Statutes

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Part I: Name, Seat, Duration, Objectives

Article 1 - Name, Context

The name of the organisation is MILSET Europe.

The organisation is an international youth non-governmental, non-profit and politically independent organisation, created from member organisations of "MILSET" (Mouvement International pour le Loisir Scientifique et Technique) having their seat in Europe.

The concerned geographical area is Europe.

Article 2 - Seat

The seat is 17 avenue Latérale, 1180 Brussels, judicial district of Brussels, Belgium.

The seat can be moved to any other place in Belgium by simple decision of the Executive Committee published in the “Moniteur Belge“ of the corresponding month.

Article 3 - Duration

The organisation is founded for undetermined duration.

Article 4 - Objectives and activities

The objectives of the organisation, according to the Charter of MILSET as agreed in Québec on July 17th 1987, are to:

1. Support the development of scientific and technical activities destined for children and youth in Europe;
2. Support international co-operation, particularly the exchanges of young people between members of the organisation;
3. Encourage, by its activities, co-operation among young scientists on a European level and thus help in the development of a united Europe;
4. Aid members to develop further by means of international seminars, training and conferences;
5. Organise youth science fairs on a European level, during which young people meet and present their projects which reflect their creativity in the sphere of science and technology, in particular the biennial Expo-Sciences Europe (ESE);
6. Organise or support other scientific and technical events for youth, such as science fairs, international meetings, science camps and others;
7. Co-operate with MILSET which is active in the same field of activities on a global level.

The organisation can engage itself, in Belgium as well as abroad, in all activities that contribute directly or indirectly to the accomplishment of its objectives or that are related to them., including - respecting the law - additional commercial and lucrative activities whose product will always be completely affected to the realisation of the organisation‘s non-profit aim.

Part II: Members

Article 5 - Membership

The organisation is open to all non-governmental non-profit organisations with a legal status which are active in the field of science and technology, are oriented towards children and youth and share the same aims like the organisation.

The General Assembly decides by simple majority of its votes present or represented on the entry of new members.

The candidatures have to be forwarded to the President of the Executive Committee. The candidature contains an engagement with respect to the present statutes and the charter of the organisation.

The Executive Committee will study the admissibility of candidates based on their candidatures and based on written conditions in these statutes in view of the approval by the General Assembly.

Article 6 - Resignation, Exclusion

Members are free to resign from the organisation at any time. They present their resignation by registered mail addressed to the President of the Executive Committee to the seat of the organisation.

A member which has not paid the annual membership fee 12 month after having received a reminder by registered mail can be considered as resigning.

Based on the proposal of the Executive Committee, the General Assembly can exclude any member that doesn’t conform to the present statutes, or any other policy or procedure introduced by the General Assembly, or if its behaviour could bring prejudice to the organisation. The concerning member has the right to be heard by the General Assembly but will not be able to vote.

The exclusion doesn’t relieve the member of its obligation to pay the annual membership fee for the running year.

Article 7 - Specific rights and obligations of the members

The members have equal access to all information, sources, services and the entire communication which takes place within the association.

The members have the right to take part in General Assemblies, to raise their voice and express their suffrage in it.

The members have to pay an annual membership fee. The amount of this annual membership fee is established by the General Assembly.

The members can propose Executive Committee member candidatures.

Part III: Financing

Article 8 - Financing

The financial sources of the organisation are:

· Annual membership fees;
· Grants, donations and legacies; testamentary disposals;
· All other incomes. 

Part IV: General Assembly

Article 9 - Composition

The General Assembly is the highest body of the organisation.

Article 10 - Meetings

The General Assembly meets as often as necessary, if the circumstances require so or for any other reason, and at least once a year for the approval of the accounting of the previous financial year and the budget for the following year.

All General Assemblies, annual and extraordinary, take place at the seat of the organisation or at any other place indicated in the convocation. The assemblies are convoked by the President, the Executive Committee or by at least one third of its members.

Article 11 - Convocation

The General Secretariat, instructed by the Executive Committee, prepares the convocations for the General Assembly and sends it by letter or email to the members at least 20 days before the General Assembly. The convocation has to include the agenda, the date and place of the General Assembly.

Article 12 - Competences

The General Assembly determines the policy of the organisation and decides all dealings according to its objectives. The General Assembly controls the Executive Committee and watches over the revision and the approval of the acts and measures undertaken by the Executive Committee.

Competences which are part of the attribution of the General Assembly:

1. election and dismissal of Executive Committee members;
2. where required the nomination and dismissal of commissioners;
3. establishment and removal of any commissions, work groups and others;
4. fixation of the annual membership fee;
5. adoption of internal regulations;
6. approval of the annual budget and accounting; and the quittance given to the Executive Committee members and commissioners;
7. modifications of the statutes;
8. voluntary dissolution of the organisation;
9. accepting and exclusion of members.

Article 13 - Quorum and majority, Representation

The General Assembly is composed by the member organisations that have paid the annual membership fee before the General Assembly.

The quorum of the General Assembly is achieved if the simple majority of its members is present or represented.

The General Assembly takes its decisions by a simple majority of its members present or represented, except when directed differently by these same statutes or by law.

The statutes of the organisation, including its objectives, can be competently modified by decision of the General Assembly only if two third of its members are present or represented and with a two third majority of suffrages.

If less than two third of the members are present or represented at the first meeting, a second meeting can be convoked, during which the resolutions intending modifications of the statutes can competently be decided upon and adopted independently of the number of members present or represented.

The decisions of the General Assembly are communicated to all members by circular, email or fax.

Every member can be represented during the General Assembly by a person carrying a proxy. The Executive Committee can determine its form. 

Part V: Executive Committee - Control

Article 14 - Composition

The Executive Committee constitutes a college and is responsible for the everyday management of the organisation.

The Executive Committee comprises at least seven members elected by the General Assembly for the period of two years, out of which the majority is less than 30 years old. Its members can be re-elected. They bear title of administrators.

Article 15 - Attributions

The Executive Committee holds the most extensive powers for the direction and the management of the organisation.

The Executive Committee is responsible for its management and reports to the General Assembly.

The Executive Committee prepares an annual budget and annual accounting report which is presented for approval to the General Assembly.

The Executive Committee also has as attribution:

1. nominate members for the Executive Committee of “Mouvement International pour le Loisir Scientifique et Technique“ (MILSET);
2. collect and diffuse information among the members, as well as within MILSET;
3. organise exchanges;
4. follow up open files;
5. publish information on the web site of the organisation;
6. prepare the General Assemblies;
7. provide bilingual translations (English/French) of distributed documents as well as of the information during meetings;
8. research possible new members;
9. encourage the creation of scientific activities for young people;
10. keep in touch with the European Commission and different governments;
11. establish contacts with financial partners.

Article 16 - Presidency, Secretariat

The Executive Committee elects within itself a President, a Vice-President, a General Secretary and a Treasurer.

Article 17 - Meetings, Deliberations

The Executive Committee meets at least twice a year on the initiative of the President or if the majority of its members request so.

The quorum of the Executive Committee is achieved if the simple majority of its members is present. The Executive Committee takes its decisions by a simple majority of its members present.

Article 18 - General Secretariat

The task of the General Secretariat is to apply decisions taken by the Executive Committee and to take all the necessary administrative steps to perform the assigned task. Its task is also to technically prepare the General Assemblies and Executive Committee meetings.

The General Secretariat is managed by the General Secretary.

Article 19 - Control

When necessary and in all cases where the law requires, the organisation gives the control of the financial situation of the organisation, the annual accounting report and the regularity of the operations undertaken on these accounts to one ore more commissioners chosen by members of the “Institut des Réviseurs d’Entreprise“ and named for a period of three years by the Executive Committee.

The payment of the commissioner(s) is set by the Executive Committee at their nomination.

The leaving commissioners can be re-elected.

Article 20 - Representation

The organisation is represented in justice and beyond by the President acting individually or by two administrators acting conjointly. In the range of their mandate, special delegates can also represent the organisation.

Part VI: Financial year, Dissolution

Article 21 - Financial year and accounts

The financial year begins the first January and ends the thirty-first December of each year.

Article 22 - Dissolution, Liquidation

In case of dissolution of the organisation, the General Assembly will appoint one ore more liquidator(s), determine their attribution and indicate the way in which the net assets are to be distributed.

This destination has to concern a disinterested aim in link with the objectives of the organisation.

Part VII: General Dispositions

Article 23 - Common right

Everything that is not foreseen in these statutes is being regulated by legal dispositions.