Statute of the Association

Article 1: Objectives

  1. The purpose of the German Association of Sugar Technologists is to bring together, directly and solely on a non-profit basis, professionals employed in and in support of the sugar industry for the advancement of their scientific, technical and practical work.
  2. The Association promotes and develops the professional collaboration of sugar technologists throughout the industry.
  3. These ends are to be achieved, inter alia, by
    a)  Conferences and meetings
    b)  Publications
    c)  Convocation of prize competitions and encouragement of experiments for the solution of important scientific and technical questions relevant to the sugar industry
    d) The award of prizes to valuable papers in the area of sugar manufacturing published in the journal Zuckerindustrie/Sugar Industry.


Article 2: Financial year and seat of the Association

  1. The financial year runs from 1 January to 31 December.
  2. The seat of the Association is Braunschweig.


Article 3: Membership

Regular membership in the Association is open to all professionals employed in and in support of the sugar industry.

In special circumstances, the executive committee may admit exceptions by unanimous decision (see Article 6.2).

Prerequisite in all cases is that the applicant is interested in and prepared to contribute actively to the achievement of the Association’s objectives.


Article 4: Executive committee

  1. The business of the Association is conducted by an executive committee composed of
    a)  The first chairperson
    b)  The first chairpersons of the branch associations
    c) The business manager
    d)  A member representing equipment providers
    e)  A foreign member.
  2. The senior of the first chairpersons of the branch associations is deputy chairperson of the executive committee.
  3. All members of the executive committee, except for the member representing equipment providers, must be actively engaged in the sugar industry.
  4. The persons listed under 4.1(a) and 4.1(c)–(e) are elected by the general membership meeting for a term of three years. The offices of the executive committee are honorary; expenses incurred in the execution of their duties are reimbursed on request.
  5. An advisory committee, consisting of a maximum of 6 members, supports and advises the executive committee in its fundamental and long-term deliberations.Members of the advisory committee shall be directly, unanimously appointed by the executive committee for a period of 3 years, and subject to the election of the executive committee. The members (of the advisory committee) shall be former VDZ executive committee members. Re-election of advisors is permitted. The advisory committee carries out its activities on a voluntary basis.


Article 5: General meeting of members

  1. A regular general meeting of members takes place annually, notice of the date and agenda having been communicated to the members by letter or e-mail at least three weeks in advance and also published in the organ of the Association.
  2. Motions to be presented for a vote at the regular general membership meeting must be submitted to the chair at the latest 4-6 weeks before the event.
  3. The chair may put to the meeting for consideration and vote motions of which notice was not given in time, provided they do not concern use of the assets or dissolution of the Association.
  4. Extraordinary membership meetings will be convened by the chair as required or when so requested by a quarter of all members. In the case of extraordinary membership meetings, notice in the organ of the Association or by letter to the members 14 days before the date shall be sufficient.
  5. Every duly convened membership meeting constitutes a quorum regardless of the number of members present. Resolutions are passed by simple majority. In the event of a tie, the vote of the chair decides. Resolutions affecting the use of the Association’s assets or involving a change in its objectives require the assent of three quarters of the members present (regarding resolutions concerning dissolution of the Association, see Article 11).
  6. All members are entitled to vote at membership meetings. Every member has one vote.
  7. The meeting of members has the following functions:
    a)  To receive and consider the report of the chairperson on the preceding financial year and the annual accounts of the business manager.
    b)  To vote on discharging the executive committee in accordance with the report of the auditors.
    c)  To appoint two auditors for the coming financial year.
    d)  To vote on possible amendments of the Articles of Association as well as other motions, in particular any relating to use of the assets of the Association and a change in its objectives, as well as on dissolution of the Association.
    e)  To fix the annual dues.
  8. Aside from attending to the business part described above, the membership meeting has the mission of
    a) The mutual professional development of members through papers and discussions on important scientific and technical questions.
    b)  Joint inspections, presentations, etc.
    c)   Fostering personal contact between members.
  9.  Visitors may attend membership meetings and events of any kind only by written invitation. Guests must be registered in advance with the association chairperson or with the branch assoziations chairs.
  10. Minutes are to be kept of every meeting and must record all resolutions.


Article 6: Admission – Membership

  1. The Association has
    a) Regular members
    b)  Honorary members
  2. Persons desiring to join the Association should register their wish with the chair of the branch association serving their place of residence, should complete the application form (which can be downloaded from the internet) and return it to the branch association chair. The association chair, in consultation with his or her fellow executive committee members, decides on whether to recommend admission. The application must list the names of two members, as defined in Article 6.1, as sponsors, of whom at least one must be employed in the sugar industry. The applicant must have obtained the prior agreement of the sponsors who shall confirm that fact by their own signatures on the application. Applicants who have not graduated from an institution of higher learning must furnish proof of at least three years of fruitful chemical or technical employment in or in support of the sugar industry.

In the case of applicants who are not employed in the sugar industry, both sponsors must themselves be so employed.

Notice of the enrolments received by the business manager will be published in the organ of the Association. In the absence of an objection within six weeks of publication, the enrolment is deemed accepted; otherwise the executive committee decides. Membership begins from the date of confirmation by the business manager. No reason need be given for the rejection of an application.

  1.   Every new member should, within two years of admission, give a lecture before a branch association on a subject chosen by the author.
  2. The duties of membership begin with the admission of the member to the Association.
  3. The rights of membership are suspended on failure to pay the annual dues until payment is made.
  4. Members allow the association to store, maintain and use the data submitted in applications for membership, and to publish the data in the Members Directory.
  5.   Apart from the death of the member, membership ceases
    a)  On resignation. A resignation can only become effective at the end of a financial year and must be communicated to the business manager by registered letter by 1 October of that year.
    b)  By decision of the executive committee, in the event that the annual dues have not been paid by the end of the financial year and payment has not been received within 14 days of a reminder by registered letter warning of the cessation of membership.
    c)  On expulsion. Expulsion is decreed by the executive committee when continued membership is contrary to the reputation and objectives of the Association. A member is subject to expulsion in the event of defamatory action or financial bankruptcy. Prior to expulsion, the executive committee must submit the matter to a three-member council of honour for examination and an opinion. This council of honour is constituted by election in each branch association of a regular member and a deputy for a term of three years, with possible re-election.


Article 7: Membership dues

  1. The Association levies
    Annual dues
    Fees for attendance at its events.
  2. The annual dues for the current year are payable before 1 March to the address designated by the business manager. New members pay the full amount regardless of the date of their admission.
  3. Honorary members are exempted from membership dues and conference fees.
  4. The cost of reminders is chargeable to the tardy payer.
  5. No member has a claim, either during or after membership, on the assets of the Association or parts thereof, including repayment of deposits or other contributions.


Article 8: Branch associations

  1. Branch associations and committees are established in order to carry out and deepen the work of the Association.
  2.  The executive committee of a branch association is composed of a chairperson, a deputy chairperson, a business manager and a foreign member.
  3. The executive committees of branch associations are elected for a period of three years by the annual general meetings of the branch associations.
  4.  Members wishing to belong to a branch association other than the one serving their place of residence should inform the chair of their present branch association who will make the necessary arrangements with the chair of the new branch association and notify the business manager.
  5. All members of the Association are free to attend meetings of branch associations other than their own.
  6. For the rest, Articles 5 and 9 apply to the branch associations mutatis mutandis.


Article 9: Business transactions

Documents and statements of all kinds entailing commitments by the Association must be signed by two members of the executive committee in the name of the Association. Receipts for the payment of dues are validly executed by the business manager.


Article 10: Court of honour

  1. Disputes within the Association, which touch the professional reputation of individual members, are to be submitted to a court of honour.
  2. This court of honour is composed of a representative of each party, and these in turn agree on a mediator. In the absence of agreement, the mediator is appointed by the chair of the Association.


Article 11: Dissolution

  1.  The Association cannot be dissolved except by the decision of a meeting of the members, to which an invitation stating the purpose of the meeting has twice been published in the organ of the Association or personally communicated to the members, the first time eight weeks prior to the date. Dissolution requires the assent of at least three quarters of all members represented at the meeting.
  2. Upon dissolution of the Association, any existing assets may be transferred to a body recognized as non-profit within the meaning of Article 17 of the Tax Adjustment Act and pursuing objectives similar to those of the Association. The recipient is named in the final membership meeting by simple majority.
  3.  Decisions concerning the disposition of assets on winding up or dissolution of the Association, or upon cessation of its present purpose, can be carried out only with the approval of the Inland Revenue Office.
  4. None of the assets or benefits therefrom may be distributed to members of the Association.


Article 12: Entry into force

The above Articles of Association replace those hitherto in force.

Braunschweig, May 2015.