STATUTES
This is an informal translation of the Statutes for the
Norwegian Association of Intellectual Property Administrators (NAIPA)
(Norsk Forening for Administratorer av Immaterielle Rettigheter)
Name and Address
Article 1. The name of the association is Norwegian Association of Intellectual Property Administrators, abbreviated NAIPA. The association has its seat in Oslo. The address of the association is the same as the Chairman's. The Chairman may choose to establish a post office box for the association.
Purpose
Article 2. The purpose of the association is to protect its members interests in the field of intellectual property rights and in regard to the interests of the Intellectual Property (IP) industry, including
representing the members both nationally and internationally before other associations, institutions, governmental bodies and the like in the above field;
contributing to the promotion of the members' professional skills by informing about such legislation and practice changes at home and abroad, about literature and about educational opportunities, give lectures, discussions, or other exchanges of experience
increase the knowledge about the members' function as specialists and secure their repute,
strengthen the knowledge of NAIPA and the association's work.
Membership
Article 3. As members are admitted people who work with tasks related to IP.
Annual fee
Article 4. For the membership in the association an annual fee must be paid, the amount of which is determined by the AGF.
Board
Article 5. The association is led by a Board consisting of a minimum of 5 members elected according to Article 6. On its first meeting after the AGF, the Board shall constitute itself with a Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and one Board Member. In the Chairman's absence, the Deputy Chairman shall function as Chairman. In order to ensure continuity in the Board's work, deputies participate on equal terms as the Members of the Board, albeit without voting rights.
Article 5.1. The Board has a quorum when at least three (3) of the Members of the Board, including any deputies, are present.
Article 5.2. The Board makes decisions by a simple majority vote. In case of a tied vote, the Chairman's vote has a double count. Deputies can only participate in the voting if they enter instead of a Board Member. The Board is unpaid but may employ salaried assistance.
Election of Board Members
Article 6. The Board is elected at the AGM from amongst the association's members, for one (1) year at a time.
Liability and signatures
Article 7. The association is alone liable for the association's assets and/or liabilities at all times. Neither the members nor the Board can be made personally liable for liabilities, insofar as they have acted within the frames of the association's statutes and the common law.
The association can be subscribed by one Member of the Board for amounts up to NOK 10,000. For amounts over NOK 10,000, the association is subscribed jointly by the Chairman or, in the Chairman's absence by the Deputy Chairman, and one further Member of the Board.
Member admission and withdrawal
Article 8. Membership according to Article 3 is applied for in writing. The Board shall decide all questions relating to membership.
Article 8.1. The membership shall cease
- by withdrawal in writing to the association by the 31st of March at the latest, taking effect on the 1st of May the same year
- if the membership has not been paid by 14 days after a written reminder, or
- if the board considers a member unworthy of further membership.
Article 8.2. Membership runs from the 1st of May until the 30th of April.
Meetings and Annual General Meetings (AGM)
Article 9. The association holds regular meetings at least once a year. One of the meetings is an AGM and shall be held in April or May. The AGM shall be considered the association's general assembly.
Article 9.1. Additional meetings, including extraordinary AGM's, can be convened by the Board, optionally after written and reasoned request from at least 10% of the members and at the latest by one (1) month after the Board has received the request.
Article 9.2. Summons to meetings are sent by mail, including e-mail, to the address that the member has provided to the association, and should if possible be sent at the latest by 2 weeks before the meeting. However, summons to ordinary and extraordinary AGM's shall always be sent at least three (3) weeks ahead of the meeting.
Article 9.3. Proposals for agenda points in ordinary AGM's must be received by the Board at the latest by the 1st of March before the AGM. Such proposals shall be dispatched to the members together with the summons to the AGM.
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
Article 10. At the AGM, the following agenda shall be covered:
a) Election of secretary and moderator
b) Decision on whether the AGM was duly convened
c) Report from the Board
d) Approval of the accounts
e) Decision on the annual fee for the coming fiscal year
f) Election of the Board and a auditor, conf. Articles 6 and 12
g) Received proposals
Voting right and voting at the AGM
Article 11. Each member has one (1) vote.
Article 11.1. Absent members can vote by filing a proxy to another member. Each attending member can represent a maximum of 4 votes including his own.
Article 11.2. Voting is done by open voting. Upon request from at least three (3) members, a written ballot shall be performed.
Auditing
Article 12. During the AGM, the members of the association shall elect an auditor. At the end of each fiscal year, which is the calendar year, the auditor shall audit the accounts and sign the accounts. The auditor is elected for one (1) year at a time.
Membership in other associations
Article 13. The association may become a member of other associations. The association may also enter into cooperation with other associations.
Article 13.1. Before entering into an agreement on such a membership or cooperation, the Board shall obtain the general assembly's authorisation to negotiate about this. The question is decided by simple majority in the general assembly.
Article 13.2. The Board is then free to negotiate and conclude such an agreement. The Board may choose to apply for the general assembly's approval of the final terms.
Article 13.3. The Board elects who will represent the association in other associations.
Article 13.4. A withdrawal from other associations, or termination of cooperation, shall be decided by the general assembly, by simple majority.
Amendments to the statutes
Article 14. Amendments to the statutes shall be adopted at the AGM by simple majority.
Liquidation of the association
Article 15. A decision to liquidate the association requires a decision at an AGM with a majority of at least four fifths of the association's members present. If the association is liquidated, the current Board shall decide on a use of the association's assets in support of a cause in the area of intellectual property protection. This is the last article in NAIPA's statutes.