EFAAD

CONSTITUTION OF EFAAD

1. The aim of EFAAD is to further the art and science of anaesthesia and sedation in odontostomatology amongst international societies and individuals.
2. The following professional categories may become members :
a. European medical and dental societies interested in the fields of dental anesthesia and sedation.
b. University/hospital groups and individuals with the above interests.
3. The council of EFAAD is made up of 2 members from each society and one from each study group.
4. The council shall elect a President, a President-Elect, an Executive Secretary, a Treasurer and an Editor each to hold Office for a period of two years. The holders of the last three offices would be eligible for re-election for a further period of two years. The Council shall also elect a scientific co-ordinator whose post will be open for re-election every two years. At elections each official representative of a society or study group shall have one vote. A proxy vote is permissible if sent in writing to the Executive Secretary in advance.
5. The official address of the Federation is that of the Executive Secretary.
6. Council has the power to co-opt extra members.
7. A 75% majority of Council is required to change the constitution. Eligibility to vote is covered under 4. above.

NOTES
A. Individuals working for drug firms could join but not firms as such.
B. Numbers may prove a problem if a large number of other countries join. This woould lead to a review of 3. above.
C. The past President might remain ex-officio for one year but he is more likely to be on council as representetive of his National Society.

DUES
Societies : 250€
Individuals : 30€

Constitution approved at Guernsey meeting of EFAAD council Juni 1988.

STANDING ORDERS OF EFAAD

1. Name, Address, Business Year
a. The name of the Federation is « The European Federation for the Advancement of Anesthesia in Dentistry » (EFAAD). This title is understood to cover sedation in odontostomatology amongst national societies and individuals.
b. The address of the Federation is that of the Executive Secretary (Constitution para 5).
c. The business year of the federation is the calendar year.
2. Purpose of the Federation, Use of Funds
a. The purpose of the Federation (Constitution para 1) is « to further the art and science of Anesthesia and Sedation amongst societies and individuals »
b. Funds of the Federation are to be used in accordance with the above purpose. They are not to be used for the benefit of individuals but may be used to refund reasonable and proven expenses incurred by individuals acting to achieve those purposes in accordance with the expressed intentions of the council of the Federation. The Federation will be « non profit making ».
c. The Federation is empowered to accept donations from commercial sources which may be applied only for research or charitable purposes.
d. There is a requirement for the executive to check that the constitution and standing orders of the Federation comply with the laws of the member state where the Federation bank account is held in order to maintain tax exempt (charitable) status.
e. Should the Federation’s existence be terminated, residual capital should be used for benefit of an international medical or dental charity.

3. Membership of the Federation, Organisation, Officers
a. The following professional categories may become members (Constitution para 2)
i. European medical and dental societies interested in the fields of dental anesthesia and sedation.
ii. University and hospital study groups with the above interests.
iii. Individuals with the same interests.
iv. Supporting membership is open to individuals who are not qualified medical or dental practicionners but have strong links with the speciality. The latter category of membership does not carry any voting rights.
b. The council of the Federation consists of two members from each society and one from each study group (Constitution para 3). Additional members may be co-opted by council (Constitution para 6). Each full or co-opted member will have one vote. Co-opted members will normaly join the council for two years but can be co-opted again for a further two years. Co-opted members are not eligible for election to the executive committee.
c. Council will elect from their own membership the following officers (Constitution para 4) to form an Executive Committee.
i. President : Two year term not re-electable
ii. President-Elect : Two year term normally preceeding to President
iii. Immediate Past President : Two years after Presidency
iv. Executive Secretary : Two year term may be re-elected once
v. Treasurer : Two year term may be re-elected once
vi. Editor : Two year term may be re-elected once
Officers are not eligible to be re-elected to the same office after the maximum term specified above until a further two years have elapsed.
d. Election of officers shall take place at intervals appropriate to the office concerned or vacancies occur. In the case of a vacancy the replacement officer will hold his post only until normal expiry term of his predecessor. He or she would however subsequently be eligible for election to the post in his or her own right for the normal full term of office.
e. The past presidents of the Federation will constitute the advisory board. They may attend council or executive committee meetings. With the exception of the immediate past President, they will not have a vote at executive committee meetings. They will only have a vote at council meetings if they are their own society’s or group’s representative. Should the advisory board meet for their own purpose or at the request of the executive committe or that of council, their meeting will be chaired by the immediate past President.
f. A quorum of at least half members of the executive committee, council or advisory board must be present before a vote is taken.
g. At council, executive and advisory committees, the result of a vote will normaly be decided by a simple majority. The exceptations to this rule are :
i. That the constitution of the federation can only be changed by a 75% majority (Constitution para 7) of those eligible to vote.
ii. Votes on issues specifically covered elsewhere in these rules. In case of a tied vote, the President who will not normally vote, will have a casting vote. Postal votes will be permitted in the case of items notified in advance and included in the agenda of meeting.
h. Applications for membership from societies, study groups and individuals must be addressed to the council of the federation four weeks prior to the date of their meeting. Acceptance for membership requires a two/thirds majority of council members present when the application is considered.
i. Honorary life membership of the Federation can be granted to individuals in recognition of distinguished service either to the Federation or to the speciality on the vote of a two/thirds majority of the council members present.
j. Any member society, group or individual may resign membership, by three months advance notice in writing to the executive prior to the commencement of the following business year.
k. Should a member society, group, or individual take an action that is contrary to the interest of the Federation, that society, group or individual may have membership suspended by the executive committee. This suspension must be confirmed by the full council of the Federation at its next meeting. Expulsion from membership would require a two/thirds majority of council members present.

4. Membership fees
a. Membership dues will be determined by the executive committee subject to confirmation by a subsequent council meeting.
b. Honorary life members are exempt from membership fees.
c. The federation’s bank account may be kept in any member or any European Union country, not necessarily that of the Treasurer.
d. The start of the financial year will be 1st of January

5. Individual members rights and meetings
a. Any registered european dentist or anaesthesist who is a member of a society or study-group affiliated to the federation will be regarded as an individual member of EFAAD and is entitled to the benefits of membership.
b. The President must call an annual general assembly of individual members. Alternatively, may request an extraordinary general meeting and the executive committee must convene this meeting at one calendar month’s notice provided that at least twenty five individual members have petitioned for such a meeting.
c. The Executive Secretary will provide with the notice of the meeting a provisional agenda to include any proposition requested by the individuals petitioning for calling of a general assembly.
d. Further propositions may be added to the agenda if these are received two weeks before the assembly by the Executive Secretary. If a number of similar propositions are received the Executive Secretary may combine these in a composite motion for debate.
e. A general assembly will normally be chaired by the President or in his absence, a member of the council nominated by the Executive committee. Should however the agenda include a vote of no confidence in the President or Executive committee, a neutral chairman will be elected by the members attending the meeting.
f. A member introducing a proposition may speak for ten minutes maximum and has the right of reply at the end of the debate. One nominated member opposing the motion has similar rights.
g. Other members giving notice in writing to the Executive Secretary that they wish to speak on a subject will be given priority during debate. They will be allowed to speak for a maximum of five minutes and will not be allowed to make further contributions unless to correct an error of fact or to respond to an attack on their character. Only when all those giving notice have been called may the chairman allow contributions from the floor of the house.
h. Normally, a simple majority will determine the result of a proposition put to a general assembly. In the case of a tied vote, the President will have a casting vote. Changes to the constitution of the Federation will however require a 75% vote in favour and a proposition to dissolve the Federation a 90% vote in favour.
i. Voting will normally be by show of hands but should two members request it, voting may be by secret written ballot. Prior to a vote, the chairman of the meeting will read out the exact wording of the proposition as published on the agenda. Postal votes will only be permitted on matters pertaining to the Constitution, a proposition to dissolve the Federation or a vote of no confidence in the Executive council or individual officers.
j. Minutes of general assemblies will be kept by the Executive Secretary and will include a record of exact wording of any resolution passed, the name of the proposer and a record of the number of votes cast. The Minutes will be approved at the next meeting and signed and witnessed by the President as « a true record of the proceedings held on… ».
k. The chairman of the meeting has the power to order the removal of a member from a meeting for disruptive behaviour after one verbal warning.

Agreed at EFAAD council meeting at Mainz, Summer 1995.
Modifications to 3.b and 3.c suggested after meeting at Guys Hospital, London, UK, January 1996.