The ESCVS is the oldest European Society devoted to cardiac and vascular surgery since 1951, represented by about 1500 Cardiac, Vascular and Endovascular Surgeons.
In 1953 the ESCVS became the European Chapter of the International Society for Cardio-Vascular Surgery. Nowadays the ESCVS remains the only important society in Europe that provides communication between the specialists of these disciplines.
The main objects of the Society are to advance education in the field of cardio-vascular and endovascular surgery, to promote research for the public benefit and to correlate and disseminate the useful results thereof. ESCVS was founded as a European organisation, however, its membership is now spread all over the world. Since its foundation in 1951 more than 2000 members have been admitted, and the interest in applying for membership has grown considerably during the last few years.
Constitution
Article I: Name and Objects
Section 1. The name of this organisation shall be «The European Society for Cardio-Vascular and Endovascular Surgery” (hereinafter called “The Society”).
Section 2. The objects of this Society shall be: a) to promote the investigation and study of the art, science and therapy of cardiac and vascular disease, to co-ordinate this knowledge and to disseminate it; b) to facilitate the exchange of ideas in the field of cardiac and vascular diseases through scientific meetings and by personal contact between cardiac and vascular specialists.
Article II: Membership
Section 1. There shall be seven classes of members: Active, Senior, Honorary, Associate, Junior, Industrial and “New Members”. Application for membership shall usually be directly to the Secretary-General through the Organizing Secretariat. Admission to membership of the Society shall be in accordance with the procedure set forth in the By-Laws.
Section 2. All members of the Society except Senior and Honorary members shall pay dues and assessments.
Section 3. All members, to remain in good standing, must abide by the rules and regulations as set forth in the Constitution and By-Laws.
Section 4. Any member who has complied with all the requirements of the Constitution and By-Laws during his membership may resign by written notification to the Secretary-General
Article III. Officers
.Section 1. The Officers of The Society shall be the President, the President-Elect, the last two Past-Presidents, the Vice-Presidents, the Secretary-General, the Associate Secretary-General, the Treasurer and/or Executive Accountant, the Councillors and the Historian.
Section 2. These Officers, except the Executive Accountant, shall be Active, Senior or Honorary members of The Society. They shall be elected at the Annual Meeting of The Society in accordance with the procedure set forth in the By-Laws.
Section 3. The term of office of the President shall be two years, without eligibility for re-election.
Section 4. There shall be two Vice-Presidents. The term of office of a Vice-President shall be limited to four years.
A Vice-President shall not be eligible for re-election.
Section 5. The Secretary- General, the Associate Secretary-General and the Treasurer and/or Executive Accountant shall hold office for five years. The Secretary-General, the Associate Secretary-General and the Treasurer and/or Executive Accountant shall be eligible for re-election for a further period of five years.
Section 6. The term of office of the Councillors shall be of 2 years. One vascular and one cardiac Councillor shall be nominated every two years. They are once re-eligible.
Section 7. The Historian shall be appointed by the Executive Committee.
Article IV. Standing Committees
Section 1. The Standing Committees shall be the Executive Committee, the Cardiac and Vascular Programme Committees, the Nominating Committee, the Junior Committee and the Advisory Board.
Section 2. Vacancies in the Standing Committees, and any special committees as may be created, shall be filled as prescribed in the By-Laws.
Article V. Meetings
Section 1. The Society shall hold an Annual Scientific Meeting.
Section 2. The host country of the Annual Scientific Meeting of The Society shall be determined by the General Assembly, at least two years in advance.
Section 3. There shall be an Annual General Assembly of The Society during the Annual Scientific Meeting, open to all members (except Industrial members), at which the business of the Society shall be conducted.
Section 4. The official language of the meetings of The Society shall be English.
Article VI. Amendments
Section 1. Proposal to amend the Articles, or portions thereof, of the Constitution and/or By-Laws may be made in writing, signed by at least twenty Active members and presented to the Secretary-General at least three months before the Annual General Assembly of The Society. Such proposal may also be made by the Executive Committee.
Section 2. The Secretary-General shall send, by (electronic) mail, any proposals of amendments at least thirty days before the Annual General Assembly, to all Active, Senior and Honorary Members, who shall be specifically advised that such amendments will be voted upon at the next General Assembly.
Section 3. Adoption of proposed amendments shall be by a majority vote of the Active, Senior and Honorary Members present and voting at the Annual General Assembly.
By-Laws
Article I. Incorporation and Headquarters
Section 1. The European Society for Cardio-Vascular Surgery (hereinafter called “The Society”) is a corporation founded on May 31st, 1951, incorporated under the laws of the City of Strasbourg on August 8th, 1952 (Registered in “Régistre des Associations du Tribunal d’Instance de Strasbourg”).
Section 2. The Society shall maintain its office at the office of the Secretary-General, or at another site in accordance with the decision of the Executive Committee.
Article II. Officers
Section 1. The President, the Vice-Presidents, the Secretary-General, the Associate Secretary-General, the Treasurer and/or Executive Accountant and the Councillors shall be presented for office and be elected at the Annual General Assembly of the Society by a majority vote of those Active, Senior and Honorary Members present at the General Assembly. They shall hold office from the termination of the Annual General Assembly at which they are elected until the termination of the Annual General Assembly at which their successors are elected. Vacancies in any of these offices shall be filled for the unexpired term by an Active or Senior Member appointed by the Executive Committee.
Section 2. The President of the Society shall preside at the Annual Scientific Meeting and Business Meetings of The Society.
Section 3. Each President of The Society shall be elected two years before he assumes the office of President. During these years he shall be known as the President-Elect. The Presidency shall normally alternate between a vascular surgeon and a cardiac surgeon. In the event of the incapacity of the President, the President-Elect or one of the Vice-Presidents shall assume office until the next Annual General Assembly.
Section 4. Of the two Vice-Presidents one shall be a cardiac surgeon and one a vascular surgeon. They shall be available to advise the President on matters pertaining to The Society and to carry out such duties as the President may delegate.
Section 5. The Secretary-General shall keep an accurate record of all the business- except that of the Treasurer and/or Executive Accountant- and of all scientific activities of the Society. He shall have charge of the routine business of The Society and may utilise such systems for carrying on the business of The Society as may be authorised by the Executive Committee. He shall attest and fix the seal of The Society to all documents, which require it. He shall be custodian of all the books, documents and papers belonging to The Society, except those of the Treasurer and/or Executive Accountant. He shall notify Officers and Members of their election. He shall keep a list of the Members and record their dates of appointment and retirement. He shall ensure that a list of Members of The Society and of the Officers of the Standing Committees is published under the title “Members and Officers of the Standing Committees of The Society” in the official journal.
He shall be the Secretary of the Annual General Assembly, the Standing committees, and any special committees which may be created, and in this capacity he shall prepare and circulate the agendas and keep the minutes of these meetings, which shall be circulated to the members of the Committees prior to the next meeting. He shall represent The Society officially for any duty or commitment of The Society excluding those activities in relation to the duties of the Treasurer and/or the Executive Accountant.
Section 6. The Associate Secretary-General shall assist with the duties of the Secretary-General. Should the Secretary-General be unable to perform the duties of the office, the Associate Secretary-General shall assume these duties, if so directed by the Executive Committee of The Society.
Section 7. The Treasurer and the Executive Accountant, who needs not be a medical practitioner or a member, shall be jointly the custodians of the funds of the Society and of any and all securities which are the property of The Society, and keep an accurate record of each. They shall be responsible for all correspondence incident to the Treasury of the Society. They shall keep adequate records of the cash and bank accounts in the name of The Society. They shall keep an account of all moneys collected and received by the dues, contributions, bequests or otherwise, and all details showing the financial standing of The Society and present an audited annual report to the Executive Committee, and to The Society at its Annual General Assembly. They may utilise such assistance to conduct the financial business of The Society as may be authorised by the Executive Committee. To each Active Member they shall render a bill for an annual assessment, which shall include the Member’s contribution to The Society and cover The Society’s expenses for the offices of the President, Secretary-General and Treasurer. These bills may be submitted individually to each Member, or collectively at the general Assembly whichever is considered appropriate by the Executive Committee. The Treasurer and the Executive Accountant will be responsible of any duty of The Society from the financial and financially legal point of view.
Section 8. The Councillors shall be available to fill up any other vacant position in the Executive Committee and to serve on any standing or special committee as may be created by the Executive Committee, e.g. the Cardiac and Vascular Programme Committee, the Membership Committee, the Advisory Board, the Junior Committee, etc. They shall be available to (co-)chair sessions at the Annual Scientific Meeting. They shall inform and advise the Executive Committee on all matters pertaining to The Society.
Section 9. The appointment as Historian does not involve the right to vote at the Executive Committee. The Historian may be asked to present his report at the General Assembly
Article III. Committees
Section 1.The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, the President-Elect, the last two Past-Presidents, the two Vice-Presidents, the Secretary-General, the Associate Secretary-General, the Treasurer and/or Executive Accountant and the Councillors. The Executive Committee shall meet at least twice a year: at the time when the scientific presentations are selected for the next Scientific Meeting, and during the Annual Scientific Meeting prior to the General Assembly. Its duties shall consist of co-ordinating the activities of the Local Organising Committee, preparing the next meeting, preparing the business of the Standing Committees and the Annual General Assembly. The President shall have the power to co-opt the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee of the forthcoming Scientific Meeting. The President shall have the power to invite the Chief Editor/s of the official journal of The Society to attend the meetings of the Executive Committee. In the interim, the President, The Secretary-General and the Treasurer and/or Executive Accountant shall have the power to ensure the execution of all measures required for the efficient conduct of The Society.
Section 2. The Cardiac and Vascular Programme Committees shall each consist of five members elected by the Executive Committee from the Active Members. One member of each committee shall normally be selected from the members of the local Organising Committee of the next Annual Scientific Meeting. The President, the President-Elect and the Vice-Presidents shall also be ex-officio members of the respective Programme Committees. The other members of the Programme Committees shall hold office for two years and be eligible for re-election. They shall meet, or correspond, annually before the meeting of the Executive Committee, which finalises the programme of the next Annual Scientific Meeting, to assess and select the scientific presentations for that meeting.
Section 3. The Nominating Committee shall consist of the President and the two Past Presidents. They shall propose for nomination to the Executive Committee the most qualified persons for any vacant position, at least three months before the General Assembly.
Section 4. The Junior Committee shall consist of 6 junior members that have been a paying their dues for at least 2 years. The committee members will be equally distributed between those with a vascular and a cardiac training. They will elect a Chairman for a period of two years, the Chairman can be re-elected for a second term. The Chairman of the Junior Committee may be invited to Executive Committee Meetings. The Junior Committee will organise a Committee Meeting during the Annual Congress and will co-ordinate a junior session as part of the Annual Congress program of the Society. The Chairman will be invited to present his report at the time of the General Assembly.
Section 5. The Advisory Board shall consist of Active members that have paid their dues at least during the last three years, or of Senior members. The members of the advisory board shall consist of experts in the cardiovascular, cardiac or vascular fields. They will promote the Annual Meeting in their home country and propose possible sites for a future Annual Scientific Meeting in their country or abroad. They shall be willing to (co)-chair scientific sessions .They will not have the right to vote when invited to participate in an Executive Committee meeting.
Article IV. Election of members
Section 1. Applications for Membership shall be made upon forms provided by the Secretary-General through the Organizing Secretary.
Section 2. To be eligible for active membership, the candidate shall have achieved distinction in the field of cardiac or vascular diseases by meritorious contribution to the knowledge of these diseases or to their treatment. He shall have demonstrated a major interest in this field for at least five years.
Section 3. To be accepted as “New Member” he must apply to become “New Member” and after payment of the annual fees he will be part of the Society. At the first available annual general assembly he will be promoted as active member, unless one or more of the active members of the Society will make an opposition. In that case the admission as Active Member will be voted by the whole General Assembly. The majority of the votes of the participants to the General Assembly will in this case decides about the admission.
Section 4. Senior membership: all Active Members may apply to become Senior Members when they have reached the age of 65 years or have retired from active medical practice. A Senior Member shall pay no dues or assessments, but must pay the annual subscription determined by the Executive Committee, if he wishes to receive the official journal.
Section 5. Honorary membership shall be reserved for such distinguished persons who have achieved prominence in medicine and have contributed to the advancement of The Society or of our understanding of cardiovascular diseases.
Section 6. Associate membership shall be reserved for candidates that have achieved distinction in the field of cardiovascular diseases and come from outside the boundaries of The Society.
Section 7. Junior membership shall be reserved for candidates that are still in training and/or have achieved contributions to the knowledge of cardiovascular diseases. They will become an active member after a period of 5 years or at the age of 38. They shall pay a reduced annual fee including the subscription to the journal.
Section 8. Industrial members may become those that are active in companies with special interest in cardiovascular diseases.
Section 9. All nominations for membership shall be presented to The Society at the Annual General Assembly.
Section 10. Every member shall be furnished by the Secretary-General with an official notification of acceptance, copies of the Constitution and By-Laws of The Society and a certificate of membership, when appropriate.
Article V. Income
Section 1. The budget for the function of The Society shall be determined by the Executive Committee, and approved at the Annual General Assembly.
Section 2. The annual subscription to The Society made by each member is determined by the Executive Committee and approved by the Annual General Assembly, in the light of advice from the Treasurer and/or Executive Accountant.
Article VI. Annual European Congress of The Society
Section 1.The Annual European Congress of The Society shall consist of the Annual Scientific Meeting and the Annual General Assembly and shall normally be held on three consecutive days.
Section 2. All matters pertaining to the organisation of this Meeting shall rest with the Local Organising Committee subject to the agreement of the Executive Committee and the Programme Committees. The Local Organising Committee shall adhere to the Rules and Obligations for the organisation of the Annual European Congress, provided by the Secretary-General. These Rules and Obligations are laid down in a document approved by the Executive Committee and by the General Assembly.
Section 3. Scientific papers shall be submitted to the office of the Secretary-General, who will prepare them for the Programme Committees.
Section 4. Those Active, Senior and Honorary members present at the Annual General Assembly shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business of The Society.
Article VII. Discipline
Section 1. The administration of matters of discipline shall be the duty of the Executive Committee.
Section 2. The Executive Committee may on its own motion or on a written statement signed by a complainant, take cognisance of any breach of the Constitution and By-Laws by a Member and shall issue a warning to the delinquent. If this warning is not heeded within one month from the date of such writing, the Executive Committee shall take action and its decision shall be final.
Article VIII. Rules of Order
Section 1. Any question of order not provided by these By-Laws shall be determined by parliamentary usage as contained in Robert’s Rules of Order, rev.ed., H.M. ROBERT, 1980 (ISBN 0-8007-5040-3), Revell.
Section 2. Where ‘he’ refers to an officer or member of The Society one can also read ‘she’.