The Rules

The "Rules"

The "Rules" supplement the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the ESCP in the sense of "Rules of Procedure". They do not form part of the Memorandum and Articles and are legally subordinate to them. Alterations and amendments to the "Rule" shall be proposed by the Executive Committee or Council and shall be adopted by simple majority of the members attending the General Assembly.

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Geographic regions

• The Western region shall include Belgium, France, Great Britain, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Spain and The Netherlands.
• The Central region shall include Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland.
• The Eastern region shall include Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Greece, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine.

Other Mediterranean or continental countries affiliating with the ESCP at a later date shall be assigned to the corresponding geographic region.

Geographic regions shall not be executive regional subdivisions, but shall merely define rotational arrangements for the Presidency.

There shall be a review of geographic regions after 5 years.

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Affiliation of National Societies

1. National Societies of Coloproctology, Gastroenterology, Surgery, Pathology, Clinical and Medical Oncology, Radiology and Nursing shall be encouraged to affiliate with the ESCP to foster good relations.
2. National Representatives already in post in the ESCP shall provide names, titles, addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of Presidents or Chairmen of the various National Societies to the Secretary of the Executive Committee.
3. National Societies of related disciplines (see 3.1) shall be approached by the National Representative inviting their paid-up-members to become actively involved with National Chapter matters.
4. The Executive Committee shall be responsible for informing the Presidents or Chairmen of the aforementioned societies about the aims and objectives of the ESCP.
5. In return for affiliation and support from National Societies, the ESCP shall endeavour to reciprocate goodwill with benefits, such as travel awards, cross-border training opportunities, trials and research programmes, and ESCP involvement in national and international scientific meetings hosted by those nations.

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Membership

1. Criteria for Membership are established in the Articles of Association paragraphs 2 -20.
2. Members and Fellows of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons shall enjoy reciprocal affiliate membership privileges.
3. Members shall contribute to the financial maintenance of the ESCP through annual dues.
4. Membership fees must be sufficient to cover all administrative costs.
5. Projected income from exhibitors and conference registrations at the annual scientific meeting cannot be used to offset losses accruing from a shortfall in membership fees.
6. The Executive Committee shall propose the membership fees for approval by Council.
7. Membership, conference and journal fees shall be reviewed annually.
8. No initiation fees shall be payable.
9. Annual fees shall be payable by individual members to the Treasurer at the commencement of their membership.
10. Membership shall cease on death, voluntary resignation, failure to pay annual subscription or expulsion.
11. The flagrant violation of the members’ duties and dishonourable behaviour are reasons for expulsion from membership. The decision to expel a member shall by a simple majority of the Executive Committee. An appeal against expulsion to the Trustees shall be permitted, but until this takes place the member’s rights and duties are suspended. The appeal shall be in writing and be submitted within 6 months of expulsion. Examples of dishonorable behavior include, but are not limited to: professional or scientific misconduct, threatening or abusive language, degrading or demeaning comments, offensive language, inappropriate physical contact with another individual that is threatening or intimidating, verbal and/or physical conduct of a sexual nature that is unwelcome and offensive to those individuals who are subjected to it or who witness it.
12. The Executive shall, from time to time, recommend to Council the award of Honorary Membership to persons of exceptional merit who have contributed greatly to the development of the specialty of coloproctology in Europe or internationally. Honorary memberships are conferred at the Annual General Meeting. Honorary members shall not pay annual membership subscription and shall receive complementary registration at the Annual Scientific meeting at which their honorary membership is awarded.
13. Revocation of honorary membership for flagrant violation of the members’ duties and dishonourable behaviour can be decided by the General Meeting by a simple majority at the recommendation of the Executive Committee.

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National Representatives

1. There shall be provision on the Council for representation of individual countries as National Representatives, to enable the ESCP to relate both nationally and to individual members.
2. Only those countries listed under Geographic Regions having a minimum membership of three or more are entitled to be represented in Council by a National Representative.
3. National Representatives shall be replaced after a period of three years. It shall be the responsibility of the Regional Representatives to consult with the outgoing National Representative, and through the ESCP Secretariat, invite nominations from paid-up members in the relevant country. In the event of more than one nominee a ballot shall be arranged by the office. Nominations shall be ratified at the AGM.
4. National Representatives shall review members on a regular (quarterly) basis via the website lists or by consulting with the Secretariat and will proactively follow up with those not in membership in order to seek to increase members within their country.
5. National Representatives shall be elected on an individual but not National Society basis.
6. National Representatives shall be eligible for nomination only from within their own countries and after payment of full membership subscriptions.
7. In the absence of a nomination, the Membership Committee shall be empowered to fill the vacancy.
8. National Representatives, elected for three years, shall not normally be eligible for re-election for a further period of three years. The Membership Committee may extend a period of office for a National Representative by one, two or three years, in the absence of a suitable replacement.
9. Nominations shall be proposed and seconded with the written consent of the nominee.
10. All paid up members and National Societies shall be notified of elected National Representatives.
11. Activity of National Representatives shall be closely monitored by the Executive Committee and the Membership Committee, to ensure that paid up non-surgical members are given equal opportunity to engage in Chapter local activities and particularly elections.

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Council - Vacancies and Meetings

1. The Council shall be formed of members of the Executive Committee, National and Regional Representatives, ESCP representatives at other Societies and the Chair of the Trustees.
2. A notice of vacancies on the Council (other than national representatives) shall be sent to each member at least four months prior to any subsequent Annual General Meeting.
3. Nominations shall be sent to the Secretary not less than 12 weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting.
4. Nominations shall be submitted individually (not by National Societies) with the candidates’ written consent to stand for election and supported by two Full Members of the ESCP.
5. In the event of there being no nomination from the membership, the Council shall be empowered, if appropriate, to fill any vacancy.
6. Council Meetings shall be at least once a year.
7. Any Council member wishing to move a resolution shall give notice to the Secretary in writing not less than one month prior to the meeting.
8. The business at the Council meeting shall be limited to the agenda set by the Secretary on behalf of the Executive Committee, and shall include an item to determine the venue and date of each annual scientific meeting at least five years in advance.
9. The standing committees of Council are the Programme Committee, the Training and Education Committee, the Research Committee, the Membership Committee, the Communications Committee and the Guidelines Committee.
10. The Council may on the recommendation of the Executive Committee constitute additional committees as deemed appropriate. The constitution, terms of reference and reporting structures of such committees would be formulated by the Executive Committee.

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Executive Committee

1. Members of the Executive committee shall be of international standing, and comprise: President, Immediate Past President, President Elect, President-in-Waiting, Secretary, Assistant Secretary (1 year prior to election as Secretary), Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer (1 year prior to election as Treasurer), Chair of the Programme Committee, Assistant Chair of the Programme Committee, Representative of the Division of Coloproctology within the Section of Surgery UEMS, Journal Representative, Chair of the Training and Education Committee, Chair of the Research Committee, Chair of the Communications Committee, Chair of the Membership Committee and Chair of the Guidelines Committee .
2. Each year, nominations will be invited from membership by the Executive for the President in Waiting and other vacancies of executive members of Council with the exception of the Representative of the Division of Coloproctology within the Section of Surgery UEMS and the Journal Representative. Invitations will ordinarily be invited by newsletter and notice on the Website.
3. The Executive shall decide the nomination for President-in-Waiting in strict rotation from each European region and recommend to Council for election at the AGM.
   The Executive shall decide the nominations for other executive positions and recommend to Council for election at the AGM, with the exception of the Representative of the Division of Coloproctology within the Section of Surgery UEMS who will be nominated by the Division of Coloproctology within Section of Surgery UEMS and the Journal Representative who will be nominated by the Editorial Board of Colorectal Disease.
4. The terms of office of the Secretary, Treasurer and Chair of the Programme Committee will be 3 years, with one office becoming vacant each year to avoid any two of these office holders demitting office in a particular year. The Executive may in exceptional circumstances extend the length of office of any of the above office holders, subject to approval by the members at the AGM.
5. During the penultimate years of office of the Secretary, Treasurer, and Programme Committee Chair, an assistant to each shall be decided by the Executive Committee after competitive review of applications, and recommended to Council for ratification and election by the membership at the AGM.
6. The Executive Committee shall meet as often as required, if necessary by telephone or video conference, but at least twice yearly.
7. The Executive Committee shall be empowered to co-opt a maximum of two other members as required for a defined period of time; these co-opted members have no voting rights in Executive Committee Meetings.
8. The Executive Committee may form ad-hoc Working Groups as required, reporting to itself or to other committees as it decides. Members of Working Groups may be co-opted as appropriate, however the chair of any such Working Group must be a member of the Executive.

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Membership Committee

1. The Membership Committee shall be responsible to the Executive for coordination of the activities of the National Representatives. The Committee will liaise closely with National Representatives in order to realise ESCP’s objective of increasing membership and awareness of its values.
2. The Membership Committee Chair shall be nominated by the Committee on merit, irrespective of geographic region and be recommended to the Executive for approval. The Chair will hold office for three years. For the sake of continuity, an Assistant Chair shall be nominated by the Committee one year before the Chair is due to demit office and would ordinarily succeed the Chair.
3. The Assistant Chair will ordinarily be elected from within the Committee membership. Members of the Committee may seek nomination or be nominated by other Committee members.
4. In addition to the Chair, there shall be six other members of the Membership Committee, two from each geographic region. These officers shall serve as Regional Representatives and should ordinarily have had previous experience as a National Representative.
5. Regional Representatives shall usually hold office for a period of three years, with two positions becoming available each year. Membership opportunities on the Committee will be advertised regularly through the website to current or past National Representatives. New members will be approved by the Executive and recommended to Council for ratification at the AGM.
6. The Membership Committee shall nominate a representative to the Communications Committee.

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Programme Committee

1. The Programme Committee shall be responsible to Council for organising the scientific programme of the Society’s annual meeting.
2. The Programme Committee shall also be responsible to Council for organising invited ESCP symposia at other scientific meetings.
3. The Chair of the Programme Committee may also be the holder of any of the positions of the Executive Committee, although not necessarily so.
4. The Programme Committee Chair shall be elected on merit by the Executive, irrespective of geographic origin and hold office for 3 years.
5. One year prior to taking up office, the Chair of the Programme Committee will assume the post of Assistant Programme Committee Chair
6. A local organiser, co-opted onto the Programme Committee, shall be responsible to liaise and support officers and the conference organisers as necessary prior to the annual meeting.
7. The membership of the Programme Committee shall consist of the Chair, Assistant Chair (when applicable), the Secretary (ex officio), the local organiser and as many members as is necessary appointed by Council on the recommendation of the Executive subject to approval at the AGM.
8. Members will ordinarily be appointed for three years, with a maximum of three members demitting in any one year.
9. The Journal Representative shall be responsible for delegating editorial matters, including publication of meeting abstracts, papers and scientific reports.
10. Others shall be co-opted as necessary in an advisory capacity without voting rights.
11. The Programme Committee shall nominate a representative to the Communications Committee.

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Training and Education Committee

1. The Training and Education Committee shall be responsible to Council for all matters relating to training and education in Coloproctology in Europe.
2. The Training and Education Committee shall promote subspecialty training within each country in Europe and encourage development of common standards.
3. The Training and Education Committee will promote and support the EBSQ examination in Coloproctology.
4. The Chair of the Training and Education Committee shall be nominated by the Committee on merit, irrespective of geographic region and be recommended to the Executive for approval. The Chair would hold office for 3 years. For the sake of continuity, an Assistant Chair shall be nominated by the Committee one year before the Chair is due to demit office and would ordinarily succeed the Chair.
5. The Assistant Chair would ordinarily be elected from within the Committee membership. Members of the Committee may seek nomination or be nominated by other Committee members.
6. In addition to the Chair, the membership of the Training and Education Committee shall consist of the Assistant Chair, the Chair and Secretary of the EBSQ examination in Coloproctology, the Secretary (ex officio) and as many members as is necessary. Membership opportunities on the Committee will be advertised regularly through the website to National Representatives. New members will be approved by the Executive and recommended for ratification at the AGM.
7. Members will ordinarily be appointed for 3 years, with a maximum of 3 members demitting in any one year.
8. The Training and Education Committee shall nominate a representative to the Communications Committee.

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Research Committee

1. The Research Committee shall be responsible to Council for facilitating and improving international multicenter investigator initiated trials in Europe.
2. The Chair of the Research Committee shall be nominated by the Committee on merit, irrespective of geographic region and be recommended to the Executive for approval. The Chair shall hold office for 3 years. For the sake of continuity, an Assistant Chair shall be nominated by the Committee one year before the Chair is due to demit office and would ordinarily succeed the Chair.
3. The Assistant Chair would ordinarily be elected from within the Committee membership. Members of the Committee may seek nomination or be nominated by other Committee members.
4. In addition to the Chair, the membership of the Research Committee will consist of the Assistant Chair, the Secretary (ex officio) and as many members as is necessary. Membership opportunities on the Committee will be advertised regularly through the website to National Representatives. New members will be approved by the Executive and recommended to Council for ratification at the AGM.
5. Members will ordinarily be appointed for three years, with a maximum of 2 members demitting in any one year.
6. Members of the Committee will be active in research, be willing to assist ESCP investigators with design of trials including statistical advice and the promotion of trials.
7. The committee shall organise a 2 hour trial session with presentation and discussion of planned or ongoing trials at the annual meeting.
8. The Research Committee shall nominate a representative to the Communications Committee.

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Communications Committee

1. The Communications Committee shall be responsible to Council for representing ESCP to the outside world and to its members, handling all aspects of internal and external communication through the various channels available, including newsletters, website, social media and media relations.
2. The Communications Committee shall be responsible for delivery of ESCP official comment/communication with any external body (patient bodies, members of the public, other professional societies) related to Coloproctology for matters of public concern, ethical practice and medico-legal issues in Coloproctology in consultation with and approved by the Executive, Trustees and Risk Committees as appropriate.
3. The Communications Committee shall be responsible for the maintenance and development of relevant affiliated societies in order to further ESCP’s aims, ensuring that ESCP is competently represented at significant events/committees within them, and that collaborative ventures are appropriately organised to reflect ESCP’s contribution and standing.
4. The Committee shall have the power to form/maintain other sub-working groups for the purposes of delegating responsibility for specific projects.
5. The Communications Committee shall be responsible for core communications across all available media platforms and ensuring that these are at all times current, relevant and informative. The Communications Committee shall delegate responsibility for the upkeep, further development and relevance of the ESCP website to the Website Working Group. The Website Working Group shall comprise of as many members as necessary, under the leadership of the Website Officer who will sit on the Communications Committee.
6. The Chair of the Communications Committee shall be nominated by the Committee on merit, irrespective of geographic region and will be recommended to the Executive for approval. The Chair shall hold office for three years and shall specifically assume responsibility for relations with affiliated societies. The Chair will have served on the committee as a committee representative, and on appointment as Chair, a replacement will be sought from the relevant committee.
7. For the sake of continuity, an Assistant Chair shall be nominated by the Committee one year before the Chair is due to demit office and would ordinarily succeed the Chair. The Assistant Chair would ordinarily be elected from within the Committee membership. Members of the Committee may seek nomination or be nominated by other Committee members.
8. The positions of Journal Representative and Society Secretary shall be ex-officio and will therefore not be eligible for the Chair position.
9. In addition to the Chair, the membership of the Communications Committee will consist of the ESCP Secretary (ex officio), the Journal Representative, a Website Officer, together with one representative from each of the committees (Education, Research, Membership, Programme, and Guidelines), and a young ESCP representative. Each committee will also identify a deputy for the main representative. Working Groups’ representation on the Communications Committee shall be initiated at the discretion of the Chair (such as Regional Event and Corporate Liaison).
10. Others shall be co-opted to the committee as required without voting rights. Co-opted positions will be appointed on a project basis, or for a maximum term of 2 years, whichever is the greater.
11. The committee is responsible for the commercial appointment and ongoing management of either a Communications Editor or organization to assist in the proactive and reactive coordination and dissemination of internal/external communications including the writing news articles and features, for approval by the Committee. All commercial appointments are subject to Executive approval.
12. Members will ordinarily be appointed for three years, with a maximum of three members demitting in any one year.

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Guidelines Committee

1. The Guidelines Committee shall be responsible to Council for considering which Guidelines in Coloproctology to endorse, collaborate on, commission or produce.
2. The Chair of the Guidelines Committee shall be nominated by the Committee on merit, irrespective of geographic region and be recommended to the Executive for approval. The Chair shall hold office for three years. For the sake of continuity, an Assistant Chair shall be nominated by the Committee one year before the Chair is due to demit office and would ordinarily succeed the Chair.
3. The Assistant Chair would ordinarily be elected from within the Committee membership. Members of the Committee may seek nomination or be nominated by other Committee members.
4. In addition to the Chair, the membership of the Guidelines Committee will consist of those with the relevant expertise selected by the Chair depending on current projects requirements. Membership opportunities on the Committee will be advertised regularly through the website to National Representatives. New members will be approved by the Executive and recommended to Council for ratification at the AGM.
5. Members will ordinarily be appointed for three years, with a maximum of three members demitting in any one year.
6. The Committee may form ad-hoc Working Groups as required. Members at large may be co-opted as appropriate, however the chair of any such Working Group must be a member of the Guidelines committee.

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Trustees

1. Trustees shall hold the position of Directors to the European Society of Coloproctology (ESCP)
2. The number of Trustees shall not be more than nine.
3. Trustees should represent the three European regions equally.
4. One third of the Trustees shall be elected annually by the existing Trustees based on proven relevant experience and ratified by members at the AGM.
5. Each Trustee shall serve for three years
6. Trustees may be re-elected
7. The Trustees shall be responsible for the management of the ESCP and shall act in accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association and Rules of the Society, ensuring that the charitable objectives of the ESCP are preserved.
8. The Trustees shall delegate the day to day running of ESCP business including all matters in connection with membership admissions to the Executive Committee on behalf of the Council.
9. The Trustees shall elect a Trustee to be Chair of the Board of Trustees.
10. The Chair of the Board of Trustees shall be elected by majority vote of the Trustees and shall hold office for a period of three years, irrespective of the period of service as a Trustee.
11. The position of Chair of the Board of Trustees shall rotate region by region i.e. west, central or east, on a three yearly basis.
12. The Chair of the Board of Trustees shall attend Council meetings solely for the purposes of reporting matters arising from meetings of the Board.
13. The Chair of the Board of Trustees shall prepare a report for the Annual General Meeting.
14. The Trustees shall form a working sub-group with responsibility for ongoing risk assessment for the Society and shall report to and advise the Executive regarding outcomes.
15. Trustees shall confer at least twice a year including one meeting at the Annual Scientific Meeting.

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Annual Scientific Meetings

1. At least one scientific meeting of the ESCP must be held in Europe or in a neighbouring non-European Mediterranean country each year. This could be part of, or independent from, other European meetings.
2. The Programme Committee shall organise the Scientific Programme, on behalf of the Council, comprising broader meetings with workshops and specialist in-depth thematic components, courses, poster sessions and free papers.
3. State of the art lectures shall be plenary.
4. The best submitted relevant abstracts shall be incorporated into plenary symposia.
5. Free paper sessions shall be parallel.
6. Conference management of the Annual Scientific Meeting shall be centralised and coordinated by the ESCP's Administrator.
7. Members shall have the right to appoint an alternative conference management organisation by way of submitting an ordinary resolution on that effect to the Secretary and which must be carried by a two-thirds Majority at an Annual General Meeting.
8. All revenue and payments shall be made centrally via the conference manager.
9. Any financial transaction relating to conference organisation shall be sanctioned by the Treasurer, who shall be required to authorise/sign all financial transactions (cheques or electronic bank transfers). All payments over €1,000 shall also require the authorisation of the Secretary.
10. Accounts of the annual scientific meeting shall be submitted by the Treasurer to the Executive Committee and Council.
11. All profits from its business, including the Annual Scientific Meeting, must be used in pursuance of its charitable objects.
12. In order to satisfy the Trustees, who have fiduciary duties to the Company to preserve its objects, the ESCP must receive all profits from its Annual Scientific Meeting and shall also be responsible for any losses.
13. The Local Organiser shall not receive profits and shall not be liable for losses.
14. Expenses incurred by the Local Organiser of the Annual Scientific Meeting shall be scrutinized and then reimbursed by the ESCP on the recommendation of the Treasurer.
15. Retention of profits by the Local Organiser of the Annual Scientific Meeting would prejudice its charitable status, and is therefore not permitted.

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Conference Registration rates

1. Rates shall be defined by the Executive Committee and set according to budget predictions.
2. Preferential rates shall apply to members.
3. The differential between members and non-members must be an inducement for non-members, who wish to register, also to sign up for membership (i.e. >than additive = Preferential rate + membership, at whichever level).
4. There shall be subsidized conference registration rates for delegates from countries with lower per capita income as determined by OECD or similar reports, subject to annual review by the Executive Committee.
5. The subsidized registration rate shall also be available to Honorary and Retired members.
6. The Executive Committee shall decide at some point when it is appropriate to restore registration rate equity.
7. Medical students shall have free registration.
8. Members and Fellows of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgery will pay preferential membership registration rates.

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Journal

1. The ESCP shall adopt a scientific journal.
2. The ESCP shall invite proposals from editors and publishers.
3. The ESCP shall aim to negotiate ownership, or part ownership, of the title and a profit share.
4. The ESCP journal shall remain optional at membership-discounted rates.

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Administration

1. The ESCP shall be administrated professionally and proposals shall be invited from interested parties.
2. The administrator shall be selected by the Executive Committee on merit and cost, irrespective of nationality.
3. Legal advisors shall be appointed.
4. Accountants shall be appointed.
5. Auditors shall be appointed and reappointed annually.

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Financial Year

1. The financial year of the ESCP shall end on the 31st day of December each year, to which day the accounts of the ESCP shall be balanced.
2. A quorum for a Meeting of the Council shall be ten.
3. All decisions requiring a vote shall be by a simple majority of those present, with a casting vote by the President or his/her deputy.
4. Voting by proxy shall not permitted.
5. A special Council meeting shall be called by the Secretary within one month of a request signed by at least seven Council Members stating the purpose for which the meeting is to be summoned.

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Expenses

1. Cheques may be signed by any two of the following: Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Secretary, Assistant Secretary.
2. The Treasurer shall be permitted to sign cheques/authorise bank transfers without a co-signatory to the value of €1000. Payments over €1,000 shall be authorised by the Treasurer and the Secretary.
3. Members of the Executive, Council and Trustees will have reasonable travel and accommodation expenses reimbursed for participation in ESCP business held outside of the annual Scientific Meeting. Expenses must be vouched and are subject to a predetermined maximum determined by the Treasurer.

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Amendment to the Rules

1. The Rules may be addended, repealed or amended by resolution at any Annual General Meeting provided that no such resolution shall deem to have been passed unless carried by at least two thirds of the members in attendance at that Annual General Meeting voting thereon.
2. Notice of any proposal to addend, repeal or amend existing rules must be sent to the Secretary in writing in the form of a motion not later than two weeks before the Annual General Meeting.

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Official Language

1. The official language will be English.

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