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Internal Rules

Internal Rules of the Association “Les Amis de Folleterre”
passed at the General Assembly on Terschelling, Netherlands, July 23rd 2005

Article 1 : membership application and termination of membership

§ 1 Application of Membership

The membership application has to be addressed in writing to the Administrative Council or to the General Assembly. The applicant becomes a Member with the decision of the Administrative Council or the General Assembly. Nobody will be turned away for lack of funds.

§ 2 Termination of Membership

The membership ends with
- death,
- liquidation of the association,
- resignation of a member, 
- non-payment of dues,
- serious grounds for removal. Such removal will be made by the Administrative Council. The person concerned being invited to defend him/herself. The removed member can appeal within one month after receiving the decision of the board to the next General Assembly which decides finally. Until the decision of the general assembly the membership of the said member is resting.

Article 2 : Administrative Council, responsibilities, meetings, decision making; Financial Report

§ 1 Responsibilities

The Administrative Council is responsible of the day to day transactions on the grounds of the statute and of the application of the decisions of the General Assembly. The responsibility of the Administrative Council is especially:

- governing the association,
- admittance and removal of members and stewards, 
- preparation and calling of assemblies of the members and stewards,
- Execution of resolutions of the assemblies of the members,
- Administration of the property of the association, unless this has been specifically transferred to other members of the association by a decision of the General Assembly,
- Control of the bookkeeping, establishing of an annual account of the President and the Treasurer, establishing a budget and a business plan for each year.

§ 2 Meetings

Meetings of the Administrative Council can take place at any time. The meeting is convened by the President verbally, by e-mail or in writing. There may be personal meetings or meetings via a telephone conference. With the invitation to the meeting the President or the Chairperson will send an agenda for the meeting. The agenda may be changed at any time.

The Secretary will file a report of the meeting. The report has to be checked by all members of the Administrative Council and then be signed by the secretary to become effective. The report will be published on the homepage of the association.

The meetings of the Administrative Council are public unless the Administrative Council decides otherwise.

§ 3 Decision making

A decision of the Administrative Council is made by consensus. A decision becomes effective if it is in writing and signed by the President and the Secretary. A Decision can also be made in form of a document signed by all members of the Administrative Council.

In case that consensus can not be reached, the decision will be passed on to the Stewardship Circle.

§ 4 Form of Financial Report

The Financial Report given to the General Assembly for approval has to be signed by the treasurer.

Article 3 : Stewards, Stewardship circle, application of Stewards, meetings and decision making

§ 1 Responsibilities of Stewards and the Stewardship Circle

A Steward is a member who has applied for a task and has been assigned that task by the general assembly. She/he fulfils her/his commitment under the guidance of the Stewardship Circle. 

§ 2 Application of stewardship

The application for stewardship has to be addressed in writing to the Administrative Council. In the application the applicant has to give a working commitment of his/her choice in favour of the association for one year and a money commitment. Nobody will be turned away for lack of funds. 

§ 3 Stewardship circle

The Stewardship circle consists of all Stewards and is responsible for the coordination of the duties of all Stewards except for the duties the Administrative Council is responsible for as such. The Stewardship circle sets up guidelines for the utilization and development of the property of the association. It also establishes a development plan for its property. 

The Stewardship circle decides about all questions arising from the tasks the Steward has been assigned too by the General Assembly. The circle also gives the Stewards the power to fulfill certain tasks she/he has applied for. The Administrative Council or the Stewardship Circle can withdraw the task appointed to a steward at any time. If an action or a decision of the stewardship circle or the steward implies an expenditure of the association it needs the consent of the Administrative Council including the Treasurer to become effective.

The Stewardship Circle may elect a Steward as Chairperson of the Stewardship Circle. The Chairperson is presiding the Stewardship circle and invites to meetings of the circle with the assistance of the Administrative Council.

§ 4 Meetings of the Stewardship Circle

Meetings of the Stewardship Circle can take place at any time at least twice yearly. The meeting is invited by the president or, if appointed, by the Chairperson of the Stewardship Circle. The invitation may be in writing or via e-mail. There may be personal meetings or meetings via a telephone conference. With the invitation to the meeting the President or the Chairperson will send an agenda for the meeting. The agenda may be changed at any time. The presence of at least half of the stewards at the meeting is required for deliberations and decision making. 

The Secretary will file a report of the meeting. The report has to be checked by all members of the Administrative Council and - if appointed - by the Chairperson and then be signed by the Secretary to become effective. The report will be published on the homepage of the association.

The meetings of the Steward Ship circle are public unless the Stewardship Circle decides otherwise.

§ 3 Decision making

A decision of the Stewardship Circle is made by consensus. A decision becomes effective only if it is in writing and signed by the President, the Secretary and the Chairperson, if appointed.

In case that consensus can not be reached, the decision will be passed on to the General Assembly.


Article 4 : General Assembly

§ 1 Responsibilities

The General Assembly is responsible for decisions according to the statute and the internal rules and especially for

- the approval of the yearly statement of account of the president,
- the acceptance of the budget- and business plan of the Administrative Council,
- regulations of membership fees,
- acceptance of applications of members and Stewards,
- motions proposed by the Administrative Council,
- motions proposed by the Stewardship Circle,
- motions proposed by the members,
- unification with other associations,
- liquidation of the association,

§ 2 Meetings of the General Assembly

An ordinary meeting of the General Assembly will take place at least once a year. There can only be personal meetings. 

The members are invited by the President and are notified of the meeting by regular or electronic mail. The invitation includes the agenda of the General Assembly.

The assembly is able to decide if it has been called four month in advance and if it is integrated into a gathering. In addition to that a General Assembly can decide about a change of the statute if at least 40 % of the members are present. To decide about a dissolution of the association or changing its goals 60 % of the members have to be present. Topics for the General Assembly can be added to the agenda if proposed to the Administrative Council by any member one month in advance of the General Assembly. Topics to the agenda can be added by decision of the General Assembly at any time. 

The President leads or delegates the management for the General Assembly to another board member or a member which is necessary whenever a decision concerning her/him has to be made. The assembly is not open to the public until otherwise decided by the assembly.

A record of the proceedings of the meeting will be made by the Secretary. It will be signed by the President and the Secretary.

An extraordinary General Assembly has to be called by the Administrative Council, if: 

- 1/3 of the members ask the Administrative Council to call one,
- the “urgency” of a situation motivate the reunion.

It can be called within one month.

§ 3 Decision making

If a consensual decision can not be reached decisions of the General Assembly are made with a majority of ¾ of the attending members. A decision becomes effective only if it is in writing and signed by the president and the Secretary. Non-voting is counted as a “No” vote. Votes and elections are made in open until decided otherwise by the assembly. The right to vote in the General Assembly is not transferable to another person.


Terschelling, Netherlands, July 23rd 2005

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