Statutes of ESCNP
Art. 1 Foundation and name
The European Society of Clinical Neuropharmacology (ESCNP, hereafter called “The Society”) is governed by the present Statutes.
Art. 2 A non-profit organization
The Society is a non profit organization and no part of the net earnings of the Society shall inure to the benefit of any private individual or member. The Society is independent.
Art. 3 Objectives and purpose
Section I. The activities of the Society shall be open to all neuroscientists irrespective of sex, race, religion, philosophical or political opinions or nationality.
Section II. The purpose of the Society is to strive, in all countries, to promote education and the attainment of the highest level of knowledge and understanding in the field of clinical neuropharmacology.
To that purpose the Society intends:
a) to foster and encourage scientific research, investigation and demonstration in the field
of clinical neuropharmacology;
b) to improve the quality of instruction in the professions dealing with these sciences;
c) to supply information to to cooperate with and to advise though its committees, any society, institution
or individual interested to these problems;
d) to propose standards, agreements and regulations and to give advice concerning criteria for the best
methods and techniques and for the interpretation of results;
e) to establish and maintain an efficient collaboration with international and national societies, governmental
organizations, professional associations and other groups, societies, institutions and individuals which
contribute to the progress in the field of clinical neuropharmacology.
Section III. The primary means for achieving these aims shall be:
a) the organization of European Congresses of clinical neuropharmacology;
b) the organization and sponsorship of international symposia, congresses and workshops in clinical
neuropharmacology and related neurosciences in Europe including regional conferences;
c) the organization of teaching courses in the neurosciences during such congresses
or during international symposia;
d) the preparation of guidelines for diagnostic, therapeutic, rehabilitation, preventive and
social programmes in neurology and psychiatry;
e) the organization and promulgation of international collaborative research projects, both on basic
and clinical neuropharmacology;
f) the establishment of registers and other databases of centres for research and teaching
in the neurosciences;
g) the publication of one or more scientific journals, newsletters, a directory of members
and other publications.
Art. 4 Membership
Section I. There are four categories of membership:
- ordinary members of affiliated national societies
- individual members
- honorary members
- corporate members
Section II. All members of the European national Societies of clinical neuropharmacology or associations are automatically ordinary members. Qualified individuals with a declared interest in basic or clinical neuropharmacology may apply for individual membership by submitting an application form together with a curriculum vitae. Acceptance will be decided by the Executive Committee.
Section III. Honorary members may be nominated from among those who, in the opinion of the Society, have made an exceptional contribution to the neurosciences and particularly in neuro- and psychopharmacology. Honorary members shall be proposed by at least two members of the Advisory Board; they shall be elected by a majority vote of the General Assembly.
Section IV. Any public or private organization, company or foundation which has an interest in promoting the neurosciences or related disciplines, or is interested in the application of such subjects to other disciplines, shall be eligible for corporate m embership at the discretion of the Executive Committee, that will decide also on their annual fee.
Section V. Membership teminates at death, resignation of expulsion.
Art. 5 Executive Committee
Section I. The Society will be governed by an Executive Committee.
Section II. The officers are the President, two Vice Presidents, the Secretary General and the Treasurer, and are elected by the General Assembly.
Section III. The President is the legal representative of the Society for any event; he also holds the official signature for any action of ordinary and/or extraordinary administration.
Section IV. Any vacancy occurring among the officers during a term of office shall be filled by an individual nominated by the President to complete the unexpired term. If the office of President becomes vacant, the Executive Committee elects one of the Vice Presidents to serve as acting President to complete ht unexpired term.
Section V. The Executive Committee may hold meetings at any time and in any place which may be convenient to its members; it may conduct its business by postal ballot. It shall have full power to formulate by-laws not in conflict with the Statutes.
Art. 6 Advisory Board
The Society has an Advisory Board, with the function of preparing and proposing the general policy of the Society.
The Advisory Board is constituted by no more than fourty members, elected by the General Assembly, possibly representatives of all the countries of Europe; the Past Presidents are ex-officio members of the Advisory Board; it is convenient the participation of one representative of the Research Group on Clinical Neuropharmacology of the World Federation of Neurology and of the European Federation of Neurological Societies. The Advisory Board should meet once a year and anyway at each Congress of the Society.
Art. 7 General Assembly
The General Assembly is composed of all Members of the Society.
The Assembly is convened at the place and date fixed for the session of the European Congress of the Society.
It proposes the place and the date of the next Congress. It proposes and votes the members of the Advisory Board and the officers of the Executive Committee.
It discusses and approves the financial statement and accounts for the current Fiscal Period, submitted, duly audited, by the Treasurer of the Society.
It votes on the budget for the following Fiscal Period proposed by the Executive Committee.
It discusses and votes upon all resolutions and decisions taken to fulfill the purposes of the Society and on all questions appearing on the agenda.
All those registered at the Congress may attend the General Assembly, but only members of the Society may vote.
Art. 8 Standing Comittees
The ESCNP has the following standing committees:
- Byelaws and Membership
- Education/Teaching Courses
- Liaison/European Affairs
- Publication
- Scientific
- Ethic
The Executive Committee may decide to add further Standing Committees and to discharge Standing Committees whenever appropriate.
The Chairmen of the Standing Committees are appointed by the Executive Committee and are ex-officio members of the Advisory Board.
Art. 9 Task Forces
The President, following the advice form the Executive Committee, may nominate Task Forces to accomplish certain tasks on behalf of the Society.
Art. 10 Collaborating Societies
Other organizations in the field of basic or clinical neuropharmacology may join the ESCNP as collaborating Societies.
The status of collaborating Society is obtained by application to the Liaison Committee which makes recommendations to the Executive Committee.
Collaborating Societies pay an annual fee which is decided by the Executive Committee.
The Liaison Committee proposes rules for the optimal collaboration between the ESCNP and collaborating Societies.
Art. 11 Nominations
Not less than one year before the end of the Fiscal Period, the Executive Committee shall elect three Delegates to serve as a Nomination Committee under the chairmanship of one Vice President.
Art. 12 Language
The official language of the Society shall be English.
Art. 13 Finance
Section I. The Executive Committee determines all matters of finance as well as the site of the Treasury.
Section II. The Society may accept and administer legacies, movable or immovable properties, donations and assets of any kind without restriction as to the amount of value; the decisions are taken by the Executive Committee.
Section III. The assets of the Society will be used for its own purposes, for the payment of its assessment to any international body with which it may be affiliated and, in a general way, to provide for the attainment of its purposes and, in particular, the organization of its Congresses.
Section IV. No portion of the assets of the Society shall be paid, directly or indirectly, to any member or officer of the Society, except for reasonable payment of services rendered, or of expenses incurred in the interest of the Society.
Section V. Proper books of account shall be kept by the Treasurer, certified by a Public, or professionally qualified Auditor at the end of each Fiscal Period.
Art. 14 Congresses
The Society will hold European Congresses at intervals of no more than two years.
Applications from national Societies or Associations to hold future European Congresses should be sent to the Secretary General at least two years prior to such Congresses, and should be formally endorsed by the national Society.
The selection of countries to host future Congresses is normally made by the Advisory Board; however, in case of urgency the Executive Committee may decide.
Art. 15 Official Journal
The Journal of Neural Transmission is the official journal of the Society.
Art. 16 Office
The Society establishes a Secretariat in Padova, headed by an Executive Secretary, that will serve as a centre of information, communication and coordination of the activities of the Society. The location of the office of the Society may be changed by a decision of the Executive Committee.
Art. 17 Dissolution
The Society may be dissolved or may amalgamate with another organization having similar objectives, on the proposal of the Executive Committee, ratified by a two-thirds majority vote of the General Assembly.
In the event of its dissolution the assets of the Society may not be divided among its members and shall be transferred to another international organization of similar interests, by a decision of the General Assembly.
Art. 18 Amendments
Amendments to the Statutes may be proposed by any member of the Society. They must be submitted to the Secretary General at least three months before the meeting of the General Assembly at which these shall be voted upon. The agenda for the meeting shall include the proposed amendments. Any amendment shall require a two-thirds majority affirmative vote of the members present in order to be adopted.
Art. 19 Ratification
The present Statutes has been approved by the General Assembly of the Society held in Opatija, Croatia, May 2000.