EUROPEAN PARKINSON’S DISEASE ASSOCIATION
Memorandum & Articles of Association
[2 November 1998 – amended 10 May, 2004, Lisbon]
NAME, HEADQUARTERS AND PURPOSE
Article 1
An international Association with welfare, scientific and educational aims, called the European
Parkinson’s Disease Association (EPDA), is hereby constituted.
This Association shall be governed by the Belgian law of 25 October 1919, modified by the
Law of 6 December 1954.
The working language of the Association shall be English and every effort will be made to
facilitate understanding across Europe
Article 2
The Association’s headquarters is established in the Brussels region. It is currently located
at:
Avenue Nestor Plissart 4
1040 Brussels
Belgium
Its headquarters may be transferred to any other address in Belgium, by a simple decision of
the Administration Board published during the month of its occurrence in the annexes of the
"Moniteur Belge”.
Article 3
The objectives of the Association, which is non-profit making, non-religious and non-political
are to promote understanding of Parkinson’s disease, enabling people living with Parkinson’s
and their families to draw on best caring practice world-wide, to access the latest medical
and surgical advice, and thus make informed choices to achieve the best quality of life
possible.
To this end, the European Parkinson’s Disease Association (EPDA) seeks, in co-operation
with their members to:
- Investigate the prevalence and incidence of Parkinson’s disease in different regions of
Europe, the level of disability and quality of life of people with Parkinson’s in Europe
- provide and continually update data about medical and caring best practice
- make this information readily available to Parkinson’s Disease Associations, groups of
people with Parkinson’s, carers, professionals and other interested groups through
information technology and international networking
- promote and encourage co-operation between patient based, scientific and other
qualified groups enabling advancement of well-being and health for people with
Parkinson’s and their families
- motivate, promote and support new and existing national organisations to facilitate
their task of providing optimum care and rehabilitation to their members
- Promote co-operation, projects, exchange of information and experiences between
the member Associations.
The ways to achieve these objectives will be described in the Association’s Rules and
Regulations.
MEMBERSHIP
Article 4
The Association is composed of active (voting) and associate (non-voting) members.
Active Members will be Parkinson’s disease Associations, originating from European
countries or from countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, legally constituted according to
the laws and practices of their countries of origin.
Associate members may be physical persons or legal entities from any country, legally
constituted according to the laws and practices of their countries of origin.
Article 5
The admission of new members will be subject to the approval of the General Assembly.
The minimum criteria for being eligible for membership will be laid down in the internal
Rules and Regulations.
The members may resign at any time upon written notice to the Administration Board.
The exclusion of a member Association may be proposed to the Administration Board, after
having heard the defence of the member Association in question and after having been
pronounced by the General Assembly on a two-thirds majority of members present or
represented. The rights of the defence must be respected and excluded members must be
heard prior to the taking of any such decision.
A member who ceases to be a part of the Association shall not have any rights vis a vis the
social fund.
Article 6
The members pay a membership fee determined annually (for the category to which they
belong) by the General Assembly, based on a proposal by the Administration Board.
The annual membership fee shall be paid to the account of the EPDA not later than 1st
March each year.
There is no admission fee. If a member fails, on written demand for one year to meet its
financial obligations, it is considered to have withdrawn from the Association. This decision
to be agreed by the General Assembly on a two-thirds majority of members present or
represented by a written authority to act.
Amendment ratified 10 May, 2004
There is no admission fee. If a member fails, after one year from having been served a
written demand, to meet its financial obligations towards the Association, the Board (as
defined in Article 12) shall determine how to proceed and may determine that the member
in default shall lose its voting rights until such time as its financial obligations have been met
or the Board may propose to the General Assembly that the member in defaults’
membership of the Association be revoked.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Article 7
The General Assembly holds full powers to ensure the attainment of the aims of the
Association.
The quorum for a meeting shall be more than 50% of active (voting) members present.
The General Assembly is composed of one representative of every active (voting) member
Association.
Active (voting) members have one vote. If requested by any delegate present, voting may
be by secret ballot.
Associate members (non-voting) may attend the meetings of the General Assembly.
The General Assembly forum to be used only for European business and national problems are to be dealt with, within the country concerned.
The General Assembly shall be competent for the following points:
- approval of the budgets and accounts
- approval of international auditor
- the election and revocation of the administrators
- admit members to the Association
- consider and decide the rates of annual membership fees
- modification of the Articles of Association
- approval of internal rules and regulations
- dissolution of the Association
Amendment ratified 10 May, 2004
- approve a proposal by the Board that the membership of a specified member be
revoked pursuant to Article 5”
Article 8
The General Assembly shall meet every year and shall be announced six months in advance.
Proposals for Agenda items must be received by the Administration Board up to four months
prior to the General Assembly.
The Agenda for the General Assembly shall be notified in writing to all active and
associated members, not less than ten weeks in advance of the General Assembly.
Extraordinary General Assembly may be convened at the request of the majority of the
active members.
The proposals for Agenda items to be received by the Administration Board up to three
months prior to the proposed special meeting
The Agenda proposed for this special meeting to be notified, in writing, to all active and
associated members, not less than eight weeks in advance of the proposed special
meeting.
It is the responsibility of each active member to notify the Secretary, in writing, of the name
of their delegate one month prior to the General Assembly or Extraordinary meeting
Article 9
Each of the active (voting) members may be represented at the General Assembly by
another active member with a special written authority to act. However, no active member
may hold more than ONE written authority to act.
The General Assembly’s decisions shall only be considered to be valid if more than two thirds
of the active members are present or represented.
The General Assembly is chaired by the President of the Association. Or, if incapacitated, the
Vice President.
Article 10
With the exception of the cases provided for by these statutes, resolutions shall be adopted
by a simple majority of active members present or represented and they shall be brought to
the attention of all members.
The General Assembly cannot take a decision on any subject that is not on the agenda.
The General Assembly’s resolutions are recorded in a registry signed by the President and
kept by the Secretary, who shall make them available to the members.
Article 11
Without prejudice to Article 5 of the Law of 25 October 1919, any proposal involving a
modification of the statutes or the dissolution of the Association must come from the
Administration Board.
The Administration Board must notify the members of the Association at least three months
in advance of the date of the General Assembly that they will take a decision on said
proposal.
The General Assembly’s decisions shall only be valid if two thirds of its active (voting)
members are present or represented by a written authority to act.
No decision shall take effect unless approved by a two-thirds majority of votes.
However, if two-thirds of the active members of the Association are not present or
represented by a written authority to act, another General Assembly shall be convened in the
same conditions as set out above. This General Assembly’s final decision shall be valid on
the proposal in question, regardless of the number of active members present or
represented by a written authority to act.
Modifications of the statutes must be forwarded to the Administration Board and discussed
and agreed at the General Assembly. These shall only take effect after having been
approved by Royal Decree and after the publicity conditions required by Article 3 of the Law
of 25 October 1919 have been complied with.
The General Assembly shall determine the Association’s mode of dissolution and liquidation.
ADMINISTRATION
Article 12
The Association is administered by a Board composed of a minimum of six and maximum of
10 members one of whom will have Parkinson’s; one administrator must be of Belgian
nationality.
Administrators are appointed by the General Assembly for a term of two years and may be
re-appointed by the General Assembly at the end of their term.
Nominations for the Administration Board are to be received by the Secretary no later than 3
months prior to the General Assembly, who will inform the member organisations, in writing,
about all nominations and will be included with the Agenda for the General Assembly.
Administrators may be removed by the General Assembly based on a two-thirds majority of
active members present or represented by a written authority to act.
Article 13
The General Assembly shall elect from among its members a President, a Vice-President, a
Secretary, a Treasurer and other members as the Administration Board
Article 14
Administration Board meetings are called by the President or by agreement of the majority
of Board members.
The Administration Board’s decisions shall only be valid if the majority of its members are
present.
Article 15
The Administration Board has full power to manage and administer subject to the powers of
the General Assembly. It may delegate day to day management to its President or to an
administrator or agent. It may confer special powers under its responsibility and grant them
to one or more persons. It may also co-opt a Specialist to the Board.
Article 16
The resolutions of the Administration Board may be taken on a majority basis of
administrators present. In the event of a tie vote, the President’s vote shall prevail.
Resolutions shall be entered in a registry signed by the President and kept by the Secretary
who shall make it available to the Association’s members.
Article 17
With the exception of special authorities to act, all legal instruments that bind the
Association shall be signed by two administrators, President and Secretary, who shall not be
required to justify vis a vis third parties the powers granted for this purpose.
Article 18
Legal actions, both as plaintiff and defendant, shall be monitored by the Administration
Board, which shall be represented by its President or an administrator appointed for this
purpose.
BUDGET AND ACCOUNTS
Article 19
The working year shall commence on 1st January and end on 31st December.
The Administration Board is required to submit for the approval of the General Assembly the
accounts for the year ended and the following year’s budget.
Accounts will be audited by an international auditor nominated by the Administration Board
and approved by the General Assembly.
If necessary:
The General Assembly may decide to constitute a Reserve Fund, determine its amount and
the arrangements for contributions due to this fund by each member Association.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 20
The provisions of the law shall govern all that which is not provided for by these statutes, in
particular with regard to publications to be made in the annexes of the Moniteur Belge.
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