Global Ecovillage Network of Europe e.V. Statutes of the Association
Art. 1 Name and Headquarters
1. The Association leads the name: „Global Ecovillage Network of Europe e.V.“ – abbreviated GEN-Europe.
2. The headquarters of the Association is in Bad Belzig, [Germany].
3. The Association is entered in the register of associations [in Potsdam,
Germany]. (VR 8572 P)
Art. 2 Aims and Goals
- The goal of the Association is the promotion of education, culture, youth work, understanding between nations and environmental protection.
- The purpose of the Statutes will be especially implemented by means of coordination of activities of national networks of ecovillages around the world (with a special focus on Europe). The Association operates as central coordinating headquarters for information exchange and other international initiatives of many kinds – including conferences, meetings, educational programmes, fundraising and allocation of funds, formulation of principles and guidelines for ecovillages.
- An ecovillage is a settlement-community of at least 10 community members of which 7 should be permanent non-family related adults who share the common goal of integrating human activities, sustainability, the use of environmentally friendly materials and supporting the holistic development of humankind.
Art. 3 Charitable status
- The Association pursues direct charitable goals only according to the article „goals for tax concessions“ of the German tax law. The Association is run as a non-profit organization, and does not primarily pursue economic aims. Funds of the Association are only to be used for the goals described in the Statutes. Members may not receive any financial contributions from the funds of the Association. No person shall benefit from expenses that are not related to the goals of the Association or from disproportionate high compensations.
Art. 4 Business year
- The business year is the calendar year. The first business year ends on December 31st 2003.
Art. 5 Members
- Ecovillage initiatives and ecovillages as well as ecovillage networks in formation willing to implement the goals of the organisation wishing to
work toward full membership may join as aspiring members by council decision or decision of the managing director. - Ecovillage networks and individual Ecovillages recognized and accepted by the Council of the Association, who are willing to
implement the goals of the Association may become full members upon decision by the General Assembly on proposal by the council. - Any individual or ecoproject willing to implement the goals of the Association can join as an individual member or ecoproject member respectively by decision of the membership manager.
- Membership lasts for a minimum of one business year.
- Full and aspiring members shall pay the annual membership fee, decided by the General Assembly on proposal by the council.
- Any full member may propose a resolution to the General Assembly. Motions must be submitted to the Council no less than 30 days before
the General Assembly is to convene. In the case of changes in the Statutes of the Association, the motion must be submitted to the Council no less than 60 days before the General Assembly. - Individual & ecoproject members shall pay their annual membership fee, decided by the council.
Art.6 Termination of membership
- The membership ends:
1.1. When a member does not pay the annual fee despite two
subsequent reminders;
1.2. When a member submits a written resignation to the Council of the
Association;
1.3. If a full or aspiring member violates the Statutes of the Association and is
expelled by the General Assembly;
1.4. Through death of a natural person or the resolution of a legal entity;
1.5. When the Association decides to dissolve itself, according to Article 10 of
these Statutes.
1.6. Individual membership can be canceled by decision of the membership
manager
1.7. Ecoproject membership can be canceled by decision of the Council of the
Association
Art. 7 Organs of the Association
- The Organs of the Association are the General Assembly of members and the Council
Art. 8 General Assembly
- The General Assembly is the supreme organ of the Association. The
General Assembly has all powers, that are necessary for achieving
the Association‘s aims and goals. - Decisions of the General Assembly are made with a 3/4 majority of full members participating either physically or through electronic communication media. Each full member present or connected through electronic communication media has one vote.
- The ordinary assembly of members
3.1. Shall gather once a year.
3.2. Shall be announced in writing by letter or email at least 21 days in
advance of the Assembly. The invitation shall specify the date,
time and location of the Assembly and the proposed agenda.
3.3. Elect a meeting chair and secretary and a vote counter
3.4. The initial convened General Assembly has a quorum when 40% of all full
members are participating either physically or through electronic
communication media. A second convened General Assembly has a
quorum independent of the number of full members participating.
3.5. Shall approve the annual report and annual accounts of the
past year after having heard the Auditor’s report.
3.6. Shall discharge the Council’s of its responsibilities for the
last year
3.7. Shall decide about changes of the membership dues
3.8. Shall decide how to handle the annual surplus or deficit
3.9. Shall decide about the annual fee for the next financial year
3.10. Shall approve the budget of the current year and next financial
year, after having heard the proposal of last year’s council
3.11. Shall decide on the number of Council Members and then elect
approximately 1/3 of the Council from full members with
appropriate experience and knowledge of the Association and
its activities for the period of 3 years.
3.12. May dismiss Council members with a 2/3 majority of full
members.
3.13. May decide upon any topic on the agenda.
3.14. May spontaneously decide on other minor issues not on the
agenda that do not significantly impact negatively on the
normal operations of the organisation.
3.15. Shall elect one or two Auditors, with appropriate experience
and knowledge of financial management and legal
administration, from members for the period of one year.
3.16. Shall decide upon any motion submitted timely by a full member
as well as upon proposals that are the outcome of discussions
during the Assembly.
3.17. May expel a member with a 2/3 majority of full members, after
giving the member the opportunity to defend him/herself.
3.18 May approve full members proposed by the Council of the
Association
3.19. May decide about changes of the Statutes - The Extraordinary General Assembly:
4.1. shall be convened in writing (also by email) at least 30 days in
advance of the meeting date. The extraordinary General Assembly may
be convened upon request of the council or of 10% of the full members.
4.2. The extraordinary General Assembly has a quorum when
40% of full members are participating either physically or
through electronic communication media.
4.3. decides upon a change of the Statutes and standing orders
with a 3/4 majority of full members participating either
physically or through electronic communication media. - All full, aspiring and ecoproject members have to be informed about the
resolutions. Resolutions of the General Assembly are recorded in the
minutes and are signed by the chairperson of that meeting. The
minutes are made available to the full, aspiring and ecoproject
members on the website.
Art. 8.a Electronic Communication Media
- Definition: Electronic communication media is defined as any
Information Technology that allows for a real-time, bi-directional
visual and audio connection. - Process of Application: Any member who wants to participate in the
General Assembly through an electronic communication media, must ask
the council in writing by letter, fax or email for permission at least 2 weeks
before the General Assembly and state his/her reason(s) for wanting to do
so. The council is not obliged to permit participation by electronic
communication media and will consider each application on its own merit
and as an exception to the regular rule of being physically present at the
General Assembly. - Operational availability: If the council approves a member ́s request to
participate by means of electronic communication media, the Council
will take all reasonable steps necessary to ensure that such a media
connection is available at the time and location of the General
Assembly. - Risk of disconnection: If the electronic communication media is not
established or disconnects during the General Assembly, the member
is excluded from the General Assembly. In this case, the chairperson
of the General Assembly will interrupt the General Assembly to verify
the quorum. If the quorum is still met, the chairperson shall continue
the General Assembly. If the quorum is no longer met, the General
Assembly is suspended and finally postponed if the electronic
communication media cannot be restored within the agreed scheduled
time allocated to the General Assembly and through any reasonable
remedial actions.
Art. 9 Council and General Coordinator
- The Council of the Association is composed of at least 3 and not more
than 12 full members. The Council represents the Association in all
judicial and extrajudicial matters of the Association and all council
members are entitled to act individually. All work within the council is
volunteer work but Council members may be paid to do project-related
work to a maximum of 1,000 EUR/year each. - The Council members will be elected by the General Assembly for an
office term of 3 years. (An exception to this rule is that at the first
election after 2019, it is allowed to elect up to one third of the Council
members for a 1-year term and up to one third of the Council members
for a 2-year term so that in subsequent years there are new elections for
approximately a third of the Council each year and thereby facilitate
continuity of the Council’s work.) Each member stays in office until new
elections take place. Should a member cease to hold office before the
expiration of his/her term, the Council may fill the vacancy with a
substitute member elected by the General Assembly. The new Council
member shall hold office until the expiry of the term of the replaced
member. - The Council meets at least once a year and whenever the majority of
Council members consider it necessary. - The council has a quorum, when 2/3 of the council members are present
either physically or are included in the resolution process through
communication media. - Decisions are taken by consensus. In exceptional situation the
Council may decide with a majority of “consensus minus one” if
consensus cannot be achieved after repeated attempts. - The Council, acting in accordance with the general aims and goals
described in article 2 of the Statutes, has all powers of ordinary and
extraordinary administration and disposal of assets; and it supervises
organization and financial management - The Council may transfer the coordination of the current business to
one of its members or to a third person (General Coordinator). - The General Coordinator has judicial and extrajudicial power of
representing the association.
Art. 10 Dissolution of the association
- In case of the resolution or discontinuation of the „goals for tax concessions” the
assets of the association shall be assigned to a corporate body under public law or
another tax-privileged corporation for the purpose of promotion of environmental
protection.
