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Bylaws of the European Neurological Society
The EUROPEAN NEUROLOGICAL SOCIETY (ENS) is a non-profit medical specialty organisation established in 1986 to advance clinical neurosciences, promote the best possible care for patients and provide excellence in professional education.
- Is based on individual membership
- Seeks the attainment of the best care of patients suffering from neurological disorders
- Pursuits excellence in medical education
- Organises scientific meetings
- Publishes a scientific journal – the JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY- and maintains a website.
- Provides a forum for presentation of selected scientific work in clinical neuroscience
- Supports neurologists in training through invitations to meetings, teaching courses and fellowships.
Section 1: Executive Office: The Executive Office for the transaction of business of the ENS shall be the Office of the Executive Secretary - currently AKM office in Basel (Switzerland)
Section 2: Executive Secretary: The Executive Committee shall designate an individual of the Executive Office to serve as Executive Secretary of the Society. The Executive Secretary will plan, organise, direct and coordinate the staff and activities of the ENS under guidance of the Secretary General to implement the objectives of the ENS.
Section 1: Powers of the Executive Committee:
- General Powers: The business and affairs of the ENS shall be managed by the Executive Committee.
- Specific Powers: Subject to these Bylaws, the Executive Committee shall have the full power to control and manage the property and conduct the affairs and business of the ENS
- To appoint, govern and rule by guidelines which shall be set forth from time to time by the Executive Committee, both standing and ad hoc committees, to assist the Executive Committee in the conduct of the affairs of the ENS. All committees will be appointed by the President, who shall be an ex-officio member of each with the right to vote.
- To decide all matters and take such actions as are necessary between annual congresses of the members of the ENS.
- To prepare all business; to receive the report from the Treasurer and authorise the annual budget.
- To set dues for the membership based upon the projected budget of the ENS.
- To act as a nomination committee for candidates for the Executive Committee.
Section 2: Number and Composition of the Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall be composed of no more than fifteen (15) members, including eight (8) elected members and the seven
(7) officers of the Executive Committee.
Section 3: Terms and Election of the Executive Committee: The President, President Elect and Immediate Past President shall serve for a term of one (1) year. The Secretary General, the Treasurer, the Director of the teaching programme and the Director of the scientific programme serve a maximum of four years (4) in their function. Of the eight (8) elected members who are not officers, in general two (2) shall be elected annually by the members at the Business Meeting to serve a term of four (4) years. Candidates for the Executive Committee can be suggested by the ENS Subcommittees, by individual members and by the Executive Committee. Suggestions have to be forwarded to the Executive Committee, who shall evaluate the candidates during the Executive Committee Meeting (5 to 7 months prior to the annual congress). The Executive Committee shall then present its recommendations to the members at the annual Business Meeting. Present members at the Business Meeting with voting power shall elect the Executive Committee members by the majority.
Section 4: Resignation: Any elected member may resign upon presenting to the Executive Committee his/her resignation in writing (regular or email).
Section 5: Removal from Office: Any elected member may be removed from the Executive Committee as such by the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Executive Committee at any meeting thereof, upon written notice setting forth the reasons and grounds thereof, at least ten (10) days prior to the date of such meeting. This notice must be mailed to his/her last mailing address.
Section 6: Vacancies: Should any elected member die, resign, retire, be removed or disqualified, or otherwise vacate his/her office, the position will remain vacant until the next annual meeting
Section 7: Meeting of Executive Committee:
- Regular Meetings: The Executive Committee shall meet 5 to 7 months before the annual congress of the ENS, during the annual congress and at such other times as the business of the ENS shall require. The President of the organising committee of the annual congress in preparation is invited to attend the Executive Committee meeting.
- Special Meetings: Special meetings of the Executive Committee shall be called at any time by the President or the Secretary General.
- Informal Action: Action (decision to link websites, sponsoring of regional meeting, etc.) may be taken by the Executive Office in cooperation with the Secretary General in the name of Executive Committee.
Section 8: Quorum: Eight (8) members of the Executive Committee present and voting shall constitute a quorum.
Section 9: Actions: All actions of the Executive Committee shall be reported to the membership.
Section 1: Officers: The officers of the European Neurological Society shall be a President, a President Elect, a Past President, a Director of the teaching programme, a Director of the scientific programme, a Secretary General, and a Treasurer.
Section 2: Term and Election: The Officer positions shall be appointed among the elected Executive Committee members by the Executive Committee. Officers shall not succeed themselves with the exception of the Secretary General, the Treasurer, the Director of the Teaching Programme, and the Director of the Scientific Programme, each of whom are elected to a maximum of four (4) years. If needed, the terms of the Secretary General, the Treasurer, the Director of the Teaching Programme, the Director of the scientific programme, can be renewed for two (2) additional years. The President and President-Elect shall each serve a one (1) year term. The President Elect will be nominated by the Executive Committee and elected at the annual Business Meeting held during the annual congress.
Section 3: Removal from Office: Parallel to article II section 5, any officer may be removed from office for cause by the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Executive Committee at any meeting thereof, upon written notice setting forth the reasons and grounds thereof, mailed to such officer at his/her last known address at least ten (10) days prior to the date of such meeting.
Section 5: Duties of Officers:
- President: The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Society and shall, subject to the control of the Executive Committee, have general supervision, direction and control of the business and officers of the European Neurological Society. He/she shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee. He/she shall be ex-officio member of all the standing and ad hoc committees.
- Secretary General: In the absence or disability of the President, the Secretary General shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the office of the President.
He/she shall be ex-officio member of all the standing and ad hoc committees. He/she shall organise all the activities of the Executive Committee and the ENS Society, as well as guarantee the smooth running of the every day activities.
The Secretary General shall keep, or cause to be kept, a book of minutes at the Executive Office of the ENS.
The Secretary General shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings required by these Bylaws. He/she shall have the responsibility of overseeing the arrangements for the annual congress of the ENS.
- Treasurer: The Treasurer shall oversee and approve the deposit of all moneys and other valuables in the name of and to the credit of the ENS with such depositories as may be designated with the approval of the Executive Committee. He/she shall oversee the collection of the dues and recommend termination of delinquent members; he/she shall develop and recommend an annual budget in cooperation with the Secretary General and the Executive Secretary. The financial transactions will be audited annually.
- Director of the teaching programme: The Director of the teaching programme shall
- Report to the Executive Committee suggestions for courses made by the different
subcommittees
- Propose a teaching programme for the annual congress
- Write letters of invitation to chairmen and speakers at courses
- Collect the manuscripts of courses to be made available to participants at the meeting
- Take care of the Medical Education credits
- Director of the Scientific Programme: The Director of the scientific programme shall
- Oversee submission of abstracts of scientific papers for presentation at the annual
congress
- Check with the President of the organising committee of the congress, the Secretary
General and the Executive Secretary that the Congress venue is suited for poster and
platform.
- Oversee selection of abstracts for presentation at the congress
- Oversee the publication of abstracts of scientific papers and symposia in the
supplement to the Journal of Neurology
- Select chairpersons for poster and platform presentations
- Make suggestions for scientific symposia
- Report to the Executive Committee suggestions for scientific symposia made by the different subcommittees
- Oversee satellite symposia
Section 6: Succession: In case of the temporary or permanent absence of the President, the Secretary General shall assume the duties, prerogatives and privileges of the President; if both the President and Secretary General are absent, the Past-President shall carry out the duties of the President, and in case of the absence of all of these officers, the Treasurer shall assume the duties of the absent officers.
Section 1: Standing and Ad Hoc Committees: There shall be both standing and ad hoc committees to assist the Executive Committee in the conduct of the affairs of the ENS. The President and the Secretary General shall be an ex-officio member of each committee with the right to vote.
Section 2: Subcommittees
The ENS shall have subcommittees, covering the most important subspecialties of the neurological field:
- Basic/preclinical neuroscience
- Behavioural and cognitive neurology & Dementia
- Cerebrovascular disorders
- Child neurology
- Clinical neurogenetics
- Clinical neurophysiology
- Epilepsy & Sleep disorders
- General neurology & Intensive care
- Headache
- Higher cortical functions
- Infectious disorders
- Motor neuron disease
- Movement disorders
- Multiple sclerosis / demyelinating diseases of CNS
- Muscle and neuromuscular junction disorders
- Neuro-oncology
- Neuro-otology & Neuro-ophthalmology
- Neurorehabilitation
- Pain
- Peripheral neuropathy
The subcommittees shall make recommendations concerning the scientific programme (symposia, chairs, speakers) and as to the format of the teaching programme (topics, chairs, speakers).
The suggestions made by the subcommittees will be reported to the Director of the scientific programme and to the Director of the teaching programme who will report to the Executive Committee.
Section 4: Long Term Planning Committee: There shall be a standing committee on long range planning, appointed annually, which shall consider the internal and external functioning of the ENS with specific reference to its organization and effectiveness as they relate to the object and purpose of the society and to the changing circumstances of the discipline of neurology on the global scene. The recommendations of the Committee shall be considered by the Executive Committee and, when approved, will be reported to the membership.
Section 5: Joint Committee on the Journal of Neurology: A Committee shall maintain liaison between the Executive Committee, the editors and the publisher of JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY. The Chief Editors of the Journal are invited to attend the Executive Committee meetings, without right to vote.
Section 7: Committee on Relations with the Industry: There shall be a standing committee on relations with the pharmaceutical and medical equipment industry to make recommandations about the exhibitions, satellite symposia and other forms of relations with the industry.
Section 8: A member of the Executive Committee shall be appointed by the President to coordinate relations with Neurologists in training.
Section 1: Categories of Membership: There shall be five categories of membership.
- Active members: Clinicians and scientists whose interest is directed towards practice, teaching or research in Neurology. Applicants have to hand in a written application (including CV) to the Executive Office and will be approved by the Secretary General.
- Junior members: Active members of less than 35 years of age at 1st of January of the year of the annual congress
- Provisory members: Non members participating to an ENS meeting. Provisory members receive the Journal of Neurology; however, have no power to vote or to decide on any ENS activities.
- Senior members: Active members who have attained the age of 70 and who have requested a change in membership status. Senior members are exempted of annual fees but do not receive the Journal of Neurology.
- Honorary members: distinguished neurologists through scientific achievements and/or special contribution to the ENS.
Section 1: Annual Business Meeting
- The members of the Society shall meet annually during the annual congress of the ENS, at a time and place designated by the Executive Committee.
- Notice of annual Business Meetings of Membership: Notice of the annual Business Meetings of the membership shall be included in the programme of the congress and published in the Journal of Neurology and on the ENS website.
- Unless a different order of business is set forth in the notice of an annual Business Meeting, the order of business of the executive sessions shall be as follows:
- Approval of the Minutes of the previous annual Business Meeting
- "Memoriam"
- Report of the Secretary General
- Treasurer's Report
- Report of the Editor of the Journal of Neurology
- Reports from other standing and special committees
- Election of new executive committee members and officers
- Other business
- Quorum and Voting: Active, Junior, Senior and Honorary Members present at the annual Business Meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of ordinary business. Decisions are based on the majority of the valid votes.
Section 2: Annual congress: The annual congress shall consist of teaching courses, workshops,
scientific and executive sessions.
- Teaching programme shall consist of courses, practical sessions and meet-the-expert sessions.
- Scientific Sessions: The programme of the Annual Scientific Session shall consist of the Presidential Address, the presentation of original contributions by members and non members and such other contributions as determined by the Scientific Programme Committee and according to the published guidelines.
- Executive Sessions: All business not of a scientific nature shall be transacted during an executive session at the annual congress.
Session 1: Transactions of the European Neurological Society: The Transactions shall be published annually under guidelines determined from time to time by the Executive Committee.
- The Transactions shall consist of lists of officers, elected Executive Committee, standing committees, and members with their addresses; and the minutes of the annual Business Meeting, reports of Committees, and other business.
- The Secretary General shall compile the material that is appropriate for the Transactions.
- Copies of the Transactions will be provided to all members and published in the ENS section of the Journal of Neurology.
Section 2: Journal of Neurology:
- The Editors of the Journal of Neurology shall be appointed after consultation of the President of the ENS
- An individual nominated for editorship of the Journal of Neurology must be a member of the Society at the time he/she assumes the editorship.
- He shall attend the Executive Committee meetings as a non-voting member
- The Editors will report annually to the Executive Committee or as frequently as events may dictate.
- Budgetary commitments between the publisher and the ENS are the responsibility of the Executive Committee. Contractual relations with the publisher shall be made by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee, upon advice by the Joint Committee on the Journal of Neurology.
- Subscriptions to Journal of Neurology will be provided to all dues-paying members of the Society.
Section 1: Representatives of the Society: The President shall be empowered to appoint and/or nominate representatives of the Society to various organizations and conferences of importance to the Society on an ad hoc basis.
Section 1: Dues: Active, junior, senior and honorary members shall pay annual dues as determined by the Executive Committee on the basis of a budget for the current year.
Section 2: The Executive Secretary shall notify members concerning the dues of the Society each year. When a member is liable for forfeiture of membership on account of non-payment of dues for 6 months, the Executive Office shall exclude the member from the society after two (2) reminders.
Section 1: The Society shall indemnify its officers, Executive Committee, employees, and agents for expenses.
Section 1: On motion, these Bylaws may be amended, restated, repealed, or suspended, in whole or in part, by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of all the members with voting powers present at an annual Business Meeting, provided notice in writing of any proposed amendment, restatement, repeal, or suspension has been given in advance.
In case of dissolution of the ENS, the money left shall be given to a tax exempted, non-profit society.
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