Statutes / Charter

European Confederation of Medical Mycology (ECMM) Statutes

The statutes of ECMM were accepted and signed in Paris, on November 25, 1993, and updated in Salsomaggiore on June 9, 1997, in Torino on October 27, 2007 and in Vienna on April 24, 2017

§ 1 Name of the Association

The name of the association shall be European Confederation of Medical Mycology (ECMM) and is hereinafter referred to as ‘The Confederation’.

§ 2 Domicile and Purpose

The Confederation shall be domiciled in Basel, Switzerland, with the exclusive objective of providing services for the common good.

The purpose of the Confederation is the rendering of support to science and research, the international coordination of scientific and clinical activities, the organisation of mycological conventions and of training programmes. As the umbrella organisation of the european mycological entities, the Confederation shall work towards the unification of all European scientists interested in human and veterinary medical issues related to mycology. The activities of the Confederation shall be for the benefit of non-profit entities working for the common good or for the benefit of international organisations meeting the criteria of non-profit entities working for the common good. This purpose of the statutes/charter is fulfilled in particular through the hosting of scientific events that serve to provide platforms for the sharing of experiences and for obtaining continued education in the discipline of mycology.

In conclusion, the Confederation is established for the purpose of:

(a) Promoting the science and practice of all aspects of medical mycology throughout the European continent and if necessary world wide.
(b) Initiating, facilitating and co-ordinating research and other scientific activities on an international basis throughout Europe.
(c) Facilitating the discussion and dissemination of the results of international collaborative research.
(d) Promoting scientific meetings, training courses, and education at all levels.
(e) Collaborating with other organisations which are established for similar objects.

§ 3 Selfless Engagement of the Association

The Confederation works for the common good; it does not work in the interest of own financial gain.

§ 4 Utilization of Funds and Resources

The resources and funds of the Confederation shall be used for statutes/charter compliant purposes only. The members of the Confederation shall not receive any honoraries from Confederation funds nor any severance pay upon withdrawing from or in the event of dissolution of the association. No person shall receive favours in the form of honoraries that do not meet the purposes of the Confederation. There shall be no remuneration for the work performed by the Board (see § 8).

§ 5 Membership, Joining the Confederation

The Confederation shall have regular members. All mycological societies in Europe who are interested in the issues stipulated in § 2 may become members. Representation shall be by a delegate at the meetings to be held annually.

Given that the Confederation has already been in existence as a loosely organised entity since 1993, all those who have expressed their commitment to membership in writing in the earlier years shall be deemed regular members. The membership roster is now in the custody of the current General Secretary. New members shall obtain their membership through the submission of a written membership application, which shall be approved or disapproved by the council through a simple majority vote.

The regular members shall have a seat and a vote in the membership meeting and at extraordinary meetings. It shall be the task of each member to distribute to its own members relevant information received from the Executive Committee or Council of the Confederation.
If a delegate does not participate personally or send a substitute for two consecutive meetings of the Council, the Council will automatically request that a new delegate be nominated by that member.

§ 6 Termination of Membership

The membership shall terminate as a result of withdrawal declared in writing or as a result of exclusion. Withdrawals shall be possible at the end of the year only and shall be declared to the Board in writing.

§ 7 Organs and Facilities

The organs of the Confederation are:

1. The delegate meeting (Council)
2. The Board (Executive Committee)

§ 8 Board

The Board shall consist of the President, the General Secretary and the Treasurer.

President, General Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected for a period of three years and shall subsequently only be eligible for election for another term of three years.

They shall be elected by the Council. In the event of equality of votes, a drawing shall be held to determine the winner. These Officers, when elected, shall remain delegates, members of the Council, for at least three years.

The Board shall be responsible for the preparation of the agenda items for the Councils and shall act in the name of the ECMM during the time intervals between Councils. The Board shall report on these activities at the subsequent Council.
Members of the Board shall have the right to represent the Confederation by joint signature at two.

§ 9 Council

As a rule, the Council shall be scheduled at least on an annual basis. The members shall be invited by the Board. For voting meetings the invitation needs 2 months prior written notice. For non-voting meetings 3 weeks prior notice is sufficient; the invitation shall include the agenda for the Council. Meetings could be done in person or by teleconference or other electronic media.

The resolutions of the council shall be documented in minutes of meeting which shall be signed by the respective chair person and the keeper of the minutes. With the exception of changes of statutes, resolutions shall be made based on single majority votes. In the event of an equality of votes, a drawing shall be held to arrive at a decision.
Each member shall be represented at Councils by a delegate. The delegate shall have the option to appoint a representative if the delegate is unable to attend a Council. Members shall be responsible for the nomination of the delegates; however, all delegates should be appointed for a minimum period of two years.

§ 10 Invited Attendees

The Board may invite individuals with specific areas of expertise as non-voting attendees to advise Board and Council. Examples are the immediate-past Board members, the Educational Officer, and observers exchanged with mycology associations or societies outside Europe to foster the purpose of the Confederation.

§ 11 Funding

The Confederation works for the common good; it does not work in the interest of own financial gain. An annual membership fee shall be paid by the members. The amount shall equal one euro per member of the respective member. Other organizations may be solicited to render financial support to the Confederation.
Financial liability is strictly limited to the assets of the Confederation; Members, delegates, invited attendees and Board members shall not be liable for obligations of the Confederation.

§ 12 Scientific Conventions

Joint scientific conventions with the Infectious Diseases Group of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) shall be held every second year with the name Trends in Medical Mycology (TIMM). In the between years shorter educational workshops shall be held by the Confederation alone, preferably in conjunction with an international mycological meeting.

The hosts of the next two ECMM conferences shall be invited to the Council meetings to report to Board and Council.

§ 13 Journal

The Council selects the “Official Journal(s)” of the European Confederation of Medical Mycology. The Editor-in-Chief of such journal shall be invited to the Council meetings to report to Board and Council.

§ 14 Academy

The ECMM awards Fellow status through its Academy. The Board appoints the Academy Committee and the Committee Chair, who leads the Academy. The Council consents the Academy Charter. The Academy Committee Chair shall be invited to the Council meetings to report to Board and Council.

§ 15 Excellence Centers

The Confederation awards Excellence Center status. The Board appoints the respective Committee and the Committee Chair. The Committee nominates Excellence Centers after careful review and onsite audit. The Excellence Center Committee Chair shall be invited to the Council meetings to report to Board and Council.

§ 16 Changes of the Statutes

Any change of statutes shall require a 2/3 majority vote of the Council meeting. A written proposal shall be submitted to the General Secretary at least three months in advance and shall be communicated to the members along with the notice on the delegate meeting.

§ 17 Dissolution

In the event of dissolution or cessation of the Confederation or in the event of cessation of the tax privileged purpose the assets of the Confederation shall be bestowed upon another non-profit society in medical mycology, which shall use it directly and exclusively for the common good.