Statutes for MS

Statutes for Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke (MS), Danish Association for International Co-operation.

§ 1 Mandate
The Mandate of MS is to promote understanding and solidarity between people and, by co-operating across national and cultural boundaries, to contribute to sustainable global development and a just distribution of the earth’s resources.

§ 2 Membership
(1) Any person that can endorse the mandate of MS and wishes to contribute to the work of MS can be admitted as an individual member.

(2) Any organisation, institution, private company, union or other type of association that can endorse the mandate of MS and wishes to contribute to the work of MS can be admitted as an institutional member.

(3) The board approves the admission of new institutional members and subsequently informs the general assembly of this.

(4) Membership is signed for a minimum of one year. The board can accept types of membership fees that run over a longer period of time.

§ 3 Membership Groups
(1) The members may organise themselves in groups based on theme, geography, activities etc. The groups work according to the mandate of the association.

(2) Members and membership groups can apply for financial support for activities. Apart from this, the members can have no financial claims on the association.

§ 4 Membership Fee
(1) The membership fee for individual members is set by the board.

(2) The membership fee for institutional members is set by the board after having negotiated with the institutional member in question.

§ 5 Financial Matters
(1) Only the association’s capital is liable for the financial obligations of the association. Members of the association are not liable for the obligations of the association.

(2) The financial year of the association is the calendar year.

(3) Within 6 months of the end of each financial year, the board and the general secretary draw up an annual report in accordance with current legislation and the MS statutes, consisting of a report of the board of directors and the management, and annual accounts including a profit and loss statement, a balance and notes.

(4) The provisions in the Danish Financial Statements Act are applicable with the deviations and adjustments that are a consequence of the association’s status as an association.

(5) The annual report is revised by the association’s authorized public accountant.

(6) The revised annual report is presented at the ordinary general assembly, cf. § 7, (4), (iv).

§ 6 General Assembly
(1) The general assembly is the highest authority within MS.

(2) All members of MS have access to the general assembly.

(3) Access, the right to vote and eligibility are determined by payment of membership fee and notification of intent to attend at least two weeks before the general assembly.

(4) Institutional members (including umbrella organisations) with more than 25,000 members may attend the general assembly with one extra participant with the right to vote per commenced 25,000 members of the organisation. However, there is a maximum of 5 votes per institutional member organisation.

(5) The general assembly sets its own rules of procedure.

(6) Participation in the work and voting of the general assembly requires attendance. Decisions by the general assembly are made by simple majority voting unless an alternative voting form has been specified.

(7) The board can set a participation fee, which goes towards balancing of travel expenses.

§ 7 Ordinary General Assembly
(1) The ordinary general assembly is held before the end of the month of September.

(2) The agenda is submitted to members at least 4 weeks in advance of the meeting.

(3) Members wishing proposals to be considered at the general assembly must submit their proposals to MS  at least 2 weeks in advance of the meeting.

(4) The Agenda for the ordinary general assembly must comprise:

(i) Election of chairperson(s).

(ii) Approval of the rules of procedure and schedule.

(iii) The board’s account for the past year.

(iv) Presentation of the annual financial statements.

(v) Review of proposal for the rolling political annual plan.

(vi) Review of proposals received.

(vii) Election of members of the board.

(viii) Election of authorized public accountant.

(ix) Any other business.

(5) Election of the board:

a. The general assembly elects 10 members of the board.

b. The members are elected for a period of 2 years in such a manner that half the board stands for election each year.

c. The election is carried out by means of election assemblies so that the institutional members’ representatives at the general assembly elect 3 members and the individual members elect 7 members of the board.

d. Candidates have been elected in the respective election assemblies depending on the number of votes they receive. Candidates that fail to get elected for the board become substitutes for members elected in the respective election assemblies in order according to the number of votes. The election period for substitutes runs until the next board election.

e. In case of a tied vote between either candidates or substitutes being essential for the election of the candidate/substitute, a re-election is held between the candidates/substitutes in question.

§ 8 Extraordinary General Assembly
(1) An extraordinary general assembly is held when the board finds it necessary or at the written request of 1/10 of the members of the association.

(2) The extraordinary general assembly is called with 4 weeks notice, no later than 1 week after the request has been received.

§ 9 The Board
(1) The board consists of 11 members (cf. §7, (5) a.), of which 10 members are elected at the general assembly and 1 member is elected amongst the salaried staff in MS in Denmark.

(2) In the event of the resignation of board members, these are to be replaced by substitutes, cf. § 7, (5) d. In the event of the resignation of a staff representative, this member of the board will be replaced by a board member elected amongst the salaried staff for the remaining period.

(3) Salaried staff in MS cannot declare their candidature for the election of board members at the general assembly. Board members elected at the general assembly cannot apply for employment in MS. 

(4) The board appoints itself and sets its rules of procedure. The board may form permanent and temporary committees. An equal distribution of the sexes is to be aimed at.

Board meetings are open unless special considerations speak against it.

(5) The board is responsible for the general policies and the financial matters of MS.

(6) The board employs a secretary general, who is in charge of the day-to-day operation in accordance with the guidelines and regulations that the board has issued. On the recommendation of the secretary general, the board approves the internal organisation structure, including the procedure for employments and dismissals.

(7) Decisions are adopted by the board by simple majority voting.

(8) The association is represented by 2 board members and the secretary general. The board can issue a special power of attorney.

§ 10 Amendment to the Statutes
(1) An amendment to these statutes can only be made if so has been decided upon at a general assembly, where at least 2/3 of those in attendance vote in favour of the amendment.

§ 11 Dissolution
(1) The dissolution of MS can only take place following a decision by the board and adopted by a subsequent general assembly, where at least 2/3 of those in attendance vote in favour of a dissolution. Finally the dissolution is confirmed at a general assembly meeting following at least two weeks and a maximum of four weeks later.

(2) In case of a dissolution, the assets of MS may be used in accordance with the general assembly’s decision to further the purpose of the association.

§ 12 Entry into force and interim provisions
(1) Adopted in this form at the extraordinary meeting of the board of representatives on January 28, 2006. The amendments will come into force immediately after the adoption.

September 2007 : the statutes have been updated in accordance with the changes voted by the general assembly on 9^th of September 2007.