- Article 1 – Name
1.1 Under the name of “International Association of Gynecological Endocrinology” (IAGE), (Associazione Internazionale di Ginecologia Endocrinologica) it is founded a non-profit association in the sense of Art. 60 et seq. of the Swiss Civil Code.
1.2 The registered office is in Locarno, (Switzerland)
1.3 This Association undertakes and continues the activities of the “International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology” (I.S.G.E).situated in Geneva, and being a non-profit association, not registered in the commercial registry. - Article 2 – Objective
(a) to promote the study, research, knowledge and teaching on all aspects of gynecological and obstetrical endocrinology;
(b) to organise, prepare, hold and participate in international and national meetings and congresses on subjects related to objective (a);
(c) to advance the interchange of research plans and experience between individual members of the Association;
(d) to offer a platform from where points of view can be disseminated. To achieve this, apart from organising congresses, symposia, workshops, a website will be used and a newsletter will be published. The Association will also support the publication of a Journal related to these objectives and of any other multimedia products;
(e) to promote the practice of gynecological endocrinology through teaching and other forms of education including printing and multimedia. - Article 3 – Powers
The Association shall be entitled:
(a) to own, lease and dispose of all kinds of property, wherever situated, real and personal;
(b) to open and close bank accounts;
(c) to hold scientific meetings of all kinds in any country;
(d) to participate in and cooperate with other bodies, associations or groups having objectives similar or conductive to those of the Association;
(e) to give and receive grants for the purposes of studies or education in the field indicated under objective 2 (a);
(f) to have all other powers necessary or related to the above powers of the Association. - Article 4 – Ordinary Membership
(a) Ordinary Members of the Association may be scientists involved in basic research or clinical work, or who have an interest in these or other aspects of this particular field.
(b) Members shall be accepted irrespective of sex, race, language, religion or political persuasion. The sole criterion for membership shall be the academic level of the candidate.
(c) Only membership on an individual basis will be accepted. - Article 5 – Applications for membership
Requests for membership shall be made:
(a) in writing on the application form of the Association and submitted to the Executive Committee, stating the applicant’s wish to join the Association.The applicant will have to submit a short curriculum vitae and obtain the signature of a proposer who is already a member of the Association. Application for membership shall imply approval of the Statute of the Association. Applications shall be approved by the Executive Committee, by a majority vote. Notification of the decision shall be sent to the applicant.
(b) By the registration to all society events, such as the biannual Association’s congress of I.S.G.E., that will offer the possibility to adhere to the Association’s ordinary membership included in the registration fee. The affiliation to the Association by registering to its events implies the approval of the Association’s Statute. - Article 6 -Membership
The General Assembly can, upon proposal of the Executive Committee, elect Honorary Members who shall be persons of outstanding merit or having rendered outstanding services to the Association. - Article 7 – Termination of Membership
Membership shall be terminated:
(a) by renouncement or resignation,
(b) by failure to pay the membership fee for four consecutive years,
(c) by the death of the member,
(d) by striking-off, voted by the Executive Committee by a two-thirds majority. In this case regulations provided by the Swiss Civil Code shall be in force. - Article 8 – Membership fee (annual fee)
(a) The individual annual membership fee (annual fee) amounts to a minimum of fr. 40 — or Euro 25.00 and a maximum of fr. 120 — or Euro 75.00 for the fee only and it is fixed by the Executive Committee, within stated limits. Subscription shall be possible with one of the following options:
1. Subscription to the Association only (a single fee per member)
2. Subscription to the Association including both the electronic and the print edition of the Gynecological Endocrinology journal, with an additional cost, as agreed with our Editor and under the subscription conditions of the journal decided by the Executive Committee.
3. By registering to the World Congress or similar events that offer the possibility to become a member of the Association, when specified on the registration form.
- Article 9 – Organs of the Association
The organs shall be:
(a) the General Assembly,
(b) the Executive Committee. A – General Assembly
- Article 10 – General Assembly
The General Assembly shall be the supreme authority of the Society. It shall include all members.
If during an initial vote a quorum of 40 % of the members is not reached, the Assembly shall hold a second poll on the same subject, and the decision shall then be taken by a simple majority of the voters, whatever the number of members present. - Article 11 – Functions of the General Assembly
The General Assembly shall fulfil the following functions:(a) election of the members of the Executive Committee from a list of candidates drawn up by the Outgoing Executive Committee and from the express and specific requests of individual members of the Association to the President made at least three months before the scheduled date for the assembly, by a letter subscribed by at least 15 members of the Association;
(b) approval of the reports, the accounts and the budget,
(c) approval of proposed dates and venues of congresses,
(d) amendment of the Statute when proposed by the Executive Committee or on request of at least 15 members. - Article 12 -. Meetings of the General Assembly
(a) A General Assembly shall be convened at least once every two years, preferably at the same time and place as the Congress. - Article 13 – Proceedings of the General Assembly
(a) The General Assembly shall be composed of all members, that shall be entitled to vote and to be elected as members of the Executive Committee.
(b) The General Assembly shall be presided over by the President of the Executive Committee.
(c) The Assembly can effectively deliberate whatever the number of the members present.
(d) The Assembly shall take its decisions by the majority vote of its members present.
(e) The members shall have one vote each. Voting shall be secret only if so requested by a one-third majority of the members present in the assembly. In the event of a tie, a second poll shall be held. If the votes in the second poll are once more split equally, the President shall have the deciding vote or may strike the motion from the agenda.(f) Decisions on any amendment of the Statute that may be proposed by the Executive Committee or by at least 15 members, shall require approval by a two-thirds majority of the voters present. In case of amendments to the Statute, at least 25 members must be present in the assembly.
- Article 14 – Members’ proposals
Members may request the inclusion of an item on the agenda of the General Assembly. Such requests, signed by at least 15 members of the Association shall be made in writing and must reach the address of the Executive Committee at least six weeks before the date of the General Assembly. If approved by the Executive Committee the request shall be submitted to the General Assembly.
- Article 10 – General Assembly
B) Executive Committee
- Article 15 – Election of the Executive Committee
(a) The members, at the General Assembly, shall elect the Executive Committee, hereinafter referred to as “the Committee”, from a list submitted by the Outgoing Executive Committee and from the express and specific requests of individual members of the Association to the President made at least three months before the scheduled date for the congress, by a letter subscribed by at least 15 members of the Association;
(b) The Committee is composed by at least 3 members and a maximum of 25 members, elected for a period of 4 four years, including the President, the Executive Secretary and the Treasurer. - Article 16 – Tasks of the Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall fulfil the following functions:
(a) it shall elect the President, the Executive Secretary and the Treasurer;
(b) it shall manage the affairs of the Association;
(c) it shall aid and advise in the preparation of the congresses and meetings;
(d) it shall co-ordinate and promote the exchange of information between members;
(e) it shall promote the formation of national and regional branches;
(f) it shall maintain direct contact with the Editor-in-Chief of the international journal Gynecological Endocrinology,
(g) it shall propose the General Assembly the membership fees;
(h) it shall draw up a list of candidates to be submitted at the General Assembly for the election of the new Committee.
(i) it may appoint an Executive Director;(j) it shall implement the decisions of the General Assembly;
(k) it shall otherwise act for and on behalf of the Association. - Article 17 – Proceedings of the Executive Committee
(a) The Committee members shall meet from time to time upon invitation of the President or upon request of at least 1/3 of the members, and shall take decisions by a majority vote, each Delegate of the Committee having one vote. In the event of a tie, a second poll shall be held. If the vote is split equally in the second poll, the motion shall be brought again at the following meeting. Should the vote again be split equally the motion shall be struck off the agenda.
(b) The President shall preside at the meetings of the Committee. In his absence he shall be replaced by the Executive Secretary or the Treasurer.
(c) The Executive Committee shall maintain a minute book in which major decisions shall be recorded. - Article 18 – Executive Director
The Executive Committee may appoint an Executive Director to execute and supervise the execution of the administrative tasks for which it is responsible, inter alia, the collection of membership fees, correspondence, organization of congresses and all operations relating to the Association’s funds.If appointed, the Executive Director will be directly responsible, jointly with the President of the Executive Committee, for the functions foreseen for the Executive Committee. He can partecipates, without being entitled to vote, to the Committee’s meetings. - Article 19 – Professional Congress Organizers
The Association organizes official Congresses and other events or activities through a Professional Congress Organizer (PCO), which shall be appointed by the Executive Committee for at least 6 years (corresponding to 3 editions of the World Congress). For special tasks or activities the Association may, in conjunction with the official PCO, make use of additional professional organizations. - Article 20 – Employees
The Executive Committee shall have the right to appoint and discharge any employees as it deems necessary and at its discretion. The Committee may delegate certain of its powers to one or more of its members or to any person or persons, even if they are not members of the Association, in matters concerning the promotion of the efficient running of the work of the Association.If an Executive Director is appointed, he/she shall have the right to organize a Secretariat Office, eventually including employees, to ensure the achievement of its statutory tasks.
- Article 15 – Election of the Executive Committee
- Article 21 – Signature on behalf of the Association
The Executive Committee shall appoint the members that represent the Association and that bound her by its entitlement to sign. - Article 22 – Seal or rubber stamp
The Association shall have a seal or a rubber stamp with its name engraved thereon.
- Article 23 – Advisory organs Advisory organs are the following: A) National and Regional branches B) Federation
- Article 24 – National and Regional Branches of the Association (a) In each country, at least twelve members of the Association may form a National Branch of the Association. (b) Members of the countries where there is insufficient local membership (fewer than twelve) may join together to form a Regional Branch of the Association. (c) The Branches shall meet from time to time, at their discretion. For the election of candidates for the Federation and other matters connected with the international activities of the Association, the Branches shall comply with this Statute and vote in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Article 13 above insofar as the local laws currently in force permit the application of the Statute.
- Article 25 – F.I.S.G.E. The Federation, hereinafter referred to as “F.I.S.G.E.”, shall be a consultative body with the following functions: a) To promote the training and teaching of gynecological endocrinology in different countries; b) To promote scientific and educational material in the subject of gynecological endocrinology in order to facilitate the training of gynecologists endocrinologists; c) To propose the Executive Committee subjects in order to reach the above purposes. The Federation meets on the occasion of the biannual congress and is presided by its President.
- Article 26 – Members of the F.I.S.G.E. (a) Each regional or national branch of the Association can send up to three members to the Assembly of the Association, that will have only one decision vote. (b) The Assembly of F.I.S.G.E. meets on the occasion of the biannual congress and before the meeting of the Association’s General Assembly. It is presided by the Association’s Executive Committee President. (c) Candidates for the F.I.S.G.E. must be members of the Association. (d) Members of the F.I.S.G.E., hereinafter referred to as “the Delegates”, shall be appointed for three years. They shall be re-eligible.
- Article 27 – Local functions of the Delegates In addition to their functions as members of the F.IS.GE. the members of the national and regional branches of the Associations shall have the following local functions: (a) to recruit members of the Association, (b) to organise national and regional meetings with the assistance of other members of the Association, (c) to assist in publicising the International Congresses and advise congress organisers with regard to subjects and speakers from the various countries, (d) to assist in sending copies of society’s publications to local members, (e) to arrange the collection of membership fees, to cover the cost of local activities.
- Article 28 – Proceedings of the F.I.S.G.E. (a) The members of the F.I.S.G.E. shall meet during the Congress before the General Assembly, or at other times, at their discretion. The meetings shall be chaired by the Executive Committee’s President, or in his/her absence by the Executive Secretary. The F.I.S.G.E. shall take decisions by a majority of vote, each branch having one vote. In the event of a tie, a second poll shall be held. If the votes are split equally in the second poll, the motion shall be struck off the agenda. (b) The F.I.S.G.E. shall maintain a minute book in which major decisions shall be recorded.
- Article 29 – Dissolution and liquidation of the Association
The Association may be dissolved at any time by decision of the General Assembly convened on purpose and by the vote of at least 2/3 of the members present. In the event of the liquidation of the Association’s affairs and property having been decided by the General Assembly of the Association, the Executive Committee shall appoint a liquidator or liquidators and after the payment of any debts, the property shall be distributed, to non-profit associations of a medical, educational or charitable nature, at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
- Article 30 – Financial commitments
The financial commitments of the Association are guaranteed only by the social assets; any liability of individual members is excluded.
- Article 31 – Applicable Laws
The regulations of articles 60 et seq. of the Swiss Civil Code are in force for every aspect that is not provided for by this Statute.
