| 1.1 |
The C. is of
political and cultural nature, it is a non-profit association and
it consists of a "Main Committee" and many "Local Committees" as
specified below.
|
| 2.1 |
The C. supports individual and public liberties, the primary and
natural rights of human beings, as a basis of common action. It
carries out its activities through meetings, demonstrations,
congresses and any other initiative which may be considered
conducive to achieving the aims of the association.
|
| 3.1 |
Freedom Committee
Members are the people who constitute the Comité de Patronage, the
Main Committee and those who belong to the Local Committees and to
the other organs of the C.
|
| 3.2 |
Those who wish to
participate in a Local Committee must apply to the Local Committee
within their neighbourhood, which decides on admittance on its own,
according to criteria in line with the Statute. Participants have
to pay an annual membership fee, whose amount is established by
each Local Committee, and may differ from member to member.
|
| 3.3 |
All members have a
right to participate, without further expenses, in any of the
political and cultural events organized both at a local or general
level.
|
| 4.1 |
Membership status is
lost in case of:
a) decease;
b) resignation, this must be communicated by mail to the Main
Committee or to the Local Committee one belongs to;
c) exclusion decided by the Arbitrators, according to point 7.1,
outlined below, for ascertained political or moral reasons, that
is, for breaking the rules listed herewith.
Membership in the Association is lost in case of non-payment of
dues.
|
| 5.1 |
Organs that make up
the C. are:
a) The Comité de Patronage, founder of the C., which acts as an
international contact for the Association. It may invite new
members to join the body, if introduced by the General
President;
b) The Main Committee and the Executive Board;
c) The Local Committees and the Councillors;
d) The Board of Arbitrators;
e) The Board of Advisors;
f) The annual members' General Assembly.
No office-holder shall seek payment for her/his activity.
|
| 6.1 |
The Main Committee
includes renowned people of the cultural and political scene who
took part to the foundation of the C., and whose line of thinking
is in accordance with the principles of the Association. The Main
Committee may invite new members to join the body, if introduced by
at least one of its members, and approved of by the majority (50
%+1) of the present members.
|
| 6.2 |
Membership of the
Main Committee is for life except in the cases stated at point 4.1.
of this document.
|
| 6.3 |
There is no
incompatibility between membership of the Main Committee and of the
Local Committees at the same time.
|
| 6.4 |
The Main Committee
acts as warrant body for the political, moral and cultural
behaviour of Local Committees. It outlines the general goals to be
pursued and is in the charge of the contribution of funds to the
Association in order to allow it to reach its goals.
The Executive Committee promotes the creation of new Local
Committees, it recognizes their new establishment, it supports
their initiatives and it determines the amount of money to be paid
annually to the Association. If it is necessary to revoke approval
of a newly established Local Committee and this it is banned from
using the denomination Comitatus pro Libertatibus-Comitati per le
Libertà-Freedom Committees, then article 7.1. applies.
|
| 6.5 |
The Main Committee
can decide possible alterations of the present Statute or the
termination of the Association with the favourable vote of two
thirds of the constituent members, who may also be present only by
proxy. Only three proxy votes are accepted from each member.
|
| 7.1 |
Should the behaviour
of the one of the members of a Local Committee, or indeed the very
initiatives of said Committee, be considered inappropriate with
regards to the main goals of the Association, after having heard
the motivations given by the people directly involved, the Board of
Arbitrators may, giving due explanations, proceed by undertaking
the following actions:
a) admonish a member of a Local Committee or an entire Local
Committee itself;
b) advise the Local Committee in question to take suitable
disciplinary measures with regard to the situation and to the
members involved;
c) ban the Local Committee and forbid the use of its name;
d) ban one or more members of a Local Committee.
|
| 8.1 |
A General Meeting is
summoned and notified with the items on the agenda at least 10 days
before the assembly, except in case of urgency; on first summons,
it is considered valid when the majority of the members with the
right to vote is present, on the second summons the meeting is
legally recognized independently of the number of participants with
the right to vote. Decisions are validated by absolute majority,
except in the case of articles 6.5 and 8.3. The Chairman of the
annual General Meeting is nominated amongst the people present who
are members of the Main Committee.
|
| 8.2 |
A group of Local
Committees can constitute a Council and, after approval by the
Executive Board, elects a Councillor which must be renewed every
year by the Council. Each councillor summons his local Council,
supports the activities and the establishment of new
Committees.
|
| 8.3 |
The Comité de
Patronage, the Main Committee, the Local Committees, the
Councillors, the Arbitrators and the Advisors during the General
Meeting designate the General President and the Executive Board,
which is made of 9 members. The members of the Comité de Patronage
and of the Main Committee; the Presidents of the Local Committees
(or by proxy a member for each Local Committee); the local
Councillors; the members of the Board of Arbitrators and of the
Board of Auditors have the right to one vote each.
Nobody has a right to more than one vote (maximum three
proxies).
Everyone who has the right to vote is eligible, except Arbitrators
and Auditors.
The General President is elected from among the members of the
Comité de Patronage, and acts as a moral guide for the
Association.
|
| 9.1 |
The Executive Board
designates within its own body:
a) a Chairman, who must be a member of the Comité de Patronage or
of the Main Committee, settles the agenda and is a legal
representative pro tempore of the C;
b) a Spokesman, who represents the Association;
c) a Treasurer, who manages the common funds.
|
| 10.1 |
The Board of
Arbitrators consists of three members nominated during the annual
General Assembly. This body remains in charge for five consecutive
years and can be confirmed in its appointment.
|
| 10.2 |
The Board elects a
President among its own members and deliberates by minimum majority
vote (50% + 1). It can start inquiries which concern members
according to its own initiative, by indication of the various
Organs which constitute the Association or under request of a
single member.
It settles controversies between the Main Committee and the Local
Committees, and among the Local Committees themselves.
Upon request of any of the contracting parties, the Board of
Arbitrators settles controversies between members of the Local
Committees and the Local Committees to which the members belong.
Controversies which arise among members of the Main Committee or
members of the Local Committees are also settled by the Board.
At the conclusion of all the due inquiries, after hearing the
parties involved, the Board communicates its viewpoint to the
Executive Committee which takes the final relevant decisions
according to the case presented.
|
| 11.1 |
The Board of Auditors
includes three members, who are elected at the annual General
Meeting. The auditors cannot belong either to the Main Committee or
to the Local Committees. The Board, in all circumstances, can check
the administrative papers produced by the Main Committee or the
Local Committees and determine their suitability. It also evaluates
the annual balance sheets of the Main Committee and of the Local
Committees. The Board is nominated for five years running and may
be reconfirmed at the end of the appointment.
|
| 12.1 |
The Association
relies on internal resources such as volunteer work on behalf of
its members in order to reach its goals. Furthermore, financial
funds are raised by:
a) membership dues paid to Local Committees by their members;
b) free donations.
|
| 13.1 |
The aims of the C.
are pursued trough the activities of Local Committees which have
full autonomy on administrative, organizational, financial matters
and on the formulation of internal rules. They operate in
accordance with the decisions of the Main Committee. Events and
activities organized by Local Committees are open to the
public.
|
| 14.1 |
The Local Committees
activities are organised on a yearly basis.
|
| 14.2 |
Each Local Committee,
upon request, must submit to the Executive Board the list of its
members with their relevant appointments. In addition they should
also provide a report on the activity of the full year, with
possible proposals and remarks on the life of the C.
|
| 14.3 |
Each Local Committee
is meant to pay part of the membership dues to the Association to
support common activities. The amount of payment required from each
Local Committee is established by the Executive Board.
|
| 15.1 |
A Local Committee may
be formed with 9 participants or more. It appoints a President and
a Spokesman. The Local Committee is recognized as member of
Comitatus pro Libertatibus-Comitati per le Libertà-Freedom
Committees by the Executive Board.
|
| 15.2 |
Any Association,
provided its goals, activities and members are compatible with the
principles of the C., may ask to be acknowledged as a Local
Committee. The association which asks for admission may also retain
its own name and its constituent body in its original form,
provided the association does not belong to any political
party.
|
| 16.1 |
During political
elections, the use of the name "Comitatus pro Libertatibus -
Comitati per le Libertà - Freedom Committees", also translated in
other languages; and of the symbol representing "a white gliding
albatross on a dark blue field" can only be used if authorized in
writing by the Executive Board.
|
| 17.1 |
A General Meeting is
summoned by the president of the Executive Board at least once a
year. Even when the request for the Meeting to be held is put
forward by the majority of the Main Committee or the majority of
the Local Committees, permission must be granted by the President
of the Executive body.
|
| 17.2 |
All members are
invited to take part in the yearly General Assembly. But only the
members of the Comité de Patronage and of the Main Committee, as
well as the Presidents of the Local Committees, the local
Councillors and the members of the other organs have the right:
a) to elect the General President and the Executive Board;
b) to approve the final annual balance and to evaluate the résumé
drafted by the Executive Committee;
d) to deliberate on possible initiatives regarding the future of
the C.;
e) to appoint the Board of Arbitrators and the Board of
Auditors.
|
| 18.1 |
In case of
dissolution of the C. a liquidator may be nominated and any
remaining funds will be devolved to non-profit associations which
are involved in social work, as decided by the Main Committee at
the time of dissolution.
|
