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Statutes for Nordic Society for Radiation protection

Approved at the constituent assembly in Stockholm June 1964 and amended in Copenhagen August 19, 1971, in Visby September 6, 1978, in Ronneby August 31, 1990, in Skagen August 26, 1999, in Åbo August 26, 2002, and in Malmö June 7, 2023.

1. General terms and conditions

1.1. Purpose

Nordic Society for Radiation Protection, which may be referred to in abbreviated form as NSFS, is dedicated to the development and dissemination of knowledge and experience on protection against and safety for ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. To this purpose NSFS arranges meetings with presentations and discussions on scientific as well as practical issues, and takes other actions which are clearly in line with this goal. NSFS interacts as appropriate with IRPA and other international organisations involved in radiation protection.

1.2. Associated Society to IRPA

NSFS is an Associated Society of the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA) since 1965; NSFS was one of the founders of IRPA.

1.3. Amendments to the statutes

Proposal from a member of NSFS to changes of these statutes has to be submitted to the Board in written form at least two months before the General Assembly, and the board should submit the proposal and its comments to the proposal to the members not later than one month before the General Assembly.

Proposals by the Board to amend of the statutes shall be submitted to the members not later than one month before the General Assembly.

Before a decision on amendment of the statutes can come into force, the amendment has to be approved at one General Assembly, with at least 2/3 majority of the votes given.

1.3. Amendments to the statutes

Proposal from a member of NSFS to changes of these statutes has to be submitted to the Board in written form at least two months before the General Assembly, and the board should submit the proposal and its comments to the proposal to the members not later than one month before the General Assembly.

Proposals by the Board to amend of the statutes shall be submitted to the members not later than one month before the General Assembly.

Before a decision on amendment of the statutes can come into force, the amendment has to be approved at one General Assembly, with at least 2/3 majority of the votes given.

1.4. Dissolution of the Society

Decision on dissolution of NSFS shall, in order to be valid, have been approved at two following General Assemblies, in both cases with at least 2/3 majority of the votes given. One of the General Assemblies could be an extraordinary meeting.

2. Members

2.1.  Membership

NSFS is comprised of 1) ordinary members and 2) honorary members.

As ordinary member may be elected any person interested and actively involved in radiation protection issues from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and other countries. Qualified for election are those who have graduated from a university or high school, or who through specialist studies and professional activities have achieved knowledge and experience that are consistent with the aim of NSFS. The board makes the decision on election of ordinary members.

As honorary member NSFS may at its General Assembly appoint any person regardless of nationality, to whom NSFS wishes to acknowledge its appreciation for eminent merits within the field of radiation protection and/or who in other respects has advanced the aim of NSFS. Members can propose new honorary members, at least one month before the General Assembly in a written proposal to the board. The board can also propose new honorary members. The General Assembly makes the decision on election of honorary members.

2.2.  Membership fee

Ordinary members pay an annual membership fee. The membership fees until the next General Assembly are resolved at the General Assembly.

Honorary members and retired (including pre-pensioned) members are exempted from paying membership fees.

Newly retired persons have to inform the secretariat.

2.3.  Member expulsion

A member who fails to pay the membership fee after three (3) reminders is considered to have seceded from NSFS.

A member who causes serious harm to NSFS by acting in contravention of its purposes as stated in §1, or by consistently behaving unethically, can be expelled by the Board.

3. The Board

3.1.  Composition of the Nordic board and the National boards

The Nordic board of NSFS consists of the president and members of the National boards from the five Nordic countries. Each National board consists of three members from the country. The term of office of all board members is two years.

The retiring National board from a country arranges for (national) elections of National board members for the next two-year period. Nomination of new board members are done by all members in the respective country. Outgoing members of the board are re-electable. After the election, the retiring National board sends its decision on the composition of the new National board to the secretary at least one month before the General Assembly.

The new board takes office immediately after the end of the General Assembly. Vacancy is filled by new election organised by the national board in question.

3.2.  President

The president is elected by the General Assembly, and may be re-elected once for a period of two years (total period of four years). All members of NSFS may recommend a new president by contacting the secretary of NSFS at least three months before the General Assembly. Vacancy is filled by the vice president until a new president is elected at the next General Assembly.

3.3.  Constitutive Nordic board meeting

The new Nordic board holds a constitutive meeting after being elected. A vice president, a secretary and a treasurer are elected among the board members. The rules for the authorised/binding signature of the Nordic boards should be described in the minutes from this meeting.

3.4.  Constitutive Nordic board meetings

The new Nordic board holds a constitutive meeting after being elected. A vice president, a secretary and a treasurer are elected among the board members. The rules for the authorised/binding signature of the Nordic boards should be described in the minutes from this meeting.

Nordic board meetings can be physical meetings, telephone meetings or virtual meetings held on-line. Decisions by the Board can also be taken through correspondence.

The Nordic board forms a quorum when at least five members representing at least three Nordic countries and the president participate in the voting. If votes are equal the vote of the president is decisive.

Meetings within the Nordic board should be documented by minutes of the meeting, arranged by the secretary. The minutes should be signed by the president, secretary and a selected protocol verifier. Dissenting opinion should be noted in the minutes.

3.5  Duties of the Nordic board

The Nordic board acts in accordance with the statutes of NSFS, manages the economy and prepares matters that should be introduced to NSFS.

3.6.  Work procedures in the Nordic board

The president leads the proceedings of the Nordic board. If the president is prevented from being present, the vice-president assumes the duties of the president.

The secretary is responsible for the official documents and correspondence of NSFS, for minutes of meetings, and administers the assets of NSFS in accordance with decisions of the Board.

The treasurer is responsible for collecting the membership dues, for taking care of payments, for managing outstanding debt and funds in accordance with the decisions of the Board, and for – in due time – sending the accounts for the preceding year to the accountants.

Otherwise, the Nordic board decides itself how it will operate and are allowed to set up committees.

The Nordic board should keep in contact with the associate societies of IRPA and other organisations with similar aims as NSFS. The Nordic board should without delay inform the members about proposals and other activities coming from these contacts.

3.7.  Duties and work procedures of the National boards

The duties and work procedures of the national boards are decided by the Nordic board.

4.   Meetings

4.1.  General Assembly

The General Assembly is held every year, when possible during the ordinary meeting of NSFS. The General Assembly can meet virtually. The Board shall, at the General Assembly present a report over the activities since the last General Assembly and its accountings. Minutes from the General Assembly shall be distributed to the members within three months after the meeting.

At least the following points should be addressed during the General Assembly:

  1. Opening of the General Assembly
  2. Election of chairman and secretary
  3. Election of signers of minutes and counters of votes
  4. Adoption of the agenda
  5. Validity of this General Assembly
  6. Report for the period since last General Assembly
    • Activity report
    • Financial reports
  7. Audit report
  8. Decision on exemption from liability
  9. Decision on membership fee
  10. Election of new honorary members
  11. Other matters
  12. Closing of the General Assembly

Every second year, and always when the General Assembly is held during an NSFS Conference, the following points should also be addressed during the General Assembly:

  1. Presentation of the National boards for the next period (two years)
  2. Election of country for the next ordinary meeting (if not already decided)
  3. Election of president for the next period (two years)
  4. Election of accountants and a deputy accountant for the next period (two years)

4.1.1. Voting procedure

At the General Assembly each member has one vote. No one is allowed to vote for a member even with a written authority to act for another member. All voting is open unless voting by ballot is requested. In cases when votes are even and when no other rules are put into force, the opinion of the president is decisive.

The president is elected with simple majority.

Honorary members are elected with at least 2/3 of the given votes.

4.2.  NSFS Conference

NSFS arranges a Conference preferably every second year or at least every fourth year in the country that has been agreed upon at the General Assembly during the preceding NSFS Conference. The Board decides on time and venue of the conference at least six months before the meeting. A possible meeting fee is decided by the Board.

4.3.  Intermediate meetings

The Board may also invite its members to intermediate meetings such as topical scientific meetings. These meetings can be virtual. A possible meeting fee is decided by the Board.

4.4.  Summons to meetings

The Board prepares a programme for the General Assembly, the NSFS Conference as well as for other meetings initiated during its period of function. The secretary should announce the General Assembly at least three months before the meeting, the NSFS conference at least six months before the meeting, and for other types of meetings, if possible, at least one month before such meetings.

4.5.  Attendance of non-members

The Board can allow ”non-members” to attend the scientific meetings of the NSFS, in return they may have to pay an additional meeting fee.

5.   Audit

The General Assembly designates two accountants and one deputy accountant among its members. The accountants investigate the administration of the Board and the accounts of NSFS. The report of the accountants should cover the previous calendar year.

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