“The purpose of the Association is to promote regional cooperation in public interest environmental law reform and advocacy, while contributing to the protection of the environment as well as promoting the rule of law and increasing participatory democracy.”
Article 1 – Name and Status
- The name of the organization is the Environmental Law Association of Central and Eastern European and the Newly Independent States (hereinafter: the Association). The short name of the Association is “Guta” Association.
- The Association is registered in Hungary as a voluntary, non-profit organization.
- The seat of the Association is established according to the seat of the Executive Director.
- The Association is a legal personality and may create a seal and stamp, and maintain a bank account
Article 2 – The Purpose of the Association
- The purpose of the Association is to promote regional cooperation in public interest environmental law reform and advocacy, while contributing to the protection of the environment as well as promoting the rule of law and increasing participatory democracy.
- The Association is not to serve any political or economic interests, nor it is permitted (other than as an insubstantial part of its activities) to attempt to influence legislation in favor of any economic or political interests, by propaganda or otherwise.
Article 3 – Activities of the Association
- The Association will organize at a minimum one annual conference for its members. In addition to addressing current, substantive issues of public interest environmental law reform and advocacy in the region, the conference will include the annual meeting of the General Assembly of members, as described in Article 5.
- The Association also will produce a periodic newsletter for distribution to all members and other interested persons or organizations, and will facilitate communication among members through any appropriate means.
- The association may engage in fundraising activities, and other projects in furtherance of the interests of its members, including the support of members in international and national cases before courts of law.
Article 4 – Membership
- Membership is open to all individuals engaged in public interest environmental law reform and advocacy in Central and Eastern European countries and the Newly Independent States.
- Any member of the Association may nominate a candidate for membership in a written note sent to the rest of the members at least 60 days before the forthcoming General Assembly. A list of funding members of the Association will be attached as Annex A.
- Members are entitled to participate in the annual meeting of the General Assembly and conference, to elect and to be elected as the Executive Director and Board of Advisors of the Association and to cast votes as members of the General Assembly in person or in proxy, to receive the Association’s newsletter and to participate in any other activities of the Association. Voting shall be conducted on a one vote per individual basis.
- Members shall pay a 5 USD equivalent annual membership fee. Dues shall be assessed on an annual basis and members who do not pay by the second annual meeting after the delinquancy shall be eliminated from the Association membership.
- Members have the responsibility to provide the Association’s Executive Director with his/her updated contact information.
Article 5 – General Assembly
- The highest body of the Association is the General Assembly which consists of all members of the Association, convened at least once per year. The General Assembly operates by majority vote of the members present at a duly constituted meeting unless this Charter stipulates otherwise.
- Extraordinary meetings shall be called upon the request of at least one thirds of the members given in writing to the Executive Director.
- The notice of a meeting of the General Assembly shall be sent to the members at least 60 days prior to the meeting, by email or fax while the agenda shall be sent at least 30 days before it. Except the issues to be decided by a qualified majority, the General Assembly may decide to discuss such matters, too, which were not prepared this way.
- A quorum of the General Assembly consists of one half of all the Association’s members.
- Unless the General Assembly decides otherwise, voting goes with open casts.
- The General Assembly decides on
- approval of amendments of the Charter by two-thirds majority vote
- separation, unification with other associations or dissolution of the Association by two- thirds majority vote
- approval of the annual budget of the Association
- election of the Board of Advisors from the members and the Executive Director, and their removal for cause
- forming committees and electing members to constitute those committees
- acceptance of the annual fiscal and activity report of the Executive Director
- confirmation and dismissal of members or establishment of cessation of membership because of not fulfilling the responsibilities written in Article 4, Paragraph (4)
- selection of the place of the next annual conference and General Assembly meeting
- any other issue the General Assembly considers an important subject. (7) Voting by proxy
- Every person legally entitled to vote at any election, or on any question relating to the management or business of the association, may cast his or her vote by proxy; but the proxy shall be a legal voter of the association, and the authority to cast the vote shall be in writing and shall state the name of the person authorized to cast the vote and the date of the meeting at which the vote shall be cast.
- The association may adopt reasonable rules and regulations relative to the solicitation by members of proxies of other members.
Form of proxy.
Assignment of Voting Rights in [date] Election
The undersigned, being a current member of [Guta Association], appoints
_______________________________________(rep) to act as proxy
for and to vote for the undersigned only at the regular meeting
of members to be held on [date] beginning at [time]
at the meeting location of:
[place]
for the purpose of [electing board members].
(name)_________________________________________
(email)_________________________________________
(signature)______________________________________
(date)__________________________________________
Article 6 – Executive Director
- The Executive Director shall serve a two year term beginning at the conclusion of the General Assembly at which she/he is elected and ending at the time his/her successor is elected.
- The Executive Director is responsible for
- organizing the annual conference and the General Assembly meetings, including developing the agenda, arranging logistics and seeking funding
- executing the decisions of the General Assembly
- producing the Association’s newsletter
- promoting the other activities of the Association as it is written in Article 3.
- representing the Association in civil law contracts. (3) The Executive Director may hire such staff as are necessary to assist in performance her/his activities.
Article 7 – The Board of Advisors
- The seven member Board of Advisors shall serve a one year term beginning at the conclusion of the General Assembly at which they are elected and ending at the conclusion of the next General Assembly meeting. Unless the General Assembly decides otherwise, the whole Board of Advisors shall stay in their position until the new Board is elected.
- The members of the Board of Advisors shall be elected by the General Assembly giving special emphasis to regional diversity.
- The Board of Advisors shall consult, and meet as needed with the Executive Director to help in fulfilling her/his responsibility. Other members of the Association or other invited parties may attend the meeting in an observing capacity.
- The Board of Advisors also shall assist in procurement and/or production of the articles for the Association’s newsletter. Members of the Board shall be responsible for the individual chapters of the newsletter.
Article 8 – Financial Issues
- The activities of the Association shall be financed by member fee, donations and economic activities.
- The economic activities of the Association shall be in close relation with its basic activities and shall not serve clearly profit raising interests.
