Constitution



General


Article 1 - Definition

  1. The association has the name “Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians of Europe”. This is abbreviated to RAVE.

  2. The association is a non-profit organisation with international membership.

  3. The association is located at Guide Gezellestraat 60, 2630 Aartselaar, Belgium. It can be transferred to any other Belgian location upon decision by the Board. This decision will be published in the Belgian state journal ("Belgisch Staatsblad").

  4. The association is founded for an undefined period.

  5. The business year coincides with the calendar year.



Purpose


Article 2 - Aims

  1. RAVE aims to promote the following international non-profit purpose: the advancement of veterinary knowledge in reptile and amphibian medicine, surgery and conservation.


Article 3 - Objectives

RAVE:

  1. provides a European body for international collaboration, coordination and information exchange relating to reptile and amphibian medicine, surgery and conservation.

  2. encourages a good basic training in reptile and amphibian medicine at the European veterinary schools.

  3. promotes and supports the further training of its members.

  4. fosters research into reptile and amphibian medicine, surgery and conservation.

  5. encourages the welfare of reptiles and amphibians held in captivity.

  6. contributes to the solidarity amongst its members.

  7. supports the concerns and professional interests of its members.

  8. is committed to the protection of animals and the conservation of species.



Article 4 - Activities

To achieve its objectives, RAVE:

  1. organises and promotes scientific meetings, training seminars, excursions and similar events independently or in cooperation with other bodies.

  2. publishes reports on its scientific meetings.

  3. issues a newsletter and maintains a website.

  4. issues a membership directory

  5. encourages student participation for scientific contributions.

  6. establishes close relationships with governmental agencies and intergovernmental bodies concerned with regulatory matters related to reptiles and amphibians.



Membership


Article 5 - Members

  1. Membership is open to any person or organisation interested in or involved in veterinary aspects of captive and free living reptiles and amphibians, and who wishes to promote the purpose of the association.

  2. There are the following categories of members:

  1. Full members: individual veterinarians.

  2. Associate members: non-veterinarians with scientific background in reptile and amphibian medicine, surgery or conservation.

  3. Student members: students of veterinary medicine.

  4. Collective members: scientific or diagnostic institutes, zoological gardens, aquaria and similar institutions, as well as veterinary associations.

  5. Supporting members: individuals or institutions interested in promoting the association and its objectives by financial contributions.

  6. Free members: full members 65 years or older are nominated for free membership by the Board. These nominations take effect at the beginning of the following business year.

  7. Honorary members: honorary membership may be conferred to persons for outstanding services to the association or its objectives. Nominations for these are proposed by the Board for ratification at the next General Assembly and shall not take effect until so ratified.


Article 6 - Acceptance of Members

  1. Applications for membership must be submitted to the Board. Each application needs to be supported by two full members.

  2. The Board informs the members through the newsletter of the applications received.

  3. The application for membership will be considered successful if no objections are received within three months following the publication of the application. Results will be published in the newsletter.

  4. In cases where the application is not accepted by the Board or where an objection has been received from a member, the candidate may address the General Assembly which will make a final decision.



Article 7 - Termination of Membership

    1. The membership comes to an end by the death, the withdrawal or the exclusion of the member.

    2. The termination of the membership through withdrawal becomes effective at the end of the business year. The withdrawal must be notified to the President in writing not later than the 30th of September of that year.

    3. The Board may, after having given a warning, temporarily suspend the rights and obligations of a member, or exclude a member who:

a. has not accomplished his/her financial obligations towards the association.

b. has acted against the aims and principles of the association.

c. has brought the association into disrepute.

    1. A member affected by a suspension or exclusion may appeal against the decision of the Board within 30 days and present the case to the General Assembly which shall make a final decision.

    2. Anyone withdrawing or being excluded from the membership waives all rights connected to the membership, but is not relieved of the liabilities of the association.


Article 8 - Rights

1) Each member has the following rights:

a. to participate in scientific meetings and other further training events organised by the association. Fees may apply.

  1. to have full access to the website.

  2. to receive the newsletter of the association.

2) All members are entitled to participate at the General Assembly. Only full, free and honorary members are entitled to vote.


Article 9 - Obligations

  1. With membership of the association, each member recognises this constitution and its bylaws and undertakes to follow it.

  2. The members are obliged to pay their annual membership fees as decided by the General Assembly by the 30th of April of the current business year.

  3. Only the association’s property is liable for the association’s obligations. The liability of individual members for such obligations is explicitly excluded.



Finances


Article 10 - Funding

RAVE is funded by:

  1. annual subscriptions.

  2. fees for the attendance of events organised by the association.

  3. proceeds from the sale of publications and other merchandise.

  4. donations.

  5. governmental allowances.

  6. interests of outplaced money


Article 11 - Annual Subscriptions

Annual subscription fees are fixed by the General Assembly.


Article 12 - Exemption from the Annual Subscription

  1. Free members and honorary members are exempt from the annual subscriptions.

  2. In individual cases of financial shortage a reduction of the membership fee may be granted by the Board.



Structure of the Association


Art. 13 - Governing Bodies

1) The association is composed of:

  1. the General Assembly

  2. the Board

  3. the Advisory Board


Article 14 - The General Assembly

1) The General Assembly consists of all RAVE members.

2) The General Assembly is the supreme body of the association. It is entitled to:

  1. approve the annual report, the financial report and the budget.

  2. discharge the Board.

  3. determine the annual subscription fee.

  4. elect the Board members.

  5. designate auditors.

  6. ratify nominations for membership.

  7. rule on objections from rejected candidates and excluded or suspended members.

  8. decide on the alteration of the constitution and the disintegration of the association.

  9. decide on time and venue of the next meeting of the General Assembly.

  10. ratify honorary memberships as proposed by the Board.

  11. ratify members of the Advisory Board as proposed by the Board.

3) The General Assembly holds:

  1. regular yearly meetings.

  2. extraordinary meetings according to decision by the Board or upon request of 20% of those members who are entitled to vote.

All meetings are directed by the president. The call for a meeting of the General Assembly is made by the President and the Secretary and is sent to the members by letter, fax, email or any other means of communication. This call is made at least eight days before the meeting and contains the agenda.

4) Unless otherwise stated by this constitution, decisions of the General Assembly are taken by the simple majority of the members present and voting. Decisions of the General Assembly are only legal if at least 10% of the voting members are present or represented.

5) The decisions of the General Assembly are noted in a register, signed by the President and the Secretary and kept by the Secretary who will keep this register at the disposition of the members at the association's seat.



Article 15 - The Board

  1. The Board decides on all matters of the association, unless otherwise stated in the constitution. The Board’s responsibilities are to:

  1. convene the General Assembly and to decide on its preliminary agenda.

  2. present the annual report, the financial report, and the budget to the General Assembly and to the auditors.

  3. execute the decisions of the General Assembly.

  4. issue rules of procedure for the General Assembly and the Board.

  5. fulfill obligations on behalf of the association e.g. in the context of the organisation of a scientific meeting or of the publication of proceedings.

  6. accept, suspend and exclude members.

  7. nominate honorary members.

  8. propose members of the Advisory Board.

  1. The Board consists of the following officers:

  1. President – two years, after which he/she will become Senior President.

  2. Vice President – two years, after which he/she will become President.

  3. Senior President – two years.

  4. Secretary – two years, with the unlimited possibility of re-election.

  5. Communications Officer – two years, with the unlimited possibility of re-election.

  6. Treasurer – two years, with the unlimited possibility of re-election.

  7. Vice-treasurer – two years, with the unlimited possibility of re-election.

  8. Organiser of the upcoming Symposium.

  1. The duties of each officer are specified in the By-laws. The By-laws are written by the Board.

  2. It is intended that the Board reflects the international and interdisciplinary character of the association.

  3. Members of the Board are elected by the General Assembly.

  4. The mandate of the Board members ends in case of death, resignation, civil inability, dismissal or at the end of the mandate's term.

  5. Members of the Board can be discharged by the General Assembly which decides on these matters by a two third majority of the members present or represented.

  6. In case of a vacancy during a mandate, the Board appoints a temporary replacement in order to finish his/her predecessor's mandate.

  7. The Board meets at least once yearly. The call for this meeting is sent by letter, fax, email or any other means of communication. The board's conference is valid if at least 5/8 of the Board members are present or represented. A Board member can be represented by another Board member, who is only allowed to carry a single representing vote.

  8. Decisions of the Board are taken by simple majority of votes of the Board members present or represented.

  9. Travel expenses of Board members will be fully reimbursed.


Article 16 - The Advisory Board

  1. The Advisory Board consists of experts proposed by the Board and ratified by the General Assembly for a limited period of time.

  2. The Advisory Board:

  1. reviews scientific papers and presentations.

  2. reviews applications for financial support to research projects and makes recommendations about the granting of contributions to such projects.

  3. makes recommendations on nominations for honorary membership.

  4. performs other functions which may be entrusted to it by the Board.



Article 17 - Representation of the association towards third parties and in legal matters

  1. All written documents have to be signed by two members of the Board, appointed by the General Assembly, who don't have to prove their authority towards third parties.

  2. The Board acts as claimer or defense in legal matters and is represented by two members of the Board or by an officer appointed by the Board.

  3. The deeds concerning the appointment, the discharge and the end of a mandate of persons entitled to represent the association have to be published in the Belgian state journal.



Alterations to the Constitution and Disintegration of the Association


Article 18

  1. Every proposal for an alteration of the constitution or the disintegration of the association will arise from the Board or from at least 5% of the voting members.

  2. Decisions on alterations to the constitution or a motion to disintegrate the association are reviewed by the Board. These are communicated to the members, together with the Board’s comments, at least three months prior to the meeting of the General Assembly.

  3. Decisions on alterations of the constitution or of the disintegration of the association are taken by the General Assembly by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting. At least 2/3 of the voting members must be present or represented.

  4. Votes by proxy from those members unable to attend will be allowed. Such proxy votes must be in the hands of the Secretary no later than two hours prior to the meeting.

  5. If this requirement of a 2/3 presence of the General Assembly is not met, a second meeting will be called, later than 14 days following the first meeting. During this meeting, binding decisions can be taken by 4/5 majority, regardless of the number of members present or represented.

  6. If the association is to be disintegrated, the General Assembly decides on the utilisation of the association’s property. The possible netto-active after acquittal belongs to a non profit legal person with an aim comparable to that of RAVE or, if the latter is lacking, the money will be spent on a non profit aim promoting the conservation of reptiles and amphibians.




Aartselaar, July 17th, 2005.


On behalf of the Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians of Europe:


The Founders:



Albert Soriano

Angel Pausides

Spain

Biron

Kornelis

Germany

Brotóns Campillo

Nicasio Jesús

Spain

Decock

Henk Noël Maurice

Belgium

Dörnath Aguirre Alvarez

Alexandra

Germany

Kik

Marja

The Netherlands

Knotek

Zdenek

Czech Republic

Martel

An

Belgium

Pasmans

Frank Rosanne Jozef

Belgium

Racka

Karol

Slovakia

Sachsse

Walter

Germany

Schilliger

Lionel

France

Selleri

Paolo

Italy

Zwart

Peernel

The Netherlands