The following is the official text adopted by ENIL´s General Assembly meeting in Stockholm on June 12, 1996.

STATUTE FOR THE EUROPEAN NETWORK ON INDEPENDENT LIVING (ENIL)

1Name and Seat

1.1The organisation has the name "European Network on Independent Living", hereafter referred to as "ENIL", and is registered as a non-profit making membership organisation in Sweden, the registration number being

1.2ENIL has its seat in Stockholm. ENIL is the organisation of the Independent Living Movement in Europe. Some of the Movement's branches have translated the term Independent Living into their respective language equivalent.


2Purpose

2.1ENIL's purpose is to develop and support the Independent Living Movement in Europe in order to improve the situation of persons with disabilities through

• promoting individual empowerment and self-determination
• reducing attitudinal and practical barriers
• promoting human and civil rights through anti-discrimination legislation
• diminishing personal dependence
• improving opportunities for full participation in society.

2.2ENIL works towards building a closer network among disabled people and their organisations for Independent Living on a local, national and European level in order to improve co-operation, disseminate information and advocate for members' rights.

2.3To this end ENIL has prepared an Action Plan to

• carry out training activities on the European level
• develop the concept, principles and definition of Independent Living
• promote the spreading of the Independent Living philosophy among the general public, national policy makers, government administrations as well as among regional bodies such as the European Union, the Council of Europe and the European Organisation for Security and Cooperation.

3 Membership

3.1Individual disabled persons as well as organisations of disabled people and their national bodies in Europe can apply for membership, if they support and adhere to the Independent Living philosophy and approach and if - in the case of organisations - they are run, represented and controlled by persons with disabilities. More information on philosophy, approach and demands on members is stated in the document "Principles of Independent Living".

3.2ENIL's Board decides on membership applications by simple majority.

3.3The membership fee is decided at the General Assembly. The fee may differ for individual members, organisations and national organisations.


4Cancellations of Membership

4.1Members have the right to cancel their membership. Membership fees will not be refunded.


5Exclusion

5.1A member may be excluded from the organisation, if the member does not fulfil the member's duties as stated in the statute such as:

• violates the Independent Living principles
• does not follow decisions made by ENIL's elected bodies
• actively contravenes ENIL's interests
• if the member's permanent address has been unknown or - in the case of an organisation - it has been dissolved for more than a year.

5.2The General Assembly decides on exclusion cases after a hearing with the respective member. A hearing shall not be necessary, if the member explicitly forgoes this option, or if the member has moved to an unknown address, or if neither the respective member nor an authorised representative for the member is present at the meeting where the issue is to be dealt with. The respective member has to be notified of the exclusion in writing and without delay.


6Membership Rights

6.1Each member has the right to participate in and to contribute to the organisation's activities. This includes in particular the right to:

• participate in the General Assembly and its deliberations, decisions and elections
• attend and be heard at Board meetings
• make suggestions for the agenda of the General Assembly
• access to all documents and accounts of the organisation, if this does not violate an individual's reasonable right for privacy
• read the organisation's annual accounts and receive explanations from the Board at the General Assembly.

7General Assembly

7.1The General Assembly is the organisation's main decision making body. The General Assembly has to take place at least once in every three years.

7.2Each individual member has one vote at the General Assembly. Each member organisation and national organisation - independent of the number of members - has one vote as well. No one can represent both herself/himself and an organisation at the same time. Thus, one person one vote, the exception being those instances where a present member can show a proxy written by an absent member to vote on the absent member's behalf.

7.3The Board has to inform the membership in writing about the General Assembly at least six (6) weeks before the planned date of the General Assembly. The notice has to contain the place, date and time of day and include an agenda. The agenda should contain all the items that are known up to the date of posting the agenda.

7.4The General Assembly elects the chair for the meeting and the minute taker. The minutes shall be signed by the meeting's chair and the minute taker. Members shall receive the minutes of the meeting no later than three (3) months after the General Assembly.


8Decisions of the General Assembly

8.1The General Assembly decides primarily over the following issues:

• the seat of the organisation and changes in the Statute
• the approval of the Board's report and annual accounts
• the election of the new Board
• membership fees
• the exclusion of members.

8.2Decisions on the General Assembly are made by simple majority by all the members present with voting rights, as long as this procedure is in accordance with the law and the organisation's Statute. In case of a tied vote on a motion the motion will be turned down.

8.3The following decisions require a majority vote of three quarters of the present members:

• abolition of the non-profit status of the organisation
• dissolution of the organisation or merger with other organisations
• changes in the Statute
• changes in the "Principles of Independent Living".

8.4The quorum of the General Assembly is, if ten (10) members from at least five (5) countries are either physically present or have authorised present members to vote on their behalf. Before the General Assembly can start, the number of members with voting rights has to be counted and adopted by the Assembly. If the General Assembly has no quorum, the Board shall announce another General Assembly to be held no later than one (1) month after the date of the first General Assembly. This subsequent General Assembly can have a quorum with a smaller number of members with voting rights than what has been specified above. The Board, in this case, decides how many members with voting rights make up the quorum.

8.5At the election of the Board members and other officers, each member has one vote to be cast on each of the officers to be elected. Those candidates receiving the highest number of votes are elected. In case of a tie the General Assembly chair decides by drawing a lot.


9The Board

9.1The Board consists of at least six (6) persons and not more than nine (9). The General Assembly shall determine the number of Board members before election of the Board takes place. All Board members must be disabled people. Representation on the Board should be of different countries, regions, cultures and impairments. An equal balance in gender should be sought. The majority of Board members shall be persons who are dependent on personal assistance in their everyday lives.

9.2Board members are elected for a period of office for three (3) years. If no new election of the Board takes place at the end of that period, the elected Board members stay on until the following General Assembly.

9.3If a member of the Board leaves before the end of the elected period, the remaining Board members may appoint a substitute by simple majority. The person shall serve for the remainder of the period. The Board will meet at least two (2) times a year. The meetings can also be conducted by e-mail, fax or telephone conference under the condition that at least two thirds of the Board members participate. The Board may delegate individual members with specific areas of responsibility.


10Non-Profit making Status

10.1ENIL is a non-profit making organisation.

10.2ENIL's funds may only be used for purposes stated in the Statue.


11Dissolution

11.1In the event of the organisation's dissolution or loss of the organisation's non-profit making status, ENIL's assets are to be transferred to another organisation with similar aims.

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