Article 1 - ABEI‘s Constitution and operative location

ABEI is the association of British Engineers in Italy. The association is non- politic, non-partisan, non-profit organisation and operates under the laws and legislations of the country where it was constituted.

The association is located in via Padova 127, 20127  Milano.

Secondary locations will be determined by the Directive Council which could also decide the opening of operative locations or branch offices within European Community countries.

 

Article 2- Purpose

The association's purposes are exclusively social solidarity or directly connected activities, safeguard of professional expertise, collaboration, development, information, and professional improvement, adherence and federation with other associations of similar social goals and code of conduct.

Objectives of the association are:

a) Enhancement of scientific knowledge on technical problems that concern engineering sectors.

b) Administrative, political, and public awareness through information in order to reach the association's goals.

c) Maintenance and development of activities and programs of professional and social utility, addressed towards prevention and improvement of the quality of life of the entire population including  low income residents, and the safeguard of association members and associated professionals.

d) Maintenance and development of relations by means of cultural exchange, information, encounters with private and public organizations, the collaboration with associations and European Institutions to esteem the associate's profile, their technical contribution and their activity as a social contribution in the European Community;

e)   The representation nationally, within the European community and internationally of the associate's interest.

 

Article 3 - Association activity

For the achievement of goals indicated in the article above, the association proposes:

a)   To keep the associates informed in the complete application of the European community directives on the free circulation of the "Professional Engineers"

(Citizens resident in Italy or within the EC and having an Engineering degree conferred by an Institution of the Unites Kingdom recognized by Royal Charter) and the right to free exercise of services.

b)   To institute a list of associates, divided by specialization, according to activity, technical and intellectual professions.

c)   To keep and develop professional and personal relations between associates for whom the association provides useful assistance even syndicated if  needed, through the legal committee to aid in the solution of eventual questions and problems of professional, technical, legal, administrative and lucrative order.

d)   Accomplish programmed arrangements with European colleges for the admission of enrolled associates to specialized college and post-college courses in Italy and European countries.

e)   To maintain and develop relations through cultural exchange of information, and  experiences with: Consulates, Embassies, Institutions, Societies, Professionals Bureaus, Universities and with Institutes of the European Instruction, especially British and Italian; The collaboration with ENTI, organism of Institutions to emphasize the professional profile of the associates, their technical contribute and their activities as social contribution in the European social community;

f)    To promote the updated technical/scientific advancement in order to have better cultural and professional skills also through the implementation of seminars, and advancement courses, the production of scientific articles, creating, eventually magazines or other forms of press.

g)   To gather finances, contributions, and economic resources in every way consented by law in order to put in act programs and actions as in present article and article n° 2.

 

Article 4 - The associates

The Associations is formed by:

- Promoters and founding associates -   Those who have established the association and are under signers of the constitution.

- Ordinary associates - Those who subscribe to the ABEI after that the constitution has been applied and have a qualification by any "British Engineering Professional Body" (Engineering Council, Chartered, Chartered and Incorporate Engineers, IET, CIOB, ICE, etc.), they should be Corporate Members, Ex or retired Members, they are resident or live in Italy or in any communitarian state, they work on their own or dependently in a free technical activity, professionals and intellectuals in states belonging to the EEC and Europe in general and have a remarkable moral behaviour and pay the associates dues yearly in the ordinary measure that will be determined by the competent association group. Associates may be members that belong to other organisms or associations, with similar/adequate title, upon request of the person interested, and under deliberation of the Directive Council, collective associates representative of professional organisms that operate in Italy and/or Italians.

- Supporting associates - Persons, organisms or associations, public or private, national, foreign or internationals that finance the association goals with donations or contributions with quotas that are much higher than the associative dues.

- Honorary associates - Persons who have contributed in a relevant way in the Engineering sector.

 

Article  5 - Admission of associates procedure

The request of admission to the association (on plain paper, presented to the President), with the receipt of payment, which amount will be determined, to the title "right of subscription" with two pictures, and will indicate:

a)  Last name, name, place and date of birth and social security number;

b)  Professional and private address.

  To the request of admission will be enclosed (in accordance with law), a self-certification under oath stating:                

c)   Place and date of birth;

d)   b) Residence, address and phone numbers, including cellular number   and e-mail address;

e)   You should not have penal record or trials in course.

f)    Membership to professional independent organisations, certificate of membership to public organisations or enterprises for subordinate activities.

Admission requests released upon discretion of the ABEI Directive council, after mandatory judgment of the regional commission or local delegates.

All associates, with exclusion of supporters and honorary associates, have equal right to vote, and participation in social deliberations and attainment of social positions.

 

Article 6 - Association bodies

The association bodies are:

a)   The assembly of associates;

b)   The President and Vice President;

c)   The General Secretary;

d)   The Directive Council;

e)   The Treasurer;

f)    The Committee of legal assistance and representative of legal defence.

 

Article  7 - The associates assembly

 Is convoked at least once a year and will be convoked by the President or the General Secretary, or on deliberation of the Directive Council.

The announcement of the reunion will be made through advertisement published in the associate press or periodic magazines at least 30 days before the established date.Announcement will indicate date, place, and time of the assembly, and purpose of the assembly.

There will be a first and a second convocation, the second one can not be held at least two hours after the first one.

The first assembly will be valid with a presence of half of the members plus one.

The second with a presence of any number.

The deliberations are validated with the majority of votes given by the members present.

The right to vote is subordinated to the payment of the dues. Delegates are not admitted.

 

Article  8 - Assembly functions

The assembly approves the closing balance and projected budget, elects the Directive Council, which by right belong the founders and treasurers.

The associate assembly ratifies activities and initiatives engaged by the association, in accordance with the legal aide committee. The assembly may, with a majority of two-thirds of the vote, modify the present statute. The assembly is presided by the president or vice-president.

 

Article  9 - The Directive Council: compositions and functions

The Directive Council is composed by two members for every one hundred subscribers or fraction there of, in any case not less than ten members; with a mandate of four years and may be re-elected. Each person that votes may express ten preferences.

In the first sitting, that takes place within thirty day from the counting of votes, the Directive Council members elect among their members:

-         President

-         Vice President

-         General Secretary

-         Treasurer

The Directive Council meets upon the President's request, or on request of two-thirds of the components which decide the grounds of the meeting.

The Directive Council establish the cost of subscription and the yearly dues. Analyze all the assembly proposals and work to reach the association goals indicated in the article n.2; administrates the association's funds and elaborates balances and budgets; Nominates Regional Commissioners, and local delegates, also names representatives to other associations, decide on the suspension or expulsion of the associates; takes decisions on any other initiative necessary to reach the association's goals, also including a press office, choosing a person in charge of it.

The Directive Council deliberates on majority present. It is not permitted delegation of vote. Council deliberates with the presence of at least two of its members.

 

Article  10 - Social charges

The President is the legal representative of the Association, has every power in ordinary and extraordinary administration without limit. Approves deliberations and engages any initiatives that he retains necessary, coordinates the Directive Council activities, convokes and holds the meetings. Elaborates contracts, none excluded, elaborates agreements and conventions, and signs the acts and the correspondence provided previous approval by the Directive Council, including the opening of bank and postal accounts;

The Vice President aides the President, and in case of absence or temporary impossibility for him to exercise his role, substitutes him with the same powers, in all those cases where the President can not participate, and in all activities where his presence is required. In case of a particular impossibility, the President can delegate the Vice President to substitute him legally. The authorization should be declared in writing, with verified signature, specifying the length of time and eventual limitations;

The Treasurer signs the opening of postal and bank accounts with the President, takes care of the accounting administration of the Association, signs the annual balance sheet, controls and takes care of the debts making sure they are paid on time, he is also in charge of the payments and purchases as authorized by the Directive Council.

The General Secretary of the Association takes care of correspondence with the delegates, updates the  association register, maintains a log of Directive Council meetings, can in case of emergency substitute to the Directive Council exercising every power and competences attributed, requesting later the ratification of the Council.

Sign balances with the Treasury, convoke with approval from the President, Council meetings, he can delegate his powers to another member of the Directive Council and to the Regional Commissioners.

The Counsellors act in the Directive Council according to the Council's proposals, to each counsellor may be attributed a specific responsibility if useful for the Association's activity.

 

Article  11- The controller of Accounts

The controller of Accounts is made up by three effective members and two substitutes who may exercise for four years and may be re-elected. He is elected by the assembly, elects among his components the President and names the function of Secretary  to one of it's members. Writes budgets and balances and advises. Participates at assembly meetings where he may express an opinion concerning economic matters, but has no right to vote.

 

Article  12 - The Committee of legal assistance and Representative of legal defence

The Committee express his opinion and his advice for the execution of associative activity and for achievement of the association's goals. Participates at association meetings and, upon invitation to Directive Council meetings. Assumes the civil defence of the association and of it's bodies with the supervision of a legal representative. Each component of the committee will be given an annual compensation in a measure that will be determined by the Directive Council for his counsel. Separately they shall receive a fee for each single legal proceeding, in agreements with the members.

 

Article  13 - The Social Patrimony is constituted:

a)   From the "subscription fee" as in art. 5 of this statute.

b)   From the annual association due as in art.4.

c)   From donations and sums given to the association by members or others.

d)   From personal property or real estate in possession of the Association by purchase, gift, donation, or any other activity allowed by   this statute.

 

Article  14 - Destination  

 

The patrimony of the Association must be destined to the purposes as in art.2 of the statute. Therefore the Association in accordance with the laws: A) forbids the distribution of funds, reserves, or estate during the life of the association, with the exception of those imposed by law. B) Requires to allocate the patrimony, in case of dissolution, to another association of the same purposes unless imposed differently by law. C) Obliges the draft and approval of annual financial statements as foreseen by statute.

 

Article  15 - Financial dispositions

The financial exercise begins January 1 until December 31 of each year. Balances and budgets must be presented by April 30 for associate's approval.

The dues, decided by the assembly, will be paid within 30 days from the beginning of every financial exercise. The President, the General Secretary, the Directive Council, the Controller of Accounts, as well as Regional commissioners nominated by the Directive Council, have the right to a token for each presence necessary, in the amount determined by Directive Council along with expenses sustained and duly documented.

 

Article  16 - DISSOLUTION

The Association, without loosing its independence, may join, associate, and/or adhere to other organisations of identical nature and have the same purposes, according to the means established by the Directive Council.

The association could establish, along with other organizations, annual conventions for the unification of the goals and objectives in the relations with Authorities and the European and National Organisations.

The dissolution of the association may be deliberated in an extraordinary assembly purposely convoked, only with a favourable vote of three-quarters of the associates. The proposal of dissolution, communicated to the associates, at least three months before the extraordinary assembly, must explain the motivation.

In case of dissolution of the Association, eventual funds remaining will be distributed as article n.14 of the present status quotes.

 

Article  17 - Exclusion of recourse to Legal authorithy

The controversies among associates that don't fulfil the obligations of the present status or from the regulations or code, will be brought in front of the Directive Council, which after have listened to the parties, will decide on the matter, adopting all solutions to the case, this decision may not be syndicated.  It is excluded recourse to file legal suit, civil, penal, or administrative by any means under penalty of expulsion.

Article  18 - ADJOURNMENT

For all not foreseen by the present Statute, refer to the law codes which apply.