1. NAME
The organisation will be known as The World Federation of Vascular Societies (WFVS) (hereafter referred to as the World Federation).
2. FUNCTION
The World Federation of Vascular Societies provides a forum for the international exchange of scientific, educational and political issues related to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of vascular diseases.
3. OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the World Federation are:
3.1 The advancement at an international level of the knowledge and study of vascular surgery.
3.2 To promote at an international level research in all aspects of vascular disease and to disseminate the results of such research.
3.3 To hold symposia or congresses and to distribute information.
3.4 To advance the cooperation between national and regional vascular surgical societies, to facilitate the exchange of ideas, to share common experiences and to promote and standardise the education in vascular surgery.
3.5 To encourage and promote at an international level best vascular surgical practice in the management of patients presenting with vascular diseases.
3.6 To act as an international conduit for discussion between vascular surgeons and when appropriate to be a spokesperson at an international level for such surgeons.
4. OFFICIAL LANGUAGE
The official language of the World Federation will be English.
5. MEMBER ORGANISATIONS
5.1 The World Federation shall be composed of member societies consisting of constituted regional Vascular Societies. Member societies will usually be composed of a formally constituted association of national societies representing one of the following geographical regions (generally one per region):
- North America
- Europe
- Latin America
- Asia
- Australia and New Zealand
- North Africa and Middle East
- Southern Africa
5.2 In regions in which no formally constituted regional vascular society exists, membership of the World Federation by formally constituted national vascular societies will be permissible.
5.2.1 National vascular societies will have the same privileges as member societies other than being able to nominate members to Council and not being able to host the annual World Federation Symposium. In exceptional circumstances, Council may decide to give a national vascular society the same status as that of the multinational societies described in paragraph 5.1.
5.2.2 Such national vascular societies will be encouraged to either join formally constituted regional societies as described in paragraph 5.1 or to in cooperation with other national vascular societies form an appropriate formally constituted regional society, at which time they will acquire the same rights and privileges as other member societies.
5.2.3 If so required a multi-national group within the World Federation may represent the views of all national societies not part of a defined member society. Such a multi-national group may appoint an individual to Council in an observer capacity without voting rights.
5.3 The World Federation may create additional member societies as it deems necessary.
5.4 The member societies will have equal rights and responsibilities, irrespective of the size of their individual membership. No member society will dominate.
5.5 Active members of member societies, in good standing with their national/regional societies, are de facto members of the World Federation. A member society will on an annual basis send a list of their active members in good standing to the Secretary-General.
5.6 Individual membership of the World Federation will not be permissible.
6. MEETING
6.1 A Symposium of the World Federation will be held annually at the same time and place as the congress of one of the member societies.
6.2 The annual Symposium, lasting at least one half day, will either be held back to back or during the congress of the member organisation delegated to host and arrange the annual World Federation Symposium. The Symposium should be a stand alone event and no other symposia, scientific sessions or other congress related activities should be planned during the time set aside for the annual World Federation Symposium.
6.3 The Council of the World Federation will delegate the responsibility to organise the annual World Federation Symposium to a member organisation on a rotational basis.
6.4 A roster of the annual World Federation Symposium will be kept by the Secretary General for purposes of ensuring a fair and equitable distribution of this meeting amongst member societies.
7. COUNCIL
7.1 The general administration and handling of the policies and interests of the World Federation is in the hands of the Council.
7.2 Each of the member societies appoints or elects an individual (hereafter called councillor) from its own membership to serve on the Council for a period of three years starting immediately after the World Federation Symposium at which such appointments are ratified by Council. This appointment as councillor is usually not renewable.
7.2.1 The councillor appointed or elected by a member society may be replaced by that member society if the member society has lost confidence in the councillor.
7.2.2 The member society is entitled to appoint or elect another individual to replace the above councillor to serve out the remaining term of office of the original councillor.
7.2.3 In order to maintain continuity within Council approximately one third of councillors should be replaced on an annual basis. In order to achieve this a roster will be drawn up by the first Council of the World Federation.
7.3 The Council of the World Federation serves a three year term.
7.4 The Council elects the following officers:
7.4.1 a President on an annual basis; and
7.4.2 a Secretary General, who is elected for the three year term of the Council.
7.5 The president will be the councillor from the member society hosting the next annual World Federation Symposium. This individual’s term of office will start immediately after completion of the foregoing Symposium and will end immediately after the completion of the Symposium for which the member society is responsible. The duties and responsibilities of the President are:
7.5.1 To organise the annual World Federation Symposium and to ensure that the World Federation’s guidelines are adhered to.
7.5.2 To preside at the meetings of Council.
7.5.3 To liaise with the Secretary General regarding the regular administration of the World Federation.
7.6 The Secretary General is elected for the full three year term of Council. The duties and responsibilities of the Secretary General are:
7.6.1 To document the proceedings of Council meetings.
7.6.2 To circulate minutes of these meetings to councillors and member societies within 30 days of such meetings.
7.6.3 To give due notice of Council meetings.
7.6.4 To give due notice of proposed changes in the constitution and bye laws.
7.6.5 In conjunction with the President to draw up an agenda for Council meetings and to circulate these in advance to councillors and member societies.
7.6.6 Maintain a current database of active members in good standing of the member societies. This database is intended solely for World Federation purposes.
7.6.7 Any other duties to ensure the smooth operation of the World Federation.
8. PROCEEDINGS OF COUNCIL
8.1 The Council shall hold two meetings each year.
8.1.1 The Council shall meet annually just before the annual World Federation Symposium at the venue where the annual World Federation Symposium is to be held.
8.1.2 The other meeting of Council will be held at a date and venue in conjunction with a suitable symposium of one of the member societies approximately 6 months before the next annual World Federation Symposium.
8.2 A quorum of a meeting of Council is 5 (five) councillors. If a quorum is not present the meeting may proceed but decisions made during such a meeting can only be binding if written approval for those decisions has been obtained from at least 5 (five) councillors.
8.3 The President, or in his absence a councillor elected by the councillors present at the meeting, presides at each meeting.
8.4 Every issue, other than changes to the constitution or bye laws, is determined by a simple majority of votes of the councillors present at the meeting. No casting vote is held and if agreement cannot be reached the issue will be held over for the next meeting. It is however implied by the functions and objectives of the World Federation that most decisions of Council will be made by consensus.
9. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION AND BYE LAWS
9.1 Proposals to change the constitution and bye laws can only be passed with a 60% majority by Council where every councillor’s vote is considered. Councillors not attending the meeting must cast a vote in writing which should have been lodged with the Secretary-General prior to the commencement of the meeting at which the changes are to be considered.
9.2 Proposals to make a change in the constitution or bye laws can only be made in writing to the Secretary-General by a member society.
9.3 Notice of such proposed changes to the constitution or bye laws must be circulated in writing to member societies by the Secretary-General, 3 (three) months prior to the Council meeting at which the proposed changes are to be considered.
10. FINANCES
The World Federation will have no financial structure. There will be no formal office. No membership fees will be charged. As a consequence:
10.1 Costs incurred by the member societies will be to their own account. This will include:
10.1.1 Administrative costs in respect of the World Federation incurred by the member society.
10.1.2 Travel and accommodation costs of the councillor appointed by the member organisation to attend meetings of Council.
10.1.3 Costs related to maintaining a member data base of the member society for purpose of disseminating World Federation news and information and informing the Council of the member society’s membership base.
10.1.4 Costs related to hosting a World Federation Symposium. These expenses can be recouped from registration fees, although member societies are encouraged to facilitate participation by all members of the World Federation and to avoid separate registration fees being charged for the annual World Federation Symposium or Congress.
10.2 The costs associated with the running of the President’s office will be born by the member organisation to which the Secretary General belongs.
10.3 The costs associated with the running of the Secretary General’s office will be born by the member organisation to which the Secretary General belongs.
10.4 Cost of a modest nature such as the development and maintenance of a website will if necessary be shared equitably by member societies.
