GRIFA - The Italian Research Group for Pesticides and the Environment
STATUTE
(16 October 2002)
TITLE I - AIM
Art.1 A non-profit scientific social association The Italian Research Group for Pesticides and the Environment (GRIFA) with its HQ in Cagliari has been constituted.
The Association is a non-commercial body regulated by the norms of the Civil Code.
Art. 2 The non-profit aims of GRIFA are:
a) to promote and coordinate scientific research and experimentation into phytosanitary products and their interaction with the environment from a chemical, biochemical, toxicological and agricultural point of view.
B )to promote the publication of said research by means of periodicals, books, audiovisuals, and the organisation of conferences, courses etc. to ensure the correct use of phytosanitary products with maximum respect for the environment and man's health;
c) to organise the exchange of information between Italy and abroad among researchers and associations interested in developing knowledge of phytosanitary products.
TITLE II - ASSOCIATES
Art. 3 GRIFA associates public and private organisations (Units) who share similar aims and objectives.
Units are distinct: Research Units, Ordinary Units and Honorary Units.
They have equal rights and duties the only exception being that Honorary Units pay no subscription.
The Research Units do active research whereas Ordinary Units operate in the phytosanitary sector but not in research. The Honorary Units are single persons who have received awards in the phytosanitary sector.
There are also silent partners who cannot vote but can take part in all the Associations activities.
Units may also be constituted of a single person.
The admission of Units to the Association takes place as a result of an appropriate application whereas an Honorary Unit will be nominated by Units within the Association.
The scientific Heads, one for each Unit (or its delegates), constitute the active electorate and may actively elect statutory organs whereas the passive electorate is constituted by all the members of the Unit on the list deposited in the President's office at least six months prior to the elections.
An associate's rights are forfeit on resignation or for late payment of at least two years of the Association subscription and after the second disregarded solicitation.
TITLE III – STATUTORY ORGANS
Art. 4 GRIFA organs:
a) The Assembly of Units
b) The President
c) The President's office
d) The College of Auditors
whose organs b, c & d are elected by the Assembly by secret ballot are unpaid and hold office for three years.
Art. 5 The Assembly of Units is made up of Scientific Officers elected within each Unit as described in the list of members deposited in the President's office. The Assembly decides on the activity of the Association, establishes regulations, approves its budget, sets membership fees, discusses membership proposals and elects the Organs as in art. 4.
The Assembly meets at least twice a year on convocation by the President with at least 30 days' notice. Day, time and place of both convocations should be specified as well as the business of the day.
During the first Assembly of each year the previous year's balance sheet should be approved.
A first convocation Ordinary Assembly is valid if half + 1 of the voting Units are present and for a second convocation whatever the number. Deliberations are accepted by the majority.
An Extraordinary Assembly may be called on written request to the President together with a relative order of business from at least 1/3 of voters. The President must convene the Extraordinary Assembly within 30 days of requesting it. Its business is possible modifications to the Statute or dissolution of the Association with its consequent solution of the balance sheet. These deliberations require a 2/3 majority. Each Unit has the right to only one vote.
Tardy payers Units are temporarily suspended from the electorate both actively and passively.
Art. 6 The President is elected by the Assembly of Units and nominates a Vice President, a Secretary and Treasurer for the President's office. These are the legal representatives of GRIFA coordinating and managing its activities according to the deliberations of the Assembly with the collaboration of the President's office.
The President may not be elected for more than two consecutive terms.
He convenes and presides over the Assembly of Units and at the beginning of every sitting he nominates a secretary and if necessary two scrutineers.
In the absence of the President, the Assembly will be presided over by the Vice President.
Art. 7 The President's office is made up of five members: the President, elected from the Research Units; four members elected from all the Units. Electing more than one member from one Unit is not allowed.
The President's office is entrusted with carrying out the deliberations made by the Assembly.
In order to further the aims of GRIFA, the President's office may by specific delegation:
a) conclude accords with Bodies as well as Public and Private Institutes to implement and finance specific projects;
b) promote advanced professional refresher courses in the phytosanitary field and publicity of various types.
They meet from time to time convened by the President. Notice of said meetings should include the place, day, time and order of business. The meetings/sittings are only valid with a majority present.
Art. 8 The College of Auditors is made up of three members elected from the Units who are not members of the President's office. Its work is to check the balance sheets and the accounts, as well as to act as a College of Arbiters.
TITLE IV – ASSETS OF THE ASSOCIATION
Art. 9 The Association's assets comprise the membership subscriptions, any donations and any other contribution made by a public or private body. The social year coincides with the solar year, Units having to pay subscriptions by March every year for which the Treasurer provides a receipt.
The Honorary Units pay no subscription.
Units with outstanding subscriptions cannot vote, actively or passively.
It is forbidden to hand out, even indirectly, any benefits or management surpluses including funds, reserves or capital during the life of the Association, except when the destination or distribution are imposed by law.
In whatever case of dissolution, the Assets of the Association must be assigned to some other association with analogous aims or of public benefit (art. 3, subsection 190, of the Law of 23 December 1996, no. 662) excepting a diverse destination imposed by law.
An annual budget and balance sheet must be drawn up and approved.
Art. 10 This statute may be modified by an Assembly of 2/3 voters.
Enclosure 1
RULES
1) GRIFA's official address is that of the sitting President.
2) Membership requests must be sent to the President who will put them before the Assembly for approval.
Requests should be informal but must include a completed form which cites all the salient characteristics for the Assembly. This form is attached to the Rules and may be modified without formality.
It is the President's duty to inform the requestee of the Assembly's decision.
3) The Association's internal communications can be made in different forms in alignment with technological progress.
4) Voting:
The officers and their delegates of the Units listed in the President's office may vote. Each delegate voter has only one vote. Such a voter must carry the name, signature and event appertaining to the person he represents.
Postal votes are acceptable in electing the statutory organs. All voters must be fully paid up.
The Assembly nominates an electoral commission of three members whose job is to scrutinise all the votes including postal ones. Postal votes should be via three unmarked sealed envelopes. These should be inside a sealed envelope sent to the President from which the sender should be easily identifiable for office purposes. The three internal envelopes will be opened only by the electoral commission.
Each party entitled to vote may express up to five preferences:
1 for the President's
2 for the President's office
2 for the College of Auditors
Voting will be carried out at different times.
Voting to elect the President is carried out first. Once elected, the President's office is elected and lastly the College of Auditors. At the President's discretion, or by request of the Assembly or by single members at least a month before voting a list of available candidates for which posts will be made public.
5) The membership subscription should be paid by direct debit made out to GRIFA at its official address or by non-transferable cheque to the same. Each should indicate the subject of payment and its source by Unit name. The Treasurer will then issue a receipt.
6) At the end of every social year the Treasurer should declare the Association's accounts, which having been checked by the Auditors, will be submitted to the first Assembly of Units at the beginning of the following year.
7) These rules may be modified without particular formality by the Ordinary Assembly of Units with a simple majority of attendees.