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Executive Committee History Aims Membership Statute Branch associations Glossary Events Price competitions Home
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German
Association of Sugar Technologists Statute
of the Association Article
1: Objectives 1.
The purpose of the German Association of Sugar Technologists is to bring
together, directly and solely on a non-profit basis, professionals employed in
and in support of the sugar industry for the advancement of their scientific,
technical and practical work. 2.
The Association also aims to further the formation and development of the
next generation. 3.
The Association promotes fellowship and communication of knowledge among
sugar technologists across enterprise boundaries, including in other European
countries, and seeks the professional collaboration of sugar technologists
throughout the industry. 4.
These ends are to be achieved, inter alia, by a)
Conferences and meetings b)
Publications c)
Convocation of prize competitions and encouragement of experiments for
the solution of important scientific and technical questions relevant to the
sugar industry d)
The award of prizes to valuable papers in the area of sugar manufacturing
published in the journal Zuckerindustrie/Sugar Industry. Article
2: Financial year and seat of the Association 1.
The
financial year runs from 1 January to 31 December. 2.
The
seat of the Association is
Braunschweig. Article
3: Membership Regular
membership in the Association is open to all professionals employed in and in
support of the sugar industry. In
special circumstances, the executive committee may admit exceptions by unanimous
decision (see Article 6.2). Prerequisite
in all cases is that the applicant is interested in and prepared to contribute
actively to the achievement of the Association's objectives. Article
4: Executive committee 1.
The business of the Association is conducted by an executive committee
composed of a)
The first chairperson b) The first chairpersons of the branch associations c)
The business manager d)
A member representing equipment providers e)
A foreign member. 2.
The senior of the first chairpersons of the branch associations is deputy chairperson of the
executive committee. 3.
All members of the executive committee, except for the member
representing equipment providers, must be actively engaged in the sugar industry. 4.
The persons listed under 4.1(a) and 4.1(c)–(e) are elected by the general
membership meeting for a term of three years. The offices of the executive
committee are honorary; expenses incurred in the execution of their duties are
reimbursed on request. Article
5: General meeting of members 1.
A regular general meeting of members takes place annually, notice of the
date and agenda having been communicated to the members by letter or e-mail at
least three weeks in advance and also published in the organ of the Association. 2.
Motions to be presented for a vote at the regular general membership
meeting must be submitted to the chair at the latest four weeks before the event. 3.
The chair may put to the meeting for consideration and vote motions of
which notice was not given in time, provided they do not concern use of the
assets or dissolution of the Association. 4.
Extraordinary membership meetings will be convened by the chair as
required or when so requested by a quarter of all members. In the case of
extraordinary membership meetings, notice in the organ of the Association or by
letter to the members 14 days before the date shall be sufficient. 5.
Every duly convened membership meeting constitutes a quorum regardless of
the number of members present. Resolutions are passed by simple majority. In the
event of a tie, the vote of the chair decides. Resolutions affecting the use of
the Association's assets or involving a change in its objectives require the
assent of three quarters of the members present (regarding resolutions
concerning dissolution of the Association, see Article 11). 6.
All members are entitled to vote at membership meetings. Every member has
one vote. 7.
The meeting of members has the following functions: a)
To receive and consider the report of the chairperson on the preceding
financial year and the annual accounts of the business manager. b)
To vote on discharging the executive committee in accordance with the
report of the auditors. c)
To appoint two auditors for the coming financial year. d)
To vote on possible amendments of the Articles of Association as well as
other motions, in particular any relating to use of the assets of the
Association and a change in its objectives, as well as on dissolution of the
Association. e)
To fix the annual dues. 8.
Aside from attending to the business part described above, the membership
meeting has the mission of a)
The mutual professional development of members through papers and
discussions on important scientific and technical questions. b)
Joint inspections, presentations, etc. c)
Fostering personal contact between members. 9.
Visitors may attend membership meetings and events of any kind only by
written invitation. 10.
Minutes are to be kept of every meeting and must record all resolutions. Article
6: Admission – Membership 1.
The Association has a)
Regular members b)
Honorary members 2.
Persons desiring to join the Association should register their wish with
the chair of the branch association serving their place of residence, complete
the application form sent to them (or which can be downloaded from the internet)
and return it to the branch association chair, who in consultation with his or
her fellow executive committee members decides on whether to recommend admission.
The application must list the names of two members, as defined in Article 6.1,
as sponsors, of whom at least one must be employed in the sugar industry. The
applicant must have obtained the prior agreement of the sponsors who shall
confirm that fact by their own signatures on the application. Applicants who
have not graduated from an institution of higher learning must furnish proof of
at least three years of fruitful chemical or technical employment in or in
support of the sugar industry. In
the case of applicants who are not employed in the sugar industry, both sponsors
must themselves be so employed. Notice
of the enrolments received by the business manager will be published in the
organ of the Association. In the absence of an objection within six weeks of
publication, the enrolment is deemed accepted; otherwise the executive committee
decides. Membership begins from the date of confirmation by the business manager.
No reason need be given for the rejection of an application. The Association
admits members from abroad who are either employed in the sugar industry of
their country or engaged in research or teaching related to problems of the
sugar industry at a non-profit institution. 3.
Every new member should, within two years of admission, give a lecture
before a branch association on a subject chosen by the author, or at least pose
a question and open the discussion with a paper. 4.
The duties of membership begin with the admission of the member to the
Association. 5.
The rights of membership are suspended on failure to pay the annual dues
until payment is made. 6.
Apart from the death of the member, membership ceases (a) On
resignation. A resignation can only become effective at the end of a financial
year and must be communicated to the business manager by registered letter by 1
October of that year. Members no longer employed in or in support of the sugar
industry are expected to resign within three years of changing employment. This
does not apply to entry into retirement. (b) By
decision of the executive committee, in the event that the annual dues have not
been paid by the end of the financial year and payment has not been received
within 14 days of a reminder by registered letter warning of the cessation of
membership. (c)
On
expulsion. Expulsion is decreed by the executive committee when continued
membership is contrary to the reputation and objectives of the Association. A
member is subject to expulsion in the event of defamatory action or financial
bankruptcy. Prior to expulsion, the executive committee must submit the matter
to a three-member council of honour for examination and an opinion. This council
of honour is constituted by election in each branch association of a regular
member and a deputy for a term of three years, with possible re-election. Article
7: Membership dues 1.
The Association levies
Annual
dues
Fees
for attendance at its events. 2.
The annual dues for the current year are payable before 1 March to the
address designated by the business manager. New members pay the full amount
regardless of the date of their admission. 3.
Honorary members are exempted from membership dues and conference fees. 4.
The cost of reminders is chargeable to the tardy payer. 5.
No member has a claim, either during or after membership, on the assets
of the Association or parts thereof, including repayment of deposits or other
contributions. Article
8: Branch associations 1.
Branch associations and committees are established in order to carry out
and deepen the work of the Association. 2.
The executive committee of a branch association is composed of a
chairperson, a deputy chairperson, a business manager and a foreign member. 3.
The executive committees of branch associations are elected for a period
of three years by the annual general meetings of the branch associations. 4.
Members wishing to belong to a branch association other than the one
serving their place of residence should inform the chair of their present branch
association who will make the necessary arrangements with the chair of the new
branch association and notify the business manager. 5.
All members of the Association are free to attend meetings of branch
associations other than their own. 6.
For the rest, Articles 5 and 9 apply to the branch associations mutatis
mutandis. Article
9: Business transactions Documents
and statements of all kinds entailing commitments by the Association must be
signed by two members of the executive committee in the name of the Association.
Receipts for the payment of dues are validly executed by the business manager. Article
10: Court of honour 1.
Disputes within the Association, which touch the professional reputation
of individual members, are to be submitted to a court of honour. 2.
This court of honour is composed of a representative of each party, and
these in turn agree on a mediator. In the absence of agreement, the mediator is
appointed by the chair of the Association. Article
11: Dissolution 1.
The Association cannot be dissolved except by the decision of a meeting
of the members, to which an invitation stating the purpose of the meeting has
twice been published in the organ of the Association or personally communicated
to the members, the first time eight weeks prior to the date. Dissolution
requires the assent of at least three quarters of all members represented at the
meeting. 2.
Upon dissolution of the Association, any existing assets may be
transferred to a body recognized as non-profit within the meaning of Article 17
of the Tax Adjustment Act and pursuing objectives similar to those of the
Association. The recipient is named in the final membership meeting by simple
majority. 3.
Decisions concerning the disposition of assets on winding up or
dissolution of the Association, or upon cessation of its present purpose, can be
carried out only with the approval of the Inland Revenue Office. 4.
None of the assets or benefits therefrom may be distributed to members of
the Association. Article
12: Entry into force The
above Articles of Association replace those hitherto in force. Uelzen, May 2003.
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