Statutes

1.1. The Society shall bear the name International Society for Food and Environmental Virology (SFEV)
1.2. The registered office of the society shall be Lisbon.
1.3. The society shall be entered in the registry of associations.
1.4. The business year shall be the calendar year. The period from the founding of the society up to the following December 31 shall be a short fiscal year.

2.1. The general purpose of the society is to promote science and research in the field of Food and Environmental Virology, for a better understanding of these organisms and to prevent diseases associated to them.
2.2. In order to achieve the purpose of the society and fulfill its goals, the society shall host scientific events under the topic “Food and Environmental Virology”. The society shall be a place for the exchange of ideas, personnel, and project-related cooperation between the members.
2.3. The society can also be involved in different scientific fields, as long as they are consistent with the purpose and goals of the society, and in the area of advanced education.

3.1. The society shall exclusively and directly pursue non-profit purposes. The society shall operate in a selfless manner. Economically, it shall not primarily pursue self-interest purposes.
3.2. The funds of the society may only be used in accordance with the statutes. The steering committee members, in their capacity as members, shall not receive any contributions from the funds of the society. In the event its termination or dissolution of the association, the members may receive no shares of the society’s assets. No person shall be favored through disbursements not pertaining to the purpose of the society.

4.1. Any natural or legal person, with activities in the field of Food and Environmental Virology may become a member of the society. Application for admittance into the society has to be made in writing or electronically. The steering committee shall decide upon admittance.
4.2. The decision of the steering committee on the application for admission is liable to appeal to the following general meeting.
4.3. The members and the candidate are able to appeal, and they may be present in the general meeting (point 4.2). The candidate can be present in the general meeting and may participate in the discussion regarding the admission, without being able to vote.
4.4. The associates shall have the right to:
4.4.1. Attend to the general assembly, submitting a proposal, discussing and voting on the items of the agenda;
4.4.2. Elect and be elected for the organs of the society;
4.4.3. Require information to the competent bodies of the society and examine the records and accounts of the society during the period and under the conditions set by the statutes, by the general assembly or by the steering committee;
4.4.4. Require the convening of a general assembly, as defined by the statutes;
4.4.5. Resign;
4.5. The decision of the steering committee on the matter in subparagraph 4.4.3 from the previous number may be appealed to the general meeting.
4.6. The members shall respect the associative principles, the law, the statutes of the society and the respective internal regulations, as well as the resolutions from the society bodies.
4.7. The members shall also:
4.7.1. Attend to the general meetings;
4.7.2. Accept and exercise the positions for which they were elected, unless otherwise justified;
4.7.3. Generally, participate in the activities of the society and help whenever needed;
4.7.4. A minimum annual fee shall be paid by the members, the amount and maturity of which shall be decided by the general assembly of the members;
4.8. Resignation shall only be possible taking effect at the end of the business year, subject to a term of notice of one month.
4.9. If a member has previously infringed the goals and interests of the society or is in arrears with payment of fees for six months despite reminder, the member may be excluded from the society through a decision of the steering committee with immediate effect. Prior to the decision, the member shall be given an opportunity to justify his behavior or state of this case.
4.10. The decision of exclusion shall be provided with reasons and the members shall be notified in writing thereof. The member may appeal to the steering committee in writing against the steering committee’s decision of exclusion within a period of one month from the time the receipt of exclusion order. The general assembly of members shall decide on the appeal at the next meeting. Until the decision of the general assembly, the membership shall be suspended subject to contributions
4.11. The process in number 4.11 shall not apply when the exclusion is merely related to arrears with payment of fees for six months despite reminder, being required notice, sent to the address of the member by registered, indicating the period in which the situation is to be regulated.
4.12. Upon termination of the membership, there shall be no reimbursement of membership fees already rendered. All membership rights shall expire upon termination of the membership, in particular claims to services of the society.
4.13. The revenues of the society are:
4.13.1. Membership fees;
4.13.2. Donations and donations in kind;
4.13.3. Public funding;
4.13.4. Proceeds from events in support of the society.
4.14. The expenses of the society are:
4.14.1. Salaries and wages with the workers and related benefits;
4.14.2. Costs associated with the leasing of the place of the registered office, as well as with water, gas and electricity;
4.14.3. Any other costs related to the normal and regular functioning of the society.
4.15. Bodies of the society
The bodies of the society are:
a) General assembly of members;
b) Steering committee;
c) Audit committee.
4.16. The body members shall be elected from among the members for a period of 4 years and cannot be re-elected for more than two consecutive terms.
4.17. If a withdrawal from one of the members of the society’s bodies shall occur, another member shall be appointed which shall just complete the mandate.
4.18. The general assembly of members shall not pass resolutions, on the first summoning, without at least having the presence of half of the members; a second meeting shall be convened, an hour later, and irrespectively of the number of members present, the assembly shall be competent to pass resolutions if an invitation to the relevant assembly has been issued duly and properly.

5.1. The steering committee comprises of five full members, in particular the president, the vice-president, the secretary, the treasurer and another committee member.
5.2. The steering committee shall administer and represent the society, assigning namely:
5.2.1. The steering committee shall be constituted by the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman, the Secretary, and the Treasurer. In addition, the Chairman of the biannual SFEV conference belongs to the steering committee.
5.2.2. The Chairman of the steering committee shall be elected for mandates of four business years. Only members of the society may be elected as ordinary members of the steering committee. Re-election of the Chairman of the steering committee shall only be permissible for a maximum of two mandates. Direct subsequent re-election in the same function is not permissible, but later re-election shall be admissible.
5.2.3. The remaining members of the steering committee shall be elected by the steering committee for an eight year mandate maximum. Each steering committee members in office shall remain in office actively after expiry of their mandate until their successors have been elected.
5.2.4. Each member shall have a vote per position in the steering committee. If more than two candidates stand for election, the decision will fall on the candidate with more votes.
5.2.5. The membership in the steering committee shall end when the mandate expires, through resignation from the society, through withdrawal or through voting out of office by the general assembly of members with a three-quarter majority of the members present.
5.2.6. The steering committee shall conduct the business of the society on a voluntary basis.
5.2.7. The steering committee shall make its decisions with a simple majority. The steering committee shall make its decisions in person, by telephone, letter, fax or via email. The steering committee shall be competent to pass resolutions if at least half of the steering committee members participate in passing the resolution.
5.2.8. The society shall be represented in and out of court by the steering committee namely by the President or Vice-President in each case.
5.2.9. The treasurer shall be responsible for managing the society’s assets and shall draw up an annual financial statement for the society.
5.2.10. A record shall be drawn up of the minutes of all the meetings and decisions of the steering committee and signed by all the members of the steering committee body.

6.1. The audit committee comprises of at least three full members.
6.2. The members of the audit committee shall be elected by the general assembly of members, the steering committee and shall be elected each for mandates of four years up to a total of eight years.
6.3. An ordinary audit committee meeting shall take place twice a year or when the president of the audit committee shall convene.
6.4. The meetings shall occur in person, by conferences via internet, email, telephone or any other appropriate and approved mean.
6.5. The audit committee shall supervise the accounts of the society provided by the treasurer of the steering committee.
6.6. The accounts of the society shall be provided to the Audit Committee at least with a minimum of two weeks prior to the general assembly of members or whenever the audit committee requires.
6.7. The results of the audit shall be presented by the Chairman of the Audit Committee every two years by the general assembly of members.
6.8. An extraordinary general assembly shall be convened by the Chairman of the Audit Committee if any discrepancy shall be detected in the accounts of the society.
6.9. The decision to convene an extraordinary general assembly of members shall be approved with the majority of the members of the audit committee.
6.10. The extraordinary general assembly of members shall be subjected to a period of notification of at least one month.
6.11. The agenda for the extraordinary general assembly of members shall be announced.

7.1. The Chairman of the biannual SFEV conference shall be elected by the general steering committee for two years. He/she shall be responsible for the organization of the biannual conference which takes place prior to the end of his/her mandate.
7.2. The Chairman of the SFEV conference is a full member of the steering committee.

8.1. The general assembly of members shall be convened by the General Assembly body.
8.2. An ordinary general assembly of members shall take place every two years. The general assembly of members shall be summoned in writing, fax or via email; the invitation hereto shall be subjected to a period of notification of at least one month.
8.3. The general assembly body may convene an extraordinary general assembly of members at any time. It shall be under obligation to do so if:
a) The steering committee or the audit committee decide unanimously, or
b) The summoning of a meeting is requested by at least 25% of the members stating the purpose and reason in writing to the general assembly body.
The extraordinary general assembly of members shall be summoned in writing, by fax or email, subjected to a period of notification of at least two weeks, and shall announce the agenda. The agenda shall be determined by the general assembly body.
8.4. The general assembly of members shall be conducted by the chairman of the general assembly body. If he/she is prevented from attending, another member of the general assembly body shall chair the meeting.
8.5. The minutes on the progress of the general assembly of members, in particular the resolutions adopted, shall be recorded and signed by the chair of the meeting and the person appointed by the general assembly of members to take the minutes (the secretary of the general assembly body), the original report of which is to be stored at the society’s office.
8.6. The general assembly of members shall pass resolutions with a simple majority vote of the members present, insofar as the statutes do not specify otherwise. Irrespective of the number of members present, the assembly shall be competent to pass resolutions if an invitation to the relevant assembly has been issued duly and properly. A voting tie is deemed refusal. Each member shall have a vote. Voting rights shall not be transferable but a member may express the vote by writing, or email addressed to the Chairman of the general assembly.
8.7. Having been entrusted in these statutes, the general assembly of members shall decide on the issues, as well as about the report and the discharge of the steering committee and the treasurer’s financial report. Furthermore, it shall be responsible for the tasks of the society, the election of the steering committee, the adoption of the annual financial statement, the modification of the statutes, and the decision about the dissolution of the society.
8.8. Modifications of the statutes and the fixing of the membership fees may only be decided upon with a two-thirds majority of the members present.
8.9. Modifications of the statutes requested by supervisory, court or financial authorities may be dealt with by the steering committee itself. All members of the society have to be notified in writing of such modifications of the statutes as soon as possible.

9.1. The dissolution of the society may only be decided upon in a general assembly of members specially convened for this purpose with two-thirds majority of those present.
9.2. In the event of dissolution or cessation of the assets of the society shall be directly and exclusively donated for charitable medical purposes.

Unless otherwise specified by the statutes, the legal provisions for registered associations shall apply in addition.

The statutes shall come into effect upon entry into the registry of associations.