MSO World: Bridge Articles

The General Assembly is the highest governing body of the League. It is composed of delegates of the NBOs who must be bona fide officers of the NBO they represent.

Each NBO is entitled to be represented by one delegate to the General Assembly. The name of the delegate must be given to the League's Secretary before the opening of the General Assembly. It must be confirmed in writing by an official letter from the NBO and the EBL President and the members of the EBL Executive Committee cannot be delegates of any NBO.

EBL Emeritus and Honorary Members may attend, without voting, the General Assembly as may other personalities invited by the EBL President. Participation in the General Assembly and the right to vote (in accordance with Article 24) is given to NBOs which are not in a position of resignation, suspension or striking off. General Assemblies are of an Ordinary and Extraordinary type.

The Ordinary General Assembly is held every two years in the odd numbered years. In the odd numbered years immediately following the Winter Olympics (starting with the year 2003) the business of the Ordinary General Assembly will include the election of the EBL President and all ten members of the EBL Executive Committee.

An Extraordinary General Assembly may be called by the Executive Committee when deemed necessary, and must be called in the following cases:

a)	Under article 33;
b)	when half plus one of the NBOs with the right to vote so request in writing addressed to the Administrative Office of the League;
c)	when half plus one of the Executive Committee so request.

Art. 20 - Convocations and Validity of Ordinary General Assemblies

Convocations are made by the EBL President or his replacement by means of a registered letter sent to NBOs with the right to vote at least ninety days prior to the established Ordinary General Assembly date.

The convocation must include the date for the General Assembly, indicate the likely agenda and invite NBOs to put forward matters for discussion at the General Assembly. At least sixty days prior to the Ordinary General Assembly the EBL President or his replacement must send a further registered letter to NBOs setting out the agenda for the General Assembly.

Any NBO may submit a matter for discussion to be put on the Agenda by writing to the Secretary of the League at least sixty days before the General Assembly. The Executive Committee has the right to refuse to include such a matter on the Agenda. Any special matter not on the Agenda may be introduced during the General Assembly if at least two thirds of the NBOs present are in agreement.

The requisite quorum for a General Assembly to be valid are:

a)	in the case of a General Assembly without elections the presence of the duly appointed delegates of one half plus one of the NBOs with a right to vote;
b)	in the case of a General Assembly for elections the presence of the duly appointed delegates of one half plus one of the NBOs representing at least one half plus one of the total votes available to be cast;
c)	in the case of modifications or amendments to the statutes the presence of the duly appointed delegates of one half plus one of the NBOs representing at least two thirds of the votes;
d)	in the case of the dissolution of the League the presence of the duly appointed delegates of four fifths of the NBOs representing at least four fifths of the votes.

Art. 21 - Attendance Sheet

For each General Assembly an attendance sheet shall be drawn up including the identification of each delegate and duly appointed proxy who is present and the number of votes he has. The attendance sheet signed in the margin by the delegates present shall be certified as being correct by the Assembly Committee.

Art. 22 - Assembly Committee

The Assembly Committee shall consist of three appointed delegates and/or invitees at the General Assembly who are not candidates for election and/or from the EBL secretarial staff. The so-constituted Assembly Committee shall appoint a secretary who may not be a delegate.

The Assembly Committee shall check and sign the attendance sheet, check the issued votes, count the votes cast and certify in writing the number of votes cast and the result of any election.

Art. 23 - Presidency of the General Assembly

The General Assembly is presided over by the EBL President, or in his absence by one of the Vice-Presidents (according to seniority). If this condition is impossible, the oldest elected member of the Executive Committee presides.

Art. 24 - Ballots, Number of Votes

The entitlement of NBOs to votes at a General Assembly is based on figures for the previous two years. Each NBO is entitled to a maximum of seven votes in accordance with the following scale:

Average number of individuals* who are registered members	Votes
0 - 500	one
501 - 2,500	two
2,501 - 10,000	three
10,001 - 25,000	four
25,001 - 60,000	five
60,001 or more	six

(*Registered members who, in accordance with the third paragraph of Article 15, are below the age limit for membership dues are excluded from the total of NBO registered members)

A NBO which has participated in all three of the League's main teams events (Open Teams, Womens Teams and Junior Teams) during the previous two years will have one extra vote.

An NBO which has not participated in at least one European Championship in each of the previous two years (i.e. at least one pair or team) loses its right to exercise its vote or votes.

The election of the EBL President and the Executive Committee is conducted by a secret ballot. Otherwise voting takes place by a show of hands except that on a delegate's proposal, delegates representing 5% of votes may require a secret ballot. Whether on a secret ballot or a show of hands only delegates and duly appointed proxies present at the General Assembly may cast votes.

Art. 25 - Minutes of the deliberations of the General Assembly - Copies - Abstracts

The deliberations of the General Assembly are acknowledged in minutes kept in a special book signed by the EBL President. The minutes are also signed by the members of the Assembly Committee.

However the omission of such a formality does not invalidate the deliberations. Copies or extracts of the minutes of the General Assembly deliberations, to produce in Court or elsewhere, are valid if they are signed by the EBL President or failing him by one of the Vice-Presidents or by two members of the Executive Committee.

Art. 26 - Proxies

An NBO which is not able to appoint a delegate to a General Assembly may give a proxy to another NBO with voting rights.

To be valid the proxy must:

	be completed on the relevant official form
	be given to an individual who is the bona fide member of another NBO and that individual may not transfer the proxy to someone else
	be signed by the President of the NBO and have endorsed thereon in handwriting "GOOD FOR PROXY" written in the language of the NBO.

No person may act as proxy for more than one NBO and no person may be both a proxy and a delegate.

Art. 27 - Right of Voting Members to Receive Information

All NBOs have the right to obtain copies at the EBL Administrative Office of the necessary documents (classified hereunder) enabling it to comment on the management and running of the League. The name of these documents, the conditions for their mailing and their availability to members are established as follows.

The following documents must be sent out to all NBOs 60 clear days before a General Assembly (30 clear days before a General Assembly convoked under Article 33):

a)	an official proxy form;
b)	the list of the Executive Committee members;
c)	the text and the explanation of the reasons of the drafts of resolution included on the Agenda;
d)	if appropriate, information on the candidates for President of the EBL and the Executive Committee;
e)	in the case of the Ordinary General Assembly the Balance Sheet and Accounts and supporting documents. The following documents must be available for any NBO, delegate or proxy at the EBL Administrative Office:
f)	For a 15 clear day period preceding the General Assembly, the text of the proposed resolutions and the President's report;
g)	For a 15 clear day period preceding the General Assembly, an up to date certified list of all NBOs and the number of votes each NBO is entitled to;
h)	Any time during the year, the following documents concerning the past three years submitted to the General Assembly;
	·	President's report
	·	Balance Sheet and Accounts and supporting documents
	·	·all documents concerning the General Assemblies' deliberations.

Art. 28 - Ordinary Business for Ordinary General Assemblies

At an Ordinary General Assembly Ordinary Business will include:

a)	hearing and approving the report of the EBL President;
b)	approving the budget for the next two years;
c)	examining the Balance Sheet and Accounts for the two years following the last Ordinary General Assembly and hearing the Auditors' report;
d)	fixing membership dues and other fees;
e)	ratification of the admission to membership of NBOs;
f)	electing the EBL President (every four years);
g)	electing the 10 members of the Executive Committee (every four years at the same Ordinary General Assembly as the EBL President is elected);
h)	filling vacancies (by election under Article 34) caused by the resignation or death or permanent mental incapacity of one or more of the Executive Committee;
i)	Bestowing the titles of President Emeritus, Honorary President, Honorary Vice-President or Honorary Member on any individual or organisation having contributed outstandingly to the study, development and understanding of European bridge or having faithfully served the EBL in important matters;
j)	Determining the appeal of any NBO expelled from membership by the Executive Committee.

Art. 29 - Special Business for Extraordinary General Assemblies

An Extraordinary General Assembly is convoked by the EBL President or his replacement by means of a registered letter sent to NBOs with the right to vote at least sixty days prior to the Extraordinary General Assembly date (and in the case of an Extraordinary General Assembly convoked under Article 33 at least thirty days prior to the date).

An Extraordinary General Assembly may be convoked by the Executive Committee or by NBOs representing not less than one third plus one of the votes.

An Extraordinary General Assembly is required:

To modify or amend the Statutes

To deal with the election of a new EBL President and Executive Committee for any of the reasons contemplated in Article 33

To pronounce the dissolution of the League

For any of the above a formal agenda must be sent to all NBOs with the notice of convocation. Other agenda items may be decided at the Extraordinary General Assembly.

An Extraordinary General Assembly may be convoked together with an Ordinary General Assembly but separate notices and agendas must be sent to the NBOs.

Chapter 1	Chapter 2	Chapter 3	Chapter 4	Chapter 5
Chapter 6	Chapter 7	Chapter 8	Chapter 9	Chapter 10
Chapter 11	Chapter 12	Chapter 13	Chapter 14	Index