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Statutes

ARTICLE I: NAME AND REGISTERED OFFICE

The name of this medical society shall be:

“The EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF OTOLOGY AND NEURO-OTOLOGY” (Abbreviation E.A.O.N.O)

The registered office of the E.A.O.N.O is located in ANTWERP (Belgium).

ARTICLE II: MISSION

The mission of the European Academy of Otology and Neuro-Otology shall be to:

  • bring together groups and/or experts in otology, neuro-otology or skull base surgery from all over Europe,
  • exchange and disseminate information about the anatomy, physiology, pathology, medical and surgical management of the ear, sensorineural systems of audition and equilibrium, trigeminal, facial, lower cranial nerves and related disorders as well as disorders of the nose, sinuses and pharynx related to the skull base, all of which requiring special knowledge bordering on ORL and skull base,
  • stimulate basic and clinical research relating to these systems and disorders,
  • encourage education, high quality training programme,
  • encourage exchange visits between members and international exchange through obtaining grants for research study abroad,
  • encourage exchanges of knowledge and stimulate associated membership from other specialities,
  • promote new technologies in otology, neuro-otology and skull base surgery,
  • support the foundation of a European associated section working group called “Neuro-Otology” within the speciality otorhinolaryngology/cervico-facial surgery following the charter on training of medical specialists in the European community.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

The membership of the Academy shall be composed of six classes: founder, full, trainee, associate, honorary and corporate members.

Applications for membership must be made in writing to one of the EAONO secretaries. The application shall then be presented to the Steering Committee of the Board for approval.

3-1 – Founder member

a) Academic requirements

  • ORL (otorhinolaryngology) Professor of university or Head of ORL Unit or ORL surgeon who made a special contribution to the founding of EAONO.

b) Professional requirements

  • five years of practice in a European country,
  • special expertise in otology, neuro-otology or skull base surgery,
  • contributor in setting up a European Academy in otology and neuro-otology and/or engaged in its organization,
  • highest ethical and moral standards,
  • and/or full member elected twice as member of the board.

c) Electoral requirements

  • proposed by four founder members in order to complete or review the original list of the founder members.

d) Privileges

  • may participate and vote in Board meeting,
  • may participate in Standing Committees meeting,
  • may participate in training programme,
  • may endorse candidates for founder, full, trainee, associate corporate membership.

3-2 – Full member

a) Academic requirements

Board certified ORL specialist.

b) Professional requirements

  • citizen of a European Country,
  • engaged in the practice of otology, neuro-otology or skull base surgery,
  • engaged in teaching, writing or research in the field of otology, neuro-otology or skull base surgery (to have at least 5 published papers in otology, neuro-otology, or skull base surgery),
  • or/and trainee member with the title of “Fellow of the EAONO”,
  • highest ethical and moral standards.

c) Electoral process

  • proposed by two voting members of their country to the steering committee (except for fellows of the EAONO who automatically become Full Member).

d) Privileges

  • may become advising member of the Board,
  • may participate in Standing Committees,
  • may participate in training programme,
  • may endorse candidates for full, trainee, associate and corporate membership.

3-3 – Trainee member

a) Academic requirements

  • medical degree, or certified ORL,
  • a letter of recommendation from the director of the candidate’s fellowship programme in accordance with the academic and educational programme of the EAONO.

b) Professional requirements

  • candidate for training in otology, neuro-otology or skull base surgery has at least acquired 3 years of experience in the field of the ORL speciality,
  • candidate should document his personal involvement in medical or surgical otology and neuro-otology in a logbook, in accordance with the European training programme of ORL, Head and Neck Surgery section of UEMS.

c) Electoral process

  • proposed by two voting members from the European country of the trainee member.

d) Privileges

  • may attend EAONO training programme in otology, neuro-otology and skull base surgery,
  • may become “Fellow of the European Academy of Otology and Neuro-Otology”, after successfully taking the two years EAONO training programme and attending the courses of the EAONO.

3-4 – Associate member

a) Academic requirements

Associate members may be one of the following:

  • either an ORL citizen outside European countries,
  • or a medical doctor without ORL speciality,
  • or a scientist without a medical degree, but connected with otology and/or neuro-otology standards.

b) Professional requirements

  • special interest, experience or involvement in research, assessment or therapy in the field of otology, neuro-otology or skull base surgery,
  • highest ethical and moral standards.

c) Electoral process

  • proposed by two voting members.

d) Privileges

  • may participate in Standing Committees,
  • may participate in training programme,
  • may endorse candidates for associate and corporate membership.

3-5 – Honorary member

a) Requirements

  • emeritus person who has made a significant contribution to the field of otology, neuro-otology or skull base surgery.

b) Electoral process

  • proposed by the Steering Committee.

c) Privileges

  • may attend the Board,
  • may participate in training programme,
  • may endorse candidates.

3-6 – Corporate member

Legal entity that supports or sponsors the purposes of the European Academy of Otology and Neuro-Otology, to promote the work of members or group of members of the EAONO.

3-7 – Membership fees

Members, except honorary members, will pay an annual membership fee.

ARTICLE IV: ORGANIZATION

The European Academy of Otology and Neuro-Otology shall be governed by a Board and Standing Committees.

4-1 – The Board

a) Membership

The Board consists of the founder members and two to six advising full members for each European participating country according to the ORL population, elected from the full members by the steering committee.

Advising full members of the board who have been in office for two years, may be reelected.

The Board shall elect the following Steering Committee:

  • the President,
  • the Chairman of the Academic Training Programme,
  • regional Secretaries including a General Secretary,
  • the Treasurer.

Additional secretaries may be created by the steering committee.

The period in office shall be two years. After leaving their functions, they remain members of the Board.

  • The President cannot be re-elected after his term of office.
  • The President and the Chairman of the Academic Training Programme should be from two different European countries.
  • The President presides meetings of the Steering Committee, of the Board and of the General Assembly. The President represents the EAONO.
  • The Chairman of the Academic training programme is the Chairman of the Academic Training Programme Standing Committee. He can be re-elected once.
  • The Secretaries are only eligible for two consecutive periods and afterwards remain members of the Board.
  • The Secretaries should come from different European regions.
  • The General Secretary is responsible for keeping the minutes of the Steering Committee, Board, and General Assembly, conducting the correspondence of EAONO and keeping its records up to date. Secretaries assist the General Secretary and execute the duties of EAONO in their respective regions.
  • The Treasurer may be re-elected.
  • The Treasurer collects the money due to the EAONO, receives gifts made to the EAONO, and keeps proper and necessary books of the income and expenses.

b) Duties of the Board

The Board acts in the name of the EAONO and carries out all duties concerned with the management, administration and measures which are within the confines of the purposes of the EAONO.

The Board decides upon its internal rules in accordance with the General Assembly and the Standing Subcommittees. It settles the venue, date and subject matter for the work, training and congresses within the confines of the purposes of the EAONO.

c) Meetings

The Board meets at least every two years upon being convened by the President or as often as it is required in the interests of the EAONO.

d) Decisions

The decisions of the Board are taken by simple majority of the votes present. The President shall have the casting vote.

e) Ordinary course of the EAONO

The Chairman of the Academic training programme supervises the organization of the European Academic meeting of otology and neuro-otology. Except in extraordinary conditions, the European Academic course is held every two years in a different European Country.

During the EAONO course a certificate of recognition of quality of training will be delivered to the trainee members with the title of “Fellow of the European Academy of Otology and Neuro-Otology”.

The requirements for the fellowship are:

  • successful conclusion of the two years EAONO training programme documented in the logbook and approved by the steering committee of the board,
  • the attendance of the EAONO courses.

f) Minutes

The Steering Committee of the Board keeps at the registered office a record of the names and addresses of the members.

The Secretaries keep minutes of the proceeding of the meetings of the Steering Committee and its Board.

All books and records of the EAONO may be inspected by any member, for any proper purpose at any reasonable time.

4-2 – Standing Committees

a) Purposes

Specialized technical committees should be selected in order to foster scientific and cultural exchanges in European Academy of Otology and Neuro-Otology and to create high quality control.

The Standing Committees list is the following which at any time can be enlarged by the Steering Committee:

  • academic training programme,
  • investigations, testing and assessment in neuro-otology,
  • oto-surgery,
  • ear malformations,
  • study in profound deafness, hearing aids, cochlear and nuclear implants,
  • neuro-oto-surgery,
  • skull base surgery,
  • new technologies in otology and neuro-otology,
  • research and basic science in otology and neuro-otology,
  • temporal bone collection,
  • working group on UEMS issues,
  • temporal bone collection and histopathology.

b) Membership

Founder, full, associate and corporate members may participate in different Standing Committees.

c) Coordination

A Chairman and a Secretary of each Standing Committee are proposed by the Steering Committee and approved by the General Assembly for a four years’ term.

d) Duties of the Standing Committees

The Standing Subcommittees should serve as a specialised advisory boards to the President and the Steering Committee.

The Standing Committees should promote their different disciplines and shall develop their own policy and procedure guidelines as necessary.

ARTICLE V: GENERAL ASSEMBLY

a) Attendance

The General Assembly consists of all the members of the Academy.

b) Duties

The work done by the Steering Committee, the Board, and the Standing Committees has to be presented for approval to the General Assembly.

c) Meetings

A General Assembly is to be held every two years during the ordinary course of the EAONO, or when especially convened by the Steering Committee of the Board, or when at least a quarter of members of the Board request in writing such an assembly. In the latter case the extraordinary assembly must be called within three months of the receipt of the demand.

d) Decisions

The decisions of the General Assembly are taken on a majority poll of the votes present. In a case of an equality of vote, the vote of the President or his nominee is decisive.

ARTICLE VI: FINANCIAL

6-1 – Membership fees

In order to assure the proper functioning of the EAONO, the equivalent of twenty Euros has been established as the subscription fee. The above amount may be reconsidered every year by the Board and accepted by the General Assembly.

6-2 – Treasury

The Treasurer keeps books, records and accounts which is at all times opened to examination. He deposits the funds of the society in its name in such a depository as is named by the board. No money will be drawn from the treasury except for such purposes as will have been recommended by the Steering Committee of the Board.

The books, records and accounts may be inspected by any member of the Board for any proper purpose at any reasonable time.

The expenses of the European Academy of Otology and Neuro-Otology shall be covered by membership fees, by registration fees, by official or voluntary contributions, or by legacies.

ARTICLE VII: RESIGNATION

7-1 – Resignation

Members of the society can resign at any time by sending a registered letter to the secretary, but resignation shall not relieve the member of the past obligation to pay any dues or other charges.

7-2 – Loss of membership

Members of the European Academy of Otology and Neuro-Otology who do not pay their dues despite reminders shall cease to be member of the European Academy of Otology and Neuro-Otology.

ARTICLE VIII: EDUCATIONAL QUESTIONS

  1. The Steering Committee of the Board shall authorize certain members who organize courses, meetings in otology, neuro-otology, or skull base surgery, for such to be under the auspices of the European Academy of Otology and Neuro-Otology.
  2. Any member intending to organize a course or a meeting under the auspices of the EAONO requires the prior approval of the Steering Committee of the Board.

The following five founder members sign these statutes and get an original copy:

  • Mirko TOS, President, Niels Andersens Vej 65, 2900 Hellerup, Denmark.
  • Jacques MAGNAN, General Secretary, Chemin des Bourelly – Marseille 13915 Cedex 20, France.
  • Erwin OFFECIERS, Treasurer, Kerkstraat 161, 2060 Antwerpen, Belgium.
  • Michel GERSDORFF, 10 Avenue Hippocrate, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium.
  • Thomas SOMERS, Donk 3, 2860 Sint Katelijne Waver, Belgium.
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