§ 1 Name

The name of the association is Concord Denmark.
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark.

§ 2 Purpose

Concord Denmark’s overall objective:

• Advocacy: Promoting Danish NGO views on the European development and humanitarian aid policies in the European Union.

• Information: Information in Denmark on EU development policies, particularly promoting knowledge hereof among Danish NGO’s.

• Service/Counseling: Promoting Danish NGOs’ access to EU funding for development projects.

For further information on the objectives of Concord Denmark, see vision and strategy section.

§ 3 Membership

Membership is possible for associations, who agree to Concord Denmark’s objective, and who have development and humanitarian assistance activities, including developing country information, as a key area in their work. Decisions on admission of new members are taken by the Board. Membership must be confirmed at the next General Assembly with 2/3’s majority of the members present at the meeting.

§ 4 The General Assembly

Concord Denmark’s highest authority is the General Assembly. The ordinary General Assembly is held each year in the 4th quarter. The General Assembly must be convened with a minimum four weeks’ notice by letter or e-mail to members. Member proposals, whose treatment at the General Assembly is wished for, should be with the Secretariat not later than three weeks before the meeting. Agenda with supporting documents and timely received proposals are sent to members within two weeks before the meeting.

Agenda
The agenda for the ordinary general assembly should always contain at least the following:
1. Election of Chairman
2. Approval of agenda
3. Approval of minutes from last General Assembly
4. Report of the Board
5. Presentation and approval of audited accounts for the previous financial year
6. Information on accounting for current year
7. Admission of new members
8. Received proposals
9. Presentation and approval of work plan for the coming year
10. Presentation and approval of draft budget for the following year
11. Setting membership fee for the next year
12. Election of Board:
a. The President of Concord Denmark, who is also delegated to the General Assembly in Concord Europe
b. Six members
c. Two alternate
13. Appointment of a critical internal auditor
14. Appointment of an external auditor who shall be chartered
15. Any other business

President
The General Assembly elects a president from one of the member organizations, but in his/her personal capacity. If the person elected president ends in his post or is prevented from participating in the Board’s work due to leave, prolonged illness or the like, the Board constitutes a new president until the next General Assembly.
The election period for the President is two years.

Board members and alternates
Board members shall be elected as organization representatives.
Board members must deal with activities that are relevant for the work of Concord Danmark as a key area in the posts they hold in their organization. If a person elected as board member ends his post or is prevented from participating in the Board’s work due to leave, prolonged illness or the like, he/she is replaced by another representative from that organization until the next General Assembly. If an organization withdraws from the Board, it is replaced by the organization elected first alternate at the General Assembly. The election period for board members and alternates is two years. Half of the board members and alternates are elected in even years and half in uneven years.

Decision making procedures
Each member is entitled to be represented by one or more persons at the General Assembly, but no person can represent more than one organization. Guests invited by the Board can attend the meeting. At the General Assembly, each member has one vote. Members who despite demand have not paid their membership fee, have no voting rights at the General Assembly. Voting by proxy is not possible. Decisions are taken by ordinary majority vote of all members present, except those decisions mentioned in § 3 (admission of new members), § 13 (expulsion), § 14 (statutory amendments) and § 15 (dissolution). In these cases a 2/3 majority is required.

§ 5 Extraordinary General Assembly

Extraordinary General Assembly is held if the President or a majority of the Board, wish to, or if at least 1/5 of the members make a written request stating the agenda and proposals. Extraordinary General Assembly must be convened within two weeks after receipt of the request and otherwise in accordance with the rules that apply to Ordinary General Assemblies. The General Assembly shall be held within two weeks after the call. In the call for an extraordinary General Assembly the agenda must be specified.

§ 6 Board

The Board consists of the President and six board members. The Board constitutes itself with a Vice president at the first board meeting after the General Assembly.

The Board’s duties are:

• to direct the work between General Assemblies

• to represent Concord Danmark externally

• to hire a Coordinator who is Concord Denmark’s day to day manager

• to hire secretarial staff as necessary

• to assure Concord Denmark’s relations with the European cooperation

• to provide guidelines for the work of the Secretariat

• to prepare the General Assembly

• to manage Concord Denmark’s finances

The Board shall adopt its own rules of procedure and frequency of meetings. However, the Board shall meet at least four times a year. The Coordinator participates in Board meetings.

§ 7 Committees

The General Assembly may decide to establish and abolish Committees, whose task is to work with Concord Denmark’s policy areas. Temporary Committees may also be established by the Board to perform specified tasks. The General Assembly approves the commissioning of the Committees.
Committees are open to all members of Concord Denmark. Each Committee can decide to invite other organizations to participate in its work without the right to vote.

§ 8 Secretariat

To implement the decisions taken by the General Assembly and the Board, a Coordinator and possibly other employees are appointed and will together constitute the Concord Danmark Secretariat.

§ 9 Finances

The necessary funds to Concord Denmark’s work are provided by a membership fee from members and by public and private grants, sale of services, etc. Concord Denmark’s financial year is the calendar year. Accounts are compiled in accordance with good accounting practice and reviewed by the internal auditor and the state-authorized public accountant elected by the General Assembly.

§ 10 Signing and liability

The Board is entitled to conclude agreements for lease and purchase of necessary tools and equipment and the necessary financing and loan agreements adapted to Concord Denmark’s daily work.

Concord Danmark is signed by the Board.

The Board may grant power of procuration.

Neither the Board or the members of the association are liable for Concord Denmark’s obligations.

§ 11 Withdrawal

Resignation can only be done in writing with at least one month’s notice to the end of a calendar year. Resignation shall take effect upon expiry of the calendar year. Paid membership fee is not refundable.

§ 12 Exclusion

If a member is detrimental to Concord Danmark or in a gross or repeated manner works against Concord Denmark’s purpose, expulsion can take place, when proposed by the Board at a General Assembly and when adopted by a 2/3 majority of the members present at the General Assembly. Members who, despite injunctions thereof, do not pay the membership fee, lose their membership by the end of the financial year. Expulsion or removal because of fee errors shall not relieve the obligation to pay membership fee for the period in which membership ceased in.

§ 13 Amendments to the Statutes

Resolution amending the statutes can be taken at a General Assembly with a 2/3 majority of the members present at the General Assembly.

§ 14 Dissolution

Decision on the dissolution of Concord Danmark can be taken at a General Assembly where at least 3/4 of Concord Denmark’s members are represented, and at least 3/4 of the members present voting in favor of the resolution. If there are not enough members present at the General Assembly, but the proposed solution achieves the required majority of 3/4 of the votes of members present, the Board should as soon as possible and with the usual notice convene a further General Assembly where the proposal, regardless of the number in attendance, can be adopted by simple majority vote among the members present. In relation with the decision of dissolution, the General Assembly must also decide on the use of Concord Denmark’s funds, but in a way which assures that funds can only be used for activities in accordance with Concord Denmark’s purposes.

As adopted by the General Assembly on 6 October 2009