Statutes

1. Introduction

1.1 - A spirit of collaboration in growing rapidly throughout the world. More communication of knowledge and experience will be necessary to solve future problems in agriculture and related agro-industries. The following international developments have to be considered:
  • dramatic change of agriculture in industrialised countries
  • intensification process in the whole agricultural sector
  • social pressures for product quality and safety
  • improvement of the rural environment
  • improvement of the welfare of farmers, employees and of farm animals
  • process of European integration
  • continuing demand for increased food supplies in the developing world
  • increased competition.

1.2 - National Societies and individual agricultural engineers need to establish better communications and develop an organised system for the exchange of knowledge and information and the promotion of mutual understanding and professionalism.
The growing success of AgEng Conferences (started in Cambridge in 1984, by the European informal group called "AgEng Working Party"), along with the increasing CIGR (Commission Internationale du Genie Rurale) participation in activities in Europe, have indicated a strong desire for mutual contact and exchange among agricultural engineers.

1.3 - In recognition of the need for more co-operation among National Societies of agricultural engineers in Europe, as well as that of individuals, the members of the AgEng Working Party in consultation with their relevant national bodies agreed to establish a European Agricultural Engineering Organisation and pledged their support to the purpose, aims and general areas of co-operation which follow.

2. Title

The joint activity shall be known as "EurAgEng" - the European Society of Agricultural Engineers.

3. Mission

The mission of the Society is to enhance, within a pan European framework, the scientific potential, capability and achievements of both the Agricultural Engineering profession and the industries which it serves. Agricultural engineering is recognised to encompass a broad range of engineering disciplines, including mechanical, electrical and electronic, chemical and civil engineering, together with applied physics and several related sciences and technologies. The particular expertise and experience of agricultural engineers lies in the application of engineering and the physical sciences to biological materials, organisms, systems, and the environment.

4. Objectives

4.1 - To stimulate opportunities for the advancement of engineering science, extension and practice in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, amenity and landscape, aquaculture and fresh food processing.

4.2 - To foster progressive attitudes to promote the role of the Agricultural Engineer in the relevant industries.

4.3 - To set and maintain professional standards which strengthen the prestige of Agricultural Engineering.

4.4 - To encourage communication and multi-national collaboration between Agricultural Engineers engaged in manufacturing, commerce, research, education and extension.

4.5 - To develop mutual understanding and co-operative relationships among the participating societies and individual Members in different countries.

4.6 -To develop information exchange among Members through conferences, publications, and seminars on specialist topics.

4.7 - To assist individual Members to develop their professional knowledge and ability.

4.8 - To secure professional recognition for engineers in agriculture and allied industries.

4.9 - To help member societies and affiliated organisations to promote their professional activities.

4.10 - To seek interdisciplinary technological co-operation with other European and international organisations in the public and private sectors.

4.11 - To participate within the world-wide structure and activities of the Commission Internationale du Genie Rurale (CIGR).

5. Membership

5.1 - The Society welcomes into membership engineers and other professionals associated with engineering in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, amenity and landscape, aquaculture and fresh food processing.

5.2 - Membership must be approved by Council. The grades of membership are:

  • Member (en-bloc) - membership by virtue of being a member of an accepted National Society.
  • Member (individual) - personal membership on a yearly basis. Applications for Individual Membership should be supported by an existing member of the Society. Such membership will be considered Provisional until ratified by Council.
  • Member (life) - personal membership for life for a once-only fee. Applications for Life Membership should be supported by an existing member of the Society. Such membership will be considered Provisional until ratified by Council.
  • Member (founder) - personal membership for life for a once-only fee. This grade of membership was open during the early years of the Society. There have been fifteen admissions to this grade and no further admissions will be made.
  • Member (student) - personal membership on a yearly basis for up to five years by bona fide students studying for appropriate qualifications. Applications for Student Membership must be supported by the students' Professor or Head of Department, and will be considered Provisional until ratified by Council.
  • Affiliated organisation - membership by a company or institution which is in sympathy with the aims of the Society. Such membership will be considered Provisional until ratified by Council.

5.3 - All EurAgEng members will be empowered to submit proposals regarding the policy and activities of the Society.

5.4 - Membership lists will be kept in a register which will be maintained in such a way as to comply with legislation relating to data protection.

6. Council

6.1 - From each represented country, the members of that country (en-bloc, individual, life and from affiliated organisations) shall appoint representative(s) of that country to constitute a Council. Each country may appoint up to as many representatives to Council as the country has votes, as defined in Article 7.6. The voting power of each country shall be distributed among its representatives in a manner agreed by that country's representatives. The Council shall meet at least annually to review and guide the operation and development of the Society and to consider proposals for activities. The Council shall be the ultimate decision making body of the Society. In addition to the members appointed as above, the immediate past President shall be a full member of Council and the Council shall be empowered to co-opt further members as necessary. The Secretary General of CIGR will be invited to sit as a permanent member of the Council.

6.2 - The representative of CIGR shall not be entitled to vote. The Secretary-General of the Society shall take minutes of the meetings but is not a member of the Council and is not able to vote.

6.3 - Representatives from each country shall be appointed to Council for a period of two years, after which they may stand for re-appointment.

6.4 - Elections of other members of Council shall take place every two years, but these members will not have the right to vote.

6.5 - The Council shall elect from its members the Presidency formed by:

  • The President
  • Two Vice Presidents
  • One Vice President with Special Responsibility for Finance
  • One Vice President - the current Chairman of ENGAGE
  • The Immediate Past President
The maximum term of office will be two years for the President and Immediate Past President, and four years for the Vice Presidents. Each member of the Presidency will be given specific responsibilites. Once elected to office, the President must maintain impartiality by relinquishing his national vote and may exercise the voting power of the country only in the absence of the national representative(s) and in accordance with the wishes of the national participating society.

The Vice Presidents shall be of equal standing in the Society. Although the President will normally be elected from among the existing Vice Presidents, this is not mandatory and there will be no automatic progression from Vice President to President.

6.6 - Past Presidents shall be eligible to attend meetings of Council and the Executive Committee but will not have the right to vote.

7. Procedure, Powers and Duties of Council

7.1 - The Council shall regulate its own procedure and may act regardless of any vacancies in its body. Provided always that should the number of members fall below a quorum Council shall act for the purpose of filling up vacancies in their body, or of summoning a General Meeting, but not for any other purpose.

7.2 - The Council will set up an Executive Committee consisting of the President, the Vice Presidents, the Immediate Past President and co-opted members. The Secretary General will take minutes but is not a member of the Executive Committee and not able to vote.

7.3 - The Council may appoint such standing or other committees as it may think fit, and may delegate any of its powers to any Council member or committee. The duty of any such person or committee so appointed and empowered shall be to take executive action or to report to the Council on such matter or matters as may have been referred to the person or committee by the Council. The Chairman of any committee may be appointed by the Council, otherwise the Committee shall appoint its own Chairman.

7.4 - The proceedings of the Council and Committees and all documents relating to them shall be confidential. No information concerning such proceedings and documents may be communicated to any person who is not a member of the Society or be otherwise published, except by permission of the Council.

7.5 - Any two members of the Presidency or any three members of the Council may convene a Meeting of the Council. At every meeting of the Council, half of the members representing not less than 40% of the voting power shall constitute a quorum. In respect of Articles 10.3 (Statute amendment) and 12 (Dissolution) the quorum must be at least 60% of the voting power.

7.6 - At least twenty eight days notice shall be given of every meeting of the Council. Such notice shall specify generally the business to be transacted by the meeting. The President or in his absence the senior (in terms of service on Council) Vice-President, shall preside as Chairman at each meeting of the Council, and in case of an equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote. Voting will be by majority, normally by a show of hands, and votes will be weighted pro rata to the country membership in the following manner:

Total number of Members
(En-bloc, Individual, Life and from Affiliated Organisations)		 Votes
20-991
100-4992
500-14993
1500-24994
etcetc

7.7 - The Council shall direct and manage the property and affairs of the Society in accordance with these Statutes.

7.8 - The financial arrangements involving the formation and running of the Society shall be agreed by the Council. The financial year of the Society shall end on the 31st day of December in each year and the accounts of the Society shall be made up each year to that date and after having been examined and found correct by a professional Auditor and approved by the Council, shall be laid down before the Open Meeting next following. The Council shall pay out of the funds of the Society the costs of an appropriate Secretariat.

7.9 - The Council in consultation with the appropriate Editorial panels shall arrange for the publication, in any matter which they may deem advisable, of such papers, documents and publications as may be considered by the Council to be likely to advance agricultural engineering knowledge and the objects of the Society.

8. Specific Activites

8.1 - Conferences
General and specific conferences shall be organised at regular intervals.

8.2 - National Chapters and Specialist Groups
In countries or regions where sufficient members live, and where no national society exists, the Society will encourage their formation. Specialist Groups will be encouraged to bring together experts working within particular disciplines or application areas.

8.3 - Professional and Technical Standards
The Society will engage as appropriate in the development of professional standards for its members and of technical and quality standards relating to equipment, buildings and installations for agriculture, soil and water aspects and allied industries.

8.4 - Publications
High priority will be attached to publications.

  • A Newsletter will be issued to provide information to members; this will be achieved by the appointment of an editorial panel which will liaise with at least one correspondent in each country which has members.
  • A Members' Yearbook will be published containing a list of members and information about the Society.
  • A refereed scientific publication containing abstracts or proceedings of conferences, seminars and national conventions as well as volunteer research papers will be produced to an agreed house style and will be available at a reduced subscription rate to Members.

8.5 - Visits, tours, delegations
To encourage better understanding and co-operation between members, the Society will encourage exchange visits and study lecture tours at both professional and student levels. National societies and individual members will assist members from other countries wishing to work abroad for long or shorter periods.

9. Language

The working language of the Society will be English but events will be promoted by the Society in any language.

10. The Agreement

10.1 - Status
The contents of these Statutes are binding by mutual consent of the members as expressed by the Council and as established by the following clauses. The Statutes are not intended to limit, supersede or modify existing agreements between any of the members and other organisations in different countries.

10.2 - Review
These Statutes shall be reviewed by Council at intervals of no more than three years to ensure that the objectives of the Society fulfil the current requirements of the members and that the objectives are being pursued with effect.

10.3 - Amendment
Revisions to these Statutes may be made at any time by the Council, after an adequate period of notification to the membership.

10.4 - Withdrawal
A participating national society may withdraw from the terms of these Statutes, normally by giving notice in writing at least 12 months in advance of the intention to withdraw.

11. Secretariat

The Secretariat of the Society shall be appointed by Council, which shall determine the terms and conditions of its appointment. Subject to the directions of Council, it shall be the duty of the Secretariat to conduct the correspondence of the Society, to maintain a record of membership, to administer all details of admission of members and to keep records of all financial transactions and prepare accounts as required. It will also prepare agendas for all Council meetings and produce minutes of such meetings. The Secretariat shall also serve such committees of the Society as Council may determine. The Secretariat will also carry out duties which may from time to time be requested by Council and will engage and be responsible for all persons employed.

12. Dissolution

This agreement may be terminated by a two-thirds vote of the Council in favour (following notice in writing of the proposal to terminate being given to each member society at least 12 months previously).

End of Statutes

Appendix 1 (Not part of the Statutes)

Guidance on the procedure for electing the Council and Presidency
Voting for membership of Council and the Presidency will normally take place at the first meeting of Council in election years. Nomination of the President Elect will normally take place one year ahead of the elections to Council and the Presidency.
Nominations for the elections will be sought from participating countries approximately two months before the Council meeting at which the elections are to take place, and will be accepted from eligible sources up to the start of that Council meeting.
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