Statute of the Professional Women's Forum e.V.
Translation from the German language.
The German language version is legally binding.
§1
1. The Verein has the name "Professional Women's Forum e.V."
2. The Verein is legally domiciled in Hamburg. The Verein shall be registered in the Vereinsregister of the Local Court in Hamburg.
§2
1. The purpose of the Verein is to promote the interests of women in qualified positions in business life, by advice and by inter-professional training, meetings and exchange of experience. The Verein shall support the personal and professional contact of its members, with special emphasis on networking in national and international environments on business and career related issues.
2. The Verein is independent and non-party-political and exists exclusively for the benefit of the common good as defined in the section “Tax-privileged purposes” of the German General Fiscal Code. The Verein is non-profit-orientated. Verein funds and any returns may only be used for the statutory purposes. The members shall not receive either profits, shares or any other allowances out of the Verein's funds. No-one may benefit from expenses unrelated to the Verein's purpose or from disproportionate fees.
§3
1. Any woman working professionally or intending to do so and accepting the Verein's purposes can become a member of the Verein.
2. The Verein's Vorstand (see § 7) decides on the acceptance of membership applications. If an application is refused, the applicant may request in writing that the following general meeting decide on the application.
§4
The Verein’s members shall pay an annual subscription to be fixed and reviewed from time to time by the general meeting.
§5
Membership ends
1. by resignation, which must be submitted in writing to the Vorstand and becomes effective at the end of the current business year, provided it has been received at least three months beforehand;
2. by disqualification in cases of substantive offence against the Verein's interests, in particular persistent refusal to pay the subscription, to be determined by the Vorstand after hearing the member and to be notified to the member by registered letter stating the reasons for disqualification. The disqualified member may appeal within one month and request the decision of the following general meeting.
§6
1. The general meeting is to be called in writing by the Vorstand, giving a minimum of four weeks' notice and stating the agenda. There shall be at least one general meeting per business year.
2. A general meeting is to also to be called following a written request to the Vorstand by at least 10 % of the members and stating the reasons.
3. In the general meeting, each member has one vote. The general meeting's resolutions are taken on approval by a simple majority of the members present; absent members cannot be represented. The voting is open unless a secret ballot is requested. Any amendments to this statute require a majority of 75 % of the members present.
4. The general meeting's resolutions are to be recorded in the minutes which must be signed by the Vorsitzende (chair) and another member of the Vorstand.
§7
1. The Vorstand for statutory purposes (§ 26 German Civil Code) is composed of the erste Vorsitzende (chair) and the zweite Vorsitzende (vice-chair). They are formal representatives of the Verein, both in and out of court, and each is authorized as a sole signatory. The erweiterter Vorstand (committee) is composed of the chair, vice-chair and up to five further committee members.
2. The committee is to be drawn from the membership of the Verein and appointed by the general meeting for two years. The committee remains in office until a new committee has been appointed. Re-election is permitted.
3. The committee meets upon the chairwoman's request or the request of two other committee members. Its resolutions are taken by simple majority of the members present. The committee has a quorum when at least three members are present. Written resolutions may be passed provided at least three members agree.
§8
1. The general meeting can vote to wind up the Verein by a resolution approved by 75 % of the members present.
2. In the case of winding up, the general meeting shall appoint one or more liquidators to be responsible for the liquidation of the Verein's assets and to receive the appropriate power of attorney for this.
3. In the case of the Verein’s winding up or a termination of its present purpose, the Verein's property shall go to an organization for the benefit of the common good with identical or similar purposes, whereby the use of this for tax-privileged purposes must be guaranteed. Any transfer of assets may only take place with the consent of the Finanzamt responsible.
§9
To the extent that the statute does not provide otherwise, the provisions of §§ 21 et al of the German Civil Code are applicable.
§ 10
The Vertretungsvorstand is authorized to modify this statute as necessary should objections be raised by the public authorities or the court with respect to the Verein’s qualification for registration or its status as a body for the benefit of the common good. In this case, § 6 (3) does not apply.
Hamburg, 26 September 1995
(Translation updated: Hamburg, 5 May 2007)
