The articles of association

The articles of association of socioMovens e.V.

Decided at the founding meeting on 17/09/2014 in Zakopane / Poland. The association is registered in the registry of associations maintained by the district court of Dortmund. Registration number (VR) 6980 on 12/02/2015

Preamble

The registered association „socioMovens“ is an international network of alumni, friends and supporters of the „Social Academy“ of the Social Institute Kommende in Dortmund, an initiative of Archdiocese of Paderborn for promotion of social-ethical education and training of future church leaders in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe, based on the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church.

The object of the association is to empower and support its members in their social-ethical commitment in church and society and the promotion of affective and effective bonding and networking in the spirit of the theology of communion of the Second Vatican Council.

The association serves personal encounters and spiritual discourse, professional exchange as well as mutual support, particularly in the development and implementation of initiatives for the creating of one European society in “reconciled diversity”.

Conscious of the inspiring power of Christian social ethics, its members stand up for defense and promotion of the dignity of the human person as well as for humane coexistence in justice, truth, freedom and solidarity.

Being a union of socially committed Christians and church leaders, its members stand up for a Europe rediscovering “its soul” (Delors) through recollection of its spiritual roots and its Judeo-Christian heritage.

One focus of the social ethical commitment of its members is creating social and educational measures for youth as well as the support of the interconfessional, interreligious und intercultural dialogue with the objective of building a culture of international understanding and promotion of an international civilizing mindset.
With an effect on civil society, the association “SocioMovens” maintains and promotes a culture of respect and tolerance, mutual appreciation and connectedness, which reflects the faith and the lived values of Christians.

Its members, who see the standard for their personal values and life organization as well as ethical and social commitment in the Christian image of human being will support the process of European integration according to their professions and competences and are willing to take over responsibility.

The object of the articles of association is reflected especially in academies, seminars, trainings, conferences and international meetings.

The participants are reflecting on social, youth and socio-political questions as well as ethical problems and develop solutions and strategies for a personal social commitment in order to promote the common good.

§ 1 Name, registered office and fiscal year

1. The name of the association is „socioMovens e.V.“ Addition: Giving Europe a Soul.
2. The registered office shall be the Social Institute Kommende Dortmund of the Archdiocese of Paderborn, located at Brackeler Hellweg 144 in Dortmund, 44309.
3. It shall be registered in the register of associations.
4. The fiscal year of the association is the the calendar year.
5. Regardless of its legal form, the association has a canonical status of a private association of Christian believers as described in cc. 298 et seq. of the CIC.
6. In the context of the employment relationship, the association applies the Church labor law, in particular the basic Church regulation regarding employment in their latest version, brought into force by the archbishop of Paderborn.

§ 2 Object and functions of the association

1. The object of the association is to ideationally, organizationally, professionally and financially enable, support and interconnect the socially engaged Christians and church leaders in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, particularly in the service of children and youth education based on the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church.
   The association serves the international cooperation and the transnational social-ethical commitment, particularly in youth and children education, as well as the promotion of interconfessional, interreligious and intercultural dialogue in the service of building a culture of international understanding and promoting an international civilizing mindset
   The association “SocioMovens” maintains and promotes a culture of respect and tolerance in the civil society as well as mutual appreciation and solidarity, which reflects the religious belief and the lived values of its members.
   The object of the articles of association is to be reflected especially in academies, seminars, trainings, conferences and international meetings addressing spiritual discourse, professional exchange and mutual support, particularly in developing and implementing initiatives dealing with the creation of one European civil society of reconciled diversity.
   The participants will be reflecting on social, youth and socio-political questions and ethical problems and develop solutions and strategies for a personal social commitment in order to promote the common good.
   The association materializes its object i.a. by the involvement and integration in the work of Social Institute Kommende Dortmund, the cooperation with organizations and associations that have similar purposes, as well as the support of social projects and socio-political commitment.
2. The object of the articles of association is carried out by providing the necessary resources pursuant to § 58 No.1 of the German Tax Code (Abgabenordnung) for the tax-privileged purposes of other incorporations or for the realization of the tax-privileged purposes of other incorporations under public law.
3. Beyond that, the association can realize the aforementioned purposes directly by itself.
4. The association does not have to realize all the statutory purposes tothe same extent.

§ 3 Non-profit status of the association

1. The association exclusively and directly pursues non-profit purposes within the meaning of chapter “Tax-privileged objectives” of the German Tax Code (Abgabenordnung).
2. The association operates selflessly; it does not primarily pursue its own economic purposes.
3. Any surpluses or other funds of the association shall be exclusively used for the objects laid down in the articles of association.
4. In their capacity as members, the members do not receive any benefits from the association´s funds. When resigning from the association, they do not have any claims to the association´s assets.
5. No person shall benefit from expenditures that are not related to the object of the association, or through inappropriately high compensation.
6. Board members according to § 26 of the German Civil Code (BGB) and other association members are entitled to tax-free reimbursement of expenses according to § 3 No. 26a of the German Income Tax Act (EStG). The association can have employees. The fixing of remuneration is decided upon by the board in accordance with § 1, para. 6.

§ 4 Membership

1. Full Members: Full members of the association can be natural persons only. Each graduate of the “Social Academy” of the Social Institute Kommende Dortmund can become a member of the association. In order to become a member, an application submitted to the board shall suffice subject to the decision on the application for admission according to the articles of association. At the written request of at least 7 full members, further persons may be appointed to the association.
2. The director of the Social Institute Kommende Dortmund is an automatic member. He takes part in the meetings in an advisory capacity and is to be heard at any time.
3. Sponsoring Membership: In their capacity as friends and sponsors of the association, natural or legal persons can acquire a sponsoring membership if they support the purpose of the association. Sponsoring members may be invited to the general meetings but shall only have advisory capacity without any voting rights. Details of sponsoring membership can be defined in special rules of procedure by the board.
4. Admission procedures: The admission of the members is conducted by means of written application to the board. The board shall decide on the applications for admission. Rejected applicants can appeal to the general meeting.
5. The executive committee board decides on the application for admission.

§ 5 Termination of membership

1. Membership shall end by resignation, exclusion or death.
2. Resignation is carried out through a written letter to the board in terms of § 26 BGB. A written declaration of resignation can only be submitted with effect to the end of the fiscal year and must be submitted with one month’s notice.
3. The exclusion can only take place for good cause. Such good cause include in particular the following:
   – behaviour that causes damage to the purposes of the association,
   – breach of statutory obligations,
   – contributions in arrears amounting to at least two years’ contributions.
   The board decides on the exclusion from the association.
   This decision of the board is to be communicated to the member concerned in written form stating the reasons.
   Against this decision of the board, the member may appeal to the general meeting.
   This appeal shall be submitted to the board in writing and within one month from receipt of the decision of exclusion. The general meeting shall make the final decision on this appeal.
   The right of a member to resort to the civil courts shall remain reserved. The submission of the matter to a civil court shall have suspensive effect until a binding decision has been made by the court.

§ 6 Membership fee

1. Full members have to pay their contribution. The amount and the maturity of the contribution shall be determined by the general meeting.
2. Sponsoring members make a contribution according to their own assessment.

§ 7 Organs of the association

1. General meeting.
2. Board.

§ 8 General meeting

1. The meeting of the members is chaired by the chairman of the board or, if he is unable to do so by another member of the board.
2. The general meeting shall establish guidelines as to the operating principles of the association and shall decide on all matters of fundamental importance, in particular, but not limited to:
   a) Election and removal of the board.
   b) Formal approval of the actions of the board.
   c) Acceptance of the reports of the board.
   d) Election of the cash auditor.
   e) Determination of the amount and the due date of fees.
   f) Resolution relating to amendments of the articles of association.
   g) Resolution relating to the dissolution of the association.
   h) Appeals of individual members relating to their exclusion by the board.
   i) Resolutions on the assumption of new tasks or the withdrawal from existing tasks by the association.
   j) As well as any further tasks stipulated in the articles of association or by law.
3. The general meeting shall be convened in writing (§ 126 b BGB via E-Mail) by the board with a period of notice of one month, stating the agenda (ordinary general meeting). The period of notice starts with the day following the date of dispatch of the convocation notice. The convocation notice is deemed to be received by the member, if it was sent to the last E-mail address given to the association by the individual member. Meetings shall take place as often as necessary, but at least every two years.
4. The agenda shall be supplemented if, not later than two weeks prior to the general meeting, a member submits a reasoned request to that effect in writing (§ 126 b BGB via E-Mail). Any additional item shall be announced at the beginning of the meeting.
5. The board shall convene an extraordinary general meeting if a written and reasoned request to that effect is submitted by at least 25 % of the association’s members. The meeting must take place no later than five weeks after the submission. The convocation of the meeting shall be subject to the § 8 para. 3.
6. Motions relating to changes to the articles of association, the removal of the board or the change of the purposes of the company, not received along with the convocation notice by the members, can only be decided upon at the subsequent general meeting.
7. The general meeting has a quorum regardless of the number of members attending.
8. Every full member has one vote. Voting rights can only be exercised in person. Decisions shall be made by a simple majority of the votes cast.. Abstentions and invalid votes shall not be taken into account.
9. The decisions of the general meeting shall be recorded in a protocol, which shall be signed by the chairman of the meeting and the keeper of the minutes.
10. A keeper of the minutes is chosen at the beginning of the general meeting.

§ 9 Board

1. The board according to § 26 BGB consists of the chairperson and a deputy chairperson, both of which shall be holding German citizenship and represent the association in court and out of court. There are four other members of the board. Members of the board are predominantly members of the Roman Catholic Church and work on a voluntary basis. They are obliged to follow the resolutions of the general meeting. In case of a voting tie, the chairperson shall have the decisive vote.
2. The board shall be elected by resolution of the general meeting for a period of 2 years. In the general meeting half of the board shall be elected every two years, to ensure continuity. At the first application of this regulation, the three board members receiving the least votes must be re-elected in a year. Subsequently, the half of the board is elected every year in each case for the duration of two years. Only members of the association shall be elected as board members. Re-election shall be permissible.
3. The board may nominate up to three other consulting members to the board (extended board). The director of the Kommende Dortmund or the representative designated by him shall attend the meetings of the board in an advisory capacity.
4. The board shall appoint a treasurer, who thereby becomes a member of the extended board. Being a member of the board, he only has a consultative role.
5. The board shall hold a meeting at least twice a year, if necessary interactively via conference call
6. The board has a quorum if at least four members of the board, at least two of whom are elected board members, are attending in person or via telephone or video conference. The legally binding representation of the association requires the joint subscription of two elected members of the board, one of whom is the chairperson or the deputy chairperson.
7. The meetings of the board shall be convened by the chairperson in written form or in text form (§ 126 b BGB via E-Mail) with a period of notice of at least two weeks, stating the agenda.
8. The board shall remain in office until a new board has been elected.
9. Termination of association membership results in the termination of the board membership.
10. The tasks of the board are, in particular but not limited to:
    a) management of the association.
    b) the execution of resolutions passed by the general meeting.
    c) preparation of an annual activities and cash report for the general meeting.
    d) Decisions relating to the exclusion of members. In case of a voting tie, the chairperson shall have the decisive vote.
    e) Convocation of ordinary and extraordinary general meetings.

§ 10 Cash audit

1. The general meeting elects a cash auditor for a term of one year.
2. This person must not be a member of the board.
3. Re-election shall be permissible.

§ 11 Amendment of the articles of association and dissolution

1. Amendments to the articles of association, alterations to the objects of the association and the dissolution of the association shall be decided upon by the general meeting. Requests relating to amendments to the articles of association, alterations of the association’s objects or dissolution shall be submitted to the ordinary members in full text, along with the convocation notice to the general meeting. Resolutions relating to the aforementioned changes and the dissolution shall require a majority of 2/3 of the present members with a right to vote.
2. Alterations and amendments to the articles of association which are prescribed by the authority responsible for the register of associations or by the tax office are to be implemented by the board and do not require a resolution by the general meeting. The members shall be informed about such amendments or alterations in the convocation notice to the next general meeting at the latest.
3. In the event of dissolution, deprivation of legal personality of the association or discontinuation of the tax-privileged purposes, the association’s assets devolve on the Social Institute Kommende Dortmund, on condition that the assets are used exclusively according to § 2 to charitable purposes within the meaning of the section “tax-privileged purpose” of the German Tax Code (Abgabenordnung). A distribution of assets among the members is excluded.

§ 12 Supervision by the church

1. As association of believers without legal personality, the association is subordinated to the ecclesiastical association supervision of the archbishop of Paderborn in accordance with the articles of association and the church law.
2. Amendments of the articles of association, mergers and dissolution of the association shall require the approval by the Archiepiscopal Vicariate.
3. Annual accounts have to be submitted to the supervision of the church upon request.

Zakopane, 17.9.2014