ECA Statutes

• It was agreed in 1997 that the four established European Carbon Groups (British, French, German and Spanish) wished to see the formation of an Association.
• The agreements which follow have been subject to approval by the Committees / Councils of the existing National Carbon Groups.
• The Association will be known as the: 
  
  EUROPEAN CARBON ASSOCIATION (ECA)
   
• The National Carbon Groups of France, Germany, Spain and United Kingdom will be the founding members.
• A spokesman will be freely elected for a period of three years from the Chairmen of the participating groups, in order to provide a focus for international discussions. The spokesman is free to nominate a representative, who is the Chairman of a National Group in ECA, if he/she is unable to attend on ECA meeting.
• The principal function of the Association will be to decide the schedule of the European International Carbon conferences, within the agreed world-wide triennial cycle, on the basis of application, a presentation, and then selection by the national representatives (Chairmen/Presidents) to the European Carbon Association. There may be only one application from any ECA member, or group containing that member. The ECA will establish criteria to be covered by the presentation. The decision of the ECA will be binding on the national carbon groups that are members of the ECA.
• Organization of the triennial International Conferences within Europe will continue to be the responsibility of the Group in the host country. At least one ECA representative from outside the host country shall serve on the programme committee.
• Each of the ECA members will provide one representative to meetings of the European Carbon Association committee, which shall usually be the Chairman (or President) or his nominee. Meetings of these persons shall usually be held during each annual carbon conference. Any associated costs of the delegates in attending these meetings or any special meeting, which is necessary, will be responsibility of the individual national groups and not the European Carbon Association, which shall not hold nor require funding.
• Additional national groups within Europe may be considered for membership of the European Carbon Association in due course against suitable criteria (e. g. a constituted national group with established scientific activity and with international participation). It was suggested that future European Carbon Conferences would provide an opportunity for such groups to engage in discussions about what the groups might be in a position to offer. Initially, this might be something in the form of a Workshop meeting.
• The organization of the triennial European contribution to the World Carbon Conference cycle does not preclude the organization of additional workshops and symposia on specialized topics.
• All decisions to be made by the national representatives of the European Carbon Association will be based on voting.

          Berlin, November 23, 2001