BY-LAWS for CONDUCT OF COUNCIL’S BUSINESS
(adopted at November 29, 2003. Amended at September 29, 2008)



I. COUNCIL
1. Ordinary meetings of Council will be held in association with Asian Congresses. All other meetings shall be designated extraordinary.

2. At each ordinary meeting the Council shall:
(a) Receive a report from the President concerning the activities of the Federation since the last meeting.
(b) Receive a statement of the Federation’s accounts from the Secretary General for adoption.
(c) Receive offers to host the next Asian Congress, select a host from among the offers and decide the date of the Congress.
(d) Receive from Member Associations or Societies the designation for membership of the Council.
(e) Determine the Federation’s budget for the ensuing period between Congress.
(f) Consider other matters which may seem appropriate.

3. The Council may be summoned to an extraordinary meeting by decision of the Executive Board or by the request of one third of the Council Members.

4. A postal vote may be used by the Council to decide on issues, at the request of the Executive Board or of one third of its Members. The issue that requires decision should be distributed among Members, who will have 60 days to send their vote.

5. The presence of at least one half of the Council Members is necessary for taking valid decisions.

6. The decisions of the Council shall be adopted by simple majority vote of the Members present.

7. The President of AFLAS shall preside over the meeting of the Council, voting only in case of a tie.

8. The Secretary General of AFLAS shall act as Secretary of the meeting of the Council, but shall not have the right to vote.

II. EXECUTIVE BOARD

9. The President, past-President (as a non-voting member), three Vice-Presidents and the Secretary General shall act as an Executive Board to guide and, where desirable, provide leadership for the Secretary General in pursuing the business of the Federation between ordinary meetings of the Council.

10. Between the ordinary meetings of the Council, the Executive Board shall consider business matters raised by or brought to the notice of the Secretary General.

11. On the 1st of March and on the 1st of September of each year, each Association or Society shall provide the Secretary General with a list of the current office bearers of the Association or Society and list of the meetings proposed within the next twelve months.

12. The Executive Board shall be summoned to a meeting by the Secretary General, and the agenda should be distributed not later than 6 weeks before the scheduled meeting.

13. Any member of the Executive Board with the right to vote may request through the General Secretariat an extraordinary meeting or a postal vote to consider any issue of substance. The extraordinary meeting should be approved by a majority of the members of the Executive Board.

14. The President of AFLAS shall preside at the meetings of the Executive Board and, in case of a tie, shall have a double vote.

III. SECRETARY GENERAL

The duties of the Secretary General shall be to execute the decisions of the Council and of the Executive Board, to act on behalf of the President, and to fulfil relevant tasks.
The Secretary General shall:
(a) Arrange, upon Members’ request, contacts between Members concerning scientific or any other matters contributing to the realization of the objects of the Federation.
(b) Prepare reports for Council and Executive Board meetings.
(c) Remind members of the proposed Council meeting six months before the date of that meeting and ask them for items they wish to place on the Agenda. Circulate any proposed amendments to the Statute three months before the Council meeting and circulate the proposed Agenda and annotations on the Agenda items six weeks prior to the meeting.
(d) Serve as the Treasurer of the Federation and he/she shall receive the annual fees from Members in the capacity of the Treasurer, keep the Federation’s accounts, and arrange for audit of the accounts annually. He/she shall keep bank account in the name of the Federation in which the Federation’s funds are to be placed.
(e) Send to each Member Association or Society, not later than December 1 each year, a statement of annual fees due on January 1 of the following year; and on June 1 of that year, send a reminder to all Associations or Societies which have not paid the fees by that time.
(f) Prepare minutes of Council and Executive Board meetings, prepare circulars and news items for Member Associations or Societies.

IV. SELECTION OF AN ASIAN CONGRESS VENUE

The Council, on the advice of the Executive Board, is responsible for selection of the location of Congresses.