Veneziaviva

STATUTES

I. DENOMINATION AND HEAD OFFICE

Article 1

The association which is non-profit making, is called " veneziaviva.be, Belgian association for the preservation and defence of Venice ”, abbreviated veneziaviva.be and is subject to the law of 2 May, 2002.

Article 2

The head office of the association is established in 1000 Brussels, rue Ravenstein 23. It may be transferred to any other place within Belgium by a simple decision taken by the Board members.
This decision must be published in the Annexes of the Moniteur Belge within a month of it being taken.

Article 3
The association is established for an unlimited duration.

II. OBJECTIVE

Article 4

Veneziaviva.be, the aim of which is cultural, philanthropic and scientific, has as its objective to work, through concerted actions of its members, to preserve, restore and enhance the value of Venice’s heritage, and to promote an environmentally friendly development of the city of Venice. In this connection, veneziaviva.be will seek, at the international level, to work jointly with international organisations and associations pursuing the same objective.

Article 5

The association may undertake all actions that are either directly or indirectly related to its objective. It can publish documents, organise events, undertake research or have research studies carried out.

III. MEMBERS

Article 6 The association is comprised of individuals adhering to the objectives contained in Article 4. The members are divided into three categories :

Active members with voting rights ;
Associated members receiving regular information : former parliamentarians ;
Honorary members.

Article 7

The admission of new active and honorary members is subject to the presentation of a formal application. This application is addressed to the President of the Board who includes it on the agenda of the next General Assembly.
The application is subject to approval by the Board and is accepted by the General Assembly

by a majority of two thirds to adhere as an active member ;
by a simple majority to adhere as an honorary member.

Article 8

Members are required to pay a yearly membership fee whose amount is calculated annually by the Board. They can never be held responsible for the association's financial commitments.

IV. GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Article 9

The General Assembly is the supreme body of the association. It is presided over by the President of the Board. It is comprised of all the active members. Each active member has the right to one vote.
Associated members and honorary members may be invited to participate.

Article 10

The General Assembly is the authority where members discuss the general policy of the association and notably has the ability to :

elect the Board ;
approve budgets and accounts ;
decide on the adhesion and the exclusion of members, proposed by the Board in accordance with the internal rules of procedure ;
modify the statutes ;
voluntarily dissolve the association.

Article 11
The General Assembly will meet at least once a year and for the first time this very day.
The venue, date and time of the General Assembly will be set by the Board.

Article 12

The general assembly may only deliberate on matters of admission or of exclusion of members, of approval of budgets and accounts, if half of the active members are present or represented.
In the case where the quorum is not reached, a second General Assembly may take place the same day, as long as this procedure is notified in writing at the time of convening the meeting.

Article 13

Except in cases foreseen by the present statutes, resolutions are adopted by a simple majority of votes.
Minutes of the General Assembly are noted in a register signed by the President and held at the head office, where it will be kept at members' disposal.

V. MODIFICATION OF THE STATUTES - DISSOLUTION

Article 14

Any proposal having as its objective either to modify or to dissolve the statutes must come from the Board or from at least half of the active members of the association.
The Board must inform the members of the association at least three months in advance of the General Assembly that will vote on the proposal submitted.
The agenda of the General Assembly called to vote on the dissolution of the association will have as its only item for discussion the question of the dissolution.
The General Assembly may only legitimately deliberate if three quarters of the voting members of the association are either present or represented.
No decision will be taken if it is not voted by a majority of three quarters of the active members.
In any case, if three quarters of the active members of the association are not present a new General Assembly will be convened under the same conditions as above, which will take a final legal decision on the proposal at hand, whatever the number of members present.
If the dissolution is approved, the Assembly will designate the receiver(s), will determine their powers and will decide on the allocation of the association's net assets on the condition that the beneficiary or beneficiaries follow similar objectives to those of the association.

VI. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Article 15

A Board comprised of a minimum of seven members, and a maximum of nine members governs the association.
The Board is elected by the General Assembly for a two-year mandate; the mandate may be renewed.

Article 16
The Board elects a president, a vice-president and a secretary-treasurer.

Article 17
The Board meets at least twice a year, convened by the president.

Article 18

The Board has all the powers of management and administration subject to the approval of the General Assembly. It may delegate the daily management tasks to its President, to an administrator or to an employee. Moreover, it may allocate, under its responsibility, special and explicit powers to one or several persons.

Article 19

The decisions of the Board are taken by a simple majority of the members present or represented.

Article 20

All documents committing the association in one way or another are, unless by special proxy, signed by the President who is not required to justify to third parties the reason for the commitment.

Article 21

The Board represented by the President and the Vice-president follows legal actions either as a plaintiff or in the case of prosecution.

VII. BUDGETS AND ACCOUNTS

Article 22

The financial year ends on 31 December. The Board is required to submit for approval by the General Assembly the accounts of the preceding financial year and the budget for the forthcoming financial year.

VIII. GENERAL DISPOSITIONS

Article 23

That, which is not foreseen in the present statutes and notably the formal publications in the Annexes of the Moniteur Belge, will be resolved in accordance with provisions set down by the law.