The Statutes of E U R A P A G,

European Association of Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology

Article 1.

1. The title of the unincorporated Association: EURAPAG, the European Association of Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology.
2. The seat of the Association: Prague 5 – Motol, V Úvalu 84, Postal Code 150 06

Article 2.

1. EURAPAG, the European Association of Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology(hereinafter “the Association”) is a voluntary, non-Government, non-profit association of National Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology associations of all European countries (regardless of their EU membership) as well as individual practitioners specialising in gynaecology and obstetrics and/or paediatrics from these European countries, where the national paediatric and adolescent gynaecology associations do not exist, established to fulfil the objectives of the Association stated in Article 3 of the Statutes. EURAPAG, o.s. also associates Supporting and Honorary members according to Article 5 of the Statutes.


2. The financial year shall be the calendar year


3. The Association shall act according to section 6(2) of Act No. 83/1990 Sb., on association of citizens, and shall file an application for registration of the Association with the Ministry of the Interior of the CR.


4. The official language shall be (British) English.


5. The official information source of the Association shall be the website: www.eurapag.com

Article 3.

Basic objectives of the Association shall be mainly to:


1. promote research and education in the field of child and adolescent gynaecology emphasising the implementation of new knowledge and, hence, the improvement of health, quality of life and future female fertility
2. promote co-operation among gynaecologists and paediatricians in European countries in the field of paediatric and adolescent gynaecology
3. improvement of interest in and awareness of problems of international importance in the field of paediatric and adolescent gynaecology, mainly in the area of prevention, diagnosis and lege artis treatment procedures
4. support practising paediatric and adolescent gynaecologists in the acquisition of broader experience
5. promote, harmonize and synchronize the research in the field of paediatric and adolescent gynaecology
6. promote, harmonize, synchronize and expand university and post-graduate studies in the field of paediatric and adolescent gynaecology
7. co-operation with other international organizations, which are involved with the problems of paediatric and adolescent gynaecology
8. harmonize and synchronize clinical work with the aim of setting the right guidelines for diagnostics and treatment in the field of paediatric and adolescent gynaecology in all-Europe.

Article 4.

The main activities of the Association shall be:


1. to support gynaecologists and paediatricians practising in the field of paediatric and adolescent gynaecology and candidates for the IFEPAG degree (International Fellowship of Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology)
2. to support the recognition of holders of IFEPAG as qualified doctors competent to practice paediatric and adolescent gynaecology in all the European countries
3. to support educational centres of National Societies for Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology in their efforts to apply for accreditation in the IFEPAG program
4. to promote national and international congresses on paediatric and adolescent gynaecology
5. to organise European congresses on paediatric and adolescent gynaecology every third year; always in a year other than the year in which the world congress on paediatric and adolescent gynaecology is organised
6. to maintain and develop co-operation with :
   - FIGIJ (International Federation of Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology)
   - EBCOG (European Board and College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology)
   - ENTOG (European Network of Trainees in Obstetrics and Gynaecology)
   - EAP (European Association of Paediatricians)
   - ALOGIA (Asociacio Latinoamericana de Obstetricia y Ginecologia InfantoJuvenil)
   - NASPAG (North American Society of Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology)
   - International Paediatrics Organisations
   - FIGO (International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics – the supreme world organization of gynaecologists and obstetricians)
   in matters concerning paediatric and adolescent gynaecology
7. Close co-operation with the IFEPAG program, creation of accredited centres for this program and preparation of candidates for IFEPAG examinations.

Article 5.

1. The National Society of Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology (hereinafter “the National Society”) of any European state may become a member of the Association; if there is more than one National Society associating specialists in paediatric and adolescent gynaecology in any one country, only one of these National Societies may become a member of the Association; if several such National Societies are interested in membership, the National Society with the largest number of Full Members shall be preferred.


2. Physicians specialising in gynaecology and obstetrics and/or paediatrics with an interest in paediatric and adolescent gynaecology from a country whose National Society has not joined EURAPAG or where such a National Society does not exist, can become so called Individual Members of the Association. Where there are five or more Individual Members in a country, these members shall constitute a National Group.


3. Scientific and medical personnel interested in the problems of paediatric and adolescent gynaecology may become so called Supporting Members of the Association. Similarly, organisations interested in the field of paediatric and adolescent gynaecology (such as industrial, research and development institutions) may become Supporting Members of the Association.


4. Specialists that have made an outstanding contribution to the development in the field of paediatric and adolescent gynaecology may be appointed Honorary Members of the Association. The nominations for membership are made by the Executive Committee of the Association and approved by the Assembly of Delegates.


5. Subjects interested in membership in the Association according to clauses 1 - 3 of this Article, with the exception of establishing members of the Association, shall submit written applications for membership to the President of the Association. The written application must contain information that illustrates the activities of the applicant in the field of paediatric and adolescent gynaecology and his possible contributions to its further development. The application must also contain a declaration that the applicant accepts the Statutes of the Association. Establishing members shall confirm their acceptance of the Statutes in writing at the establishing Assembly of Delegates convened by the Preparatory Committee of the Association which shall file the proposal for registration of the Association in compliance with s. 6 (2) of the Act No. 83/1990 Sb., on association of citizens.


6. The admission of a new member shall be decided by the Executive Committee and the applicant shall be notified about his admission in writing by the General Secretary. The date of admission of a new member shall be the date of payment of the first membership fee to the Association. The membership shall be ratified by the Assembly of Delegates.


7. A member of the Association shall have the right to:
   a) elect through delegates members of the elected bodies of the Associations and to be elected as a member of such bodies
   b) submit proposals, suggestions and comments
   c) assess and approve reports about the activities of the Association,
   d) participate in events organised by the Association and FIGIJ.
   


8. A member of the association shall have the duty to:
   a) respect these Statutes
   b) pay an annual membership fee determined in accordance to these Statutes


9. Membership in the Association shall terminate:
   a) upon delivery of the written notice of resignation of a member to the Executive Committee
   b) upon decision of the Executive Committee or the Assembly of Delegates to expel a member of the Association
   c) upon death of a member of the Association - natural subject
   d) upon the termination of legal existence of an artificial legal person that is a member of the Association
   e) upon the dissolution of the Association.


10. The membership of National Societies, National Groups, Individual and Supporting Members shall be terminated if they do not pay the membership fee in compliance with these Statutes. The termination of membership shall be decided by the Executive Committee; such a decision shall not be valid and effective unless it is subsequently approved by the Assembly of Delegates.


11. Any member who betrays the objectives of the Association according to these Statutes or damages the credit, reputation or interests of the Association or discredits the medical profession in any way shall be expelled from the Association. The expulsion shall be proposed and substantiated by the Executive Committee. The expulsion shall be decided by the Assembly of Delegates. For the expulsion according to the previous sentence the majority of more than half votes of the present voting members are required.

Article 6.

1. The regular bodies of the Association shall be:
   - the Assembly of Delegates
   - the Executive Committee


2. The extraordinary bodies of the Association shall be:
   - the Committees
   - the Departments

Article 7

1. The Assembly of Delegates is the supreme body of the Association where all the members are represented by the delegates.


2. The Assembly of Delegates shall be held every three years, always on the occasion and at the venue of each European congress on Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology. The Assembly of Delegates shall be convened by the Executive Committee.


3. The Assembly of Delegates shall be composed of the delegates of National Societies/Groups. Each delegate shall have one vote. Each of the nine members of the Executive Committee also have one vote, which shall not be included in the number of votes of the relevant National Society/Group. The Presidents of the Committees and Departments established by the Executive Committee, who are not members of the Executive Committee, shall also have one vote not included in the number of votes of the relevant National Society/Group.


4. The number of voting delegates of individual National Societies shall be determined according to the number of their members as follows:
   - National Society with up to 50 members - 2 delegates
   - National Society with up to 100 members - 3 delegates
   - National Society with up to 500 members - 4 delegates
   - National Society with more than 500 members - 5 delegates


5. A National Group of Individual Members with a minimum of five (5) members in a country without a National Society shall have one voting delegate.


6. Supporting Members, Honorary Members or Members from countries where there is no National Society and the National Group has less than five (5) members shall not have any delegates and, hence, shall not be entitled to vote.


7. National Societies and National Groups of Individual Members must deliver not later than two months before the Assembly of Delegates to the General Secretary a list of the members of the society/group, giving the names of the number of delegates according to the key mentioned above, as well as no more than one nomination for a candidate for the election to the Executive Committee. Each delegate must attend the Assembly of Delegates in person, participation by proxy is not admissible.


8. Before the Assembly of Delegates, each delegate shall receive one distinctly marked voting paper for voting by acclamation.


9. The Assembly of Delegates shall have a quorum if more than half of all appointed delegates are present at the meeting. Decisions shall be adopted by the majority of more than half votes of the present delegates.


10. Each delegate shall vote in person. Absent voting, for example by proxy or by electronic communication, shall not be admissible.


11. The Assembly of Delegates shall decide matters that are not in the competence of the other bodies of the Association according to these Statutes, it shall mainly:
    a) approve the Statutes of the Association and amendments of them proposed by the Executive Committee and/or one tenth of the members of the Association
    b) elect or remove the members of the Executive Committee
    c) approve the President’s report on the activity of the Association and the Treasurer’s report on business management during the preceding period submitted by the Executive Committee
    d) set the objectives of the Association for the ensuing period
    e) determine the membership fee
    f) approve the budget of the Association for the ensuring period
    g) approve the decisions of the President, the Executive Committee, Presidents of the Committees and Departments made in the period between two consecutive Assemblies of Delegates
    h) approve the admission of new members of the Association
    i) appoint the Honorary Members of the Association
    j) decide on the termination of membership of the Association
    k) decide on dissolution of the Association.
    l) select and approve the venue and date of the ensuing European Congress on Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology


12. Requests made to the Assembly of Delegates shall be submitted in writing and addressed to the Executive Committee through the General Secretary. They must be submitted not later than two months before the beginning of the Assembly of Delegates where they will be discussed. In exceptional situations they may be submitted within a shorter period of time, even one day before the beginning of the Assembly of Delegates.


13. The decisions of the Assembly of Delegates shall be binding on other bodies of the Association.

Article 8

1. The Executive Committee shall control and ensure the activities of the Association in the periods between the Assemblies of Delegates.


2. The Executive Committee shall have nine members. It shall be composed of the President, President Elect, Vice-President, General Secretary, Treasurer and four other members.


3. The members of the Executive Committee shall be elected by the Assembly of Delegates by secret ballot. The candidates that obtained the majority of votes shall be elected. Eight members of the Executive Committee shall be elected without specific offices from among the nominated candidates. This Executive Committee shall nominate from among its members the candidates for the Vice President and the President Elect for the second election which shall be held by the Assembly of Delegates by secret ballot on the same day.


4. Immediately after the election, the new Committee shall elect from among its members a General Secretary and a Treasurer.


5. The Executive Committee shall have a quorum if at least two thirds of its members are present at the meeting. The approval of more than half of the present members is required for the validity of a resolution of the Executive Committee and the approval of more than half of all the members of the Executive Committee is required for the election of the General Secretary and the Treasurer.


6. The office term of the President Elect shall be three years, then he becomes the President automatically, without election. Other members shall be elected for three years, but may be re-elected without limitation. Similarly, the number of office terms of the General Secretary and the Treasurer shall not be limited.


7. The Association shall be represented by the President as its authorized representative. The Vice President shall act as a deputy of the President in his absence or in case of his temporary inability to discharge his office.


8. The General Secretary shall be responsible for the administration of the Association; he shall keep a register of the members of the Association, prepare the agenda for the meetings of the Executive Committee and the Assembly of Delegates and shall be responsible for the minutes of the meetings, including the minutes of the Assemblies of Delegates.


9. The Treasurer shall realize economic decisions of the Executive Committee and the Assembly of Delegates; he shall keep records of and check the payment of membership fees and may take steps to recover unpaid membership fees. He shall prepare the budget and submit the report on business management to the Executive Committee and Assembly of Delegates.


10. The main duties of the Executive Committee shall be mainly to:
    a) respect the Statutes of the Association and act in accordance with them
    b) prepare the agenda of the Assembly of Delegates
    c) propose the membership fees and submit such proposals for approval to the Assembly of Delegates
    d) participate in the Assembly of Delegates
    e) implement the decisions of the Assembly of Delegates in its work and in the activities of the Association
    f) accept new members
    g) ensure that the European congresses on paediatric and adolescent gynaecology are prepared according to the decisions of the Assembly of Delegates and co-operate with the President and the local Scientific and Organisational Committee of the future congress
    h) prepare the program for all meetings and activities of the Committees, Departments, etc.
    i) realise the business operations of the Association, draw up and operate within the annual budget and check its performance.


11. The meeting of the Executive Committee shall have a quorum if at least five of its members are present, including the President or the Vice President. In the case of equal number of votes, the President shall decide.


12. If a member of the Executive Committee resigns his office prematurely, the vacant position shall be filled first by the person who received the highest number of votes in the last election. In the case of a premature resignation of the President, the President Elect shall replace him. If the number of members of the Executive Committee is reduced by more than three, an Extraordinary Assembly of Delegates must be convened not later than within six months and special elections shall be held there. Until then, the current Executive Committee shall remain in office.


13. None of the Member States of the Association may have more than one representative in the Executive Committee.

Article 9

1. The Executive Committee may create extraordinary bodies for the performance of professional tasks - Committees or Departments, composed of the members of the Association. The Executive Committee shall determine the rules of conduct of such extraordinary bodies.


2. The Committees and Departments are responsible for their activities to the Executive Committee.

Article 10

1. The European Congresses on Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology shall be organised every three years under the auspices of the Association. The Congress shall focus on major topics from the theory and practice in the field of paediatric and adolescent gynaecology and their application in practice. The Assembly of Delegates shall decide the venue and the approximate date of the Congress after consideration of all applications. The organisation of the Congress is to be left to the host country, or its National Society. This local Committee shall closely co-operate with the Executive Committee of the Association.


2. The application to host the next European Congress under the auspices of Association must be submitted not later than three months before the date of the Assembly of Delegates. The application shall provide detailed information about the organisation of the Congress (venue, possible accommodation, tentative list of speakers) and preparatory budget of the Congress.


3. The organizer of the Congress held under the auspices of Association shall pay to the Association 2.000 EUR, (1.000 EUR before the Congress and 1.000 EUR after the Congress).


4. The budget of the Congress held under the auspices of Association must cover the costs of accommodation and travel expenses (economy class) of all the Members of the Executive Committee of the Association. The Members of the Executive Committee shall not pay Congress fees.

Article 11

1. The main source of funding for the Association shall be membership fees. The amount of the membership fee shall be proposed by the Executive Committee of the Association and approved by the Assembly of Delegates.


2. Another source of funding shall be the contributions from the European Congresses on Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology according to Article 10 of these Statutes.


3. Membership fees for Supporting Members shall be determined individually by the Executive Committee.


4. Honorary Members shall not pay membership fees.


5. The Association shall be entitled to accept other financial contributions, such as gifts.


6. The Executive Committee may reduce the membership fees for maximum period of one calendar year upon submission of a written, substantiated application. The application for the reduction of membership fees may be submitted by a Member of the Association repeatedly.


7. The membership fee shall be payable in advance by March 31 of the given calendar year.


8. New members must cover the annual membership fee not later than thirty days after the approval of application for membership by the Executive Committee. A new member admitted before October 1 of the given calendar year shall pay full membership fee. A member admitted between October 1 and December 31 of the given calendar year shall not pay membership fee for that year.


9. Membership fees shall be paid by bank-transfer or by cheque. The bank-transfer charges shall be covered by the payer. Should the membership fees be paid by cheque, it is necessary that the cheque is issued for an amount including bank charges related to such payment.


10. If the membership fee is not paid by the end of March of the given calendar year, a written notice shall be sent to the debtor. After June 30 of the given calendar year the debtor shall obtain a second written warning. If the membership fee is not paid after such warning before October 31, the membership shall be automatically terminated. Members who owe the membership fee after June 30 shall not be entitled to vote or be elected at the Assembly of Delegates.


11. The payment of unpaid membership fees may not be waived by termination of membership.


12. Partial payment of membership fees shall be deemed non-payment of membership fees with the exception of cases where the membership fee has been reduced according to paragraph 6 of this Article.


13. Membership fees shall not be refunded to expelled members.


14. None of the bodies of the Association shall be authorised to require additional financial contributions from the members of the Association without the prior consent of the Executive Committee.


15. Any expenditure of funds of the Association, apart from the expenses mentioned in paragraphs 15 and 16 of this Article, must be approved in advance by the Executive Committee, or the President.


16. Travel expenses (economy class) and essential accommodation expenses relating to Executive Committee meetings may be covered without special approval, unless they are paid by the organiser of the Congress where the meeting of the Executive Committee is held.


17. The costs of creation and maintenance of the web sites of the Association shall be covered from the funds of the Association.


18. The revenues of the Association shall be used exclusively to cover operational expenses of the Association and its bodies, as well as the development of the activities of the Association which conform to its objectives and are fully compliant with the applicable legislation, and finally, to support activities that are directly related to the objectives of the Association. The expenditures of the Association are aimed at the realisation of the objectives of the Association in compliance with the forms of activities provided in these Statutes. The Executive Committee shall manage and be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Association. The Treasurer shall be the controller of the economic management.

Article 12

1. An annex to these Statutes shall be the authenticated English translation of the Statutes, which shall be binding and the only one applicable.


2. Amendments to the Statutes may be proposed by the Executive Committee or by twenty per cent of full members of the Association. Proposals for modifications of and amendments to the Statutes must be submitted in writing to the Executive Committee through the General Secretary to whom they must be delivered not later than ten months before the date of the Assembly of Delegates. The Executive Committee must present the proposals to all Presidents of the National Societies as well as to the representatives of the National Groups of Individual Members of the Association not later than three months before the date of the Assembly of Delegates for possible comments or suggestions, which shall be analysed after delivery to the Executive Committee and presented to the Assembly of Delegates. No amendments may be proposed and considered in the course of the Assembly of Delegates. Amendments or new Statutes must be approved by the majority of more than half of all voting delegates.

Article 13

The Association may be dissolved only by decision of the Assembly of Delegates convened particularly for such purpose. At least three quarters of the appointed delegates must be present at such Assembly of Delegates. Rules for the determination of the number of delegates shall be the same as those in Article 7, paragraph 4 of these Statutes. The consent of at least two thirds of the present delegates shall be required for a decision to dissolve the Association. The Assembly of Delegates shall appoint at least three liquidators. The liquidation surplus shall be distributed among National Societies and Groups according to the number of members. The Association may also be dissolved by amalgamation with another association or by a decision of the Ministry of the Interior.

This modified version of the Statutes was approved at the Assembly of Delegates of EURAPAG at the XI. European Congress of Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology in St. Petersburg in Russia on June 12, 2008.

Prague, September 2, 2008.

Prof. MUDr. Jan Hořejší, DrSc.

INTERPRETER´S CLAUSE

As an official interpreter of English, as appointed by decision of the Regional Court in Ostrava of the 17th day of April 1974, no 117/74, I hereby certify that the preceding text is an accurate translation of the enclosed document.

The translation is registered 1970 / 05 / 2008 of Journal XVI.

The translation was made pursuant to the Act no 36/1967 of Collection concerning experts and interpreters, as well as pursuant to the appropriate application prescriptions.
In the translation no corrections were made.

In Prague on 15th November 2008.

PhDr. Markéta O. LARIŠOVÁ