I. Denomination, Legal Domicile
Article 1
An international association with scientific purpose, called the “International Meteor Organization”, is established. This association is ruled by the Belgian law of October 25, 1919, modified by the law of December 6, 1954.
Article 2
The legal domicile of the Association is Pijnboomstraat 25, in Mechelen. It can be transferred to any other location in Belgium by decision of the General Assembly.
Note: the current legal domicile is Mattheessensstraat 60, B-2540 Hove
II. Objectives
Article 3
The objectives of the Association, which does not seek profit, are:
- to affirm the need for studying meteors and related phenomena;
- to promote a global perspective towards the study of meteors and related phenomena, by striving towards common standards and research programs and by developing the international spirit among meteor workers;
- to encourage and develop the study of meteors and related phenomena by amateurs and professionals, both on practical and theoretical levels.
- to encourage and develop international cooperation, among as well as between amateur and professional meteor workers;
- to centralize and distribute scientific data on meteors and related phenomena in order to guarantee both their conservation and their accessibility by amateurs and professionals;
- to provide assistance to individual meteor workers as well as groups for the organization of scientific activities.
Article 4
In order to achieve its objectives, the Association can, but is not restricted to:
- publish an international scientific journal printed in English;
- make available various scientific publications;
- propose international standards for observing and reporting data;
- collect and distribute observational data;
- organize or provide assistance in the organization of: conferences, lectures, introductory camps, observations, exhibitions and traveling;
- participate in conferences, lectures, observations, exhibitions and excursions, and, in particular in the colloquia of the International Astronomical Union.
The Association can pursue directly or indirectly all legal means leading to its objectives.
III. Members
Article 5
The Association consists of voting members, associate members, adherent members, and honorary members.
Article 6
Voting members are all founding members and individuals accepted as such by the General Assembly who have paid the required dues. Only voting members have the right to vote and to hold office.
Article 7
Associate members are individuals or corporate persons having applied for membership to the Council who have paid the required dues. Associate members share the same privileges as voting members, except the right to vote and to hold office. An individual having the status of associate member can apply for voting membership by filing a request to the Council. This request will be submitted for approval to the General Assembly.
Article 8
Adherent members are individuals accepted as such by the General Assembly wishing to help the Association or participate in certain of its activities. Adherent members share the same privileges as associate members, but do not have to pay dues.
Article 9
Honorary members are individuals that were given this title by the General Assembly for their high merits in the study of meteors and related phenomena, or for their exceptional services to the Association. Honorary members share the same privileges as associate members, but do not have to pay dues.
Article 10
Not withstanding Article 12, voting members being given the title of honorary member keep their former status until they cease to fulfil the requirements of Article 6.
Adherent members and honorary members can apply for voting membership in the same way as associated members. If voting membership is granted, then the requirements of Article 6 are applicable.
Article 11
Membership fees are fixed annually by the Council.
Article 12
Membership is lost:
- by resignation: any member of the Association can resign membership at any time by sending a registered letter to the President;
- by non-payment of dues;
- by expulsion: a member can be expelled by a decision of the General Assembly, following a proposal of the Council, and after the member concerned has been given the opportunity to be heard
at a meeting of the General Assembly. The fully detailed proposal of the Council must be included in the agenda of the meeting, sent to the members (including the member concerned) together with the convocation for the meeting. In a secret vote and after deliberation, the voting members present or
represented will decide by simple majority whether the proposal for expulsion is to be submitted for ballot to all voting members. Following the procedure of Article 21, the final decision of the General
Assembly must be taken by a majority of two thirds of the decisive votes.
The resigning or expelled member will enjoy the material benefits of membership until the end of the term for which dues were paid. By no means is he entitled to full or partial restitution of membership fees.
Article 13
The commitments and involvements of the Association impose no obligation or responsibility upon the members other than the payment of the required membership fees. No member who ceases to be part of the Association nor the beneficiaries of a deceased member, have any right to the assets of the
Association.
IV. General Assembly
Article 14
The General Assembly authorizes the means by which the objectives of the Association are accomplished. It is composed of all voting members of the Association.
In particular, the General Assembly alone:
- sanctions the accounts and budgets;
- nominates and revokes Council members;
- may change membership status and admit adherent as well as honorary members;
- may expel members;
- may modify the constitution and dissolve the Association.
Article 15
All decisions of the General Assembly are taken by written ballot following proposals communicated by the Council to all voting members. These proposals transmitted to the General Assembly contain a deadline for receiving the votes and the address to which they should be sent. This deadline must be at least two months after the proposals were sent out.
The votes will be counted by a Council member in the presence of at least one witness. No votes will be counted or consulted before the deadline. The Council will guarantee the proper procedure as well as the secrecy of the ballot. Decisions are taken by simple majority of the decisive votes, unless a special majority is required. If the vote is tied, the proposal is rejected.
Article 16
Proposals regarding the change of membership status and the admission of honorary members, the expulsion of members, the modification of the constitution as well as the dissolution of the Association
cannot be decided upon validly by the General Assembly before they were deliberated upon at a meeting of the General Assembly. Detailed proposals on these matters must be sent to the members together with the convocation for the meeting as specified in Article 15. After deliberation, the voting
members present or represented decide by simple majority whether the proposal will be submitted for ballot to all voting members. The final decision must be taken following the procedure of Article 21.
Article 17
Each proposal to the General Assembly, communicated to the Council by a voting member, must be submitted for ballot, following the procedures of Articles 15 and 16. The Council must start the voting procedure no later than with the convocation for the next meeting of the General Assembly.
Article 18
The General Assembly meets whenever the Council decides so and whenever such a meeting is requested by one fifth of the voting members or by twenty members. The General Assembly meets at least once in every two years. The General Assembly is convened by the Council and meets at the
Association’s legal domicile, or at any other place indicated on the convocation. The meeting is chaired by the President, or, in his absence, by the Vice-President or the oldest Council member present. The convocation of the meeting, which includes the agenda, is sent to all members of the Association at least three months before the meeting is to take place. Associate, adherent and honorary members are entitled to participate in a consultative capacity. Furthermore, the Council can invite in a consultative capacity any person it deems relevant. Excluding the issues mentioned in Article 16, new items can be added to the agenda by the Council or on request of one fifth of the voting members present or represented.
Article 19
Voting members can give proxy to other voting members to represent them at a meeting of the General Assembly. A voting member can hold at most five proxy votes. The General Assembly meets validly,
irrespective of the number of voting members present or represented.
Article 20
During a meeting of the General Assembly, all attendants are entitled to question the Council about the management of the Association.
In particular, they can inquire about accounts and budgets, and the proper procedure of ballots submitted since the previous meeting. The Council has to provide the required explanations and justifications, and to present documentary evidence. All attendants are entitled to make proposals.
Article 21
Proposals approved by simple majority at a meeting of the General Assembly, will be decided upon following the procedure of Article 15, which is to be initiated within four months after the conclusion of the meeting. A report on the meeting, compiled by the Secretary-General, will be attached to the proposals.
Article 22
The decisions of the General Assembly are noted in a register signed by the President and the Secretary-General. This register is kept by the Secretary-General, who guarantees access by all members as well as third parties justifying their interest. Furthermore, the decisions are communicated to all members within four months after the conclusion of the ballot.
V. President
Article 23
The President of the Association is a voting member elected by the General Assembly for a term of four years. The voting procedure is the same as for other Council members, specified in Article 25.
VI. Council
Article 24
The Association is managed by a Council, composed of at least five and at most twenty voting members. At least one Council member must be of Belgian nationality. The President is member of the Council by right. The other Council members are elected by the General Assembly for a term of four years. A Vice-President, a Secretary-General and a Treasurer are elected by the Council amongst its members. The Council will take the necessary provisions to ensure the continuity of the management.
Article 25
At least six months before the term of a Council member expires, the Council sends out to all voting members a Call for Candidates, containing a deadline for receiving the candidacies and the address to which they should be sent. Candidacies must contain a curriculum vitae and a program for the office for which the candidate applies. Resigning Council members are re-eligible. The Council can also propose candidates. If all Council members of Belgian nationality are resigning, the Council must propose at least one candidate of Belgian nationality. Within a month after the aforementioned deadline, the Council communicates the candidacies to all voting members. The communication will also contain a deadline for receiving the votes and the address to which the votes should be sent. The deadline must be at least two months after the candidacies were sent out to all voting members. The votes will be counted by a Council member in the presence of at least one witness who is not a candidate. No votes will be counted or consulted before the deadline. The Council will guarantee the proper procedure as well as the secrecy of the ballot. If all the Council members of Belgian nationality are resigning, the candidate of Belgian nationality with the highest number of votes is elected by right.
The result of the ballot is communicated to all members by the Council, no later than two months after the deadline for submission of votes.
Article 26
A proposal cannot be decided by the Council unless it is communicated by the President to all Council members and at least two thirds of them cast a vote. Decisions are then made by simple majority of the
decisive votes. If the vote is tied, the proposal is rejected. Council members can cast their vote by communicating it to the President, in person or by any other means, such as (but not restricted to) mail, courier, phone, cable, telex, fax and electronic mail. If a vote is not cast in written form, a written confirmation must be send to the President within one month.
Article 27
The Council meets whenever the President decides so, and at the request of at least one fifth of its members, but at least once a year. Meetings of the Council are convened by the President. The Council meets validly, irrespective of the number of its members present or represented.
Article 28
Within the limits set by Articles 26 and 27, the Council establishes its own rules of procedure for deliberating, voting and meeting.
Article 29
The decisions of the Council are noted in a register signed by the President and the Secretary-General. This register is kept by the Secretary-General, who guarantees access by all members as well as third parties justifying their interest. Furthermore, the decisions are communicated to all members within four months after coming into effect.
Article 30
Annually, the Council compiles a report on the activities and the management of the Association, containing the accounts for the past year and the budget for the current year. This report is submitted for approval by the General Assembly and sent for information to the other members.
Article 31
Except for the issues attributed explicitly to the competence of the General Assembly, the Council can pursue all actions necessary for the management of the Association. The Council can delegate the daily
management of the Association to the President; or another Council member; or a manager, chosen among the members of the Association. Moreover, it can confer special and specific powers to one or more persons, acting on its behalf.
Article 32
All acts involving the Association are signed by two Council members, unless
special proxy was given by the Council. Such proxy cannot be given for financial
transactions involving 20,000 BEF or more. This amount can be changed by a
decision of the General Assembly.
20,000 BEF is equivalent to 495.79 EUR
Article 33
Judicial actions, both as claimant or defender, are held in name of the Association by the Council, represented by the President or another Council member appointed by the Council.
Article 34
The Council members have no personal obligation related to their function, and are only responsible for the execution of their mandate. The mandates are not paid.
VII. Modification of the Constitution, Dissolution
Article 35
Not withstanding Article 5 of the law of October 25, 1919, all proposals concerning the modification of the Constitution or the dissolution of the Association must by submitted to the General Assembly by the Council. They must be deliberated upon in a meeting of the General Assembly according to Article 16. The fully detailed proposal must be included in the agenda, sent to the members together with the convocation. After deliberation, the voting members present or represented decide by simple majority whether the proposal for modification or dissolution is to be submitted for ballot to all voting members. Following the procedure of Article 21, the decision of the General Assembly must be taken by a majority of two thirds of the decisive votes, provided these represent at least two thirds of the voting members. If the decisive votes do not represent at least two thirds of the voting members, the proposal will be resubmitted for ballot within one month under the same conditions.
The final decision will then be taken by a majority of two thirds of the decisive votes, irrespective of the number of cast votes.
Article 36
In case of dissolution, the Council designates one or more officers, charged with the liquidation of the goods of the Association. The net amount will be accorded to one or more organizations having international objectives similar to those of the Association.