STATUTES (CONSTITUTION)

of the WORLD UNION OF ST. BERNARD-CLUBS (WUSB)

 

CHAPTERS I: NAME, RESIDENCE, RESPONSIBILITY

 Article 1

An international organization under the name "World Union of St.Bernard Clubs" was formed on September, 23 1967 in Luzern (Switzerland) by independent St. Bernard Clubs for an indefinite time. The WUSB can operate in international contact under the following names:

WELT-UNION der St. Bernhards-Clubs (WUSB)

WORLD-UNION of St. Bernards-Clubs (WUSB)

 Article 2

The domicile of the WUSB is with the President.

 Article 3

Under WUSB obligations only WUSB assets are laible. A seperate responsibility from connected juristic or natural persons is out of question and in turn the WUSB is not responsible for the delegates' obligations.

 CHAPTERS II: AIM (TARGET)

 Article 4

The aim of the WUSB is to unite all St Bernard friends under an universal recognized interpretation of the standard, to strive together for the purity, the health and the character of the breed and to nurse and improve the friendship of the St Bernards Fanciers.

 Article 5

An obtain financial profit is not intended. WUSB-assets shall be deposit in a Bank or Savings Bank.

 Article 6

The WUSB can be asked to mediate dissension between member-clubs. It will however recognize the autonomy of the members and cannot interfere from itself in their internal affairs.

 Article 7

The target (aim) will be accomplished by:

1. Cooperation at every level to promote (advance) our breed and its health.
2. Universal recognition of the Swiss Standard and the correct interpretation of it.
3. Exchange of judges between the member-clubs.
4. If possible a yearly international judgesmeeting with educational lectures from experts, films, photographs, etc...
5. Drafting of guidelines and recommendations to improve uniformity of the type and the health.
6. Organization of WUSB-Shows, congresses over breeding and health, exchange of the club-magazines and stud-books, publication of the " Barry International ", and others.
7. At WUSB-Shows only dogs with pedigrees recognized by the FCI can be shown.

 CHAPTER III: MEMBERSHIP

Article 8

Member of the WUSB can be any St Bernard Speciality Club recognized by their countries umbrella (cupola) organization. That umbrella organization must have been recognized by the FCI.

Membership applications must be done in writing to the secretary and must include:

1. Club-statutes in the original and in German or English
2. Name and address of the President and Secretary as well as their telephone- and Faxnumbers,
3. Name, address, telephone- and Faxnummer of two delegates.
4. Number of members of the club.

Admission as a new member will be decided by the delegates-meeting of the WUSB with majority.

 Article 9

The member-clubs commit themselves to tell alterations of the statutes, from executive, delegates a.s.o. immediately to the first secretary and to print communications of the WUSB in its club-magazines.

 Article 10

The membership begins with the first payment of dues.

The membership will lapse automatically, when the club resolves, no longer belongs to the umbrella organization of its country, or when the club is two years behind in paying the WUSB-dues. The Club has to be notified by mail of this approaching termination of membership.

 Article 11

Resignation from the WUSB can be done at the end of every calendar year with a consideration of three months notice of termination. The termination has to be done by mail to the President.

 Article 12

Clubs, who violate in a serious way the interest of the WUSB, can be suspended for the time being by 2/3 majority of the Board. If the complaint is not removed, the next delegates-meeting decides in secret vote with 2/3 majority on the final exclusion.

Members of the WUSB-board as well as delegates of the concerned club have no right to vote.

 Article 13

Clubs, who's membership for whatever reason has lapsed (expired), are not entitled to a refund of dues, donations or any other assets of the WUSB.

 CHAPTER IV: DELEGATES MEETING

 Article 14

The delegate-meeting convers the WUSB-shows and makes all decisions in accordance with article 7. It is chaired by the president, when he is hindered by members of the board in the sequence of article 17.

 Article 15

The delegates meeting consists of two delegates per member country. Every delegate has one vote. If a country has more membership clubs, then they have to settle the division of the votes internally before. If there is already a "first-club member", then it's decision on this matter will have priority. Clubs without right to vote may send its delegates as observers with full speech - and proposition-right.

All elections and resolutions will be made by a single majority vote except for resolutions who by constitution require a specified majority vote. In case of a tie the chairman of the meeting will cast a second and deciding vote.

A quorum for the meeting will be reached by the attendance of at least halve of the clubs.

 Article 16

Each member-club has the right to give his view, support and advise to the WUSB on questions regarding the breed and make proposals and motions for the betterment of it. Propositions to the delegates-meeting which reqire qualified majority have to be put at least 4 months before a meeting so that they can be sent with the invitation (agenda).

 Article 17

Normally the delegates meeting will take place once a year. Special meetings can be called by the board or must be summoned after proposition of 3 member-clubs.

The invitation-period with announcement of the agenda amounts to at least 2 months.

In urgent cases the board can ask the delegates in written way for decision.

Article 18

A delegate can have itself replaced with another representative of its club, but each country can only be represented with 2 delegates with voting right.

 Article 19

The delegates meeting can confer by motion the Honorary Membership to a deserving board member, delegate or judge. Voting will be done by a secret ballot and requires a 2/3 majority vote.

The delegates meeting can appoint by motion former WUSB-Presidents to Honorary Presidents. Voting will be done by a secret ballot and requires a 2/3 majority vote .

Honorary-Members and Honorary-Presidents can attend the delegates meetings with advisory voice.

 CHAPTER V: BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Article 20

The delegates meeting elects every 3 years the board members and the editor of the "Barry International".

The Board exists of:

1. President
2. Vice-President
3. First Secretary (same country as President)
4. Treasurer
5. Second and -if necessary- third Secretary (depends on languages)

Board members cannot be replaced by their clubs during their term of office. Exception: they are no longer member of their club.

The delegates meeting can also intend spokesmen (Deans) for certain work-areas (for example: breeding, judging).

 

Every 3 years the judges meeting elects a judges-chairman (Dean of Judges) out of the present judges. He prepares the judges meeting and chairs it.

Every 3 years a WUSB-Congress will be held with lectures to the breed and health. Further arrangements are in theresponsibility of the organizing club according to the agreement with the WUSB-board.

 Article 21

The delegates meeting elects 2 auditors out of their own rows not belonging to the board. They can be supported by a Trust Company.

The treasurer audit will be done every three years before the election of the new board. A treasurer's report will be given yearly at the delegates meeting.

 Article 22

The Board has the mandate to govern the WUSB as long as the delegates meeting does not adopt and issues other directives.

It prepares the delegates meetings and makes its decisions under chairmanship of the president in meetings or by telephone (fax).

It can put in commissions over certain problems, who give their reports to the delegates meeting.

The secretary keeps the files of the WUSB and writes the minutes.

 Article 23

President and editor publish the official communication-magazine of the WUSB " Barry International " in common responsibility.

 CHAPTER VI -END RULES / PROVISIONS

Article 24 -Club year and yearly report

The club-year is in concurrence with the calendar year. A President's report will be given yearly at the delegates meeting.

 Article 25 -Contributions

Over the height of the contributions the delegates meeting decides with 2/3 majority vote. The contributions have to be paid on basis of the membership of the December 31^st of the previous year at the latest up to the next delegates meeting.

 Article 26 -Constitutional changes and dissolution

Resolutions for constitutional changes must be decided with 2/3, the dissolution of the WUSB must be decided with 3/4 majority vote of the delegates meeting.

After dissolution of the WUSB available assets will be given to an European cynological foundation for St Bernard dogs.

 Article 27 -WUSB Languages

By the interpretation of the constitution or reglementes of the WUSB the German text (or language) is prominent.

Translations into English language must, into other languages can be made.

Passed unanimously in the delegates meeting on July 31^st, 1998 in Vejen/Denmark.

Article 20 changed in the delegates meeting on May 21^st, 2004 in Esztergom/Hungary.

All former settings of the WUSB-constitution become invalid with it.

 

For the correctness                                        

                                                                                  Wolfgang Ketzler

                                                                                    WUSB-President