European Federation 
                          of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS)
         
         
         
  Constitution

EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF SOCIETIES FOR OTO-RHINO-LARYNGOLOGY
AND HEAD AND NECK SURGERY
EUFOS

 
         
 
1. NAME
   
  The organization is known as the European Federation of Societies for Oto-Rhino- Laryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (herein after referred to as EUFOS). It is a non-political, non profit organisation created under the auspices of IFOS (The International Federation of Oto-Rhino- Laryngological Societies ).

The organisation has its official postal address with its Secretary
The organisation's bank account will have its address with the Treasurer
   
2. OBJECTIVES
   
2.1. To promote, to co-ordinate and to unify the advancement of Oto-Rhino-
Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (herein after referred as ORL) in Europe. To define an opinion on good medical practice.
2.2. To encourage scientific research between Oto-rhino-laringologysts and
co-ordination between European ORL bodies.
2.3. To promote the European Congress of ORL once every four (4) years
to assist the Organising Committee of the next Congress.
2.4. To represent ORL interest in other organisations of Europe dedicated to prevention and control of diseases and disorders related to ORL and the Training of Otolaryngologists.
2.5.

To achieve these objectives a Standing Committee of Training and Continuing Medical Education has been created to advice and act in behalf of EUFOS and the Organizing Committee of the next European Congress ofOto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery.
The executive committee of the European Academy of Otorhinolaryngology,
Head and Neck Surgery will act as such on a free basis.

   
3. MEMBERSHIP
   
3.1. The National ENT Society of any European country, recognised by the
United Nations may apply for roerobership and is accepted by simple majority
by the General Asserobly (GA).
3.2. Each member society may appoint a maximum of two delegates to participate in the General Assembly. The names of these delegates must be communicate to the General Secretary in writing (by email or fax and normal post) (See point 5.4.3)
3.3. The delegates will be selected by the Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology and Head and Neck Surgery in the country concerned.
3.4. Application for membership must be made in writing to the EUFOS President
and the General Secretary .
The GA will decide by simple majority.
   
4. FUNCTIONAL COMPONENTS OF EUFOS
   
  A - Voting Bodies
4.1. The General Assembly (GA) (see addendum)
4.2. Executive Comrnittee (EC) (see addendum 2)
in which, hesides the elected memhers of the EC, are:
-the President ofthe EC -who is the president ofEUFOS
-the Vice president,
-the General Secretary
-and the Treasurer
   
  B - Standing Committees and other organizations
4.3. EUFOS Congress of ORL:
the site ofthe EUFOS Congress is elected by
the GA and organised by the elected national ENT Society, assisted by EUFOS.
4.4. Counsellors
(the 2 past Presidents of EUFOS and the President elect of the EUFOS congress )
4.5. The Standing Committee of Training and Continuing Medical Education
and ad hoc committees
4.6. Auditars
4.7. Intemal Court of Arbitration.
   
5. ORGANISATION FUNCTIONS
   
5.1. General Assembly
5.1.1. EUFOS is govemed by a General AssemQly (GA) composed of the delegates
of member-countries.
It acts through an Executive Committee (EC).
5.1.2. Each memher-country is entitled to two (2) delegates at each meeting of the General Assemhly.
5.1.3. Each memher-country is entitled to one (I) vote. There are no proxy votes. If the elected delegate of a memher-country can not artend, the National Society of the country can send another delegate if announced at least one week in advance of the start of the EUFOS congress, to the General Secretary.
5.1.4. The GA votes by a simple majority (51 %) of those present at the GA, except when the by-laws stipulate differently; with at least 50% of the voting members represented.
The voting is binding on all matters, which are of the competence of the GA.
5.1.5. The General Assembly holds its meeting at least every four (4) years during
the EUFOS congress under Chairmanship of the President of the Executive
Committee, in addition if necessary, during major European ENT congresses.
5.1.6. The GA has authority to forrn and to dissolute Standing and ad hoc.
Committees as needed to carry out its specific functions. Proposals of creating and/or dissolve Standing and ad hoc Committees are to be put on the agenda (see point 5.4.2).
   
5.2. The Functions of the General Assembly
5.2.1. To determine the policy of EUFOS
5.2.2. To confirm the members of the Executive Committee, chosen by the groups of countries as defined by addendum I.
5.2.3. To ratify changes in the Constitution or to dissolve EUFOS.
5.2.4. It approves the rules of the EUFOS Congress as suggested by the Executive Committee.
5.2.5. The first order of business of the General Assembly is to receive the report of the Executive Committee.
5.2.6. It approves the accounts and the annual accounts ofthe EC
5.2.7. It nominates 2 auditors to the accounts, independent ofthe EC.
5.2.8. To elect the next venue of the EUFOS congress.
5.2.9. To elect the President and the President-elect .
   
5.3. Executive Committee
5.3.1. The Executive Committee is composed of members representing various
groups of countries, who are confirmed by the GA.
5.3.2. No more than one (I) voting member can be elected from each country or
group of countries. An alternative delegate can be elected by the concerned
National Societies in case of prevention.
5.3.3. The composition of the EC must be a fair representation of the different
countries in Europe. The identification of the countries grouped together to provide a single representative, will be decided by the General Assembly upon recommendations by the Executive Committee. The concerned countries must agree with this recommendations.
5.3.4. The President is elected by the GA.
He is ex-officio voting member of the EC.
The vote of the President is decisive in the case of equality of votes.
5.3.5. The President of EUFOS congress and counsellors are ex-officio members of
the EC and do not have a vote in this capacity.
5.3.6. The General Secretary and Treasurer of the Executive Committee of EUFOS
are elected by the EC (see point 5.4.3)
5.3.7. The IFOS General Secretary, the Regional Secretary for Europe, the president of the Section ORL of UEMS, the President elect of EUFOS and the president of the forthcoming European Congress, the president of the EAORL HNS and the chairman of the standing committee, are ex-officio members of the Executive Committee, and in this capacity, without a vote.
5.3.8. The EC decides by simple majority (51% of the votes) and in the case of
equality of votes, the vote of the President is decisive.
5.3.9. The members of the EC, including the Vice President, the Treasurer and the
General Secretary, will normally maintain their function for four (4) years and
may be appointed for further four (4) years if their national Societies and a
majority of the GA agree. (point 5.2.2 applies)
5.3.10 The President can only stay in function for 4 years
5.3.11 The EC appoints 3 representatives for the EC of the European Academy of the EAORL- HNS
   
5.4. The Functioning of the Executive Committee
5.4.1. The Executive Committee meeting shall be held every year preferably during
a major European congress.
On this annual meeting, the accounts from the past years will be controlled
and a budget for the next year will be presented and approved.
  A limited EC, consisting of the President, the Vice-President, the Treasurer
and the General Secretary comes together whenever necessary, deciding on
practicular urgent matters, they form the working body between the EC
meetings. The decisions are to be confirmed in the next EC meeting.
5.4.2. An extraordinary EC meeting can be held on demand of 40% of the voting
members of the EC.
5.4.3. The members of the EC prepare the agenda for the meeting of the GA.
Suggestions for the agenda can be transmitted by the National Societies to the General Secretary at least 3 months in advance of the upcoming GA meeting.
The secretary then sends the agenda to all the members of the GA.
The agenda, together with the report of the Treasurer and auditors and the
proposals of candidates for new officials, and the candidates for the new
venues for the EUFOS meeting must be transmitted to the members of the
GA, at least 2 months in advance before the GA meeting.
This means that candidates for any mandate must file in their candidature with the Secretary, in writing, at least 3 months in advance.
No item can be voted on at the GA meeting, unless provided for in the agenda.
5.4.4. The minutes of the annual Executive Committee meeting need to be approved by all members of the EC within 2 weeks after reception, otherwise approval is acquired.
Within 2 months after approval the minutes have to be send to all members of the GA.
5.4.5. It is the task of the Executive Committee to execute the regularly taken
decisions of the General Assembly and to take measures to enhance the
objectives ofEUFOS.
5.4.6. It carries out the policies of EUFOS during the interval between the General
Assembly meeting and approves applications for admission of member
countries to EUFOS.
5.4.7. It organises the ad hoc committees to achieve the objectives of EUFOS.
5.4.8 The General Secretary will keep minutes of the EC and GA meetings.
5.4.9. The treasurer takes care of the financial contributions and receives donations on behalf of EUFOS. The treasurer will produce annual audited accounts and reports for approval by the EC.
The treasurer is allowed to pay expenses that have been approved by the President.
For amounts exceeding 10.000 Euro, an approval of the EC is required.
5.4.10 The business of the Committee will be conducted in English.
   
5.5. The European Congress of ORL
5.5.1. The EUFOS congress should be held in a member country, preferably every
four years (4), the site being decided by the General Assembly but carefully
observing a fair rotation between the different regions of Europe. A minimum
interval of twenty (20) years is necessary before a country organises again the Congress.
5.5.2. When a member country is chosen as the site of an European Congress its
ORL/HNS society must be a member of EUFOS. It shall be responsible for
the organization of that European congress in accordance with the rules
established by the Executive Committee and approved by the General
Assembly. It must prove to the EC its capability to conduct a European
Congress.
The organizing country consults EUFOS' Standing Committee of Training
and Continuing Medical Education, which reviews the developing scientific
program.
Such consultation takes place at least twenty four (24) months before the
Congress.
Applications to hold the next Congress must be sent to the General Secretary by December of the year, preceding the actual congress.
5.5.3. The Organizing Committee of the EUFOS congress will transfer 10 % of the
registration fees, and the fees collected from exhibitors as a grant to the
EUFOS Treasury.
A list of attendees and exhibitors will be transferred to EUFOS' Treasurer and
a 50 % payment of the grant will be done within 1 month after the congress,
the other 50 % within 3 months following the congress (VAT excluded).
All transfers have to be done in the bank account ofEUFOS.
5.5.4. EUFOS has no financial obligations to the European Congresses of ORL. The
Organising Committee will bear all the responsibilities.
The organising committee of the EUFOS congress is responsible for obtaining
approval of the European CME accreditation.
   
6. STANDING COMMITTEE FOR TRAINING AND CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION
   
6.1.

The SCTCME consists of representatives of different European ORL subspecialty societies, of the ORL section of the UEMS, and includes the President of the European Academies of ORLHNS, the president and another representative of EUFOS and the President of the EUFOS congress.
Each member can delegate his/her function to a deputy.

   
7. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
   
7.1. Amendments may be made to the Constitution provided that they do not
alter the original intent of the Constitution objectives.
7.2. They must be proposed by one (1) member-country and be sent to the
President of the Executive Committee two (2) months before the
General Assembly Meeting, to be reviewed so that they do not
compromise the Constitution. They will then be put on the agenda and voted on by the General Assembly by a simple majority vote.
   
8. DISSOLUTION
   
8.1. When the General Assembly is convened for the purpose of the
dissolution of EUFOS, a quorum of at least two-thirds of the member-
-countries is required and 2/3 of the votes necessary.
8.2. If the quorum does not meet, a postal ballot of member-countries and
member-societies shall be taken.
8.3. Provided EUFOS has assets, the GA will also vote on the liquidation of EUFOS. The GA will appoint a liquidator and decide on how to attribute the assets remaining after all liabilities have been covered. In case of a dissolution, the assets of EUFOS will, if possible and permissible, be transferred to a non-profit organization devoted to non-profit oriented objectives, an organization which preferably promotoes research and science in any of the fields stated in "Objectives". The same will also apply if the preferential non-profit purpose of EUFOS ceases to exist.
   
  Brussels, 24 February, 2007
 
         
         
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