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STATUTES

Title I - Name, registered office

Article 1 - The 'Association for the Regeneration of Neighbourhoods in Crisis', more commonly known as 'Quartiers en Crise- European Regeneration Area's Network' is an association of municipalities, local authorities and other non-for profit organisations in particular of urban and municipal communities. It is a non-profit-making international organisation of a philanthropic nature, governed by the Belgian Law of 25 October 1919, amended by the Law of 6 December 1954 and further amended by the Law of 2 May 2002.

Article 2 - The registered office of the Association is located in Brussels (Rue van Artevelde 80, B-1000 Brussels).

The Administrative Council has the authority to transfer the Association's registered office elsewhere in Belgium.

Any such decision shall be published in the annexes to the Belgian State Gazette, the Moniteur belge.

Title 2 - Objectives

Article 3 - The objectives of the Association are to further, in a non-profit-making capacity, local and national policies and initiatives for the regeneration of neighbourhoods in crisis, in particular through the promotion and dissemination, in cities, regions, States and the European Commission, methodologies for integrated urban social development.

To this end, its terms of reference are:

• To promote methodologies to regenerate neighbourhoods by fostering an integrated approach;
• To set up training and exchange activities for those in cities or States who participate in neighbourhood regeneration projects;
• To organise meetings and seminars, and to publish articles and research on the problems of neighbourhoods in crisis;
• To set up a resource centres for those involved in projects and policies for neighbourhood regeneration to disseminate know-how and further the transfer of methodologies;
• To provide technical assistance for projects on the regeneration of neighbourhoods in crisis, notably to establish transnational exchanges and partnerships in response to calls for proposals, programmes and policies of the European Union.

It can carry out all acts relating directly or indirectly to its terms of reference. It can lend its assistance and involve itself in any activity analogous to its task.

Article 4 - The Association may own any buildings and equipment necessary to fulfil its task.

Title III - Full members and associate members

Article 5 - Full members are municipalities, local authorities and other non-for profit organisations, in particular the urban or metropolitan communities and public bodies, which fulfil the conditions as indicated below, and duly represented. The Full Membership of the association shall be based on the principle that no less than two-thirds of Full Members shall be municipalities and local authorities.

Article 6 - Any bodies/structures active in the field of neighbourhood urban development may become associate members: research centres, universities, town networks or associations, etc.

Article 7 - Full members and associate members pay an annual association fee, the amount to be decided by the General Assembly. Full members and associate members agree to the automatic annual payment of this fee subject to Article 10, clause (a).

Article 8 - Conditions of membership:

Any applicant wishing to join the Association must:

• Uphold and share the objectives and mission of the Association as regards the regeneration of neighbourhoods facing multiple challenges;
• Agree to subscribe to the articles of the association and internal regulations and the rights and obligations of the members, including the payment of an annual association fee;
• Submit a signed contract for membership to the Executive Bureau . This needs to be approved by the competent body of the entity concerned.

Article 9 - Membership procedure for new members

The General Assembly shall decide on applications for membership, following consultation of municipalities, local authorities and organizationsin the same country, which are members of the Association.

Article 10 - Membership may be terminated:

• By a letter expressing the wish to leave the association in the following financial year. This letter needs to be submitted by the member to the President at least six months before the end of the financial year on 31 st December. Such a decision to withdraw will however have no influence on the association fee for the current year
• By exclusion, decided by a two-thirds majority of the General Assembly acting on a proposal submitted by the Executive Bureau and after having heard the arguments in defence of the interested party;
• for non-payment of the annual association fee;
• for any other serious reason, notified by the Executive Bureau in application of the internal regulations.

Title IV - Rights and duties of members

Article 11 - The rights common to both full and associate members are the following:

• To participate in the general programmes of the Association;
• To receive documentation and information on calls for proposals and possibilities of Community subsidies;
• To receive regular information on meetings and decisions of the Executive Bureau and the permanent secretariat in Brussels;
• To receive information on specific activities and programmes undertaken by groups of members of the Association;
• To receive the Association’ newsletter or other publications;
• To attend the Association’s General Assembly;
• To receive information, disseminated within and outside the network, on activities, projects and proposals on urban development
• Access to the website member services

Article 12 - Full members have the specific right to elect or be elected to the Executive Bureau.

Article 13 - The duties of full and associate members are the following:

• To participate actively in the activities and administrative tasks of the Association;
• To inform other members and the permanent secretariat in Brussels of activities being undertaken in their locality in relation to urban development;
• To formulate proposals on the mission of the Association;
• To promote the activities, programmes and general principles of the Association;

Title V - General Assembly

Article 14 - The General Assembly is responsible for managing the Association's affairs. It convenes once a year presided by the President, at the registered office of the Association or at the place indicated on the letter of convocation sent to the towns or their representatives by the President four weeks before the date fixed for the meeting. The letter of convocation shall include the agenda.

An extraordinary General Assembly, with a specific agenda, may be convened by two-fifths of full members.

The General Assembly rules on any matters relating to the implementation of the aims of the Association and on any other issues submitted to it by the Executive Bureau. A record shall be kept of the deliberations of the General Assembly.

Any changes to the articles of association proposed by the Executive Bureau must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the General Assembly. A two-thirds majority is also required for any request for the dissolution of the Association submitted by the Executive Bureau.

Under Article 5 of the Law of 25 October 1919, any proposals, which would change the articles of association or dissolve the Association, must come from the Executive Bureau or from at least two-thirds of the voting members of the Association. The Executive Bureau must notify the members of the Association at least three months before the General Assembly, which will decide on this proposal.

Article 15 - The General Assembly approves:

• The activity report presented by the permanent secretariat on behalf of the Executive Bureau;
• The profit and loss accounts and the budget forecast, certified and submitted by an independent auditor on behalf of the Executive Bureau.

The accounts must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the members present at the General Assembly.

Article 16 - The deliberations of the General Assembly are only valid if at least half of its voting members are present or represented. If a quorum is not reached, the President shall convene a further meeting, which must take place in one month at the most.

Any member who is prevented from attending may give proxy to another member of the General Assembly. No member may hold more than one proxy.

Decisions by the General Assembly are taken on the basis of a majority of the members present. Each member has only one vote. In the event that consensus cannot be reached, the President's vote supersedes.

Title VI - The composition and functions of the Executive Bureau

Article 17 - The Executive Bureau is elected by the General Assembly and composed of at least four members. A minimum two- thirds of the Executive Bureau will consist of local authority representatives.

The mandates are awarded for the duration of two years. At the end of that two-year term, the General Assembly shall meet with the purpose of re-electing the Executive Bureau.

The Quorum for Executive Bureau meetings will be three members.

Article 18 - The voting members of the General Assembly are the representatives of the municipalities and organisations duly mandated.

Article19 - The General Assembly elects from its voting members an Executive Bureau consisting of a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and two representatives of Member Municipalities, local authorities and Organisations. The Executive Bureau will have a minimum of 4 places from local authorities and the positions of President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer can only be occupied by political delegates from local authorities. In order to foster the maximum cross EU representation, these four Officer posts can only be held by representatives from Four different Member States belonging to the association.

Decisions by the Executive Bureau are taken by a majority vote of those present or represented. In the event of no consensus, the President will have a casting vote.

Article 20 - The Executive Bureau can initiate legal proceedings, in particular relating to the use or abuse of the Association's name or logo and for breaches of contract.

Article 21 - The work of the Administrative Council is prepared by a permanent secretariat, which it recruits.

The Director acts in a consultative capacity at meetings of the Administrative Council and the Executive Bureau. With the authority of the Administrative council, he/she manages the programmes of the Association and the day-to-day running of the network and programmes.

Title VII - Association fee

Article 22 - The annual association fee for full and associate members covers the costs of the Association's institutional goals and activities. It shall be paid in accordance with the rules laid down in the contract of membership.

Article 23 - The financial year starts on 1 January and ends on 31 December of the same year.

Title VIII - Dissolution

Article 24 - In the event of dissolution at any time and for whatever reason, the General Assembly shall designate the agencies and organisations to which the Association's assets will be allocated.

Title IX - Miscellaneous provisions

Article 25 - The mandate of the Director and the means and dates and payment of the subscriptions are set out in the Association's Internal regulations, as approved by the General Assembly.

Article 26 - All other issues not covered by these Articles of Association and in particular any notices to be published in the annexes to the 'Moniteur belge' shall be drawn up in accordance with the law.

Executive Bureau members elected at the General Assembly 2008, June, Starogard-Gdanski, Poland

• President: Ilda Curti, Deputy Mayor for Urban Development and Integration, City Council of Turin, (IT)
• Vice-President: Lionel Martjin, City Council of Rotterdam - Charlois district (NL)
• Honorary secretary: Jude Kehla- Wirnkar , District Council Amsterdam South East (NL)
• Treasurer: Councillor William Humphrey, (UK)
• Member: Bernard Dallons, President CPAS de Charleroi, Charleroi, (BE)
• Member: Luana Zanella, City Council of Venice, (IT)