STATUTES
(draft)

REGIONAL CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN NETWORK OF BASIN ORGANIZATIONS

 

 

preamble:

 

The International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO) was established during the constitutive assembly in 1994 in Aix-les-Bains (France), by organizations whose common goal was to implement integrated water resource management at the river basin level, which made a voluntary act of joining the charter adopted in 1996 in Morelia (Mexico), and then confirmed during the following general assembly meetings in Valencia (Spain) in 1997 and in Salvador (Brazil) in 1998.

The General Assembly, which convened in Zakopane (Poland), from 30 September to 4 October 2000, adopted Statutes providing INBO with its own legal status.

This Regional Central and Eastern European Network of Basin Organizations (CEENBO) is created according to Clause 11 of INBO statutes.

Its member organizations, concerned with integrated water resources management at the river basin level in Central and Eastern European countries, establish an association (or a foundation) governed by the (head office country) Law …. of (date) in accordance with the following statutes.

 

Clause 1 - NAME AND WORKING LANGUAGES

 

The official languages of the (association) are: …………., ………….. and ……….

The English name of the association (or foundation) is "Central and Eastern European Network of Basin Organizations" with the acronym "CEENBO".

 

 

Clause 2 - THE NETWORK OBJECTIVE

The Regional Network objective is to promote integrated water resource management at the level of river basins, as an essential tool for sustainable development. According to this objective, the Regional Network endeavors and fosters (in compliance with Clause 2 of the INBO statutes):

 

The Regional Network aims at :

Ø strengthening relations among countries of Central and Eastern Europe,

Ø developing joint activities of INBO in the region,

Ø supporting joint activities of regional interest.

 

Clause 3 - durATION OF THE ASSOCIATION

The duration of the association is unlimited.

 

Clause 4 - THE ASSOCIATION's HEAD OFFICE

Its head office is that of the Secretariat. It is located in …………. (city + country). It may be transferred to another location upon decision of the General Assembly.

Any moving of the head office shall result in a similar moving of the Secretariat.

 

 

Clause 5 - MEMBERS

The Regional Network is made up of voluntary INBO Member Organizations and observers located in the Region, according to Clauses 5 and 6 of INBO statutes.

alternative formulation (open formula)

The Regional Network is made up of INBO Member Organizations, basin organizations and administrations in charge of water management in the countries located in the Region and acts according to Clauses 5 and 6 of INBO statutes.

 

They may be:

 

 

 

Admission of members

The candidates belonging to one of the above-mentioned categories become members of the Regional Network as soon as they have applied to enter the Network and are approved by the General Assembly on proposal of the Liaison Bureau of CEENBO.

Admission only becomes effective after payment of the annual subscription fee.

The Bureau shall look into the condition of those members who might find it difficult to pay the subscription fees, and may determine special conditions and, possibly, a transition period.

 

The CEENBO Member Organizations must also be INBO members.

alternartive (for discussion)

The CEENBO Member Organizations become automatically the INBO members.

 

 

Loss of membership

Membership is lost:

 

 

Clause 6 - PERMANENT OBSERVERS

 

Other public organizations involved in integrated water resource management or organizations interested in INBO objectives in Central and Eastern Europe can become "permanent observers".

Their application is forwarded by the Bureau and accepted by the General Assembly.

The CEENBO observers become INBO observers.

The title of permanent observer is lost through the observer's resignation or through striking off by the General Assembly on proposal of the Bureau.

 

Clause 7 - GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Composition

The General Assembly is made up of all members of the Regional Network.

It is chaired by the Regional Network's President.

INBO President and Permanent Technical Secretary have the right to participate in the Regional Network General Assembly.

 

Convening of the meetings - Agenda

It holds at least a meeting every 2 years.

The successive General Assemblies are held in different countries whenever possible.

The General Assembly is convened:

The President convenes the meetings at least three months in advance.

The agenda is set by the President with the Bureau approval. Working documents shall be distributed with an appropriate advance notice.

 

 

Role

On proposal of the Bureau, the General Assembly approves:

It ensures that INBO activities are promoted to the national Authorities in the Central and Eastern European Countries and to the bi and multilateral cooperation agencies concerned.

On proposal of the Bureau, it decides of the amount of the annual subscription fee which is in addition to INBO annual fee.

alternative for discussion

On proposal of the Bureau, it decides of the amount of the annual fee

 

The General Assembly elects the members of the Bureau from the CEENBO members according to the process given in the clause hereafter.

In addition, on the proposal of the Bureau, the General Assembly approves:

w the statutes of the Regional Network and their amendments,

w the content of the "Declaration of Membership" and its modifications,

w the creation of a Regional Network, its statutes and amendments are submitted to INBO General Assembly.

 

Decisions

The decisions made by the General Assembly are adopted by consensus of the attending Members. When a consensus cannot be reached, the President may request a vote as a last resort.

When a vote is decided, conclusions are adopted with a relative majority of the attending or represented members.

However, a two-third majority of the attending or represented members is needed when the vote concerns the statutes or the content of the "Declaration of Membership".

Each member has one vote. Should a tie occur the President shall have a casting vote.

A member may represent another member only with a written mandate from the latter.

 

 

The permanent observers are invited to attend the General Assemblies. They cannot vote or be elected as members of the Bureau.

Special guests may be invited only by the host-member(s) to attend meetings in the same way as the permanent observers.

 

Clause 8 - THE BUREAU

The Regional Network is managed by its Bureau.

Composition

The Bureau is made up of:

together with the (number) incumbent or substitute members chosen among the member organizations.

Its composition may be revised during each General Assembly depending on the new coming members.

INBO President and Permanent Technical Secretary participate in the meetings of the Bureau.

 

Nomination of the Bureau members

The Bureau members are elected during each General Assembly:

ã the member organizations nominate among them the countries that will represent them at the Bureau;

ã the members of each of the chosen countries propose, among them, incumbent and substitute organizations which will nominate their representative.

The General Assembly makes decisions regarding these proposals (consider of adding a closure to then General Assembly).

Whenever possible, the Bureau member organizations endeavor to keep the same representative until the next election. Should they decide to choose another representative they have to inform the President in writing before the meetings.

 

 

Role and functioning

The Bureau :

It adopts recommendations by consensus of the attending members. When a consensus cannot be reached, the President requests a vote to obtain a majority of the attending members. The President has a casting vote.

When an incumbent member is attending, his/her substitute cannot vote.

The incumbents may be replaced by their substitutes who then vote. They cannot mandate another Bureau member.

 

Clause 9 - THE REGIONAL NETWORK's PRESIDENT

The President:

 

 

 

Clause 10 - THE REGIONAL NETWORK SECRETARIAT

The Secretariat is designated by the General Assembly for two years on proposal of the Bureau.

Under the President's authority, it is responsible for:

Secretariat representative participates in the meetings of the General Assembly and Bureau.

It coordinates with INBO Permanent Technical Secretariat.

Clause 11 - THE EXPERTS COUNCIL

SEE Annex I

 

 

Clause 12 - RELATIONS INSIDE INBO

 

The President and Permanent Technical Secretariat of the International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO) have to be invited to the meetings and events organized by the Regional Network and participate in the meetings of its managing boards (Bureau, General Assembly, Council of Experts).

 

The President and the Secretary of the Regional Network have the right to participate in the meetings of INBO Liaison Bureau and General Assembly under the conditions set out in clauses 7, 8 and 11 of its statutes.

The Regional Network informs the INBO General Assembly about its activities (i.e. progress report and the program of its future actions).

INBO:

 

 

In order to facilitate exchanges, the Regional Network should organize, whenever possible, the meetings of its Bureau and General Assembly in the same location and at the same time as those of INBO when they take place in Central and Eastern Europe.

The documents published by the Regional Network refer to its belonging to INBO and bear its logo. They are systematically sent to INBO President, the members of the Liaison Bureau and to the Permanent Technical Secretariat.

 

Clause 13 - FINANCIAL RESOURCES OF THE REGIONAL NETWORK

The financial resources of the Network include:

F annual fees,

F subsidies from administrations and public organizations,

F funding from bi and multilateral cooperation agencies,

F the income generated by service providing and the sale of documents,

 

In order to finance its specific activities, the Regional Network may directly mobilize financial resources from central and local administrations of the countries concerned, from the European Commission and from bi and multilateral cooperation agencies. It informs INBO Liaison Bureau of its requests for financing and of the corresponding budgets.

INBO Liaison Bureau coordinates and supports the requests for financing made by the Regional Network.

The Regional Network accountancy is in compliance with the official accounting system of the hosting country.

The Bureau will designate an Auditor.

 

Clause 14 - TERMINATION OF THE REGIONAL NETWORK

After advice from INBO Liaison Bureau, the winding up of the Regional Network can be decided by an Extraordinary General Assembly, through the voting of at least two-thirds of the members either attending or represented, and representing at least half of the Regional Network members having paid their annual fee.

 

In such a case, this Assembly will designate one or several liquidators and the assets, if there are any, will be devolved to INBO or to the member organizations of the region.

 

Clause 15 - transparencY

The draft statutes and any amendment brought are notified and transmitted to the host country Authorities within three months after their approval.

Yearly accounts are checked by auditors, whose task is to certify that they are in order and straightforward and that they provide a clear picture of the tasks implemented during the financial year. The audit report is presented to the General Assembly before the yearly accounts approval.

Annex I

THE EXPERTS COUNCIL

 

The member Organisations and observers propose that the Bureau designates, for 2 (3) years periods, experts to participate in the Experts Council or in its specialised sections (to be formulated better )

The President of the Regional Network chairs the Expert Council and sets its work programme. The Regional Network’s Secretary is in charge of its secretariat.

The Bureau or any member organisation or observer may consult the Expert Council on issues related to integrated water resource management at the level of River basins in the Region.

It may propose a person in charge of a project, study, research or training organised by the Regional Network on INBO in the region, especially regarding the types of basin organisation and the identification of the best practices to be developed.

On the Regional Network initiative, it may organise seminars, symposia and conferences on River basin management in the Region.

It develops privileged relations with counterpart experts from the other parts of the world, especially inside INBO and the European Union in order to favour the participation of the Regional Network in community and multilateral cooperation programmes.

 

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