Assembly concerned. Members of the various membership groups (as stated in article 8) have one vote in the General Assembly. Institutional members have up to three votes in the General Assembly.

The resolutions of the General Assembly are recorded in register signed by the President and kept by the Secretary-General who holds it at the disposal of the members.


ARTICLE 14

  1. Each proposal aiming at an amendment to the articles of the association or the dissolution of the association must emanate from the Board of Management or from at least ten members of the association. The Board of Management shall inform the members of the association of the date of the General Assembly that will decide on the proposal in question, at least three months beforehand.

  2. A proposal is accepted only if it has been accepted by a majority of 3/4 of the votes in the presence, exclusive proxies.


ARTICLE 15

  1. Composition of Board of Management. The members are elected by the National Associations; each association elects a representative and a deputy. If no association in the participating country, the EC appoints one of the members from this country as member of BA.

  2. The members of the Board of Management shall serve as members from the time when they are elected by the various National Associations for a term of 3 years. Members are eligible for re-election. In the event of the death or resignation of one of its members the respective National Association shall appoint a substitute until the end of the current term.

  3. The deputy member is convened to all the meetings of the Board of Management. In case of absence of the member, the deputy member replaces him with all rights. Each association has got one vote in the Board of Management meetings.

  4. Co-Option to the Board of Management
    The Board of Management may co-opt persons as Advisor/Observer to participate (without voting rights) in the activities of the Board of Management for a maximum period of 3 years and only for the particular term of office.

  5. Functions and Procedures of the Board of Management
    It shall be the duty of the Board of Management

    1. to prepare the Agenda of the General Assembly;

    2. to appoint the Executive Committee;

    3. to manage the affairs of the association and to report thereon to the General Assembly.

  6. The Board of Management has all powers for management, except those of the General Assembly. It may set up project oriented or regional committees and delegates the day-to-day management to the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary-General, the Treasurer and one member of Board of Management who form together the Executive Committee.

  7. The Board of Management is convened at least once per year. The President shall call a meeting of the Board of Management, when he may deem necessary or if so required by not less than 5 members of the Board. Such meeting shall take place within three months of the date of request.


ARTICLE 16

  1. The Board of Management may decide legally by simple majority in the presence of at least 9 members. In the case of a tie vote, the President has the casting vote.

  2. The Board of Management may establish such Committees and Task Forces as it deems necessary for the execution of its work and will appoint chairpersons to these Committees and Task Forces. The Board of Management shall define the terms of reference and tenure of each Committee or Task Force thus established. In the composition of Committees and Task Forces appropriate geographical distribution representation of areas might be sought.
    Members of Committees or Task Forces shall serve in a personal capacity. Chairpersons of established Committees and Task Forces should be co-opted to the Board of Management if applicable.

  3. The members of the Board of Management can not be hold responsible for possible debts or commitments of the association.

  4. The Board of Management resolutions are recorded in a register signed by the President and the Secretary-General who puts it at the disposal of the members of the association.

  5. The General Assembly may dismiss a member and a deputy member of the Board of Management by simple majority in the presence of at least 2/5 of the members.

  6. The Board of Management may draw up internal regulations, their acceptance and amendments exclusively belong to the power of General Assembly.


ARTICLE 17

  1. Composition of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall be appointed by the Board of Management. The Board of Management appoints the President, the Vice-President, the Treasurer, the Secretary-General and the Membership Coordinator who form together the Executive Committee.

  2. The Executive Committee may co-opt other persons, members of the Board of Management, where necessary, or invite members to attend the meetings of the Executive Committee (without voting rights) on an ad-hoc basis. The Executive Committee is convened at least once a year. The Executive Committee is also convened by the President or when at least 3 members of the Executive Committee make a written request thereto to the President, who shall convene the General Assembly within two months after receipt of the request. The Executive Committee may decide legally by simple majority in the presence of at least 3 members. In the case of a tie vote, the President has the casting vote.

  3. It is the task of the Executive Committee to prepare the proposals for the Board of Management, to follow up the execution of decisions taken by the Board of Management and to take such interim emergency decisions that must be taken between meetings of the Board. All decisions of the Executive Committee must be submitted to the Board of Management for ratification if so required by the President or by 3 members of the Executive Committee or by 5 members of the Board of Management.

  4. The Executive Committee resolutions are recorded in a register signed by the President and the Secretary-General who puts it at the disposal of the members of the association.


ARTICLE 18

The President shall preside over the General Assembly, the Board of Management and the Executive Committee at their meetings and shall ensure the carrying out of their decisions. All legal actions, as plaintiff or as defendant, are carried on, pursued and accelerated by the Board of Management represented by the President.


ARTICLE 19

The Vice-President will assist the President in the execution of his duties and stand in for him where necessary, either at meetings of the association or on activities with which the association is involved or invited to.


ARTICLE 20

The Secretary General keeps the resolution registers for the General Assembly, the Board of Management and the Executive Committee and puts it at the disposal of the members of the association.


ARTICLE 21

The Treasurer shall exercise a managerial role in the respect of the financial affairs. All confirmed orders and accounts payable shall be signed by the treasurer and/or the Secretary General.


ARTICLE 22

The Membership Coordinator keeps the register of members.


ARTICLE 23

  1. The Board of Management appoints a supervisory board of three persons chosen from among its members, for the financial report.

  2. The financial year is closed each year, on December 31.
    The Board of Management shall draw up before January 31 of each year the programme of activities and the budget for the current year as well as the report on the activities of the past year.
    Before June 30 of the same year, the Executive Committee shall submit to the Board of Management members:

    • the report on the activities of the past year;

    • the financial report of the past year;

    • the programme of activities and the budget of the current year.


ARTICLE 24

The General Assembly determines the way in which the association is dissolved and liquidated. After the liquidation, any credit balance shall be assigned to an association with similar purposes by decision of the General Assembly.


ARTICLE 25

All that is not provided in the present articles of the association, will be settled according to the provisions of the Greek Law.


ARTICLE 26

Done in Athens on the 29th March 1993.

Amended in Copenhagen on the 5th of September 1997.

Amended in Izmir on the 4th of September 2004.

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