Statutes

This is a translation from the German original and is not legally valid. In case of dispute, the German version will prevail.

§ 1 Name and domicile

The Society is entered in the register of associations and will go by the name of:
International Society on Pulsed Power Applications (ISP) e. V.
Its registered office is in Loerrach, Germany and the financial year is the calendar year,
The administrative seat may differ from the seat of the Society and is determined by deci-sion of the General Members' Meeting.

§ 2 Purpose of the Society

The International Society on Pulsed Power Applications (ISP) e. V. exclusively and directly pursues charitable purposes within the meaning of the “Tax-privileged purposes” section of the tax code.

  1. (1) The purpose of the Society is the international promotion of pulsed power applications. It is the aim of the Society to make this high-quality and forward-looking technology usable especially for commercial applications. This definition of the Society’s purpose means that it performs in particular the following tasks:
    • -Organizing the exchange of opinions and experiences
    • -Enabling cooperation among businesses, governmental institutions, scientific cen-ters and laboratories that are engaged in pulsed power technology
    • -Consulting and cooperating with education and science promoting entities
    • -Non-profit support of business start-ups if these intend to engage in the production of pulsed power technology components, devices and systems
  2. (2) For that purpose, the Society may, on its own behalf, in particular:
    • -make statements
    • -set up regular services
    • -organize meetings
    • -edit publications
    • -form Working Groups
    • -appoint committees with time-limited tasks
    • -accept research or study contracts if the Managing Committee has unanimously decided to do so
    • -award research contracts and studies if the Managing Committee has unanimously decided to do so
  3. (3) In order to promote its purposes, the Society may establish and maintain ties with oth-er organizations.
  4. (4) The Society, being engaged in the not-for-profit promotion of pulsed power technolo-gy in research, teaching and society, will be dedicated to the exclusive and direct pur-suit of public utility purposes in terms of the German fiscal code. The funds and re-ceipts of the Society will only be used for the purposes set out in these Statutes.

§ 3 Selflessness

The association works selflessly. It does not primarily pursue its own economic pur-poses.
Funds of the association may only be used for statutory purposes. The members do not receive payments from the association.
No person may benefit from expenses that are alien to the purpose of the associa-tion or from disproportionately high remuneration.

§ 4 Membership

  1. (1) The Society has full and legal members.
  2. (2) Any natural or legal entity may become a full member.
  3. (3) Legal entities will appoint in writing a representative to act on their behalf with the Society.
  4. (4) Any persons who have achieved special merits for the Society, may be appointed Hon-orary Members upon the decision of the General Meeting.
  5. (5) The General Meeting may determine the basic terms and conditions to be met in order to obtain membership under (2) and (4).

§ 5 Acquisition of member status, subscriptions and rights

  1. (1) Candidates will apply for membership by sending a written or e-mail communication to any member of the Managing Committee, or by completing the online application form on the Society’s internet site. In any case, the membership admission statement will include at least the application, the name and address of the applicant or its repre-sentative. Membership will start from the date of the Society’s text form notice stating that the committee has approved it.
  2. (2) Annual subscriptions and their payment dates will be defined upon the decision of the General Meeting.
  3. (3) All full members will be entitled to vote.
  4. (4) Members shall not receive profit shares nor accept, in their capacity as members, any other grants of any kind from the funds of the Society. In case of withdrawal from member-ship, dissolution or termination of the Society, the members will not be reim-bursed their paid-up capital shares or contributions made in kind, or the values thereof.

§ 6 End of membership

  1. (1) Membership will be terminated by:
    • (a) notice of withdrawal in text form submitted to the Managing Committee (at three months prior to the end of the calendar year) Such notice shall not release the member from its duty to pay the subscription for that year.
    • (b) failure to meet the requirements set out in §4, without any notice of termination or of withdrawal being required. If the General Meeting lays down new basic terms and conditions under §4 (5) of these Statutes, those who will not meet such terms and conditions will nevertheless remain members of the Society.
    • (c) If any member fails to pay its subscription for two years, its membership will be terminated without any notice of termination or of withdrawal being required. The termination of membership will not release the member from payment of the sub-scriptions due to the Society, plus a service fee to be determined by the Managing Committee.
    • (d) death.
  2. (2) Expulsion of a member
    • (a) A member may be expelled from the Society if, despite a warning from the Man-aging Committee, it is in breach of essential duties arising from membership, or if it violates essential interests of the Society, or for any other important reason.
    • (b) The Managing Committee will decide about the expulsion of a member after hear-ing the member’s explanations.
    • (c) Expulsion will become effective one month from the date of receipt by the mem-ber of the Managing Committee’s written notification unless such member lodges an objection against said expulsion within a period of one month. The next follow-ing General Meeting will take a binding decision about said objection. The mem-bership rights of the member to be expelled shall be suspended until the date on which the expulsion becomes effective.

§ 7 Bodies of the Society

The Bodies of the Society are:

  • (a) The General Meeting
  • (b) The Managing Committee
  • (c) The Central Committee

§ 8 General Meeting

  1. (1) The General Meeting is the supreme body of the Society. It is responsible for matters of fundamental importance and sets the guidelines for the work of the Managing Committee. In particular, it is responsible for:
    • (a) the election of the Managing Committee
    • (b) accepting the Managing Committee’s activity report
    • (c) discharging the members of the Managing Committee
    • (d) the decision on the budget plan
    • (e) the election of the auditors
    • (f) taking decisions about the rules of procedure and the election regulations
    • (g) modifications of or alterations to the Statutes of the Society (Exceptions to this are necessary adjustments due to changes in association law.)
    • (h) the dissolution of the Society
    • (i) laying down the basic terms and conditions for membership
    • (j) fixing the membership subscriptions
    • (k) taking decisions on objections against decisions under §5(2c)
    • (l) confirming the creation or dissolution of Working Groups
    • (m) taking a decision as to statements of the Society on important matters
    • (n) taking a decision on entering into important legal relationships with third parties
  2. (2) A regular General Meeting shall take place once a year. The Managing Committee shall convene the General Meeting in text form with no less than 14 calendar days no-tice stating the provisional agenda items. This date should usually be scheduled at the preceding General Meeting. If any decisions are to be taken the items on the agenda will have to be accompanied by a proposal for a decision. Besides, extraordinary Gen-eral Meetings may take place on request of the Managing Committee, any Working Group (§11), or of at least 10% of the members entitled to vote; such meetings shall be convened within two months.
  3. (3) A member wishing to exercise its voting rights by a third party at the General Meeting may only do so upon prior written notice to the Managing Committee. Members are not permitted to be represented by other members who are entitled to vote. Members are alternatively permitted to attend the Meeting by means of appropriate technical de-vices (for example, video conference).
  4. (4) The General Meeting will have a quorum if the voting rights of at least 3 full mem-bers are present or represented.
  5. (5) The General Meeting will usually be chaired by the President of the Managing Com-mittee, or, in case he is unavailable, his deputy or any other member of the Committee. The chairperson of the Meeting will appoint a recording secretary from among the members present.
  6. (6) The General Meeting will adopt the final Agenda. Items which are supported by at least 3 members will have to be included in the final Agenda.
  7. (7) Basically, decisions will be taken by the simple majority of the votes cast, unless a dif-ferent majority is mandatorily required by law or by these Statutes. All amendments, changes, alterations, or modifications of these Statutes, and the dissolution of the Soci-ety shall be marked in a special way on the provisional Agenda, and can only be adopted with two thirds of the votes cast.
  8. (8) Minutes shall be taken of every General Meeting and its decisions and sent to each of the members within 2 months. These minutes shall be signed by the chairperson and the recording secretary.

§ 9 Managing Committee

  1. (1) The Managing Committee consists of the President, his deputy and one or at the most four other members. The Society will be judicially and extra-judicially represented by two members of the Managing Committee of whom at least one shall be the President or his deputy.
  2. (2) The members of the Managing Committee will be elected among the Society’s mem-bers under §4(2) for a period of 5 years.
  3. (3) The General Meeting will appoint an election manager to conduct the election. Sug-gested candidates will not be eligible without their prior consent to stand for election.
  4. (4) If any member of the Managing Committee resigns or his membership ceases then his term of office will end. On the Managing Committee’s proposal, a successor may be elected for the remaining period of the term of office. For this election, voting by mail or e-mail ballot will be possible.
  5. (5) The members of the Managing Committee will act in an honorary capacity.

§ 10 Tasks of the Managing Committee

The Managing Committee will manage and represent the Society.

  1. (1) The Managing Committee performs, among others, the following tasks:
    • (a) Manages and represents the Society
    • (b) Convenes the General Meeting
    • (c) Prepares and executes the decisions taken at the General Meeting
    • (d) Submits an Activity Report to the General Meeting
    • (e) Decides on the admission and the expulsion of members
    • (f) Creates or dissolves Working Groups
    • (g) Ensures the proper management of the Society’s assets
    • (h) Amendments to the Articles of Association due to adjustments in association law (see also §8(1) (g))
  2. (2) The Managing Committee shall draw up its own rules of procedure laying down the function and the responsibilities of its members. Framework rules of procedure will be adopted by the General Meeting.

§ 11 Central Committee

  1. (1) The Central Committee consists of the Managing Committee and the chairpersons of the Working Groups. Meetings will be chaired by the Managing Committee’s President or, by order of the Managing Committee’s President, by the chairperson of the Work-ing Group.
  2. (2) The Central Committee will support the Managing Committee in its work, in particu-lar in structuring the content of and pursuing the purpose of the Society; beside other activities, it will
    • -ensure coordination of topics among the Working Groups
    • -prepare statements
    • -help prepare events
    • -support the Managing Committee in taking urgent decisions between General Meetings
  3. (3) The President of the Managing Committee will convene the Central Committee at least once a year. The deputy of a Working Group’s chairperson may attend these meetings in the chairperson’s stead.

§ 12 Working Groups

  1. (1) The Managing Committee can create Working Groups on the request of at least 5 members. The request shall contain provisions on the task and the intended composi-tion of such Working Group. National subgroups will be organized as Working Groups.
  2. (2) Each Working Group will be chaired by a chairperson who will be elected, as well as his deputy, from among the Group’s members, such chairperson shall be a member of the Society.
  3. (3) The Working Groups will not be entitled to make statements on behalf of the Society without the Managing Committee’s consent. They will regularly report on their work to the Managing Committee.
  4. (4) The Managing Committee may dissolve a Working Group without stating any reasons.

§ 13 Finances

  1. (1) The receipts of the Society are composed of membership subscriptions, donations, ex-pense allowances, and surpluses resulting from scientific events and projects.
  2. (2) Financial funds of the Society shall only be used to promote its purpose. Nobody shall benefit from administrative expenses which are not in line with the Society’s purpose, or from disproportionately high remunerations.
  3. (3) The fiscal year is the calendar year.

§ 14 Dissolution

  1. (1) The Society will be dissolved upon the decision of the General Meeting.
  2. (2) In case of the dissolution or termination of the Association or if tax-privileged purpos-es no longer apply, the assets of the Association shall pass to Amnesty International Germany e.V., which shall use them directly and exclusively for charitable purposes.

§ 15 Disclaimer

The Society shall decline any liability to its members, for any legal reason whatsoever, for any damages arising out of the Society’s activities.

The Board:

Dr. Emil Spahn
Dr. Georg Müller
Dr. Oliver Liebfried
Sylvain Pinguet
Martin Hessing
Michael Bader