General Assembly

The General Assembly is the Association’s highest body. It comprises all Full Members who have paid their membership fees for the current financial year. It is chaired by the President of the Association. The Meeting can be convened anywhere in a State of the Council of Europe or, upon decision of the Board of Directors, in any other State, if the situation requires it. The General Assembly’s powers include the following:

• the approval of activity reports as well as accounts and budgets
• the appointment and dismissal of the directors as well as relieving of their duties
• the amendments of the Statutes
• the final expulsion of a member who appealed to the General Assembly to contest an
  expulsion decision taken by the Board of Directors
• the dissolution of the Association as well as its liquidation
• the setting up and modifications of the internal rules
• the setting of the membership fees per category of members
• as well as all other powers defined by the legal framework of the General Assembly.

The Ordinary General Assembly must be convened by the Board of Directors within six months after the close of the financial year. The Board may convene an Extraordinary General Assembly as often as it deems necessary. It should, in addition, be convened within three months following a written request to that effect submitted by one-fifth of the Full Members.