By-laws of the European Association of Plastic Surgeons
ARTICLE 1
Name, purpose, scope
Section 1 The name of the Association shall be “European Association of Plastic Surgeons”.
Section 2 The purpose shall be:
A. To promote excellence in Plastic Surgery in Europe.
B. To furnish an annual Forum for a selection of the best scientific works presented at National Societies.
C. To stimulate research and investigation, at the European level as well as to coordinate various forms of teaching.
D. To preserve the unity of Plastic Surgery by illustrating its different aspects.
E. To afford recognition to those who have contributed to excellence in Plastic Surgery by extending to them membership of the Association.
Section 3 Plastic Surgery, Reconstructive and Aesthetic, is that speciality in Medicine wich deals with acute and non-acute conditions, congenital or acquired, as a result of trauma, disease, degeneration or ageing in patients of both sexes and all ages. Its aim is the restoration or improvement of function and the normalisation of appearance and well-being.
ARTICLE II
Membership
Section 1 There shall be four classes of Membership in the Association: Active, Senior, Corresponding and Honorary.
Section 2 Membership of the Association is by invitation. Membership is a privilege and not a right, and it is contingent upon continuing compliance with the by- laws of the Association. No person shall be elected or remain a member of the Association unless he or she is of good moral character and adheres to accepted principles of medical ethics.
Section 3 Membership in the Association shall be limited, and the candidates to be proposed for membership shall be determined at the Association Meeting by the Officers and Council Members.
Section 4 Active members :
A. QUALIFICATIONS:
1. Shall be full members of their national society of Plastic Surgery, member itself of the International Confederation of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
2. Shall be trained in general surgery and fully qualified in plastic surgery.
3. Shall have had at least two years training in plastic surgery at a programme recognized by the Association.
4. Shall have been in active practice of plastic surgery for a minimum of three years after completion of training.
5. Shall have published significant papers on the subject of plastic surgery.
6. Under exceptional circumstances, the above requirements can be waived by the Officers and Council.
B. RIGHTS and DUTIES
1. May vote, hold offices and serve on committees of the Association.
2. If absent for two consecutive meetings, they shall be dropped from the membership roster unless the absence is excused by the Officers and Council.
Section 5 Senior members:
QUALIFICATIONS:
Senior members shall be those Active members who have completely retired from practice of plastic surgery and related disciplines. This class of members must be conferred by Executive Committee and approved by the General Assembly.
1. May vote and serve on Committees of the Association, but they may not hold an Association office.
2. Shall not be required to pay dues or attend meetings. However, they shall pay a registration fee in the amount determined by the council for meetings which they attend.
3. Are obliged to notify the Association if they resume active practice or if their status changes in any other way. In this case elegibility lapses automatically.
Section 6 Corresponding members:
A. QUALIFICATIONS:
Corresponding members shall be those who reside and practice in countries other than Europe, who are full members of their National Society of Plastic Surgery, itself a member of the International Confederation of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
1.Shall be trained in general surgery and fully qualified in Plastic Surgery.
2.Shall have at least two years training in Plastic Surgery at a programme regognized by the Association.
3.Shall have been in active practice of Plastic Surgery for a minimum of three years after completion of training.
4.Shall have published significant contributions in the field of plastic surgery.
5.Under exceptional circumstances, the above requirements can be waived by the Officers and Council.
B. RIGHTS and DUTIES
1. May not hold offices, may not vote but shall have the rights and privileges of the Association.
2. If absent for three consecutive meetings they shall be dropped from the membership roster, unless the absence is excused by the Officers and the Council.
3. Shall pay the Annual dues.
4. When they retire completely from active practice they may, upon request, become Retired Corresponding members. This class of membership must be conferred by the Executive Committee and approved by the General Assembly. Retired Corresponding Members are not required to pay dues or attend meetings. However, they shall pay a registration fee in the amount determined by the Council for the Meetings which they attend.
Section 7 Honorary members :
QUALIFICATIONS:
Honorary members shall be individuals whom the Association deems worthy of special honour because of notable contributions in the field of Plastic Surgery or because of long activity in the interests of the Association. They are not required to attend Meetings or pay dues, and they cannot vote or hold offices in the Association.
Section 8 Election of members :
Active, Corresponding and Honorary members :
1. A candidate for Active and Corresponding Membership must, as a basic requirement, have presented personally a paper to an Annual Meeting of the Association. This requirement does not apply to Honorary Members.
2. A candidate for Active, Corresponding and Honorary membership must be proposed and seconded by two full members of EURAPS, one of them belonging to the same country of the candidate. This last requirement does not apply for countries which have no active members.
3. An Active Member cannot sponsor more than one candidate for membership in any one year
4. Each candidate for Active or Corresponding Membership must submit the following to the Secretary
General:
a) a completed application signed by the sponsors.
b) a list of publications and scientific contributions including full curriculum vitae.
5.The Secretary General shall ascertain that the candidate is eligible for membership. He shall forward to the Members of the Membership Committee, the curriculum vitae and the score given to the candidates presentation to a EURAPS meeting, for independent evaluation.
The Membership Committee shall meet immediately prior to the meeting of the Executive Committee and list the candidates in order of precedence. The Executive Committee shall consider the nominations and recommendations of the Membership Committee and elect Members on the basis of vacancies by a process the President and the Secretary General shall deem to be appropriate. The General Assembly shall be informed of the Members so elected.
6. The names of candidates for election will be published by the Secretary General and circulated to all members two months prior to the General Assembly. Members are entitled to send confidentially to the Executive Committee any reason or objection to the election of any candidate, to be received by the Secretary General, not less than 14 days prior to the meeting of the Executive Committee.
Section 9 Application for Membership
Completed applications for active, corresponding and honorary membership must be submitted to the Secretary General by 31 December of the year preceding the Annual meeting, usually the following May.
Section 10 Notification of Members
All new Members shall be sent a certificate of Membership signed by the President and Secretary General and a copy of the by-laws of the Association.^
ARTICLE III
Officers and Council
Section 1 Officers:
The Officers of the Association shall be the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary General, theTreasurer and the External Relations Officer.
A. No Member shall be elegible for Office who has not been an Active Member of the Association for at least three years.
B. A term of Office shall begin at the close of the next Annual Meeting.
C. The Secretary General and the Treasurer cannot serve more than two consecutive terms in the same Office.
D. At the Executive Meeting, a Candidate shall be nominated for each Office. Additional nominations may be made from the floor during the General Assembly.
E. Election of Officers shall be by ballot of the voting Members in attendance at the General Assembly and a majority shall elect.
F. The President and the Vice-President are elected for a period of one year, not reeligible.
G. The Secretary General and the Treasurer are elected for a period of three years, a may not serve more than two consecutive terms.
H. No Officers of the Association should serve more than six consecutive years.
Section 2 Council:
A. The Council is composed of one representative per European nation who has at least five Members of the Association. The Council Members are appointed for a two year period, and cannot serve more than two consecutive terms
B. The Council Members are proposed by their own National group. This proposal, after approval by the Executive Committee, is voted by the General Assembly, and a majority vote of those present shall elect.
Section 3 Executive Committee:
A. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary General, Treasurer, External Relations responsible, and the Members of the Council. The Historian shall have the right to attend the meetings of the Executive Committee in a non-voting capacity. The co-ordinator of the European Section of the IPRAS shall have the right to attend personally, or by means of a delegate, the meetings of the Executive Committee in a non-voting capacity;
B. The Executive Committee shall serve as the administrative authority of the Association and shall consider all its activities and determine its policies.
C. The Executive Committee shall be empowered to accept, reject or defer an application for Membership in the Association.
D. In a case a ballot vote in the Executive Committee shows an equal number, the President’s vote is counted for two. ^
ARTICLE IV
Committees
The President may appoint Committees for the transaction of certain business if so proposed by the Executive Committee of the Association. ^
ARTICLE V
Meetings
1. An Annual Meeting of the Members of the Association shall be held at the time and place designated by the Executive Committee. The Annual Meeting shall consist of a Meeting of the Executive Committee and a Meeting of the Members with scientific, business and social programs.
2. Elections: All elections should be held at the Annual Business Meeting – General Assembly.
3. Special Meetings: Special Meetings may be called by the Officers and Council and notices must be sent by mail to all member at least 30 days prior to the date of the Meeting. Business to be transacted at a special Meeting will be states in the notice.
4. Quorum: At least 50% of Members elegible to vote constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at a General Assembly Meeting.
5. Executive Business Meeting: An Executive Business Meeting shall be held any time at the discretion of the President. ^
ARTICLE VI
Dues and Fees
1. The entrance fee for New Members shall be determined by the Officers and Council.
2. Annual dues for Members are determined every year by the General Assembly upon proposal by the Executive Committee and collected by the Treasurer. The business year is the calender year.
3. The Treasurer shall notify all Members in areas of dues. Members delinquent of more than two years may be dropped from Membership by action of Officers and Council. A letter advising them that they will be dropped if they do not pay must be sent to them by registered/certified mail to them at least 3 months prior to effectiveness of this decision.
4. Guest fees and registration fees for the Annual Meeting shall be determined by the Executive Committee.
5. A special assessment may be recommended by the Executive Committee. It must be voted upon at the Executive Business Meeting and must be approved by two-thirds before it can be levied on the Members of the Association. ^
ARTICLE VII
Ethics and discipline
1. All disciplinary action of any Member (i.e. Active, Corresponding, Senior and Honorary), or candidate for Membership shall be by the Officers and Council which may censure, reprimand, suspend, expel or otherwise discipline a Member.
2. A Member may be disciplined for any of the following reasons:
a) A failure to comply with the reprimands contained in the by-laws of the Association.
b) Unauthorized use of the Association’s name, logo, or other symbols on stationary, publications, symposia advertisements, printed material or in any other manner.
c) Immoral, dishonourable, or unprofessional conduct considered prejudicial to the best interest of Plastic Surgery, or inconsistent with the purpose of the Association.
3. Complaints and procedure :
Any complaints against a Member, or Members, or all request for disciplinary action against a Member, or Members, shall be made in writing, and addressed to the President of the Association who shall submit such complaints to the Executive Committee of the next scheduled Meeting.
a) If fewer than three fourth of the Officers and Council at such Meeting vote in favour of investigation of the charges for disciplinary action, the complaining Member should be notified that no action will be taken and the matter will be closed.
b) If at least three-fourths of the Officers and Council present at the Meeting vote in favour of the investigation of the charges for disciplinary action, a date shall be sent to consider those charges and theSecretary should notify the Member in question by registered/certified mail of the charges against him/her and shall specify the date, place and time of the Meeting when the charges will be considered.
c) Any such hearings may be conducted in a formal or informal manner as the Officers and Council in their sole discretion decide and they may limit the amount of time alloted to any person appearing before it.
d) If at least three-fourths of the Officers and Council present at the hearing vote in favour of disciplinary action, the Secretary General shall notify the Member, within five days of the disciplinary action to be taken by registered/certified mail.
The Membership status of any person involved in a disciplinary hearing shall not be altered during the pendency of the proceedings. ^
ARTICLE VIII
Resignations
Any Members may withdraw from the Association after fullfilling all obligations and giving written notice of such intention to the Secretary General. This notice shall be presented to the Officers and Council at the first Meeting following its receipt. The Officers and Council may accept, or reject, the resignation. ^
ARTICLE IX
Dissolution
In the event of dissolution or final liquidation of the Association, all of its assets remaining after payment of its obligations have been made or provided for its shall be distributed to, and among such corporations, foundations, or other organizations operated exclusively for scientific and educational purposes consistent with those of the Association, and shall be designated by the Officers and Council. ^
ARTICLE X
Amendments
Section 1 All proposed amendments to the by-laws must be signed by three voting members and submitted in writing to the Secretary General of the Association at least six months prior to the next Annual Meeting.
Section 2 The Secretary General must notify ther voting Members by mail of the proposed amendment at least three months prior to the next Annual Meeting.
Section 3 The by-laws may be amended by a two-thirds affermative vote of the voting Members by secret ballot at the Annual Meeting.
