EUROPEAN OSTOMY ASSOCIATION of I.O.A.

Constitution.

1. NAME

The name of the Association is THE EUROPEAN OSTOMY ASSOCIATION of I.O.A. (hereinafter called "The Association").

2. PURPOSE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The purpose is to provide an Association for the benefit of ostomates, run by ostomates and in full interests of all ostomates with the co-operation of outside help when required, and to represent the viewpoint of the ostomates on the European level.

The Association is a non-profit making, non-political and religiously neutral Organisation concerned only with the health and welfare of ostomates. It is pledged to co-operate with medical, nursing and associated professions.

The aims of the Association are to encourage the highest possible standards of surgery, medical attention and patient after-care and to assist Member Associations to help rehabilitate ostomates to enable them to achieve the quality of life they seek in all its aspects.

The main objectives of the Association are:

  1. to distribute Information and exchange experiences on all aspects of ostomy problems, in particular by organising meetings;

  2. to coordinate and support all efforts to develop, establish and provide basic standards in ostomy care and rehabilitation, in particular by :

    • collecting and evaluating experiences,
    • co-operating with medical and nursing associations, government health administrations and other organisations in Europe,
    • promoting co-operation among scientific professional groups which contribute to the advancement of ostomy health,
    • promoting and encouraging research in the field of ostomy health;

  3. to motivate, morally support and promote existing and help to found new national ostomy associations, in particular for:

    • arranging psychological help for all ostomates in their countries by meeting co‑ostomates and exchanging experiences,
    • working towards optimum care and rehabilitation conditions on a national basis.
3. MEMBERSHIP

1. Membership of the Association shall be open to the Ostomy Associations in Europe. Associations in countries outside, but close to Europe can be considered for membership.

CLASSES

2. There shall be the following classes of membership:

(a) Full Membership

(b) Associate Membership

(c) Patron Membership

3. Full Membership of the Association shall be open to any National Ostomy Association which signifies acceptance of the Association has been approved by a single majority vote the House of Delegates.

4. Associate Membership of the Association shall be open to individual Ostomy Groups who apply for Associate Membership and to such other Ostomy Groups or Associations who are not granted full membership of the Association. Applications for Associate Membership shall be approved by a simple majority vote of the House of Delegates.

5. Patron Membership of the Association shall be open to non-participating Individuals, Associations, Institutions, Companies or other bodies not being an Ostomy Group or Association.

RIGHTS

6. Full Members and Associate Members of the Association shall be entitled to such rights and privileges as hereinafter appear or as directed by the House of Delegates.

7. Patron Members shall be entitled each year during the currency of their annual Membership Subscription to receive copies of I.O.A. news information.

EXCLUSION

8. If a Full Member or Associate Member fails on written demand for one year to meet its financial obligations to the Association or in such other exceptional circumstances as the House of Delegates by a two-thirds majority vote may decide, the House of Delegates may for some period or indefinitely and on such conditions as it thinks proper suspend or cancel the membership, the voting privileges and the services to which such member is entitled, provided, such member has been given at least three month’s written notice of the intention to propose the initiation of such action. The House of Delegates shall have full authority to restore such membership, voting rights and services as and when it thinks fit.

9. Patron Membership shall automatically cease on the expiration of the annual subscription unless renewed by payment of a further annual subscription.

SUBSCRIPTION

10. The minimum annual fee payable each year by the Members of the Associations is fixed by the World Council of the International Ostomy Association.

11. Annual subscriptions shall be paid by Member Associations to the Account of the European Ostomy Association not later than 1 st March each year. Any increase in the rate of minimum subscriptions shall take effect from the following 1 st January.

12. The subscriptions are shared with the International Ostomy Association by an annual budget for the Association approved by the Co‑ordination Committee of the International Ostomy Association.

4. ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE

The work of the Association shall be carried out by:

(a) The House of Delegates

(b) The Co-ordination Committee

5. HOUSE OF DELEGATES

COMPOSITION

1. The Association's Assembly shall be called the House of Delegates and shall be composed of not more than two Delegates - who should be ostomates - of Full Members of the Association.

2. Each Associate Member can be represented by one Delegate who shall have no voting rights, but shall be entitled to speak unless the House of Delegates decides to the contrary.

FUNCTIONS

3. The functions of the House of Delegates shall be:

 

(a)  to determine the policies of the Association;

(b)  to consider applications for membership of the Association and subject thereto to elect members;

(c)  to appoint the Co-ordination Committee, the Nominations Representative and one qualified Auditor.

MEETINGS

4. The House of Delegates shall meet at least once every two years or at such other intervals as the House of Delegates may from time to time prescribe (hereinafter called 'General Sessions'.

Special Sessions may be convened at the request of the majority of the Full Members of the Association.

The Agenda proposed for any Session shall be notified in writing to all Full Members not less than three months in advance of the proposed Session.

5. The House of Delegates at each General Session shall appoint the Member Association, which shall organise the next meeting.

6. The House of Delegates shall be chaired by the Chairman elected by the House of Delegates.

7. The House of Delegates language shall be English. Simultaneous translation into other languages shall be provided, if possible.

8. Observers are permitted to attend, provided the additional costs are fully covered.

VOTING

9. Each Full Member will have one vote.

10. The Full Members can delegate their vote to another Full Member, but application must be made in written form and approved by the Chairman of the House of Delegates.

6. CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEE

1. The Co-ordination Committee shall consist of the President, the Vice- President and two additional Members. The Co-ordination Committee shall appoint a Treasurer from among themselves.

2. Nominations for the Co-ordination Committee must be sent to an appointed Nominations Representative, 120 days prior to the House of Delegates Meeting, who ensures that the Member Associations are informed about all nominations with the agenda of the next House of Delegates Meeting.

3. The Members of the Co-ordination Committee shall be ostomates and, if possible, Officers of a Member Association.

4. The members of the Co-ordination Committee shall be elected by the votes of delegates (including proxy votes) present at the house of delegates meeting (total vote).

Successful candidates will be required to obtain greater than 50 % of votes cast (the votes cast divided by the “total vote” less abstentions shall exceed 50%).

In the case of multiple candidacies for a post and where one candidate fails to meet the above criteria, the election will be repeated with the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes at the first election. The greater than 50% regulation will apply as above.

5. The term of office of the members of the Co‑ordination Committee should not exceed two election periods. An election period is the time interval between two successive House of Delegates meetings according to section 5, point 4.

6. The Co-ordination Committee shall cooordinate the work of the Association, prepare the House of Delegates meetings in co-operation with the host Association and organise secretariat facilities.

7. Should the President be unable to attend, the Vice- President shall represent the Association.

7. DISSOLUTION

Any Resolution to dissolve the Association shall only come into force if passed by a Resolution carried by a two thirds majority of the House of Delegates passed at a Session convened for the purpose. On any dissolution of the Association any surplus funds of the Association after discharging all liabilities of the Association will be distributes between the Full Members of the Association for the time being and in due proportion to their last annual minimum subscription.

8. GENERAL STATEMENT

If not stated otherwise, the regulations of the I.O.A. Constitution are valid.

Frankfurt / Main, May 2004