Constitution
European Federation of Societies for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology and head and neck surgery - EUFOS
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1. Name
| The organization is known as the European Federation of Societies for Oto-Rhino- Laryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (herein after referred to as EUFOS). It is a non-political, non profit organisation created under the auspices of IFOS (The International Federation of Oto-Rhino- Laryngological Societies). The organisation has its official postal address with its Secretary. The organisation's bank account will have its address with the Treasurer. |
2. Objectives
| 2.1. | To promote, to co-ordinate and to unify the advancement of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (herein after referred as ORL) in Europe. To define an opinion on good medical practice. |
| 2.3. | To promote the European Congress of ORL once every four (4) years to assist the Organising Committee of the next Congress. |
| 2.4. | To represent ORL interest in other organisations of Europe dedicated to prevention and control of diseases and disorders related to ORL and the Training of Otolaryngologists. |
| 2.5. | To achieve these objectives a Standing Committee of Training and Continuing Medical Education has been created to advise and act on behalf of EUFOS and the Organizing Committee of the next European Congress of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. The executive committee of the European Academy of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery will act as such on a free basis. |
3. Membership
| 3.1. | The National ENT Society of any European country, recognised by the United Nations may apply for membership and is accepted by simple majority by the General Assembly (GA). |
| 3.2. | Each member society may appoint a maximum of two delegates to participate in the General Assembly. The names of these delegates must be communicate to the General Secretary in writing (by email or fax and normal post) (See point 5.4.3) |
| 3.3. | The delegates will be selected by the Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology and Head and Neck Surgery in the country concerned. |
| 3.4. | Application for membership must be made in writing to the EUFOS President and the General Secretary. The GA will decide by simple majority. |
4. Functional Components of EUFOS
A - Voting Bodies
| 4.1. | The General Assembly (GA) |
| 4.2. | Executive Comrnittee (EC) in which, besides the elected members of the EC, are: - the President of the EC – who is the president of EUFOS - the General Secretary - and the Treasurer |
B - Standing Committees and other organizations
| 4.3. | EUFOS Congress of ORL: the site of the EUFOS Congress is elected by the GA and organised by the elected national ENT Society, assisted by EUFOS. |
| 4.4. | Counsellors (the 2 past Presidents of EUFOS and the President elect of the EUFOS congress ) |
| 4.5. | The Standing Committee of Training and Continuing Medical Education and ad hoc committees |
| 4.6. | Auditors |
| 4.7. | Internal Court of Arbitration. |
5. Organisation Functions
5.1. General Assembly
| 5.1.1. | EUFOS is governed by a General Assembly (GA) composed of the delegates of member-countries. It acts through an Executive Committee (EC). |
| 5.1.2. | Each member-country is entitled to two (2) delegates at each meeting of the General Assembly. |
| 5.1.3. | Each member-country is entitled to one (1) vote. There are no proxy votes. If the elected delegate of a member-country can not attend, the National Society of the country can send another delegate if announced at least one week in advance of the start of the EUFOS congress, to the General Secretary. |
| 5.1.4. | The GA votes by a simple majority (51 %) of those present at the GA, except when the by-laws stipulate differently; with at least 50% of the voting members represented. The voting is binding on all matters, which are of the competence of the GA. |
| 5.1.5. | The General Assembly holds its meeting at least every four (4) years during the EUFOS congress under Chairmanship of the President of the Executive Committee, in addition if necessary, during major European ENT congresses. |
| 5.1.6. | The GA has authority to form and to dissolute Standing and ad hoc. Committees as needed to carry out its specific functions. Proposals of creating and/or dissolving Standing and ad hoc Committees are to be put on the agenda (see point 5.4.2). |
| 5.1.7. | The GA may appoint a retiring EUFOS president who has significantly contributed to the role of EUFOS and Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery as EUFOS Honorary President. |
5.2. The Functions of the General Assembly
| 5.2.1. | To determine the policy of EUFOS |
| 5.2.2. | To confirm the members of the Executive Committee, chosen by the groups of countries as defined by addendum I. |
| 5.2.3. | To ratify changes in the Constitution or to dissolve EUFOS. |
| 5.2.4. | It approves the rules of the EUFOS Congress as suggested by the Executive Committee. |
| 5.2.5. | The first order of business of the General Assembly is to receive the report of the Executive Committee. |
| 5.2.6. | It approves the accounts and the annual accounts of the EC |
| 5.2.7. | It nominates 2 auditors to the accounts, independent of the EC. |
| 5.2.8. | To elect the next venue of the EUFOS congress. |
| 5.2.9. | To elect the President. |
5.3. Executive Committee
| 5.3.1. | The Executive Committee is composed of members representing various groups of countries, who are confirmed by the GA. |
| 5.3.2. | No more than one (1) voting member can be elected from each country or group of countries. An alternative delegate can be elected by the concerned National Societies in case of prevention. |
| 5.3.3. | The composition of the EC must be a fair representation of the different countries in Europe. The identification of the countries grouped together to provide a single representative, will be decided by the General Assembly upon recommendations by the Executive Committee. The concerned countries must agree with these recommendations. |
| 5.3.4. | The President is elected by the GA. He is ex-officio voting member of the EC. The vote of the President is decisive in the case of equality of votes. |
| 5.3.5. | The President of EUFOS congress and counsellors are ex-officio members of the EC and do not have a vote in this capacity. |
| 5.3.6. | The General Secretary and Treasurer of the Executive Committee of EUFOS are elected by the EC (see point 5.4.3) |
| 5.3.7. | The IFOS General Secretary, the Regional Secretary for Europe, the President of the Section ORL of UEMS, the President elect of EUFOS and the President of the forthcoming European Congress, the President of the EAORL HNS and the Chairman of the Standing Committee, are ex-officio members of the Executive Committee, and in this capacity, without a vote. |
| 5.3.8. | The EC decides by simple majority (51% of the votes) and in the case of equality of votes, the vote of the President is decisive. |
| 5.3.9. | The members of the EC, including the Vice President, the Treasurer and the General Secretary, will normally maintain their function for four (4) years and may be appointed for further four (4) years if their national Societies and a majority of the GA agree. (point 5.2.2 applies) |
| 5.3.10. | The President can only stay in function for 4 years |
| 5.3.11. | The EC appoints three (3) representatives for the EC of the European Academy of the EAORL- HNS. |
5.4. The Functioning of the Executive Committee
| 5.4.1. | The Executive Committee meeting shall be held every year preferably during a major European congress. On this annual meeting, the accounts from the past years will be controlled and a budget for the next year will be presented and approved. A limited EC, consisting of the President, the Vice-President, the Treasurer and the General Secretary comes together whenever necessary, deciding on particularly urgent matters, they form the working body between the EC meetings. The decisions are to be confirmed in the next EC meeting. |
| 5.4.2. | An extraordinary EC meeting can be held on demand of 40% of the voting members of the EC. |
| 5.4.3. | The members of the EC prepare the agenda for the meeting of the GA. Suggestions for the agenda can be transmitted by the National Societies to the General Secretary at least 3 months in advance of the upcoming GA meeting. The secretary then sends the agenda to all the members of the GA. The agenda, together with the report of the Treasurer and auditors and the proposals of candidates for new officials, and the candidates for the new venues for the EUFOS meeting must be transmitted to the members of the GA, at least 2 months in advance before the GA meeting. This means that candidates for any mandate must file in their candidature with the General Secretary, in writing, at least 3 months in advance. No item can be voted on at the GA meeting, unless provided for in the agenda. |
| 5.4.4. | The minutes of the annual Executive Committee meeting need to be approved by all members of the EC within 2 weeks after reception, otherwise approval is acquired. Within 2 months after approval the minutes have to be sent to all members of the GA. |
| 5.4.5. | It is the task of the Executive Committee to execute the regularly taken decisions of the General Assembly and to take measures to enhance the objectives of EUFOS. |
| 5.4.6. | It carries out the policies of EUFOS during the interval between the General Assembly meeting and approves applications for admission of member countries to EUFOS. |
| 5.4.7. | It organises the ad hoc committees to achieve the objectives of EUFOS. |
| 5.4.8. | The General Secretary will keep minutes of the EC and GA meetings. |
| 5.4.9. | The Treasurer takes care of the financial contributions and receives donations on behalf of EUFOS. The Treasurer will produce annual audited accounts and reports for approval by the EC. The Treasurer is allowed to pay expenses that have been approved by the President. For amounts exceeding 10.000 Euro, an approval of the EC is required. |
| 5.4.10. | The business of the Executive Committee will be conducted in English. |
5.5. The European Congress of ORL
| 5.5.1. | The EUFOS congress should be held in a member country, preferably every four years (4), the site being decided by the General Assembly but carefully observing a fair rotation between the different regions of Europe. A minimum interval of twenty (20) years is necessary before a country organises again the Congress. |
| 5.5.2. | When a member country is chosen as the site of an European Congress its ORL/HNS society must be a member of EUFOS. It shall be responsible for the organization of that European congress in accordance with the rules established by the Executive Committee and approved by the General Assembly. It must prove to the EC its capability to conduct a European Congress. The organizing country consults EUFOS' Standing Committee of Training and Continuing Medical Education, which reviews the developing scientific program. Such consultation takes place at least twenty four (24) months before the Congress. Applications to hold the next Congress must be sent to the General Secretary by December of the year, preceding the actual congress. |
| 5.5.3. | The Organizing Committee of the EUFOS congress will transfer 10 % of the registration fees, and the fees collected from exhibitors as a grant to the EUFOS Treasury. A list of attendees and exhibitors will be transferred to EUFOS' Treasurer and a 50 % payment of the grant will be done within 1 month after the congress, the other 50 % within 3 months following the congress (VAT excluded). All transfers have to be done in the bank account of EUFOS. |
| 5.5.4. | EUFOS has no financial obligations to the European Congresses of ORL. The Organising Committee will bear all the responsibilities. The Organising Committee of the EUFOS congress is responsible for obtaining approval of the European CME accreditation. |
6. Standing Commitee for training and continuing medical education
| 6.1. | The SCTCME consists of representatives of different European ORL subspecialty societies, of the ORL section of the UEMS, and includes the President of the European Academies of ORLHNS, the President and another representative of EUFOS and the President of the EUFOS congress. Each member can delegate his/her function to a deputy. |
7. Amendents to the constitution
| 7.1. | Amendments may be made to the Constitution provided that they do not alter the original intent of the Constitution objectives. |
| 7.2. | They must be proposed by one (1) member-country and be sent to the President of the Executive Committee two (2) months before the General Assembly Meeting, to be reviewed so that they do not compromise the Constitution. They will then be put on the agenda and voted on by the General Assembly by a simple majority vote. |
8. Dissolution
| 8.1. | When the General Assembly is convened for the purpose of the dissolution of EUFOS, a quorum of at least two-thirds of the member-countries is required and 2/3 of the votes necessary. |
| 8.2. | If the quorum does not meet, a postal ballot of member-countries and member-societies shall be taken. |
| 8.3. | Provided EUFOS has assets, the GA will also vote on the liquidation of EUFOS. The GA will appoint a liquidator and decide on how to attribute the assets remaining after all liabilities have been covered. In case of a dissolution, the assets of EUFOS will, if possible and permissible, be transferred to a non-profit organization devoted to non-profit oriented objectives, an organization which preferably promotes research and science in any of the fields stated in "Objectives". The same will also apply if the preferential non-profit purpose of EUFOS ceases to exist. |
Brussels, 24 February, 2007