Chapter I. General Disposition

Article 1 Denomination

1.1 An association denominated “European Bone and Joint Infection Society”

(hereafter the “Society” or “EBJIS”) is established and it shall be constituted in

conformity with Article 60 et sequentes of the Swiss Civil Code.

Article 2 Language

English shall be the official language of the Association.

Chapter II. Purpose and Objectives

Article 3 Non Profit-Making purpose, neutrality and independence

3.1. EBJIS is a non-profit organization and does not pursue any commercial goal.

3.2. EBJIS is politically neutral and professionally independent.

Article 4 Objectives

The Association objectives are:

a) To promote the knowledge of all infections affecting the

Musculoskeletal System (Bone and Joint Infections)

b) To promote high quality, prevention, treatment and the development

of diagnostic tools of these infections diseases

c) To enhance education in Bone and Joint Infections

d) To establish networking between physicians and healthcare and

educational institutions

Chapter III. Membership

Article 5 Members

The membership of the Society is composed of Ordinary Members, Emeritus

Members and Distinguished Members.

Article 6 Ordinary Members

6.1 Individuals active clinically or scientifically in the field of Musculoskeletal

Infections (Bone and Joint Infections), showing appropriate experience and

training in the field, may become Ordinary Members.

6.2 The Executive Committee shall confirm that the applicant meets the

requirements for membership, with appropriate experience and commitment

in the field of Musculoskeletal Infections (Bone and Joint Infections).

6.3 If approved, the applicant will be presented to the next General Assembly for

approval.

6.4 Ordinary Members have the right to vote at the General Assembly.

Article 7 Emeritus Members

7.1 Ordinary Members may become Emeritus Members only when they cease their

professional activities in Bone and Joint Infections.

7.2 Ordinary Members must apply in writing to the Executive Committee for

approval.

7.3 Emeritus Members are exempted from the annual membership fee. They may

not become Members of the Executive Committee.

7.4 Emeritus Members have the right to vote at the General Assembly.

Article 8 Distinguished Members

8.1 On the recommendation of the Executive Committee, the title Distinguished

Member may be awarded by the General Assembly.

8.2 Distinguished Members are exempted from the annual membership fee and

the Congress registration fee. They may not become Members of the Executive

Committee.

8.3 Distinguished Members have the right to vote at the General Assembly.

Article 9 Annual Membership Fees

9.1 The Executive Committee will annually recommend the membership fees,

which will be adopted after approval by the General Assembly.

9.2 Membership fees are not refundable.

9.3 Only Ordinary Members are liable to Membership fees.

Article 10 Membership Resignation

10.1 Members may spontaneously withdraw their membership by submitting a

membership cancellation request, subject to six months’ notice, in writing to

the Executive Committee. Membership can be cancelled at any time.

10.2 All Members who fail to pay their Membership fees for a period of two years,

shall be excluded from EBJIS, but can be reinstated if the outstanding fees are

paid.

Article 11 Membership Exclusion

The General Assembly, by a majority vote of two-thirds of the attending

Members, may exclude any Member who:

a) behaved against the aims and ethical principles of EBJIS; and/or

b) behaved without due care or honesty in public or professional life.

Chapter IV. Governing Bodies

Article 12 Organs

EBJIS has the following organs:

a) The General Assembly

b) The Executive Committee

c) The Internal Auditors

Article 13 General Assembly

13.1 The General Assembly is the supreme governing body of EBJIS and comprises

all Members. The General Assembly shall meet at least once every year, during

the EBJIS Annual Meeting (the “Annual Meeting”).

13.2 The invitation to the General Assembly must be sent by the President to all

Members not later than six weeks prior to the Annual Meeting, with a

description of the agenda. 

13.3 An Extraordinary Assembly meeting may be convened by the Executive

Committee, or will be convened upon written request of at least one fifth of

the Members. The invitation to such meeting has to be issued not later than six

weeks prior to the meeting.

13.4 The General Assembly is chaired by the President or, in case of an impediment,

by the Vice-President.

Article 14 Role and responsibilities of the General Assembly

a) Voting on the nomination of the Executive Committee’s Members

b) Approving new Members

c) Approving the Budget, the Annual Report and Financial Statements

d) Approving the Annual Membership fee

e) Approving changes to the Statutes

f) Approving the proposed host country for the next EBJIS Annual Meeting

g) Discharging the Executive Committee’s Members

h) Approving exclusion of Members

i) Approving dissolution of EBJIS

j) Electing the Internal Auditors upon proposal of the Executive Committee

Article 15 Votes and decision-making process at the General Assembly

15.1 Each Member is entitled to one vote.

15.2 Votes are cast by the use of a card system and/ or by electronic system. If the votes are cast by the use of a card system, exceptionally the following objects shall require a vote by secret ballot:

a) Election of the Executive Committee’s Members

b) Exclusion of Members.

The voting method shall be decided by the Executive Committee and shall be communicated to the General Assembly together with the invitation and the agenda

15.3 At the request of at least one Member, the President may decide that other issues may be voted by secret ballot.

15.4 The decisions of the General Assembly are taken by a simple majority (the proposal/candidate with the greatest number of votes cast in its favor is adopted/elected) of votes of the Members attending the General Assembly at the moment of the vote, unless provided otherwise in the Statutes. Blank ballots as well as abstentions shall be disregarded when calculating the simple majority.

In case of a tie, the President shall have a casting vote.

Article 16 Executive Committee

16.1 The Executive Committee, elected from the Ordinary Members, comprises

seven Members:

a) The President

b) The Vice-President

c) The Immediate Past President

d) The Secretary General

e) The Treasurer

f) Two other Members

16.2 The Members of the Executive Committee are elected for a period of two years

and shall be eligible for re-election twice consecutively. The Vice-President,

after two years term, ex officio, becomes the President for the following two

years and then Past-President for two years.

16.3 When Executive Committee’s Members resign during their term of office, the

Executive Committee may co-opt a new member, to serve for the remaining

period, until the next General Assembly. The vacated Executive Committee

position will then be available for election at the next Annual Meeting.

Article 17 Election Process

17.1 Vacancies on the Executive Committee may only be filled by Ordinary

Members. Any Ordinary Member can apply as a candidate for a vacant position.

17.2 Applications shall be opened through the communication to the Members

when calling the General Assembly, not later than 6 weeks before the Annual

Meeting. Applications shall be submitted no later than 1 week before the

Annual Meeting.

Article 18 Role and Responsibilities of the Executive Committee

18.1 The Executive Committee shall meet at least once per year, upon invitation of

the President or Secretary General.

18.2 The Executive Committee is chaired by the President or, in case of an

impediment, by the Vice-President.

18.3 The Executive Committee responsibilities are as follows:

a) Preparing Ordinary and Extraordinary General Assembly meetings

b) Proposing new Members for approval to the General Assembly

c) Co-opting new Executive Committee’s Members as temporary

replacements for Executive Committee’s Members who have resigned

during their term of office 

d) Proposing to the General Assembly the host country offers for the next

Annual Meeting

e) Concluding the Scientific Programme

f) Preparing and approving the Budget, the Annual Report and Financial

Statements of EBJIS

g) Submitting the Budget, the Annual Report and the Financial Statement to

the General Assembly for approval

h) Deciding on the initiation of New Committees

i) Proposing two Internal Auditors which are not Members of the Executive

Committee

j) Choosing the Professional Congress Organizer

k) Proposing Statutes changes to the General Assembly

l) Representing EBJIS externally

m) Conducting EBJIS’ ordinary business

n) Approving EBJIS’s Projects

18.4 The Executive Committee decisions are made by a simple majority of votes of

the attending Members, as well by electronic means or/ and teleconference.

18.5 The Members of the Executive Committee shall not receive any remuneration

from EBJIS. They can be reimbursed for the actual expenses incurred on behalf

of EBJIS. These expenses are reimbursed upon the presentation of the original

receipts. Only expenses incurred on business agreed in advance by the

Executive Committee can be reimbursed.

Article 19 Advisory Members to the Executive Committee

19.1 Advisory Members are co-opted by the Executive Committee for specific

projects of EBJIS. The duration of their appointment is determined in each case

by the Executive Committee.

19.2 Advisory Members may attend meetings and should be kept informed of the

activity of the Executive Committee. They do not have voting rights on

Committee decisions but may contribute to discussions and give advice on

specific projects within their expertise.

Chapter V. Finances, Auditing, Revenues and Liability

Article 20 Financial Statements

20.1 The Fiscal year coincides with the Calendar year.

20.2 The Executive Committee, through its Treasurer, will present to the General

Assembly the Financial Statements for approval. 

Article 21 Internal Auditors

21.1 The General Assembly elects two Members as Internal Auditors to audit the

EBJIS’ annual Financial Statement. Current Members of the Executive

Committee cannot be Auditors.

21.2 The Internal Auditors are appointed for a two years term and can be re-elected

twice consecuetively.

21.3 The Treasurer shall provide not later than 6 weeks prior to the EBJIS Annual

Meeting, the Financial Statements to the Internal Auditors.

21.4 The Internal Auditors shall submit their review in writing to the Executive

Committee and report to the General Assembly.

Article 22 Revenues

The Society’s revenues shall derive solely from Membership fees, donations,

Congress revenues or other educational events, publication and legacies. The

revenues shall be used solely in furtherance of the purposes the Society.

Article 23 Liability

The liability of EBJIS is limited to its own assets and Members are not personally

responsible for the debts of EBJIS.

Chapter VI. Miscellaneous

Article 24 Members projects

Members may submit to the Executive Committee, in writing, any request for

project funding, not later than 6 weeks before the planned implementation of

the project. After reviewing the project, the Executive Committee may approve

a dedicated budget for the project implementation.

Article 25 Annual Meetings

The Society shall hold at least one ordinary meeting of the General Assembly

every year at such a place as shall be decided two years in advance by the

General Assembly. 

Article 26 Amendment to the Statutes

Any amendment of the Statutes shall be proposed by the Executive Committee

and be accepted by the General Assembly by a two-third majority vote of the

Members attending the Annual Meeting. Proposed changes shall be submitted

to the Members in advance of Annual Meeting together with the invitation as

contemplated in Article 13.3.

Article 27 Dissolution of the Society

27.1 The dissolution of the Society may be declared upon a resolution passed by a

two-thirds majority vote of the Members attending the General Assembly

meeting.

27.2 In case of dissolution, the remaining assets of the Society shall be given or

transferred to a charitable Institution with a similar purpose and shall not be

returned to either its founders or the Members. Such Institutions should be

European, domiciled, registered and tax exempted in Switzerland.

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The Statutes amendments were approved by the Members attending the Virtual General Assembly Meeting on 9 September 2020. They replace all the previous Statutes and are in effect as from 9 September 2020.

EBJIS Statutes.Read the full text here.