Statutes

Preamble

These Statutes apply only to the global Organization of the International Organization for Biological Control of Noxious Animals and Plants except where specific reference is made to Regional Sections. Any statutes or By-laws of Regional Sections must be compatible with these Statutes.

Article I

Name and seat

1. The name of the Organization, which is an association affiliated to the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS), shall be "The International Organization for Biological Control of Noxious Animals and Plants" (IOBC), hereinafter referred to as "the Organization".
2. The seat of the Organization shall be in Zurich, Switzerland. The Secretariat of the Organization may be in any country.
3. The Organization is a legal entity pursuant to Art. 60 of the Swiss Civil Code.

Article II

Functions

1. The Organization shall
   (a) promote the development of biological control and its application in integrated control programmes, and international cooperation to these ends. In these Statutes the term "biological control" means the use of living organisms or their products to prevent or reduce the losses or harm caused by pest organisms;
   (b) collect, evaluate and disseminate information about biological control;
   (c) promote national and international action concerning research the training of personnel, the coordination of largescale application and the encouragement of public awareness of the economic and social importance of biological control; (d) arrange conferences, meetings and symposia, and take any other action to implement the general objectives of the Organization.
2. The Organization may consult, collaborate, or make agreements with international or national governmental or non-governmental Organizations.

Article III

Membership

1. Membership of the Organization shall be open to all individuals and all Organizations, public or private, that desire to promote the objectives of the Organization.
2. There shall be four categories of membership, individual, institutional, supporting and honorary. Individual membership is open to all individuals engaged or interested in biological control. Institutional membership is open to any institution, including government departments, academies of science, universities, institutes and societies, participating in biological control activities. Supporting membership is open to any person or institution interested in promoting the objectives of the Organization. Honorary membership may be conferred by Council upon anyone who has made outstanding contributions to biological control.

Article IV

Application for membership

1. Application for individual or supporting membership shall be made, either directly or through the appropriate Regional Section, to the Secretary-General of the Organization. The applicant may request affiliation to any Regional Section.
2. Application for institutional membership shall be made to the appropriate Regional Section. Where no Regional Section exists the applicant shall apply to the Secretary-General of the Organization.
3. The Council decides on the admission and shall determine the appropriate category of membership, if any, of each applicant.

Article V

Withdrawal of Membership

1. Members may resign by giving notice to the Council or the Regional Section before June 30. The withdrawal shall become effective on December 31 of the same year up to which date the contribution must be paid.
2. The Council or the Regional Section, whichever is appropriate, may deprive of benefits any Member whose contribution is one year in arrears, and may expel any Member whose contribution is two years or more in arrears.

Article VI

Budget

1. The total revenue available to the Organization shall be derived from the annual contributions paid by Members and funds from other sources.
2. The membership contribution shall be determined by the Council for each category of members. Payment of these contribution shall be made to the Council directly or through the appropriate Regional Section.
3. Upon agreement between the Council and a Regional Section, contributions may be made by the Regional Section to the global Organization.
4. The financial period shall of four years terminating on December 31 of the year preceding that in which a General Assembly is held. The Treasurer shall report on the financial period to the General Assembly.
5. The funds of the Organization are exclusively liable for the obligations of the Organization. Any personal liability of the members is excluded.

Article VII

General structure

The Organization shall comprise the Members and the following statutory bodies:
(a) the General Assembly;
(b) the Council;
(c) the Executive Committee
(d) the Regional Sections;
(e) other bodies that the Council deems necessary.

Article VIII

General Assembly

1. The General Assembly, which is open to all Members, shall meet approximately every four years, preferably in conjunction with international congresses. The General Assembly may meet in special session if at least one fifth of the Members so request or if the Council so decides.
2. The place and date of the General Assembly shall be fixed by the Council and announced at least one year in advance. The agenda shall be prepared by the Council.
3. The General Assembly elects for a term of four years the President the two Vice-Presidents, the Treasurer and the Secretary-General. Not more than two of these shall be of the same country. With the exception of the Secretary-General they are not eligible for a second consecutive term in the same office.
4. The General Assembly decides on any modification to the Statutes.
5. The purposes of the General Assembly are the provision of information on the affairs of the Organization, and the provision of opportunities for Members to express opinions on the activities of the Organization and to make recommendations to the Council.
6. Non-member Organizations with an interest in biological control may be invited to send observers to the General Assembly, but such observers shall have no vote.
7. Voting by postal ballot is permitted and is obligatory for elections, changes of Statutes and the dissolution of the Organization.

Article IX

Council

1. The Council shall consist of the members of the Executive Committee and one representative from each Regional Section, all of whom shall be Members of the Organization.
2. The Council may invite any expert to participate in its meetings in an advisory capacity.
3. The Council shall be convened as appropriate and preferably at least once every two years.
4. The Council shall be responsible for the functioning of the Organization, and in particular for:
   a) stimulating international cooperation;
   b) providing advice and information;
   c) promoting and approving the establishment of Regional Sections and coordinating interregional activities;
   d) developing cooperative programs with other international Organizations;
   e) presenting progress reports and programmes of activity annually to Members and to each General Assembly;
   f) preparing the budget;
   g) preparing the agenda of the General Assembly;
   h) organizing votes by postal ballot.
5. The Council may establish services of general interest to Members, particularly relating to documentation, information and publication, and may act in such other ways as will promote the objectives of the Organization.
6. The Council shall formulate and amend By-laws.
7. All decisions of the Council shall be taken by a majority of the votes cast. In the event of a tie, the Chairman of the meeting may cast the deciding vote.
8. The Council adopts its own rules of procedure and designates the persons entitled to sign on behalf of the Organization.

Article X

Executive Committee

1. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, the immediate Past-President, the two Vice-Presidents, the Treasurer and the Secretary-General.
2. Should a position become vacant between elections, the Executive Committee may appoint a Member to serve in that position for the unexpired period.
3. The Executive Committee shall be responsible for implementing the decisions of the Council and shall meet when necessary and convenient. The Executive Committee shall account for its actions to the Council, and shall seek its approval for any emergency action taken.

Article Xl

Regional Sections

1. The establishment of a Regional Section shall be considered by the Council for any part of the world on the request of at least three institutional Members or of at least 15 individual Members from more than one country, located in the region concerned. Insofar as proves practicable, Regional Sections shall be based on biogeographical zones. However, community of interests, scientific and economic resources, and other aspects may influence decisions as to the number and size of Regional Sections.
2. Regional Sections shall be autonomous in respect of structure, finance, procedure and activities, subject only to compatibility with the Statutes of the Organization and the general policy of the Council.
3. The Statutes and By-laws of Regional Sections and amendments to them shall be submitted to Council for approval.
4. Each Regional Section shall appoint a representative to the Council. The cost of attendance of such a representative or proxy at Council meetings shall be borne by the Regional Section.

Article XII

Votes

1. Individual, institutional and honorary Members shall have one vote each. Supporting Members shall have no vote.
2. Voting Members may exercise their right to vote only if they have met their financial obligations towards the Organization.
3. At Council meetings all voting Members (Executive Committee and Representatives of Regional Sections) shall have one vote each.
4. Results shall be determined by a simple majority of votes cast, except for changes in the Statutes and the dissolution of the Organization for which a two-thirds majority of the votes cast shall be required.

Article XIII

Quorum

1. A quorum at Council meetings shall consist of not less than half the Members of the Council.
2. At meetings of the Executive Committee, three Members (normally including the President and the Secretary-General) constitute a quorum.

Article XIV

Decisions on matters of basic importance

1. Matters of basic importance to the Organization, including the election of the officers of the Organization and amendments to the Statutes are to be determined by the General Assembly. Unless otherwise stated (Art. XV) such matters with any recommendations and/or relevant documents including the ballot paper are to be submitted to the Members for consideration at least four months before the General Assembly or before the ballot is closed.

Article XV

Amendments to Statutes

1. Proposed amendments to the Statutes may be initiated by the Council, and may be suggested to Council by any Regional Section or any 15 members.
2. Proposed amendments to the Statutes shall be communicated with any recommendations and/or relevant documents by the Council to the Members at least one year before the General Assembly or the close of the postal ballot.

Article XVI

Status of personnel

1. Members of statutory bodies shall receive no payment for services.
2. Members of statutory bodies attending official meetings of the Organization or of other Organizations on behalf of the Organization may receive travelling expenses and a daily subsistence allowance.
3. The Council may engage appropriate staff and services.

Article XVII

Dissolution of the Organization

1. On the dissolution of the Organization its assets shall be assigned to the International Union of Biological Sciences.

Article XVIII

Adoption of Statutes

1. The present Statutes have been adopted at the foundation meeting on March 30 and 31, 1971 in Rome. They become effective on March 31, 1971. The English text shall be authoritative in respect of any disputes arising from interpretation of the Statutes. The Statutes have been deposited in the Federal Archives of the Swiss Confederation under number J.11.75.