Statutes and Additional Provisions

1. ESP is to stimulate and facilitate the interchange between photobiologists in Europe and neighbouring countries. Photobiology deals with chemical and/or physical changes in biological systems induced by radiation, and subsequent responses.
2. The aims of ESP include:
1. The promotion of contacts between photobiologists and photobiology groups in Europe and in particular to enable the establishment, on the one hand, of meetings (including summer schools, workshops, etc.) which would be too small to be viable for Individual Members or national groups, and, on the other hand, of large scale European meetings capable of developing interest and research in photobiology in Europe.
2. The promotion of photobiology amongst governmental and industrial sponsors of scientific research and for the benefit of the general public.
3. The use of available resources to facilitate collaborative research between members.

1. Membership of ESP shall be open to all scientists engaged in photobiology, and to laboratories, institutes, industrial companies, scientific societies, and governmental bodies concerned with photobiology.
2. The form of membership are:
1. Individual Membership,
2. Student Membership,
3. Corporate Membership for laboratories, institutes, industrial companies, scientific societies and governmental bodies,
4. Lifetime Emeritus Membership for retired scientists.
3. Membership is subject to a fee as assessed by the Executive Committee. This fee is not refundable.
4. Membership implies compliance with the decisions and resolutions made by the General Assembly and the Executive Committee.
5. Membership may be terminated as a consequence of failure to pay the Membership fee (see Additional Provisions).
6. Part 3. of this article does not apply to Lifetime Emeritus Members.
7. For the rules for the admission of Lifetime Emeritus Members see Additional Provisions.

1. ESP is structured into the General Assembly and the Executive Committee.
2. The General Assembly consists of all members of ESP and is its supreme organ.
3. The Officers of the Executive Committee shall consist of Nine Officers including a President, a Past President, a President Elect, a Secretary and a Treasurer.
4. For the rules for elections of officers, their terms of office, and the rights and functions of General Assembly see Additional Provisions.

1. ESP is a non-profit making organization.
2. The finances of ESP shall consist of:
1. The annual contribution by membership fees,
2. contributions from governmental and national scientific agencies,
3. contributions from industry,
4. gifts, donations and legacies,
5. grants,
6. any other receipts from activities in which ESP has been involved.

1. The association's internal arbitration board is appointed to arbitrate all disputes arising from the association. It is an arbitration body within the meaning of the Austrian Vereinsgestz 2002 and not an arbitration tribunal according to §§ 577 ff ZPO (Austrian Zivilprozessordnung).
2. The arbitration board consists of three regular society members. It is set up in such a way that a dispute party nominates one member as an arbitrator to the executive committee in writing. Upon request by the executive committee within seven days, the other party to the dispute nominates a member of the arbitration board within 14 days. After being informed by the executive committee within seven days, the nominated arbitrators elect a third full member to chair the arbitration board within a further 14 days. With equality of votes among those proposed, the lot decides. The members of the arbitration board may not belong to any organ of the Society - with the exception of the general assembly - whose activity is subject of the dispute.
3. The arbitration board makes its decision after granting a mutual hearing in the presence of all its members with a simple majority of votes. It decides to the best of knowledge and belief. Its decisions are final.

A resolution for the dissolution of ESP can only be put to a meeting of the General Assembly. If two thirds of the Members present support the resolution, a vote by mail ballot has to be organized by the Executive Committee. The required majority is three quarters of returned ballots.

If ESP is dissolved or if its privileged objectives are discontinued, the society’s assets remaining after any liabilities have been covered must be used for non-profit purposes according to §§ 34 ff of the Austrian Federal Tax Code (Bundesabgabenordnung, BAO). For this purpose, the remaining assets of ESP are to be used for other charitable purposes in accordance with §§ 34 ff BAO. As far as possible and permitted, it should fall to European institutions that pursue the same or similar purposes as this association.

1. Application for membership must be submitted in writing to the Executive Committee. After admission by the Executive Committee, membership becomes effective following receipt of the membership fee by the Treasurer.
2. Failure to pay the annual membership fee by December 31 shall automatically terminate membership. Payment of arrears and current dues suffices for reinstatement.
3. Membership fee for Corporate Members shall be arranged individually through the Executive Committee.

1. The General Assembly convenes biennially, if possible, at the Congress of the ESP. Each individual member, Student Member and Corporate Member has one vote. Exceptions are officers of the Executive Committee in votes defined in Article 13 [2.1-2.3) of the Additional Provisions.
2. The General Assembly has the following rights and functions:
1. To elect biennially two Auditors. Re-election is possible. The Auditors must prepare a report on the financial situation of ESP for each of the two calendar years following their election and ensure proper management of the financial affairs by the Executive Committee.
2. To vote on the reports on ESP activities, finances and any decision taken by the Executive Committee.
3. To elect the officers of the Executive Committee who must be members of the ESP (see Article 14 [2.5.1-2.5.2] of the Additional Provisions).
4. To agree and to alter the Additional Provisions by simple majority vote.
5. To agree and to alter the Statutes (see Article 8 of the Statutes).
6. To dissolve ESP (see Article 11 of the Statutes).

1. The term of office in the Executive Committee is two years, beginning after the biennial General Assembly. The President Elect shall automatically replace the President who, in turn, shall succeed the out-going Past President. Re-election of Officers is possible; a former President, after his term as Past President, cannot be re-elected in the same office.
2. The tasks of the Executive Committee include in particular:
1. The achievement of the aims of ESP as outlined in Article 2 of the Statutes, in consultation with the national societies of photobiology on issues of major importance.
2. The management of the Society and its property.
3. The biennial convening of the General Assembly.
4. An audited biennial report on the financial accounts of the preceding two calendar years which must be presented to the General Assembly.
5. The execution of the decision of the General Assembly (Article 13 [2.4-2.6] of the Additional Provisions) and the organization of the elections of the Executive Committee and the Auditors. The Executive Committee shall, during the third half year of the two-calendar years term:
1. Call for nominations of candidates for offices of one President Elect, six other officers (see Article 5 [4.] of the Statutes) and two Auditors (names of candidates can be proposed by petition signed by at least four Individual Members).
2. Have the candidates elected in simple majority votes either by the General Assembly in its biennial meeting, or by Members in a mail ballot.

1. The president manages the day-to-day business of the society and represents the society externally. The secretary supports the president in managing the association's business.
2. The president chairs the General Assembly and the meetings of the Executive Committee.
3. The secretary keeps the minutes of the General Assembly and the meetings of the Executive Committee.
4. The treasurer is responsible for the proper financial management of the Society.
5. If the President is unable to exercise his office, the Past President or the President Elect will act as interim President.

1. Retired Scientists are admitted as Lifetime Emeritus Members by the Executive Committee upon proposal of any Member.
2. Lifetime Emeritus Members are entitled to receive free subscription to the Newsletter as well as all correspondence sent by members of the ESP Organizational Structure to Individual Members.
3. Lifetime Emeritus Members have full rights in the Society, including voting rights.