By-laws

Membership:

Membership shall be open to those who possess an academic degree or the equivalent and have held an appointment or work actively in cancer research.
Membership can be gained as individual membership as well as collective membership.
Individual members shall be elected to the Association following a review of their application by the Secretary General or by an officer of the Association nominated to deputise in his or her absence. Where an application is denied, the applicant may appeal to the Executive Committee who will consider the appeal and make a final decision by simple majority.
Collective membership can be obtained by national and European scientific societies for cancer research. The application is signed by the President of that society. It will be considered by the Executive Committee for approval.
Sustaining membership shall be open to organizations in recognition of regular financial support. Sustaining membership is subject to approval by the Executive Committee.
The annual subscription rates of the Association shall be set by the Executive Committee and reported to the General Assembly for review in the context of the Treasurer’s report.
Bona fide graduate students engaged in cancer research may apply for exemption for a period of up to four years.
The annual subscription for members adjoined collectively through an affiliated society shall be delivered by the Treasurer of that society.
Any member whose subscription is in arrears, and who has been notified in writing of the fact by the Treasurer or the Secretary General, shall have their membership suspended until arrears are cleared.

Meetings

The General Assembly will meet on the occasion of the regular EACR conference presided over by the President. It may be convened by the Executive Committee or by one third of the members of the Council. Notice of each General Assembly shall be mailed to members not less than 28 days prior to the date of the meeting. The notice shall state the purpose of the meeting. Fifty members shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the General Assembly. Where a quorum is not reached, active members present will be invited to discuss items on the agenda and provide advice to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is authorized to act on issues subject to decisions of the General Assembly one hour after the time originally scheduled as start of the meeting.
Reports of the Secretary and Treasurer of the activities and recommendations of the Executive Committee and the Council will be presented at the business meetings of the General Assembly of the Association. Organization of the scientific meetings will be the responsibility of a committee nominated by the Executive Committee for this purpose. The scientific meetings will be open to members and others. Part of the scientific meeting should be devoted to free communications.

Council

Council remit:
Council members build the relationship between their membership constituency and EACR; provide advice to the EACR Executive Committee; contribute to EACR communications; and look for opportunities for partnership working.
Where a ‘National Society’ does not exist in their country, the Council member seeks to develop a national network of EACR members with support provided through the Secretariat.

Membership:

EACR affiliated ‘National Society’ representatives.

Each EACR affiliated ‘National Society’ has an ex-officio seat on the Council for its President or the nominated member of its Executive Committee or Board.

‘National Network’ representatives

A seat on the Council becomes available when membership in any country exceeds 2%* of the current Individual Membership of EACR.
(*This figure is exclusive of EACR-National Society members. The census point for calculating eligibility will be six months after each Council meeting.)

When membership in a country reaches the qualifying level, the Secretariat advises the chair of the Nominating Committee, and a call for nominations is made amongst the members in the qualifying country. Nominees are asked to submit a curriculum vitae and a statement in support of their candidature. The Nomination Committee will then decide whether to instruct the Secretariat to ballot members in the country concerned or to issue a further call for nominations.
The term of office for ‘National Network’ representatives is four years. However, if membership falls below 2%* the representative will be required to stand down.

Open seats

Three seats will be open for nomination and election across the Individual Members of EACR who are not in a country already represented by a National Society or National Network representative. It is desirable that nominees should be based in a country with an EACR membership that is growing strongly, are interested in developing a National Network and willing to liaise across a European Region.

The Secretariat advises the Nominating Committee of any vacancy and a call for nominations is made. Nominees are asked to submit a curriculum vitae and a statement in support of their candidature. The Nomination Committee will then decide whether to instruct the Secretariat to ballot members or to issue a further call for nominations.

Where a Council member holds an ‘Open seat’ on the Council, he or she will be required to stand down if his or her country reaches the qualifying percentage for a ‘National Network’ representative. The Council member standing down may seek nomination for the ‘National Network’ representative seat and, if elected, may serve a normal term of four years, notwithstanding the number of years served following election to an ‘Open seat’

International Partnership Seats

The EC will make seats available by nomination or co-option, as deemed appropriate, where the Association has a strongly established or developing partnership with a country outside Europe. A seat will be offered for four years, renewable by the E.C. at the end of each term.

Sustaining Member organisations

Each ‘Sustaining Member’ organisation may take a seat on the EACR Council.

Calls for Nominations and Elections

Calls for Nominations will be published on the EACR website, in two consecutive issues of the e-News bulletin, and in the Newsletter if the publication date permits. Elections will be managed by the Secretariat through e-mail contact with the appropriate constituents and an ‘on-line’ ballot.

Chair of the Council

The Chair of the Nominating Committee 2006/8 will chair the Council during a two year period of transition.  Subsequently, the Council will elect a Chair.
The Chair will also have a non-voting liaison position on the Executive Committee and receive appropriate administrative support from the Secretariat.

Council Meetings

The Council will meet annually, usually at the bi-annual meetings of EACR and ECCO.

The meeting of Council will precede an EC meeting allowing the input of urgent matters to the EC agenda.

The Executive Committee provides a written report to Council Representatives one week prior to the meeting and may invite comment on specific points outlined in the report.

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee will be elected by the General Assembly.
The Executive Committee shall conduct the affairs of the Association in accordance with the policies determined by the General Assembly and the Council and shall have the power to appoint committees. The Executive Committee meets at least once a year to conduct matters. Decisions are taken by simple majority. The President has the casting vote. The President and Secretary of the organizing committee for the next scientific meeting shall be invited to attend the session of the Executive Committee concerning this meeting. The Executive Committee will select the place and time of each scientific meeting.

Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee shall advise the Executive Committee in its proposals of candidates for Officers and Members of the Executive Committee. The Nominating Committee shall be composed of the Past-President (as chairperson) and four council members of the EACR with more than five years membership elected by the Council. The term of service shall be two years. No Member or Officer (except the Past-President) of the Executive Committee may be a member of the Nominating Committee.

Standing Committees

The Executive Committee can appoint standing committees for defined functions as appropriate, as advisory bodies.

Duties of Officers

The President or President-Elect shall preside at the meetings of the General Assembly, the Council and the Executive Committee.
The Secretary General shall maintain a central office for the transaction of business of the Association through its Secretariat and for housing the Association Documents.
Through the Secretariat, he or she shall arrange for minutes to be taken of the meetings of the General Assembly, of the Council and of the Executive Committee. He or she will also arrange for the circulation of all agenda items and give notice of all meetings.
 The Treasurer shall be responsible for the financial administration of the Association. The Treasurer shall be assisted in his or her duties by the Secretariat and by Assistant Treasurers appointed by the Executive Committee for the collection of fees in countries where currency restrictions make it impossible for members to pay their dues to the Treasurer.
Assistant Treasurers shall submit an annual report on their financial statement to the Treasurer.
The Treasurer shall submit an annual report on the financial statement of the Association to the Executive Committee. Every two years, the Treasurer will present a bi-annual report to the meeting of the General Assembly for approval.
Amsterdam, January 9th, 1968
The By-Laws were amended in Nottingham 1975, in Copenhagen 1983, in Brussels 1993, in Stockholm 1998, in Granada 2002, in Innsbruck 2004 and in Nottingham 2007 and 2008.