Statutes

THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF Peak Oil SWITZERLAND (ASPO CH)
Statutes

Art. 1 Name
THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF Peak Oil SWITZERLAND (ASPO CH) is an association as described in Art. 60 ff. of the Swiss Civil Code (ZGB).
For any eventuality not covered in the following, the rules of the ZGB apply.

Art. 2 Registered Office
The private address of the President serves as the registered office of the association.

Art. 3 Aims
ASPO CH has the following aims:

a. To secure open access to reliable and transparent data for all known reserves and production of mineral oil and natural gas and to ensure that this data forms the basis of political decision making in Switzerland.

b. To estimate at what rate remaining mineral oil and natural gas reserves can be produced and to estimate how secure these remaining reserves are.

c. To find out when the global peak(s) for mineral oil and natural gas will occur and to determine what the implications of the fall-off in global production will be.

d. To strive for a broad understanding amongst both the general public and political and business leaders of both the phenomenon, and the consequences of Peak Oil and Peak Gas.

e. To contribute to the timely development by the relevant government departments of strategies to:
(i) mitigate the depletion of mineral oil and natural gas
(ii) minimise losses in energy
(iii) increase energy efficiency
(iv) develop and support renewable energy resources
and, in so doing reduce Swiss dependence on mineral oil and natural gas so that an adequate energy supply – which is diversified, safe, affordable and sustainable - can be provided for the country in accordance with Art. 89 of the Federal Constitution.

f. To highlight and warn of the dangerous consequences for Switzerland of delaying the preparation for Peak Oil.

g. To investigate the links between Peak Oil, resource wars and terrorism.

The association will work with other organisations that have similar goals and will support such organisations. Specifically, it will work together with the ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF Peak Oil (ASPO), an umbrella network of similar organisations already established in Australia, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Sweden and the USA.
ASPO CH belongs to this loose network but is completely independent.

In order to achieve its goals, the association can also earn income through economic activities – for instance, sub-contracting, hosting seminars, publishing etc. - the exact nature of which will be determined by the steering committee.

Art. 4 Membership Fees
Any liabilities of the association are to be covered by the associations’ funds. The associations’ members are not liable for any of the associations’ debts.
The membership fees are as follows: a minimum of 100 CHF for full membership, a minimum of 50 CHF for students and a minimum of 500 CHF for patrons. Contributions over and above these amounts are both voluntary and welcome.

Art. 5 Members
Anyone who supports the aims of the association can become a full member.
Anyone who wants to lend extra financial support can become a patron.
Patrons will be informed of the years’ activities at an exclusive annual event.
Acceptance of Membership will be decided upon on submission of a written membership application to the steering committee. The same procedure will apply regarding exclusion.
Full members and patrons will be offered the services of the association at special rates.

Art. 6 Association Structure
The structure of the association consists of the membership body, the steering committee and the auditors.

Art. 7 Membership Body
The membership body is the ruling body of the association. This body will meet at least once a year. They hold the legal authority of the association.
Extraordinary meetings will be convened through the steering committee only when at least 20% of the membership demand it in writing accompanied by a written agenda for the meeting.
All membership body meetings will be notified in writing, such notification to be accompanied by the agenda for the meeting, at least 20 days in advance.

Art. 8 Alterations to the Statutes and Majorities
Any alteration to the statutes requires the presence of a majority of the membership.
A valid dissolution of the association requires the presence of two-thirds of all members.
If the required proportion of the membership is not present for two consecutive meetings, then a petition can be circulated in writing.
For all normal procedures and voting, an absolute majority of those present is required.

Art. 9 Steering Committee
The steering committee will always consist of at least 3 members. The steering committee will form itself from interested parties.
The length of office of the steering committee is not limited but each term lasts two years with the year the association was established not being part of this calculation.
The steering committee takes care of association business and when it represents the association, it requires two members of the committee to be present. The president can delegate the daily administrative business of the association to a secretary or secretarial service. The steering committee will meet on the invitation of the president or, at least two other members of the committee. Steering committee decisions can also be made through written correspondence between the members.
The agenda will be decided in advance. At least 10 days notice of meetings will be given unless the steering committee membership specifically decide otherwise.
The steering committee operates on a voluntary basis, though expenses will be reimbursed.
Extra work will be compensated for on the decision of the steering committee.
The steering committee can nominate patrons and appoint an advisory committee.

Art. 10 Extended steering committee meetings
For issues with larger relevance, the steering committee can invite ordinary members to take part in so-called “extended committee meetings”, where they will have a valid vote.

Art. 11 Auditors
The auditors check the associations’ financial books and, therefore, the performance of the steering committee. They will present the audit report of the previous financial year to the membership body meeting.
The membership body meeting will be responsible for choosing two suitable auditors or an accountancy firm to perform this function.

Art. 12 Financial and Administrative Year
The calendar year will serve as the financial and administrative year of the association. The year the association was founded will not be separately accounted.

Art. 13 Inception
The foregoing statutes were passed during the first meeting of the membership body on the 26th of June 2006. They were immediately valid.

Zurich, 26th June 2006, agreed by the membership body.