The Statute of the European Industrial Pharmacists Group

ARTICLE 1: Establishment and Name

An association is hereby created between the parties to these Statutes, governed by the French law of 1 July, 1901, and the French decree of 16 August 1901, bearing the name “European Industrial Pharmacists Group” (EIPG) hereinafter referred to as the “Association”.

ARTICLE 2: Aims

The aims of the Association are to:

  • Make known and independently uphold the position of the industrial pharmacist.
  • Develop the pharmaceutical and allied industries in the interests of public health.

The Association is a Professional Group and shall be independent of all political parties and/or movements.

ARTICLE 3: Headquarters

The Association’s headquarters are at Pericentre II, 43-45 Avenue de la Cote de Nacre, 14052 CAEN CEDEX 4 – France.

The headquarters may be transferred by the simple decision of the Bureau.

ARTICLE 4: Duration of the Association

The duration of the Association is unlimited.

ARTICLE 5: Activities

The Association’s professional activities include the following:

  • Participation in European projects
  • Promulgation and publication of Codes and Guidelines
  • Maintaining a website and other communication vehicles for its members
  • Commenting on draft directives and guidelines published by European institutions such as the European Commission and the European Medicines Agency
  • Arranging working group meetings
  • Organization of any events enabling the Association to achieve its aims
ARTICLE 6: Resources of the Association

The Association’s resources consist of:

  • Membership fees
  • Subsidies
  • Income from sales of products or services
  • Grants, donations and other contributions as allowed by applicable laws and regulations in force.

The Association is a not-for-profit organization and its resources shall be applied for the purpose of attaining the aims of the Association as defined by these Statutes.

ARTICLE 7: Composition of the Association

The Association is made up of Full Members who are professional organizations representing pharmacists employed in the Pharmaceutical or Allied industries of the Member States of the European Union, the European Economic Area, or European countries having a mutual recognition agreement with the European Union on compliance control of regulated medicines and who accept the present statutes without reservation. Only full members who are up to date in their subscription are entitled to vote at the General Assembly.

Observers may be asked to participate in the activities of the Association and, with the permission of the President, may participate in the General Assembly. They are not entitled to vote and they may not nominate or be members of the Bureau of the Association. Observers are professional organizations representing industrial pharmacists or individuals who do not qualify for membership under the provisions of the previous paragraph but who accept the present Statutes without reservation.

ARTICLE 8: Admission and Membership

Any application for membership shall be examined by the Bureau to ascertain compliance with the criteria for membership and approved or rejected by vote at the next General Assembly. If the application is rejected, the applicant shall be informed of the reason for rejection.

ARTICLE 9: Loss of Membership

Membership may be withdrawn by:

  • Submission of a letter of resignation to the President of the Association
  • Dissolution of the organization
  • A resolution passed by the General Assembly for non-payment of fees, loss of membership criteria stated in Article 7 of the present Statutes, or for serious misconduct. In this event, the General Assembly’s decision must be by a two thirds majority of Full members present or voting by proxy.

No claims for damages or refund may be made to the Association for loss of membership.

ARTICLE 10: General Assembly

All members of the Association are to be called to a General Assembly at least once per year. The meeting shall be held in one of the member countries chosen by the Bureau.

At least fifteen days before the established date, the members of the Association are called to the General Assembly by the President, the Bureau or at least one third of the Full Members. The agenda is provided in the call to the Meeting. Each Full Member has one vote at the General Assembly. Each Full Member has a delegation consisting of no more than three people. A quorum of at least two thirds of the Full Members present or represented by proxy is required for the meeting to deliberate validly. A Full Member unable to attend may give proxy to another Full Member, provided that the proxy is signed by a named official of the absent member and reaches the President of the Association at least one day prior to the General Assembly. If the quorum is not met, the President may move forward or postpone the General Assembly.

Full members from the same country share one single vote. Unless otherwise stated by the Statutes, the General Assembly decisions are approved by a majority of members present or represented. The vote is taken by a show of hands unless a secret ballot is demanded by one of the Full Members. In the event of a tie vote, the President or Chairperson of the meeting shall cast the deciding vote.

If it is not possible to hold the meeting in any of the member countries, if the moving forward or postponement of the date of the General Assembly is not possible or does not permit the quorum to be met, or in the case of an emergency, the Bureau may decide to organise a virtual meeting instead of a face-to-face meeting. The call to the General Assembly will permit the delegates of the members to participate remotely, through any means of electronic communication, and will therefore describe the chosen means of communication and the procedure to be used to resort to it. The members participating remotely to the General Assembly shall be able to vote through the means of electronic communication chosen by the Bureau. The rules of a General Assembly held by virtual meeting are the same as the rules of a General Assembly held by face-to-face meeting.

After due deliberation, the General Assembly will decide on

  • The Annual Report and the accounts for the financial year
  • Future strategy or policy
  • The amount of annual fees
  • Terms and conditions for reimbursing expenses incurred by members
  • New membership applications
  • The appointment or reappointment of members of the Bureau.

It may also:

  • Relieve any Member of the Bureau from his or her duties
  • Dispute, amend or overturn a decision of the Bureau.
  • In the event of an emergency, suspend an election and confirm the duties of a Member of the Bureau or of the entire existing Bureau for a specified period or until the end of the emergency.
  • Pass a motion of no-confidence, with the understanding that if the motion passes, the Bureau will immediately resign. Should this occur, the General Assembly may ask the Executive Director to immediately call an election or may appoint an acting Bureau to administer the Association in the interim.
ARTICLE 11: Membership Fees

Annual Fees are payable by all Full Members of the Association.

The amount of fees is set by the General Assembly on the proposal of the Bureau.

Fees are proportional to the number of industrial pharmacists registered in the organization.

Failure to pay fees may lead to a Full Member being struck from the Association’s membership list and will have no claim on the rights of membership.

ARTICLE 12: Bureau

The Association is governed by a Bureau composed of six members, elected for a three-year term by the General Assembly: a President, four Vice-presidents and a Treasurer. Members of the Bureau may be reelected. Should any or all of the seats on the Bureau become vacant for any reason, they shall be filled during the next General Assembly. The term of office of any member so elected will end at the time it would normally expire for the Bureau member replaced.

The Bureau shall meet at least twice a year and as often as it is called to meet by the President or at least two of its members.

The Bureau may decide to organise a face to face meeting or a virtual meeting. The call to a virtual meeting will permit the members of the Bureau to participate remotely, through any means of electronic communication, and will therefore describe the chosen means of communication and the procedure to be used to resort to it. The members of the Bureau participating remotely to the meeting of the Bureau shall be able to vote through the means of electronic communication chosen by the Bureau. The rules of a Bureau meeting held by virtual meeting are the same as the rules of a Bureau meeting held by face-to-face meeting.

A quorum of at least four Bureau members is required for the Bureau to function validly.

Decisions are taken by majority vote of Bureau members present. In case of a tie vote, the President shall cast the deciding vote. Proxy voting is not permitted.

ARTICLE 13: The President

The President represents the Association in all activities. Her or his responsibilities include:

  • Enforcing the working rules of the Association
  • Chairing all General Assembly and Bureau meetings
  • Ensuring the execution of decisions of the Bureau and General Assembly
  • Signing the minutes of the meetings
  • Be liable for all expenses incurred on behalf of the Association
ARTICLE 14: The Vice-presidents

Any of the vice-presidents may replace the President in her or his functions whenever the President is unavailable.

ARTICLE 15: The Treasurer

The Treasurer undertakes the financial management of the Association.

His or her responsibilities include:

  • Managing the Association’s treasury and assets
  • Collecting fees, settling bills and reimbursing expenses
  • Preparing budgets for submission to the Bureau
  • Closing and presenting the Association’s annual accounts to the General Assembly
ARTICLE 16: The Executive Director

On the proposal of the President, the Bureau may appoint an Executive Director. Such appointment shall be renewed annually by the Bureau. The Executive Director may not be a member of the Bureau.

The Executive Director’s duties include:

  • Acting as Secretary to the Bureau and General Assembly
  • Keeping the legal register of the Association up to date
  • Keeping the Association’s membership and contact lists up to date
  • Managing the Association’s correspondence
  • Filing and archiving minutes of General Assembly and Bureau meetings as well as reports and correspondence
  • Drafting minutes and reports
  • Conducting elections to the Bureau
ARTICLE 17: Remuneration and Reimbursement of Expenses

Members of the Association may not be remunerated for their activities in the Association.

Expenses incurred by a Bureau member or the Executive Director in executing duties during her or his term of office shall be reimbursed on presentation of suitable receipts. The Treasurer reports on the expenses reimbursed during the General Assembly.

ARTICLE 18: Extraordinary General Meeting

If needed or on demand by at least half of the Full Members, an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called. The terms for calling this special meeting are the same as those for a General Assembly. For an Extraordinary General Meeting to function validly, a quorum of at least two thirds of the number of Full Members or their proxy is required. Full Members unable to attend may give proxy to another Full Member, provided that the proxy is signed by an official of the absent Full Member and reaches the President at least one day prior to the Extraordinary General Meeting. If the quorum is not met, the President may, if s/he so desires, move forward or postpone the Extraordinary General Meeting.

The purpose of an Extraordinary General Meeting is to decide on amending the Statutes or dissolution of the Association. Decisions of the Extraordinary General Assembly are subject to a two thirds majority of members present or represented.

ARTICLE 19: Dissolution

Should dissolution be voted by an Extraordinary General Meeting called under the terms of Article 18, the Meeting shall designate one or more liquidators and any remaining assets shall be transferred to an organization with similar objectives in accordance with Article 9 of the French law of 1 July 1901 and the French decree of 16 August 1901.

ARTICLE 20: Internal Rules

Internal rules shall be drafted by the Bureau and put to a vote by the General Assembly. These rules are intended to settle various points not covered by the present Statutes.

The present Statutes were approved at the Extraordinary General Meeting held on the 29th of March 2021, amended by the Bureau on the 12th of April 2023 regarding the headquarters address and approved at the Extraordinary General Meeting held on the 10th of September 2023.