AB Advisory Board
ADelAssociate Delegate
Del Delegate
EC Executive Committee
ENT Ear-Nose and Throat
ERS European Rhinologic Society
HM Honorary Member
JM Junior Member
NePr Next President
PaPr Past President
Pr President
PrEl President elect
RM Regular Member
RR Regional Representative
SG Secretary General
SM Senior Member
Tr Treasurer

1. Name and registered seat

The name of the Society is European Rhinologic Society (ERS). Its registered seat is Utrecht (The Netherlands). The society runs a secretariat for membership-administration and for conducting an ERS-archive. It is located at the ENT-Department, Room G05.127, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, NL-3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands, The secretary at present is M. Wijnen. The secretariat is under the supervision of the SG.
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2. Objects and means


The objectives of the Society are to promote information, training and research in the field of Rhinology. This field also includes related facial plastic surgery, allergology and immunology. This way the Society covers a wide range, from surgery to basic research and membership is offered not only to ENT-specialists but to all physicians and scientists interested in these fields. The activities of the Society include organization of regular congresses, support of accredited congresses and courses (under ERS-auspices), fellowships, prizes, publication of reports, co-operation with other scientific societies etc.

The ERS is a non-profit organization.
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3. Membership


3.1 The society has the following categories of members:

a. Regular members (RM)>
b. Junior members (JM)
c. Senior members (SM)
d. Honorary members (HM)

3.2 Regular Member
 To become a regular member of the Society, the applicant must be a registered ear-nose-and throat-specialist or being in training to become such specialist, or a physician or a scientist in rhino logy or a related field. Application forms are available from the SG or the website of the Society (europeanrhinologicsociety.org). Regular members will receive the journal “Rhino logy” and can benefit from reduced fees for congresses and courses, accredited by the ERS (under ERS-auspices). They can hold official positions in the Boards of the Society and have the right to vote during official meetings of the GA. They can apply for ERS-prizes and fellowships.

3.3 Junior Member
 A resident in training or a scientist until below the age of 35 years can apply for junior membership. The kind of application must be indicated on the membership-form. He will have the same benefits and rights as regular members, but will pay a reduced membership fee (30 EUR). He will automatically become a regular member at the age of 35 years.

3.4 Senior Member
 A regular member, who has retired, can apply for senior membership. The application can be informal by letter to the SG. He will have the same benefits and rights like regular members. However he cannot hold official positions on the Boards of the Society nor apply for ERS-prizes or fellowships He will pay a reduced fee for the journal “Rhinology” (30 EUR within Europe, 40 EUR outside Europe).

3.5 Honorary Member
 An honorary membership may be conferred upon a physician, scientist or another person in recognition of distinguished attainment in the field of rhinology or related sciences, or having otherwise great merits for the Society. Propositions can be made by members of the AB or the EC, the EC will have the final decision. The official nomination of honorary members is made during the official congress of the Society and a document is handed out by the Pr. A HM will be invited to the official ERS-Congresses by the Congress-President. He will not have to pay fees for the society or congresses, but he will not have the benefits or rights of the other membership-categories. However a HM can also be a RM, JM or SM with the respective rights.
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4. End of membership
The membership shall end by death of the member or by written cancellation. A cancellation can be made by the member by informal registered letter to the SG. It comes into its effect at the end of the Society Year. There will be no refund of already paid membership –fees. The Society will cancel the membership in case of disqualification of a member. The decision is made by the EC. The member may lodge an appeal against this decision within 3 months to the SG. In this case the GA is informed by the EC during the next regular meeting and decides on the matter. While this procedure is taking place, the membership is suspended. top
5. Financial obligations
The annual fee depends on the category of membership and is decided by the GA on proposal of the EC. Whenever possible regular booking from a bank account or through a credit card is preferred. top
6. Constituent bodies, officers and term of office The Society has the following constituent bodies:

- The Executive Committee (EC)
- The General Assembly (GA)
- The Advisory Board (AB)

The Society has the following officers:

- Presidents: President elect (PrEl)
Next President (NePr)
President (Pr)
Past President (PaPr)

- Secretary General (SG)
- Treasurer (Tr)
- Delegate (De)
- Associate Delegate (ADe)
- Regional Representative (RR) Appointment procedures: PrEl:

  • AB: Vote and proposition to EC
  • EC: Vote and binding nomination for GA
  • GA: Appointment
SG and Tr:
  • AB: Proposition to EC
  • EC: Vote and binding nomination for GA
  • GA: Appointment
Del, ADel, RR:
  • AB: Vote and proposition to EC
  • EC: Vote and nomination for GA
  • GA: Appointment
Term of office:
 The terms of office of the members of the Executive Committee and the Advisory Board of the Society are based on a schedule of biannual congresses. The time lap between the last days of the two subsequent congresses is called a „period“. Under certain circumstances such a period may be modified according to decisions of the Executive Committee. This “period” must be distinguished from the “Society Year”, which is identical with the calendar year.
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7. Executive Committee (EC)
7.1
Members of the EC are: Pr, PrEl, NePr, PaPr, SG, Tr and the Editor in Chief of the Journal “Rhinology”, who serves as a consultant and has no voting right. They must be members of the Society.

7.2
The President Elect (PrEl) is proposed by the AB to the EC, nominated by the EC (binding nomination) and appointed by the GA. The President passes through the following steps without new appointments:

- President Elect (PrEl) Period 1
- Next President (NePr) Period 2
- President (Pr) Period 3
- Past President (PaPr) Period 4

In this way a President is a member of the EC for 4 consecutive periods.

7.3 SG and Tr are nominated by the EC and appointed by the GA

7.4
These nominations of the EC are “binding nominations” for the GA. This means, that 2/3 of the valid votes are necessary to diverge from this nomination (see Statutes Article 7.4).

7.5 Terms of office: SG and Tr are appointed for 3 consecutive periods and can be reappointed for one more period.

7.6<
Members of the EC can be removed from office by the GA because of disqualification

7.7
Membership of the EC can end by death, termination of office or ERS-membership or by written resignation to the Pr or SG.

7.8
Even if not all positions in the EC are filled, the EC retains its power.
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8. Executive Committee: Tasks and representation
8.1
The EC manages the Society.
The SG runs the Society and is responsible, in the long run, for daily management and development. He prepares, invites for and conducts the meetings of the AB, EC and GA (in close consultation with the Pr). He prepares and keeps the minutes of these meetings. He can ask other members of the Society for help, eg. in the management of the official website. In addition he is aided in his work by the "ERS-secretariat”. This secretariat is located at the ENT-Department of the University Hospital Utrecht (NL), the secretary at present is Mrs Margot Wijnen.

Tasks of the “ERS-secretariat” are:

  1. Membership administration: Membership- list actual and complete (incl. HM). Membership fee-administration in cooperation with Tr
  2. ERS-archive: Complete programs of official meetings and other official events. List of all former officers of the Society. List of all prizes and awards.
The SG works in close cooperation with the Pr and he reports annually to the EC on his work and the work of the secretariat. The Pr has a representative function and is the substitute of the SG in case of absence. He is informed by the SG about all relevant issues. Important acts are initiated in close cooperation between Pr an SG. As NePr he prepares the biannual congress. He becomes Pr for one period at the last day of the congress. The Tr is responsible for the finances of the Society. In cooperation with the secretariat he takes care for the administration regarding membership fees. He reports annually to the EC and biannually to the GA. The SG and Pr are informed immediately in case of a critical financial situation.

8.2
The EC can establish sub-committees for certain tasks.

8.3
External Representation of the Society by:

  1. the full EC
  2. SG+Pr or in case of absence: SG+Tr or Pr+Tr (+ means both together or after consultation).
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9. Meetings of the Executive Committee.

9.1
Regular meetings at biannual congresses.

9.2
Meetings are chaired by the SG or the Pr in case of absence of the SG.

9.3
Decisions are made by absolute majority of votes (>50%). The SG decides, if the votes tie.

9.4
Each EC-member casts one vote.

9.5
Decisions can also be made outside meetings, if all EC-members are informed and opinions are expressed adequately (e.g. by telephone -conference or email).

9.6
Minutes of the meetings are drawn up by the SG and signed by the SG and Pr. These minutes are archived by the SG and the secretariat.
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10. General Assembly (GA)

10.1
The GA consists of all the members of the Society.

10.2
The GA meets regularly at the biannual congresses.

10.3
Extraordinary meetings for specific reasons are convened on qualified request.

10.4
Invitation by the SG to a meeting is by letter or publication (journal, congress-program, website).

10.5
In extraordinary and urgent cases, the SG may deviate from these rules.
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11. Access and right to vote at a GA

11.1
Besides suspended members, all other members of the Society have access to the meetings of the GA.

11.2
The chairman of the GA can afford access to other persons

11.3
Only members present at the GA have the right to vote. Each member has one vote.
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12. Decision-making at a GA

12.1 A regular GA is opened by the Pr, followed by a report from the NePr (=Congress-President) on the details of the actual congress. The official part of the GA is chaired by the SG. The GA is closed by the Pr. Pr and SG can replace each other in their function in case of absence or after consultation.

12.2
The GA can make decisions, if at least 5% of the members are present. If the number of members is less than 5% in spite of a correct invitation, decisions of the GA may nevertheless be valid, if the majority of the members present agree to accept the decisions under these circumstances. Each member has one vote. If the votes tie, the chairman of the GA has the casting vote. Binding nominations by the EC can be refused by the GA with 2/3 of the valid votes. In other cases, an absolute majority (>50%) is sufficient.

12.3
The votes are cast orally, unless the chairman decides different.

12.4
Minutes of the GA are drawn up by the SG, signed by him and the Pr, and published in the official journal as “Society News” and on the website.

12.5
The GA normally deals with the following topics:

  1. Report of the Congress President
  2. Report of the SG
  3. Report of the Tr and results of the control
  4. Acceptance of the reports (by vote)
  5. Appointments:  
    - PrEl (by vote; binding nomination by EC)
    - SG (by vote; binding nomination by EC) - Tr (by vote; binding nomination by EC) - Del (by vote)
     
  6. Any other business
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13. Advisory Board (AB)

13.1
Members of the AB are Delegates (Del), Associate Delegates (ADel), Regional Representatives (RR) and the members of the EC. Delegates and Representatives take care for communication between the Society and the ERS-members of their respective countries and the quality- requirements set by the Society.

13.2
Delegate: A European country with more than 10 paying ERS-members can have a Delegate in the AB with the right to vote.

13.3
Associate Delegate: A Non-European country with more then 10 paying members can have an Associate Delegate in the AB without voting –right.

13.4
Regional Representative: A European country with less than 10 paying members can have a Regional Representative in the AB without voting-right.

13.5
Appointment: Delegates are appointed by the GA after a nomination by the EC. A Del represents the ERS-members of his country. A candidate is proposed by a national Rhinologic Society or, where they do not exist, by the official national scientific Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology. After discussion in the AB, the EC decides on the nomination.

Del, ADel and RR are proposed by EC or AB, nominated by EC and appointed by the GA.

Term of office: Del, ADel and RR are appointed for 3 periods with the possibility of one immediate reappointment for one period (decided by the EC). In case of disqualification they can be removed from office by decision of the EC.
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14. Tasks and decision-making in the Advisory Board

14.1
The AB advises the EC. Its members have the following duties:

  1. Propositions and vote for locations of future congresses and PrEl (vote). Whenever possible, the locations should alternate between North- and South-Europe.
  2. Propositions for the offices of SG and Tr
  3. Propositions and vote for the offices of Del, ADel and RR
14.2
The AB meets at the biannual official congresses. The members are invited by the SG or according to the congress-program and provided with an agenda.

14.3
The meeting is chaired by the SG or the Pr.

14.4
The members of the EC are members of the AB and shall attend the meeting.

14.5
Each Del has one vote. The decisions are made orally or in another way, as decided by the chairman.

14.6
Resolutions are made with majority-vote (>50%). If the votes tie, the chairman decides.

14.7
The meeting of the AB should precede the GA and help to prepare it. Normally it deals with the following topics:

  1. Opening by the Pr
  2. Report of the SG
  3. Report of the Tr
  4. Discussion and vote on new officers and AB-members
  5. Reports of AB-members on important issues in their countries.
  6. Any other business
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15. Annual report, accountability

15.1
The Society-year is equal to the calendar year. It is relevant for the annual report, not for the term of office of the officers of the Society (“period”).

15.2
The Tr is obliged to keep the data on the financial situation of the Society always up-to-date.

15.3
Annual report: An annual report is prepared by the SG and the Tr within 3 months after the end of the respective society year and presented to all members of the EC and AB. This report shall include:

  1. Actual situation of the Society, e.g. development of membership (SG)
  2. Important facts and changes (SG)
  3. Financial situation and perspectives (Tr)
  4. Perspectives and goals for the next Society-year (SG)
15.4
Financial Committee: The EC invites two members of the GA in advance to examine the account rendered by the Tr. Their report is presented during the GA.

15.5
All administrative and financial documents are kept in custody by the Sg for at least 7 years.
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16. Congresses and scientific meetings

16.1
An international scientific congress of the ERS is organized as a rule every even year. Deviation from this rule is only possible by decision of the EC. It is a combined congress with the International Symposium on Infection and Allergy of the Nose (ISIAN). The congress-president is encouraged to organize this meeting in close cooperation with the respective ISIAN-President or his representative and to include an “ISIAN-day” in the scientific program.

16.2
The Congress-President is the Next President and will become President on the last day of his congress. Normally the congress is held in the country, where the Congress-President resides.

16.3
Congresses, scientific- meetings and courses that are organized “under the auspices of the ERS” require the approval of the EC, represented in this respect by the SG. Possible criteria for approval are:

  1. Topics and contents in conformity with the requirements of the ERS.
  2. Involvement of the ERS (program, speakers, teachers)
  3. Special conditions for ERS-members.
  4. The ERS can offer to the organizers in case of approval:
  5. Announcement as “under the auspices of the ERS”
  6. Support concerning speakers or teachers
  7. Mailing list of ERS-members (in selected cases)
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17. Amendment of the Statutes
17.1 Amendments can only be decided by the GA.

17.2
The amendment must be included in the agenda of the GA and published 3 months ahead of this meeting.

17.3
Amendments require at least 2/3 of the valid votes.

17.4
Amendments are valid after a notarial deed.

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18. Winding up

18.1
The Society can be wound up by decision of the GA.

18.2
It continues to exist as “Society in liquidation” for the liquidation of its assets.

18.3
The EC carries out the liquidation.

18.4
A positive balance is used according to the objectives of the Society.

18.5
Books and records are kept up to 7 years after liquidation.
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19. By-Laws

19.1
The by-laws describe the practical aspects of the execution of the statutes.

19.2
The by-laws are accepted by the GA (> 50% vote) and can be amended by the EC.

19.3
If they are in conflict with the statutes, the statutes are the basis of decisions.
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20. Closing provisions

20.1
Official legal disputes are executed according to Dutch law and Dutch courts.

20.2
In case of undefined situations, the EC decides.

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Ulm, February 8, 2004
Gerhard Rettinger
ERS-President

Koen Ingels
ERS-Secretary