Attention: The "International Society of Dermatology in the Tropics e.V." is a legal entity under German law; these bylaws in the English language are a legally non-binding translation of the German bylaws and should be used for information only.
§ 1 Name, Legal Status and Location of the Association
The Association bears the name "International Society of Dermatology in the Tropics e.V." and is based in Tubingen, Germany. It is a legal entity registered in the local register of associations at the District Court of Stuttgart (VR 381201).
§ 2 Purpose and Aims
(1) The Association is an international association of physicians, scientists, and medical nursing and assistance staff. The association is associated with the Working Group on Dermatological Infections and Tropical Dermatology (ADI-TD) of the German Dermatological Society (DDG).
(2) The purpose of the Association is in particular the promotion of all measures to ensure sufficient and qualified dermatological care for people living in tropical and subtropical countries by
a) bringing together science and practice, and cooperating with all individuals and entities that are dealing - at home and abroad - with the specifics of dermatology in the tropics,
b) promotion of cooperation with disciplines and institutions relevant for dermatology,
c) promoting the evaluation of dermatological knowledge with the aim of informing all physicians interested in dermatology, scientists and nurses,
d) participation in education, basic training and continued training of physicians, scientists and nurses in the field of dermatology in tropical countries.
The following specific measures serve to realise the purpose of the Association:
Organization and support of scientific events in the field of dermatology at home and abroad, as well as the granting of of travel scholarships, if the travel serves the advanced training in the field of the dermatology in the tropics, following application to the Board and approval by the Board.
§ 3 Charitable status
The Association pursues exclusively and directly charitable purposes referred to in § 2 within the meaning of charitable purposes of the German tax code. The Association is active without self-interest and does not pursue own economic purposes. The funds of the Association may only be used for statutory purposes. The members receive no benefits from the Association. No person shall benefit from expenditures that are alien to the purpose of the Association or be favored by inapproriately high remuneration.
On termination of their membership, members are not entitled to payment of the value of a share of the Association's assets.
§ 4 Financial year
Financial year of the Association is the calendar year. The first financial year ends on 31.12.1996.
§ 5 Membership
(1) Any natural person or any legal person under private and public law may be a member of the Association.
(2) The Association consists of ordinary members, supporting members and honorary members.
(3) The Board decides on written applications for membership. Membership is acquired by handing out a certificate of membership.
(4) Supporting members are legal or natural persons supporting the purpose of the Association by a special membership fee. The amount of each membership fee is determined by the Board in agreement with the supporting member.
(5) Honorary members are members or persons who to the have provided outstanding services for the Association. Honorary membership includes all rights and obligations of full membership but is exempt from the obligation to pay contributions. Honorary members are elected at the proposal of at least five full members by the General Assembly. The election requires a two-thirds majority.
(6) The membership ends
a) With the death of the member, for legal entities with the termination of their status as a legal entity,
b) written resignation, addressed to a board member, but this is only possible at the end of the quarter of a year,
c) non-payment of dues,
d) exclusion from the Association.
(7) A member who has acted against the Association's interests to a great extent may by decision of the Board be excluded from the Association. Before exclusion, the concerned member will be heard in person or in writing. The decision on the exclusion must be justified in writing to the member by delivered registered letter. It may be appealed within a period of one month from receipt of the writing to the Board. The General Assembly decides on the appeal. If the member does not exercise his right of appeal within the time of one month he submits to the decision of loss of membership.
§ 6 Organs
The organs of the association are:
(1) The Board
(2) the General Assembly
§ 7 Board
(1) The board consists of the First Chairperson, the Second Chairperson, the Secretary and the Treasurer, and up to three additional members. The First Chairperson, the Second Chairperson, and the Secretary are authorized to represent the Association alone. Internally, however, the Association will be represented by the First Chairperson, while the Second Chairperson or the Secretary will intervene only when the First Chairperson chairman has asked for while being unable to fulfil his task of representation.
(2) The Board is elected by the General Assembly for a period of 2 years. It will remain in office until a new election takes place. The 1st and 2nd Chairperson may be re-elected in a row a maximum of two times. If a member of the Board resigns during of the term of office, the Board will elect a substitute for the remainder of the term of office of the resigning Board member.
(3) The Board conducts the business of the association. It prepares the meetings of the bodies, it decides on all matters of the Association, unless they fall within the competence of the General Assembly.
The Board decides in particular on:
- the acceptance of ordinary members,
- the acceptance and the fee of supporting members,
- the exclusion of members and
- the formation and resolution of ad hoc committees.
(4) The Board proposes to the General Assembly the amount and the structure of the membership fee.
§ 8 General Assembly
(1) The General Assembly is to be called every second year by the Board by personal invitation through simple postal letter or email to the last known address of the members.
(2) The invitation to the General Assembly shall be accompanied by the agenda set by the Executive Board.
(3) The General Assembly has in particular the following tasks:
a) Approval of the budget for the period until the next General Assembly,
b) Acceptance of the report of the Board and its discharge
c) Election of the Board
d) Determination of the membership fee
e) Decision on the appeal of a member against his or her exclusion by the Board.
(4) Amendments to the Articles of Association require a majority of three quarters
of the present members of the Association, a change of the purpose of the Association requires the majority of three quarters of all members of the Association.
(5) The Board has to call the General Assembly immediately to be convened if the interests of the association so require, or if at least 10% of the members require a meeting in writing which has to contain the purpose and the reasons for the request.
(6) In the Minutes of the General Assembly the decisions shall be written down; the Minutes are to be signed by the chairman of the General Assembly.
§ 9 Membership fees
Membership fees are annual fees and they are due in January of the fiscal year. The General Assembly decides on the amount of the membership fees on proposal of the Board. The General Assembly may authorize the Board to completely or partially waive membership fees for persons in training.
§ 10 Dissolution of the Association and disposal of assets
(1) The General Assembly decides on the dissolution of the Association.
(2) In case of dissolution or suspension of the Association or loss of its previous purpose the Association's assets falls to a charitable institution that has to use it directly and exclusively for charitable purposes, in particular in accordance with the statutory purposes..
(3) Decisions of the General Assembly on the purpose of the of the Association's assets after the dissolution of the Association require the Approval of the tax office.