Membership

ASIM Information Flyer

ASIM_Membership Application

Notice of exemption 2010 – 2012

Statute

of the Association for the Study of Inborn Errors of Metabolism in Adults (ASIM)

(14.3.2007 – updated on Dec 14, 2021)

§ 1

The Association for the Study of Inborn Errors of Metabolism in Adults (ASIM) shall be registered at the register of associations at the Local Court Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It represents a subspeciality of Internal Medicine. It seeks for a close cooperation with national associations working in Internal Medicine and other scientific associations and working groups, especially the working group for paediatric metabolic disorders (APS). (office at the place of employment of the treasurer/secretary, currently Prof. Dr. René Santer, Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Martinistr 52, 20246 Hamburg; tax authority Düsseldorf-Süd, tax-no. 106/5740/1462)

§ 2 Purposes and Objectives of the ASIM

  1. The objective of the association is to foster scientific and therapeutic work as well as research in the field of inborn errors of metabolism in adulthood and to support research projects financially on request. To this extent, various measures are taken, such as:
    1. conducting at least one annual meeting,
    2. carrying out and supporting cooperative studies on inborn errors of metabolism in adulthood. At the same time, the ASIM helps establishing and organizing these studies. If possible, it will support these studies financially on request,
    3. supporting and instructing young physicians and scientists,
    4. consulting physicians, nursing staff, authorities and the public as well as informing them on the nature and treatment of inborn errors of metabolism in adulthood,
    5. developing guidelines for the treatment of adults suffering from inborn metabolic diseases,
    6. consulting institutions dealing with inborn errors of metabolism in adulthood.
    1. The ASIM exclusively pursues non-profit purposes according to the paragraph “tax-privileged purposes” of the General Fiscal Law. It is a charitable society and has no economic ends.
    2. The financial resources of the ASIM may exclusively be used for purposes according to the statute. Members will not receive any benefits from the ASIM nor will anybody make profit from expenses that are not in line with ASIM ends or from disproportionately high rewards.
    3. The ASIM Board and the committee members work on a voluntary basis. Expenses arising from their activities according to the statute will be reimbursed adequately, when attested. Lump sum expense allowance is feasible, however, it may only exceed the expenses arising from the activities insignificantly, according to legal regulations.Note concerning the modification of the statute: A compensation for loss of earnings is exempted from the expense allowance.

 

§ 3 Membership

  1. Any physician having a licence to practice medicine, any scientist and any dietician with special interest and/or experience in the field of metabolic diseases in adulthood supporting the purposes of ASIM may become a regular member of ASIM.
  2. All persons, associations and companies supporting the ends of the ASIM may become associate members. They are not entitled to vote at members’ assemblies.
  3. The application for admission is to be sent to the ASIM office in written form. It has to be endorsed by two recommendation letters from members.
  4. The members’ assembly decides on the admission with a simple majority according to the recommendation of the board members.
  5. The membership fee is determined by the ASIM Board after having been approved by the members’ assembly. The fee is no longer due for the member when retiring.
  6. The membership expires
    1. in case of death,
    2. when resigning. The resignation is to be declared in written form and is valid at the end of the accounting year.
    3. in case of exclusion. The members’ assembly decides on the exclusion with a simple majority according to the recommendation of the board members. An exclusion is only permissible when severe reasons are given. This also applies when a member is behind with the payment of two years’ membership fee and does not comply with his obligation after two requests of payment.
  7. On proposal of the ASIM Board, personalities with special merits in metabolic disorders can be elected honorary members by the members’ assembly with a simple majority.

 

§ 4 Bodies

The bodies of the association are

  1. the board members
  2. the members’ assembly

 

§ 5 Board

  1. The board consists of
    1. the 1st chairman
    2. the 2nd chairman, who simultaneously is in charge of next year’s Annual Meeting
    3. the 3rd chairman, who simultaneously is in charge of the Annual Meeting after next year
    4. the chairman of the previous Annual Meeting
    5. the treasurer/secretary
    6. two or more advisory committee members
  2. The board directs the affairs of the ASIM and is responsible for implementing the decisions the members have agreed upon during their assembly. The board gathers in an ordinary assembly under the guidance of the 1st chairman at least once a year. The meeting is to be convened no later than one month prior to the date of the assembly by the 1st chairman, in case of his prevention by the 2nd chairman. Furthermore, the 1st chairman or in case of his prevention, the 2nd chairman may convene extraordinary assemblies complying with the term. At each assembly, the minutes have to be drawn up. According to § 26 BGB (German Civil Code), the board consists of the 1st chairman and the treasurer/secretary. The board is quorate provided at least three board members are present.
  3. The 2nd chairman is responsible for planning and organizing the Annual Meeting in accordance with the ASIM Board.

 

§ 6 Elections

  1. The board according to § 5 (1) is elected by the members’ assembly. The election is to be carried out by show of hands; if secret voting is requested by a member, it must be granted. In the first ballot, the absolute majority is necessary, in the second ballot, the simple majority of the votes is sufficient. The deselection of a board member requires a two thirds majority of the members present.
  2. The chairmen are elected for a period of three years. A direct reelection of the 1st chairman is possible. In the year of foundation, the 2nd chairman is elected for a period of only two years.
  3. The treasurer/secretary is elected for a period of four years, a direct reelection is possible.
  4. The advisory committee members are elected for a period of two years, with the terms of office overlapping each other. In the year of foundation, the first advisory committee member is elected for a period of three years.

 

§ 7 Members’ Assembly

  1. The members’ assembly is convened by the chairman by announcing the agenda at least four weeks in advance. The members’ assembly is summoned by email according to the mailing list consigned at the board and is announced on the ASIM website. The board may decide for the members assembly to be held entirely online or hybrid.
  2. Members’ proposals for agenda topics are to be submitted to the chairman no later than six weeks prior to the meeting. Proposals which are submitted later can only be incorporated in the agenda if this is demanded by a quarter of the members until one week prior to the assembly, at the latest.
  3. Above all, the functions of the members’ assembly are:
    1. the acceptance of the annual report from the chairman
    2. the acceptance of the report from the treasurer and the auditors
    3. the assistance to the board
    4. the election of two auditors for the new accounting year
    5. the approval of the annual members’ fees
    6. the election of the board members
    7. statute modifications and liquidation of the ASIM
    8. the appointment of committees.
  4. All regular members are entitled to vote.
  5. Each members’ assembly convened in line with the statute has a quorum regardless of the number of the attending members.
  6. As a rule, voting is carried out by show of hands; if secret voting is requested by a member, it must be granted. Decisions require a simple majority of the members present, as far as no other majority is stipulated.
  7. Decisions on a modification of the statute or on the liquidation of ASIM require a three quarters majority of the members present. In case of liquidation or elimination of the association or cancellation of its original purpose, the remaining assets are to be used for tax-privileged purposes after settling all liabilities. After the liquidation of the society, its assets shall be given to the APS – Arbeitsgemeinschaft für pädiatrische Stoffwechselstörungen (Working Group for Paediatric Metabolic Disorders, office at the place of employment of the treasurer/secretary, Prof. Dr. René Santer, Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Martinistr 52, 20246 Hamburg; tax authority Düsseldorf-Süd, tax-no. 106/5740/1462) which must directly and exclusively use it for charitable, benevolent or church-related purposes. Decisions on future usage of the assets may only be made after authorization by the tax authorities.
  8. Minutes must be taken from every members’ assembly. They must be signed by the 1st chairman and the minute taker.

 

§ 8 Extraordinary Assemblies

The board is entitled to convene an extraordinary assembly provided that there is a special interest by the ASIM. The board is obliged to do this, if 33 % of the members make an application for this.

 

§ 9

  1. The ASIM is registered in Frankfurt/Main, Germany.
  2. The accounting year is the calendar year.
  3. The ASIM was founded in Fulda on 14th March 2006.