Statutes

Title I . – Official name, registered office

Article 1
The association is officially called CEDIA, Confédération Européenne des Associations d’Ingénieurs Agronomes, (The European Confederation of Agronomist Associations), followed by the words: non profit-making association.

Article 2
The registered office is currently established at the address CEDIA, c/o K.U.LEUVEN Fac. L & TBW, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, B – 3001 HEVERLEE (Belgium). By decision of the board, it may be transferred to any other place in Belgium.

Title II . – Objectives

Article 3
The objectives of CEDIA are:

• To support the professional interests of its members
• To protect and to conserve the environment
• To promote European integration such as developing co-operation between its members in the fields of information, continued education and agrirural development
• To promote the general and specific interests of its members in dealing with the European Union institutions as well as with other bodies

Article 4
CEDIA may undertake any action either directly or indirectly relating to its purpose. In particular CEDIA may contribute and get involved in any activity similar to its purpose

Title III . – Members, admission, resignation, exclusion

Article 5
Can become members of CEDIA all the national associations in Europe regrouping the entirety of the graduates of the higher degrees in agricultural and / or related sciences with a training scheme of at least eight semesters.

However when in a country such a national association does not exist, the regional associations of graduates or the associations of graduates of a school or a faculty in agricultural and / or related sciences with a training scheme of at least eight semesters can become a member of CEDIA.

Also, when a national association exists but still is not a member of CEDIA, the associations mentioned here above, being member of this national association, can be exceptionally admitted individually to become a member of CEDIA, awaiting the membership of the national association.

These associations have to fulfil the other admission requirements foreseen in the statutes, namely these related to the payment of their fees.

The minimum number of members is five.
The related sciences are:

• Managing of rural areas
• Fisheries, aquaculture
• Biotechnology
• Environmental studies applied to agriculture and rural areas
• Civil and rural engineering
• Agricultural Sciences and Techniques
• Landscape architecture
• Food Sciences and Technology
• Managing water and environment
• Forestry Sciences
• Horticulture
• Animal Production
• Tropical and Sub tropical Sciences.

2. Decisions on the admission of new members are taken by the General Assembly by a two-thirds majority of the members being present at the vote.

3. Any member may withdraw from CEDIA at the end of the current financial year subject to a period of notice of at least 4 months provided the member is up-to-date with subscription fees.

4. Unless agreed otherwise by the General Assembly, deciding by a two-thirds majority of the votes of the members present, any member that fails to pay the subscription fees set out in the budget, automatically resigns fully one year after the summons for payment is issued by registered letter by the President.

5. CEDIA continues to exist even if an organisation or amicable representing a country resigns. The retiring member loses all rights to CEDIA’s assets.

Article 6
On the proposal of the Board, the General Assembly may take decisions on admitting honorary members – financially or morally supporting CEDIA – by a two-thirds majority of the votes of the members present. Honorary members do not have the right to vote.
Les membres d’honneur n’ont pas de droit de vote.

Article 7
A member may only be barred by a decision from the General Assembly by a two-thirds majority of the votes of the members present.

Titre IV. – Subscription fees

Article 8
The general assembly fixes the annual fee, which will be the same for all the national associations with more than 1.000 members, excluding students. It cannot exceed the legal maximum of 12.500 EURO per national association per year. If more than one national association in the same country are members of CEDIA, the board of CEDIA can approve the splitting of this annual fee among the associations of this country, being member of CEDIA.

For all the other associations the annual fee will be fixed according to the rules fixed by the general assembly.

Titre V. – The bodies

The bodies for reflection, decision-taking and working of the association are as follows :
1°. The General Assembly
2°. The Board
1°. The General Assembly

Article 9
The General Assembly is the highest decision-taking body of CEDIA. It examines and takes decisions on all issues within CEDIA’s purpose as defined in article 3. It has the powers recognized by the law or by these statutes.

In particular, the following fall within the scope of its competence:
1°. Modification of the statutes
2°. Appointing or dismissing the President and the other Board members
3°. Approving the budget and accounts and setting the subscription fees
4°. Admitting or striking members
5°. Voluntary dissolving the association
6°. Appointing the auditor

The General Assembly is made up of the representatives of the member organisations.

Article 10
At least one General Assembly must be held each year, at the latest by the end of June. The General Assembly is convened by the President or by one fifth of the members, in writing addressed to every member at least one month before the Assembly. The agenda is given in the invitation. Apart from the cases foreseen under articles 8, 12 and 20 of the Law of 27 June 1921, the General Assembly may reflect legitimately on items not mentioned on the agenda.

Article 11
An extraordinary General Assembly may be called at any time, on the basis of a decision by the Board or at the request of at least one fifth of the members.

Article 12
The President of the Board or his deputy chairs the General Assembly.

Article 13
All countries have the same voting rights. If more than one association from the same country are member of CEDIA, this number of votes will be split between them by the board of CEDIA according to their representative ness in the country. Resolutions are passed by simple majority from among the votes of the members present, unless otherwise stipulated by law or these statutes. Should there be no simple majority, the President or his / her deputy shall have the casting vote.

Article 14
Decisions taken by the General Assembly are recorded in a register for the minutes, signed by the President or a Board member. This register is kept at the registered office where it may be consulted by any of the members. Decisions taken are inscribed in minutes.
The Board

Article 15
The board and president are elected by the general assembly for a three-year mandate.
The president can be re-elected once only.

The board is made up of at least 5 members, each representing a different country. The board elects from among his members a first vice-president, a second vice-president and a treasurer for a three- year mandate. Should the position of the president, a vice-president or the treasurer become vacant during their mandate, the board can appoint a new member until the end of the mandate.

Article 16
The Board may meet as many times as its finds necessary on invitation by the President or three of its members. The agenda is given in the invitation.

Article 17
The Board has the most extended powers to deal with the administration and management of CEDIA.
The following falls within the scope of its competence:

• Managing and planning financial matters
• Planning and organising activities of CEDIA
• Convening the General Assembly
• Drawing up the annual report
• Representing CEDIA in social events
• Accepting gifts or legacies
• Setting up or dissolving working Groups
• Proposing internal rules or procedure to the General Assembly
• Appointment of the secretarial staff members. The only acts withheld from the Board are those, which fall, in the scope of competence of the General Assembly as laid down by law or in the statutes.

Article 18
The President represents CEDIA in dealings with third parties, in particular the Community institutions and other similar bodies. The President ensures that the decisions taken by the Board and the General Assembly are executed. The President may be given any general or specific duties. To this end, the President has the power of signature of CEDIA and may authorise certain people to undertake specific duties on behalf of CEDIA.

Article 19
Should the President be unable to attend, the President’s duties and role are fulfilled by the first, or failing which, the second Vice President. The Board may give the Vice Presidents specific duties. The General Assembly may entrust the President or the Vice Presidents of CEDIA to deal with specific or urgent issues.

Article 20
The General Assembly appoints each year an auditor, who is not a Board member and whose duty is to verify the accounts of CEDIA.

Titre VI. – Miscellaneous stipulations

Article 21
CEDIA’s financial year commences 1 January and closes 31 December. The account and the balance sheet of the past financial year and the budget of the next year are to be approved by the general assembly, following the presentation of the report of the auditor.

Article 22
These statutes may be revised or amended by the General Assembly with a 2/3 majority.

Article 23
The dissolution of CEDIA can be decided by the General Assembly, present with at least 2/3 of the present and represented members and voting with a 2/3 majority. If 2/3 of the members are not present, a second General Assembly will be organised, voting by 2/3 majority of present and represented votes.
The following decisions will be taken:

• Nomination of one or more liquidators
• Destination of the assets to an association with similar objectives as CEDIA.

Article 24
Tout ce qui n’est pas prévu explicitement aux présents statuts est réglé par la loi du 27 juin 1921, régissant les sociétés sans but lucratif.
Laid down in Copenhagen the 13.th. of October 1996
(Published in “ Le Moniteur Belge” on 09-01-1997 – 323/97
Modified in LEUVEN the 29.th. of May 1998
(Published in “ Le Moniteur Belge “ on 01-10-1998)
Modified in Brussels the 2.nd. of March 2002