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Statutes
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Par. 1
Under the name of International Electronic Press Assiation exists a world-wide, politically independent union with a membershipt of natural and legal persons, working in the field of publications about electronics and its affiliated fields.
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Purpose |
Par. 2
Purpose of the IEPA is to support its members in the performance of their professional duties, to promote and facilitate personal and professional contacts and networking amongst its members and the flow of information relating to the state of art and the developments of electronics and its affiliated fields. |
Seat
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Par. 3
The legal seat of the IEPA is Habsburg, Switzerland
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Active Members
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Par. 4
The status of an active member is restricted to authors and editors of print and electronic media covering the field of electronics.
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Institutional Members
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Par. 5
Legal entities or legal persons, such as publishing companies, companies and institutions in the field of electronics and organizers of such events can attain the status of an institutional member. These can be represented by a person in name, preferable the press spokesperson of that entity as a member. Institutional membership can also be granted to individual persons interested in working with and promoting the goals of IEPA.
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Senior Members
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Par. 6
Active members and representatives of institutional members, having held a minimum membership of 5 years and entering retirement may apply to the executive board for senior membership at half of the annual dues.
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Honorary Members
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Par. 7
Persons of special merits in persuing the goals of IEPA may be suggested by the executive board to the general assembly to be voted for the status of an honorary member.
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Initation
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Par. 8.1
Candidates for membership are requested to complete a personal application form, to be handed to the secretary general.
Par. 8.2
Candidates for an active membership are also requested to either name two guarantors from the IEPA membership or to submit portfolio copies of at least four stories bearing their by-line and published during the last six months.
Par. 8.3
The names of the candidates will be published in the IEPA Bulletin if not objected by the board of executives.
Par. 8.4
The initiation into membership will become effective one month after publication of the candidature in the IEPA bulletin, if no objection against the admission have been filed with the secretary general and the candidate has met his financial obligations.
Par. 8.5
A candidate against whom an objection was raised may appeal to the next general assembly.
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Press Card
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Par. 8.6
Members are issued a press card, designating them as a member of IEPA. This card remains the property of the union. It must be returned to the secretary general on leaving the IEPA.
Par. 8.7
When accepted to IEPA, the member will acknowledge and recognize its statutes and stand up for the goals and targets of IEPA:
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Termination of Membership
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Par. 9.1
A membership ends…
- if the member abandons the activities which were prerogative for his acceptance. The member is obliged to announce this to the secretary general within three months without specific demand.
- By death
- By voluntary resignation at the end of a calendar year. The member is requested to give notice of this intention by October 1 of this year at latest.
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Exclusion
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Par. 9.2
Exclusion
- A member can be expelled on proposal of the executive board in case of gross violation against the interests of the union. Before such resolution, the member must be granted a minimum deadline of four weeks for a written reasoning of opinion. The written statement of the member concerned must be made known to the general assembly with the invitation and an agenda, but at least 14 days before the date of the assembly. This service by notice is considered done with publication in the bulletin. The service can also be performed by e-mail.
- In case of arrears of membership dues of more than 12 months the executive board together with the auditors can conclude the expel of a member. A back payment of arrears my result in a suspension of the expel order, if the committee in charge votes in favor of it.
- The decision has to be supplemented with reasons and to be communicated to the member by registered mail.
- The member may also appeal against the expel to the general assembly. The appeal must be made in writing to the executive board at least one month after reception of the expel order. If the appeal has been made within deadline, the next general assembly will put it to vote. The appeal has a suspensive effect.
Par. 9.3
Expelled members cannot lay claim to the wealth of IEPA.
Par 9.4
Active members which decide to temporarily interrupt their journalistic activities may apply for a suspension of their membership for a minimum of one full year and for a maximum of 10 years. The application must be handed to the executive board by October 1 at least. During the period of suspension, the member will pay no dues, receive no press card and no mailings from IEPA. They have no right of voting, to assume an office or submit proposals for offices. The return to active status require a proof of proficiency or references according Par. 8.2, but no initiation fees.
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Voting and Election Rights
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Par. 10.1
All members are authorized to submit suggestions, especially for the election of executives to the board.
Par. 10.2
All honorary, active and senior members are eligible for voting and being voted for office.
Par. 10.3
Only active members can be voted into the board of executives ( steering committee ).An institutional member can be voted into the office of secretary general.
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Dues
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Par. 11.1
Active and institutional members will pay annual dues to cover the expenses of the union.
Par. 11.2
The annual dues of institutional members are higher than those of active members
Par. 11.3
Senior members pay half of the dues of active members
Par. 11.4
Honorary members pay only half of their respective dues
Par. 11.5
The amount of annual dues will be suggested by the executive board and voted for by the general assembly.
Par. 11.6
Payments will become due 30 days after reception of the invoice, but at latest until end of February to the treasurer. After reception of dues, he will issue the press card for that year. For missed payment dates reminder fees will be charged.
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Initiation Fee
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Par. 11.7
Each new member will submit a non-recurring initiation fee to the amount of a one year active member dues.
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Bodies
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Par. 12
The bodies of IEPA consist of:
- general assembly
- the board of executives ( steering committee )
- the auditors
- commissaries or committees posted by the board
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Ordinary General Assembly
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Par. 13.1
A ordinary general assembly shall be convened every two years. The invitation shall be in writing. It must be mailed at least four weeks before the date of assembly and must contain location, time and an agenda of the topics to covered.
Par. 13.2
The businesses of the general assembly are:
- approval of the president´s report
- approval of the annual financial records and the reports of the auditors
- exoneration of the executive board and the treasurer
- approval of cost estimates and assessments of contributions
- passing of resolutions regarding changes of statutes
Par. 13.3
The ordinary general assembly shall be prepared by the executive board
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Applications
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Par. 13.4
Applications by members may be submitted in writing to the president at any time at and must be dealt with at the general assembly, provided it was handed in no later than three weeks before.
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Extraordinary General Assembly
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Par. 14.1
The executive board can summon an extraordinary general assembly at any time
Par. 14.2
If two members of the executive board or one fifth of the membership eligible for voting require one, it must be convened within the next three months. The invitation including location, time and business to be conducted must be submitted to the membership at least three weeks in advance and in writing.
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Proxies
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Par. 15
Members may authorize other members to act as their stand-in at the general assembly. The authorization must be confirmed in writing and handed to the president before the assembly. One single member may not act as a stand-in for more than two members.
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Voting
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Par. 16.1
Votes are decided in favor by simple majority. In case of equality of votes, the run-off ballot is decided by the president.
Par. 16.2
If at least one quarter of the members present require so, a voting must be done by secret ballot.
Par. 16.3
Votings may also be performed in writing or by electronic media, provided that mandatory deadlines are met.
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Executive Board ( Steering Committee )
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Par. 17.1
The board of executives is composed of the president, the first and second vice president, the secretary general and the treasurer. The board must be composed of international members. The office of secretary general and treasurer can be carried out by personal union.
Par. 17.2
The board of executives is the implementing body of IEPA and represents it to the public. It is convened by the president under announcement of the business to be conducted. A meeting can also be asked for by two board members.
Par. 17.3
The president and one member of the board, or one vice president and the secretary general, or one vice president and the treasurer jointly sign legally for IEPA.
Par. 17.4
The activities within the board of executives is fundamentally pro bono. Its members will be compensated for out-of-pocket expenses.
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The President
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Par. 18
The president represents and leads the IEPA. He convenes the general assembly and the meetings of the board and presides over them. In case of hindrance he will be substituted by one vice president or the secretary general.
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Vice Presidents
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Par. 19
The vice presidents represent the president in case of his hindrance. They execute business according to the resolutions of the board.
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Secretary General
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Par. 20
The secretary general acts as the administrative central office of IEPA. He cooperates closely with the president and the treasurer.
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Treasurer
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Par. 21
The treasurer collects the annual membership dues and administrates the finances. He keeps the membership roster and publishes it periodically. He presents the annual financial report and the budget estimate for the ensuing year to the general assembly.
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Auditor
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Par. 22
The Auditors perform the duty to submit the result of their annual audits report to the general assembly.
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Bulletin
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Par. 23
IEPA publishes the IEPA-Bulletin as an information medium to the membership. It is published ordinarily 4 times per calender year. It will be created by a person in charge named by the president. The person in charge may be a member of the board. The bulletin reports ongoings and affairs within the organization, resolutions of the board, reports particulars of candidates and new members and is open to contributions from the members about matters of mututal concern.
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Election
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Par. 24.1
The president will be elected every two years by secret letter ballot. Reelections are possible.
Par. 24.2
A term of office lasts for two years. The executive board stays in office until a new board is elected.
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Letter Ballot
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Par. 24.3
The sequence schedule of the election is:
- In October of the year before expiration of offices the secretary general will ask the members
- for nomination of candidates for the different posts.
- In the beginning of the election year the secretary general will ask the nominated candidates about their willingness to accept the office. These must submit their answer by mid of March at latest. No answer will be recorded as lack of interest. If a member is nominated for several offices, he will be asked for which one to decide.
- In May of the election year the secretary general will submit to honorary, senior, active and life members an election list with those candidates willing to accept office. In the interest of internationality of office holders, the executive board may also submit election proposals. The members will make their choice by marking their namees on the election list and then mail it anonymously by a designated envelope to the evaluating office. If more than one person for a certain office is
marked on the election list, the vote will be recorded as unvalid.
- a person in a position of trust is designated by the executive board as vote evaluator. The evaluator will report the results of vote counting in writing to the ordinary general assembly. The person of trust will keep the records for a period of one month after the general assembly.
- At the election, a simple majority will decide. In case of equality, a ballot during the general assembly will decide. The ranking order of the vice presidents will be decided by the number of votes, in case of equality by ballot.
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Liability
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Par. 25
Liability for accounts payable is restricted to the wealth of the association
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Changes of Statutes
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Par. 26
A change of statutes requires a majority of two thirds of the members present at the general assembly.
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Notices
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Par. 27
Notices to members may be sent by circular letters and mail or by publishing in the Bulletin.
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Languages
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Par. 28.1
The official business languages are German and English. French may be used as well.
Par. 28.2
The business language at the general assembly will be decided on the spot.
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Termination
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Par. 29
The termination of IEPA can be requested by one quarter of all honorary, senior and active members. The executive board is then obliged to convene an extraordinary general assembly if no ordinary general assembly is scheduled within the next six months. The termination of IEPA must be voted for by a two-third majority of members present at the general assembly. In case of a termination, a decision about the wealth of the association must also be reached.
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Legal Inception
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Par. 30
These statutes became legally effective with their acceptance at the meeting of its founding members on March 1, 2012 at Habsburg, Switzerland
Habsburg, March 1 2012
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Special Agreement
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Special agreement about simplified membership transfer procedures
Members of the now inactive and defunct UIPRE have a scope of discretion to transfer their membership to the IEPA by the end of 2012. A simplified notice to the executive board will suffice. Membership dues already paid to UIPRE will be credited. However, the founding members of IEPA will decide about the acceptance in any individual case.
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