AIAM STATUTE
Approved by the members at the Constituent Assembly on January 16, 1997.
Article 1 – Name and address
The Italian Association of Agrometeorology (AIAM), hereinafter named Association, is constituted under the Articles no. 36 and following of the C.C., with the Head Office in Florence. Agrometeorology is defined as the science that studies the interactions of hydrological and meteorological factors with the agriculture and forest ecosystems and with the agriculture in its broadest sense, i.e. including animal husbandry and forestry.
Article 2 – Purpose
The Association has the following purposes:
1. enhance, promote and protect the professional figure of the agrometeorologist;
2. encourage the contacts between agrometeorology operators and the dissemination of information about national and international initiatives in the agrometeorological field;
3. promote and support education and training initiatives on agrometeorology;
4. promote and facilitate the dissemination initiatives designed to increase knowledge on agro-climatology and agrometeorology both in agriculture field and outside of it;
5. promote and encourage the development and dissemination of clear and unambiguous technical standards in the field of agrometeorology;
6. encourage the development of agrometeorological activities at regional and national levels;
7. support the connection between services, research and development activities through the promotion of researches focused on agrometeorological issues relevant at both the farm and the local scale;
8. promote the statistical surveys to the pursuit of an ever increasing knowledge of agrometeorological users needs;
9. ensure the development of a relationships network with other associations and professional groups working on applied meteorology and climatology, and more generally operating in the environmental and agricultural sector, providing them with moral and material contribution.
The Association is a no-partisan and no-profit organization.
Article 3 – Duration
The Association is open-ended.
Article 4 – Membership
Members of the Association are divided into
a) individual members;
b) honorary members;
c) supporting members.
They can be individual members of the Agrometeorology Association, i.e. persons who, in the aims of the Association, work in agrometeorological field.
Honorary members are invited to be part of AIAM by the Assembly of members of the Association for professional or scientific outstanding merits.
Supporting members are individuals, agencies, institutes, companies, technical and scientific associations, which, in agreement with the purposes of art. 2, have benefited the Association by paying their dues or through their activities or with donations.
Legal persons may belong to the Association through their legal representative or through a delegate who is not a member on an individual basis.
Article 5 – Members: admission
The admission of a new member is unquestionably decided by the Board of Directors as a result of the written request of the interested person and in accordance with the criteria established in the Internal Regulations of the Association.
The written request must provide all relevant information for the assessment of eligibility by the Board of Directors.
Membership shall be lost by exclusion, withdrawal, or for failure to pay the fee for at least two consecutive years.
The exclusion is decided by the Board against that member who hurts materially and morally the Association.
The withdrawal is allowed to any member and at any time.
Article 6 – Members: rights
All members have the right:
1) to participate in all social activities;
2) to receive the publications published by the Association;
3) to vote for officers.
The right to be elected to the officers is reserved to members who are natural persons.
Each member shall pay an annual membership fee to the extent fixed by the Assembly on proposal of the Board of Directors.
Article 7 – Social members’ and financial resources
The Association has the following means to fund its activities:
1. from fees paid annually by members;
2. from donations, gifts, bequests and contributions of individuals, companies, public and private national and international agencies;
3. from the proceeds of initiatives implemented or promoted by the Association.
The extent of the fees is fixed by the Board of Directors.
Any type of payments made by deceased, withdrawn or excluded members will not be reimbursed.
Article 8 – Governing bodies
The Association consists of
1. the members meeting;
2. the Board of Directors;
3. the Chairman of the Board of Directors;
4. the College of Auditors.
Article 9 – General Meeting: convening
The Assembly is convened once a year in the ordinary way, by written notice to each member.
The Assembly can be convened in extraordinary session at the request signed by at least a fifth of the members or by resolution of the Board of Directors.
The ordinary and extraordinary meeting of members shall be convened by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, according to time and manner prescribed in the Internal Regulations.
Article 10 – General Meeting: attributions
It is the responsibility of the Assembly:
1. to establish general guidelines of the Association;
2. to approve the budget;
3. to decide on changes to the Constitution and the Statute or whatever is delegated by law or by statute;
4. to elect from among the Board members, the Board of Auditors, the President and Vice-President of the Board of Directors;
5. to approve and amend the Internal Regulations of the Association;
6. to dissolve the Association.
Article 11 – General Meeting: conduction
The Assembly is chaired by the President or Vice President or, in the absence of both, by the most senior Director in the Board of Directors.
The Chairman shall appoint, among the members, a secretary and, if appropriate, two scrutineers. The President ensures the regularity of the convening and the constitution of the Assembly, the right to intervene and the validity of proxies.
Assembly will draw up a report, signed by the President and Secretary. Each member entitled may vote up to a maximum of two preferences.
The Assembly elects the President, seven Directors and three Auditors in accordance with what established in the Internal Regulations of the Association.
Article 12 – Board of Directors
The Association is governed by a Board of Directors, composed of the President, the Vice-President and 6 (six) members elected by the Assembly.
The Vice President works with the President and replace him/her in case of absence or impediment.
The Council may delegate some of its functions to one or more of its members gathered in a special management committee.
Members of the Board of Directors are not eligible for more than 2 (two) times.
Article 13 – Board of Directors: convocation
The Board is convened by the President, with times and methods prescribed in the Internal Regulations.
Article 14 – Board of directors: powers
The Board of Directors remains in office for 3 (three) financial years and provides for the ordinary and extraordinary management of the Association.
In its first meeting the Board of Directors appoints among its members the treasurer and secretary.
If a Director resigns, the first non-elected is appointed in his place, and he/she will remain in office until the end of the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors is responsible for:
1. representing the Association;
2. deciding on the admission of members;
3. determining the fees;
4. presenting the outline of the budget and the work programs;
5. appointing among its members and possibly from foreign promoters possible committees for the study, development and implementation of specific initiatives;
6. deliberating on any matter of significant interest to the Association;
7. raising funds for the achieving of associative purposes;
Article 15 – Chairman of the Board of Directors
The president of the Association is the Chairman of the Board of Directors.
The President legally represents the Association towards third parties and in court and he/she has the signature, takes care of the resolutions of the Assembly and Council executions, in an emergency exercise he/she has the powers of the Board, subject to ratification at the first meeting advising.
The Vice President replaces the President in case of absence or impediment.
Article 16 – Board of Auditors
The Board of Auditors monitors the deliberations of the Executive Council, controls the economic and financial management and countersigns the annual budgets of the Association. The members hold office for 3 (three) financial years and may be reappointed.
Article 17 – Fiscal year – budget
The fiscal year ends on December 31st of each year. The Executive Council shall submit to the members the final balance within the time limits set by legislation, so that it can decide on it.
Article 18 – Revision of the Statutes and Dissolution
For the revision or amendment of this Statute and for the dissolution of the Association the proposal require the affirmative vote of the two thirds of the Assembly.
In case of dissolution, the net assets will be donated to a humanitarian Association chosen by the Meeting.
Article 19
For all that is not regulated from this statute, the appropriate norms of the Italian Civil Code are valid.