of Scout Guide Stamp
Collecting Organizations
Constitutionapproved 27 May 2016
Chapter I General
Article 1International Federation of Scout Guide Stamp Collecting Organizations (IFSCO)
1.1IFSCO is a non-profit organisation founded in Comacchio, Italy on 23 September, 2000.The Federation and its member organisations, the Scout and Guide Philatelic Clubs/Societies (in further text Member clubs), have the objective to promote Scout andGuide philately.
1.2IFSCO supports this objective by:
- Assisting its member organisations by representing them to world Scout and Guide bureaus and international philatelic organisations in order to increase awareness of Scout philately.
- Promoting the collecting, studying, and exhibiting of Scout/Guidephilately.
- Promoting Scouting and Scout values;all involved are expected at all times to promote international friendship and to conduct all their interactions in the true spirit of Scouting.
1.3IFSCO is an independent body and is not affiliated to any national or international Scout or philatelic organisation.
Chapter II Membership
Article 2Membership
2.1Scout and Guide Philatelic Clubs/Societies can become members of IFSCO. Membership is restricted to member organisations who will appoint delegates to attend the IFSCO meetings.
Private membership of individuals is not possible. Individuals can become Friends of IFSCO, without voting rights or other formal rights related to the operation of IFSCO.
2.2Admission of a new member organisation: Application for membership must be submitted to the Committee at least three months prior to the biennial IFSCO Conference.
Chapter III Organisation
Article 3IFSCO Organisation
3.1The structure of IFSCO is:
3.1.1IFSCO Conference, the supreme body of IFSCO
3.1.2IFSCO Committee
3.1.3Member clubs
3.2Representation at the IFSCO Conference
3.2.1Only Member clubs as defined in Article 2 have the right to vote in the meeting
3.2.2Member clubs are represented at the Conference by a delegation of not more than three persons. The delegation shall be nominated in writing by their own club/society, with authority to speak on behalf of their club.Eachdelegation shall have one vote.
3.2.3The IFSCOCommitee may permit observersto attend.
3.2.4Member clubs can be represented at the Conference by proxy. The proxy must be in favour of a delegation ofanother Member club.Proxies must be authorised in writing by the President/Chairman of the Memberclub concerned.
A Member club may represent by proxy only one other IFSCO Member.
3.2.5Conferencemay be attended by Member Delegates, Committee members and observers.
3.3IFSCO Committee
3.3.1The Committee consists of President, Vice-President and Secretary.
3.3.2One of the Member clubs will assume the Presidency of IFSCO for a two year term after which another club will take over.This club will be appointed by majority vote by show of hands or in event of a tie by secret ballot.
Article 4Conference
4.1The Conference shall meet every second year at the time and place determined by thepreceding Conference, preferably in connection with a EuroScout exhibition.
4.2Notice ofthe forthcoming Conference shall be sent by the IFSCO Committee to all Member clubs not lessthan two months prior to the opening date.
4.3The notice shall include:
- The agenda
- The report of the IFSCOCommittee
- Motions
- Application for future EuroScout exhibitions
Article 5Motions to the Conference
5.1 Motions may be submitted by the IFSCO Committee and by Member clubs.
5.2Formal motions are to be submitted in writing to the IFSCOCommitteeat least three monthsbefore the Conference. All motions received within the time limit must be put before the Conference for discussion. Amendments during discussion of motions may be decided by the Conference.
Article 6Election at the Conference
6.1The Conference elects President, Vice-President and Secretary.
6.2Nominations by a Member club must be submitted in writing to the Conference.
6.3It is customary that the Vice-President of the preceding two-year term is elected President.
Article 7Voting on the Conference business including Motions and Elections
7.1All decisions of the Conference will be taken by polling the highest number of votes of theMember clubs present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote.
7.2The President shall have the casting vote in case of a tie.
7.3Voting shall be by show of hand unless a secret ballot is requested by the Committeeorby a Member club and seconded by another member. If a secret ballot is requested this mustbe carried out.
7.4Postal (written) votes of Member clubs not present or not represented by proxy are not permitted.
7.5The IFSCOCommitteemay carry out a written poll during the period between the Conferences. Suchwritten poll may not be used to make changes to the Constitution. The result of such a writtenpoll will be advised to Member clubs within one month and must be ratified at the nextConference.
Article 8Amendments to the Constitution
The Constitution may be amended by the Conference by simple majority vote.
Article 9Expulsion
The expulsion of a Member clubon any grounds orthe readmission of an expelled Memberclub, shall require the affirmative vote of at least threequarters of the Member clubs present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote in the Conference.
Article 10Language
The proceedings of the Conferenceshall be conducted in English.
Any translations shall be provided by the individual Member clubs. It is encouraged to include agreed translations of important papers in the IFSCO and EuroScout websites(such as Constitution, Rules of competition).
Article 11Contact between the Conferences
11.1The President issues semi-annual activity reports to the Member delegations.
At least one of the delegates of each member organisation should have access to and be able to communicate via emailto allowcommunication quickly and with little expense.
11.2Each member club is expected to issue semi-annual activity reports to IFSCO President and Member delegations (St. George's Day and early October), giving a short report or summary by the President of any progress and changes concerning IFSCO or Scout philately, and information concerning:
- What has happened / will happen within the club's country or region -
Exhibitions, dates of meetings, new postage stamps or postmarks - Important honours received by members of the club.
High exhibition results gained by club members. - Announcements (...) of death.
- News of upcoming sales of present or former members' collections.
Chapter IV Exhibitions
Article 12EuroScout
12.1Every two years EuroScout exhibitions are organised under IFSCO patronage, and are arranged by IFSCO member clubs.
12.2EuroScout is an international show of Scout and Guide stamps, postal documents and philatelic literature and includes related postcards and paper ephemera and memorabilia.
Anyone who wants to display his/her exhibit notifies the organising IFSCO Member club.
Admission is free and open to the public.
Swapping of stamps, covers, ideas and opinions is encouraged, however the host club may make a charge for the hire of selling tables.
12.3Formal application to arrange a EuroScout exhibition shall be submitted to the IFSCO Committee at least three months prior to the Conference.
12.4The Conference shall formally approve patronage of EuroScout.
12.5The organising Member club takes full responsibility for all practical, technical and financial elements of the EuroScout exhibition including IFSCO Conference.
Chapter V Final Provisions
Article 13Dissolution of IFSCO
At the request of the IFSCOCommitteeor upon request of more than two-thirds of the IFSCO Member clubs, IFSCO can be dissolved by the Conference.
Article 14Occurrences not covered
Matters that are not covered by this Constitution, will be determined by the IFSCOCommitteeandmust be ratified by the following Conference.
Article 15Interpretation of the Constitution
In the event of any discrepancies in the text arising from translation, the English text shallprevail.
Article 16Approval of the Constitution
This Constitution was approved by the Conference at (Vienna on 28 May, 2016) and took effect immediately. The previous IFSCO Agreement was invalidated.
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