Articles
of Association of the Fédération
Internationale Des Podologues (FIP)
(International Federation of Podiatrists)
The organisations or individuals subscribing
to the provisions of these Articles
of Association hereby form an association
called "Fédération
Internationale des Podologues"
(FIP) (International Federation of Podiatrists)
governed under the French Act of 1 July
1901 and the French Decree of 16 August
1901.
The Fédération Internationale
de Podologues (FIP), grouping members
in France, Great Britain, Denmark, Belgium
and the United States, was founded in
1947. The FIP under its present form
was registered on 27 June 1963 and is
made up of federations, associations
and other organisations of podiatrists
and/or individual podiatrists belonging
to the field of health professionals
on five continents. The purpose of the
FIP is:
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To ensure international
representation for podiatrists,
safeguard of the profession and
promotion of podiatric medicine;
to implement any and all means
possible to develop, enhance and
regularly update professional
and scientific training;
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To specifically encourage research,
the organisation of continuous
training sessions, conferences,
conventions, etc.; to promote
exchanges between nations by collecting
and conveying any and all knowledge
and information relating to the
field of podiatric medicine;
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To inform and document the international
public regarding the nature and
extent of the podiatrist’s
activities;
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If necessary, to intervene with
national Ministries and Governments
upon request by a member organisation,
with the agreement of the General
Meeting. |
| Section
III – REGISTERED OFFICE |
The registered office of the FIP is
17 Rue de l’Echiquier, 75010 Paris,
France. The registered office may be
transferred to any other locality by
decision of an Extraordinary General
Meeting.
| Section
IV – STATUS OF MEMBERS |
The FIP is made up of:
| 1. |
Active members (federations,
associations and other organisations
of podiatrists)
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| 2. |
Associate members (individuals)
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| 3. |
Honorary members |
| Section
V – MEMBERSHIP CONDITIONS |
| 1. |
Any organisation
submitting an application for
admission to the FIP declares
that it has been advised of these
Articles of Association and of
the Bylaws set down by the Federation;
said organisation undertakes to
comply with, observe and apply
the decisions made by the FIP
and attests that its members exercise
podiatric medicine as a health
profession either independently
or on an employee basis. The professionals
of each organisation are subject
to compliance with the professional
ethics prescribed by the legislation
in their respective countries
or with the regulations set down
autonomously by appropriate organisations,
the purpose of which regulations
is to guarantee and develop professionalism,
quality and practitioner-patient
relations. Whenever a country
is already represented by one
or more organisations, an application
for membership by another organisation
shall, before being submitted
for approval by the Executive
Board, obtain the agreement of
the member organisation or organisations.
In order to acquire membership
in the FIP, an organisation must
submit an application stipulating
its goals and objectives with
respect to the development of
podiatric medicine and podiatry
and enclose with said application:
• a copy of its articles
of association;
• a copy of the legislation
regulating the profession in its
country and all of the legislation
regulating the level of studies
and the title of the diploma authorising
conferees to practice;
• a copy of the abstract
of publication of the regulations
governing the profession appearing
in the Official Gazette of the
corresponding country.
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| 2. |
Any individuals having a connection
with the specific interests of
the profession may acquire membership
upon recommendation by several
members of the Executive Board
or by one or more member organisations.
To acquire membership in the FIP,
the candidate must submit a curriculum
vitae to the Executive Board and
a letter stipulating his or her
motivations.
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| 3. |
Honorary members are recommended
by the Executive Board and appointed
by the General Meeting. |
| Section
VI – LOSS OF MEMBERSHIP |
Membership status is lost:
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By resignation of
the member organisation or individual
member |
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By dissolution of the organisation |
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If an organisation or individual
has violated the provisions of
the Articles of Association or
Bylaws, has not complied with
decisions of a General Meeting
or has committed an act which
adversely affects the activity
of the FIP |
The status of an associate member is
automatically lost in the event that
the organisation to which the associate
member belongs becomes a member of the
FIP.
A motion to strike the member from the
rolls for non-payment of dues within
two months following the date of the
General Meeting and a formal notice
to pay sent by certified mail with confirmation
of receipt is submitted by the Executive
Board at the next General Meeting.
In the event that action is taken to
strike the member from the rolls, the
member organisation or individual member
involved is requested to provide explanations
before the Executive Board. The decision
to strike the member from the rolls
will be ratified at the next General
Meeting by secret ballot on the basis
of a of two-thirds majority vote of
the members present or represented having
voting rights and up to date on the
payment of their membership dues.
| Section
VII – FINANCIAL RESOURCES |
The financial resources of the FIP include:
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Active and associate
membership dues, the amount of
which is set by General Meeting |
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Various subsidies and donations
of any origin to the extent authorised
for associations not recognised
public service organisations and
whose nature and purpose are compatible
with the status of the association |
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Proceeds from scientific events
and publications |
Accordingly, the following permanent
committees have been created:
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The CLPUE: Liaison
Committee for European Union Podiatrists |
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The ICPD: International Committee
for the Development of Podriatric
medicine |
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The FIP Economic Development
Committee |
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The Budget Committee |
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The International Recruitment
Committee |
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The Articles of Association
Committee |
Other committees or commissions may
be created within the FIP by the General
Meeting whenever the necessity for such
becomes apparent.
| Section
IX – EXECUTIVE BOARD |
The FIP is directed by an Executive
Board made up of:
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A President |
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A Vice-President |
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A Secretary General |
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A Treasurer General |
The President and the Vice-President
are elected for a two-year term. The
President and the Vice-President are
elected at the same time and may not
be from the same continent. Their
terms of office are not renewable
for the same office. At each new election,
the continental origin of the President
must be different from the origin
of his or her predecessor. This is
also applicable to the Vice-President.
The Secretary General and the Treasurer
General are elected for two years
alternating with presidential and
vice-presidential election-years.
Their terms are renewable.
The President, the Secretary General
and the Treasurer General may not
be of identical nationalities (in
the event of lack of candidates, the
General Meeting has exclusive power,
if necessary, to accept several candidates
of like nationality).
Podiatrists only may be elected to
the Executive Board provided that
they are recommended and commissioned
by their associations (said associations
being up to date on the payment of
their dues).
Voting is conducted by secret ballot
on the basis of an absolute majority
of the organisations present or represented
having voting rights, and the Board
is partially renewable each year.
The Executive Board issues an opinion
regarding applications for the admission
of new members. The Board may recommend
striking the organisation or an individual
from the membership rolls in accordance
with Section VI of these Articles
of Association. The Board establishes
the Bylaws.
The task of the Executive Board is
to direct the FIP in accordance with
the decisions made by General Meetings.
The Board gives an account of its
activities to General Meetings.
In the event that a seat is vacated,
the Executive Board temporarily fills
the seat to replace the vacating member.
The replacement becomes final at the
time of the next General Meeting.
The term of the Board members elected
in this manner terminates at the date
at which the term of the replaced
member normally expires.
The Executive Board meets upon call
by the President or, in the event
that the President should fail to
call a meeting, by the Vice-President.
Decisions are made on an absolute
majority-vote basis. In the event
of a tied vote, the President will
have the casting vote.
The members of the Executive Board
who, without valid cause, have not
attended 3 consecutive meetings shall
be deemed as having resigned.
The Presidents of each permanent committee
meet at least once a year for a Board
meeting prior to the General Meeting
in order to present their activity
reports. The Board reserves the right,
if needs be, to call one or more committee
presidents to attend its meetings.
An Auditor and a Deputy Auditor are
appointed by the General Meeting from
members thereof, with the exception
of members of the Executive Board. The
task of the Auditors is to verify and
review the financial operations of the
FIP and to submit a detailed report
on said operations to the General Meeting.
| Section
XI – ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS |
The General Meeting is the entity through
which all decisions are made and is
comprised of all of the delegates of
FIP member organisations and individual
members. The number of delegates appointed
by each member organisation is set down
in the Bylaws.
The General Meeting meets once per year
in the first quarter or at the time
of the FIP International Convention
following approval by the prior General
Meeting.
Member Organisations and individual
members are called by the President,
in agreement with the Secretary General,
no less than two months prior to the
date of the meeting. The agenda is stipulated
in the meeting call. A call is accompanied
by the President’s management
report, the Treasurer’s balance
sheet for the year just ended and the
Treasurer’s budget forecasts.
The President, assisted by members of
the Executive Board, chairs the General
Meeting and presents his management
report.
The Treasurer gives an account of his
management, submits the balance sheet
for the previous year and presents the
budget forecasts to the General Meeting.
The Auditor presents his report and
submits for vote by the General Meeting,
discharge for the Treasurer for the
previous year.
No business may be conducted at the
General Meeting other than the business
appearing on the agenda, except where
otherwise decided upon by the Meeting
itself.
The General Meeting is empowered to
modify the Bylaws.
Business conducted by the General Meeting
is subject to a quorum of one half of
the member organisations registered,
and decisions are made on an absolute
majority basis of the organisations
present or represented having voting
rights. In the event that the quorum
is not obtained, the General Meeting
is called to order one hour after the
first meeting. This Meeting may then
conduct business regardless of the number
of organisations present and the majority
required for decisions is two-thirds
of the organisations present or represented
having voting rights.
Each country is entitled to a single
vote in the event that such country
is represented by several organisations.
The number of proxies is set down in
the Bylaws.
| Section
XII – EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL
MEETINGS |
For the transfer of the registered office,
modifications in the Articles of Association
or upon request by half of the registered
member organisations plus one, plus
one of the members of the Executive
Board, the President calls an Extraordinary
General Meeting.
Business conducted by the Extraordinary
General Meeting is subject to a quorum
of one half of the member organisations
registered, and decisions are made on
an absolute majority basis of the organisations
present or represented having voting
rights. In the event that the quorum
is not obtained, the General Meeting
is called to order one hour after the
first meeting. This Meeting may then
conduct business regardless of the number
of organisations present and the majority
required for decisions is two-thirds
of the organisations present or represented
having voting rights.
| Section
XIII – VOTING RIGHTS |
Each active member has one vote. Individual
members have no voting rights at General
Meetings.
These Articles of Association are supplemented
by Bylaws set down by the Executive
Board and approved by the General Meeting.
The purpose of said Bylaws is to set
down certain points which are not provided
for in the Articles of Association,
specifically those related to the internal
management of the FIP.
The provisions of the Bylaws must be
complied with by individual members
and member organisations without restriction
or reservation.
| Section
XV – OFFICIAL LANGUAGES |
The official languages of the FIP are
French and English.
| Section
XVI – DISSOLUTION |
The term of the FIP is unlimited.
Dissolution may be decided upon by an
Extraordinary General Meeting specifically
called for such purpose and shall assemble
no less than three-quarters of the member
organisations. Dissolution is accomplished
by an absolute majority vote of the
organisations present or represented
having voting rights. In the event that
the quorum is not obtained, a second
Extraordinary General Meeting will be
called within three months.
In the event of dissolution, one or
more liquidators are appointed by the
General Meeting and the allotment of
assets, if any, will be conducted as
provided for under Section 9 of the
French Act of 1 July 1901 and French
Decree of 16 August 1901. The allotment
of the remainder of assets will be conducted
in accordance with the decisions made
by the Extraordinary General Meeting.
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