EABP Constitution (Articles of Association)

Section 1. Name of the Association

The “EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION FOR BODY-PSYCHOTHERAPY” (in the German language: Europäische Vereinigung für Körper-Psychotherapie) - hereinafter called: EABP is an Association under Section 60 ff of the Swiss Code of Civil Law and these are the Articles of Association.

Section 2. Registered Office and Jurisdiction of the Court

The Registered Office of the Association will be situated in Zürich, Switzerland. Disputes and differences within the Association shall be within the jurisdiction of the court in Zürich, and Swiss law shall be applicable.

Section 3. Objects for which the Association is established.

a) To act as an accrediting organisation for European Body-Psychotherapists and to maintain and promote standards, ethics, and levels of professional worth among its members

b) To establish Body-Psychotherapy as a recognised branch of the profession of psychotherapy, and

i. To obtain official recognition for the speciality of Body-Psychotherapy in the various European countries, and

ii. To establish that Body-Psychotherapy can be practiced legally and professionally in all countries in Europe

c) To promote the dialogue and the exchange of information among the EABP Members to further their intellectual, scientific, creative and special knowledge and practice in Body-Psychotherapy in a manner similar to other fields of psychotherapy

d) To spread and propagate the theory that body-psychotherapy as practiced in a specific culture requires an understanding of appreciation of and integration into that specific culture and society

e) To offer its Members the opportunity to make use of the Association as a supporting structure through the exchange and interchange of information and experience

f) To develop and support all kinds of activities including the organisation of congresses, workshops or other meetings

g) To

i. Compile a bibliography of all published articles and books relating to the specific theoretical area of Body-Psychotherapy, and

ii. To issue a professional journal about Body-Psychotherapy, and

iii. To collect and compile publications relating to the subject

h) To further scientific research and development in Body-Psychotherapy

i) To assist members with professional, ethical, educational, and national registration difficulties

Section 4. Membership

4.1 Composition

Members may be natural and corporate bodies.

Individuals can be a Full Member, Candidate Member, and Associate Member.

Corporate bodies can be Organisational Members.

Reciprocal Membership agreements may be concluded with corporate bodies, which have similar objects.

4.2 Entry, Resignation and Exclusion

a) Admission of Members shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Directors on submission of an application for membership in writing. The Board of Directors may refuse admission and will state the reason(s) for the refusal in writing to the Candidate Member.

b) The Executive Board shall be informed in writing of a Member’s resignation. If, in spite of being reminded, a Member fails to pay his contribution, this may be considered as a resignation. Resigning Members shall not be entitled to the Association’s assets.

c) Violation of the Articles of Association or obstruction of the interests of the EABP or damaging the prestige of the EABP by a Member in any way whatsoever may result in the latter’s exclusion. Exclusion shall be determined by the General Meeting by secret ballot. Members who have been excluded are responsible and liable to the Association for any obligations. However they lose any entitlement to the Association’s benefits and assets.

d) The Ethics Committee of the Association has the power to suspend or exclude a Member for an ethics offence, subsequent to the ratification of the Board. This may be brought before the General Meeting by any involved party.

4.3.1 Rights and Obligations of Full Members[1]

The Rights and Obligations are:

a) Introducing motions to the General Meeting. These suggestions in writing shall reach the Executive Board not later than two months prior to the General Meeting.

b) Attendance at the General Meeting, The Full Member is entitled to vote and stand for election.

c) Entitled to all the advantages incorporated in Membership of the EABP, as well as those incorporated in other related corporate bodies.

d) Payment of the annual contribution.

4.3.2 Rights and Obligations of Candidate Members[2]

The Rights and Obligations are:

a) Attendance at the General Meeting, The Candidate Member is not entitled to vote or to stand for election.

b) Entitled to all the advantages incorporated in Membership of the EABP, as well as those incorporated in other related corporate bodies.

d) Payment of the annual contribution.

4.3.3 Rights and Obligations of Associate Members[3]

The Rights and Obligations are:

a) Attendance at the General Meeting, The Associate Member is not entitled to vote or to stand for election.

b) Entitled to all the advantages incorporated in Membership of the EABP, as well as those incorporated in other related corporate bodies.

d) Payment of the annual contribution.

4.3.4 Rights and Obligations of Organisational Members[4]

The Rights and Obligations are:

a) Introducing motions to the General Meeting. These suggestions in writing shall reach the Executive Board not later than two months prior to the General Meeting.

b) Attendance at the General Meeting, The Organisational Member is entitled to one vote.

b) Entitled to all the advantages incorporated in Membership of the EABP, as well as those incorporated in other related corporate bodies.

d) Payment of the annual contribution.

Section 5. Financial Year

The accounting period of one complete year shall start from 1st January.

Section 6. Organs

6.1 Organs of the EABP

a) The General Meeting

b) The Extraordinary General Meeting

c) The Board of Directors

d) The Executive Board

e) The Supervisory Body

f) The Ethics Committee

6.2 The Biannual General Meeting

The ordinary General Meeting shall take place once every two years and shall usually be held within 4 months following the end of the financial year.

At least 30 days notice in writing prior to the day of the session of the General Meeting shall be given mentioning the subject(s) to be discussed.

The statutory subjects of discussion shall be:

a) Adoption of the Minutes of the previous General Meeting.

b) Approval of the Annual Report(s)

c) Report of the Supervisory Body and approval of the Annual Accounts.

d) Programme of Activities for the ensuing year.

e) Fixing and adopting the contribution of Members, and passing and adopting the Budget.

f) Election of the President, the other Members of the Board of Directors, the Ethics Committee and the Auditors.

g) Alterations of the Articles of Association.

h) Membership of other corporate bodies.

i) Reciprocal Memberships.

j) Motions put before the Meeting by the Board of Directors.

k) Motions put before the Meeting by Members.

l) Any other business.

Decisions made by the General Meeting shall be minuted.

6.3 The Extraordinary General Meeting.

The Extraordinary General meeting shall be convened by a decision made by the Board of Directors or in accordance with a motion proposed in writing by one fifth of all the Members and shall take place within 60 days. Otherwise reference is made to Section 6.2.

6.4 The Board of Directors

The Board of Directors shall be formed by the President and at least three (3) more Members, which shall include a Treasurer and Secretary as officers. The officers shall be elected for a period of 4 years, with at least one officer resigning every bi-annual General Meeting. The officers comprise the Executive Board. The Board constitutes itself.

The rest of the Board shall be elected by the General Meeting for a term of two (2) years. At the end of their term of office the Members are eligible for re-election.

In the presence of at least three (3) of its Members, the Board of Directors shall make decisions.

The Board of Directors shall be authorised to deal with any business that is not specifically reserved to the General Meeting.

The Board shall represent the Association in external matters, and shall be authorised to establish a secretariat.

In order to deal with particular matters, the Board of Directors may appoint Committees. At least one Member of the Board of Directors shall sit on every Committee; the other Members of the Committee need not be Members of the Association.

6.5 The Executive Board

Three or more Members of the Board of Directors shall constitute the Executive Board. The Executive Board supervises the activities of and/or at the Association’s Office and prepares the sessions of the Board of Directors.

6.6 The Supervisory Body

As the Association’s Supervisory Body, the General Meeting elects two (2) auditors. At the end of their term of office of two years the Auditors are eligible for re-election.

Resignations in writing shall reach the President not later than two months prior to the end of the financial year.

For the use of the Member’s General Meeting, the Supervisory Body shall examine and audit the Annual Accounts, the overall administration of the Association’s property and assets as well as the cash accounting.

6.7 Elections and Voting by Members

As a rule, elections shall be held and votes taken by a simple majority of votes by the Members present, unless a secret ballot is required.

The Association shall decide by a simple majority of votes on all such matters as shall not require a weighted majority. In case of an equality of votes after a second voting no decision shall have been made.

With a majority of two-thirds of the votes the Association shall decide on the exclusion of Members, on joining other corporate bodies, on alterations of the Articles of Association, on judging the importance of subjects of discussion that have not been notified according to the rules of procedure (except for alterations of the Articles of Association and the Winding-up of the Association).

Any change of Section 8 of these Articles of Association as well as the decision to wind-up the Association require the approval of two-thirds of those present at the General Meeting.

In the event of elections an absolute majority (i.e. more than half the votes given) shall decide after the first and second voting, and a relative majority shall be required at the third voting. In case of an equality of votes between candidates after a third voting the President shall be entitled to have a casting vote.

Section 7. Expenditure - Receipts and Liability

a) The Association’s expenses shall be paid from Member’s contributions, receipts, i.e. the proceeds as the result of some activities, e.g. exhibitions, meetings, etc., gifts, donations and any further and additional receipts and income.

b) Obligations entered into by the Association shall exclusively be met by the assets of the Association. Neither the Members personally nor their organs can be held responsible and liable for obligations entered into by the Association.

Section 8. Winding-up

A General Meeting shall be convened to decide on the winding-up of the Association. The existence of the Association, however, cannot be brought to an end as long as ten Members guarantee its continuance.

In the event of a winding-up the same General Meeting shall decide on the application of the Assets of the Association.

Section 9. Final Provisions

With the consent of the Constituent Meeting these Articles of Association shall come into immediate operation as from the date of the said Meeting.

Place: Oslo Date: 20-12-1988

These Articles of Association have been amended by 2/3 majority votes at:

General Assembly Meeting at Lindau, 21-9-1991

General Assembly Meeting at Strasbourg, 18-9-1993

General Assembly Meeting at Carry-le-Rouet, 30-4-1995

General Assembly Meeting at Egmont aan Zee, 16-9-2001

General Assembly Meeting at Marathon, Greece, 9-10-2004

General Meeting at Paris; 11-11-2008

Registered Office of the Association:

Dr L. Buerkler-Giussani, Freigutstrasse 4, Postfach, CH-8027 Zürich, Switzerland

The EABP is an association according to Swiss law.

Secretariat:
EABP Secretariat, Leidsestraat 106-108/2, 1017 PG Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Tel: 0031-20-330-2703 Fax: 0031-20-625-7312

Email: secretariat@eabp.org

Update: 2007

Signed:

President: C J Valstar

Vice President/Secretary: Sean Doherty

Treasurer: Francois Lewin

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