Bylaws — KLM-International

Bylaws — Kleine Münsterländer International (KlM-I)

(kb 03.11.2014)

KlM-I_By-Laws, Oct19, 2014

1.  Goals, purpose

1.1 The Association of Kleine Münsterländer International (KLM-I) is a voluntary association of national KlM breed clubs, which breed and manage the affairs of the Kleine Münsterländer hunting dog. The goal is to secure the high standard of the F.C.I. for this breed internationally; to promote the character, health and hunting abilities of the Kleine Münsterländer, and to unify the breeding, training and ownership conditions. The interests of this hunting dog breed shall be represented consistently and effectively before national and international organizations and associations. Practical experiences shall be exchanged across borders, international tests shall be conducted together and basic breed, utility and organizational matters, as well as the national KlM breed clubs, shall be discussed together.

1.2 The Kleine Münsterländer is an old hunting dog breed. The preservation and promotion of the versatile hunting abilities of the breed under humane conditions is the most important purpose of this International Association.

1.3 The International Association shall support the oversight of the KlM breed in close and trustful cooperation with the national breed clubs. It shall focus on fundamental and international issues and respect the sovereignty and relationships of the national breed clubs which have their own particular historical roots.

2. Assignment of Names

2.1 The International Association is called the “Verband Kleine Münsterländer International“ (KLM-I), is a registered association under German law, and is based in Nürnberg.

2.2 The association pursues exclusively non-profit objectives defined in the German tax code section entitled “tax-privileged activities”. The association is a non-profit organization. Profit-oriented business is explicitly barred from its activities. Funds of the association may only be used for purposes stated in its Bylaws. The members receive no financial gain from the association. No person may benefit from expenditures which are alien to the purpose of the corporation, or receive disproportionately high compensation.

2.3 The financial year is the calendar year.

3.  Membership

3.1 All national breed clubs of the Kleine Münsterländer, which oversee the breed according to national statutes based on the FCI standard Nr. 102, can become members of this International Association.

3.2 After the creation of the International Association, national organizations or breed clubs wishing to join will receive a membership application from this office (in Nürnberg).  Then, a decision on the membership application will be made by the Board of KlM-International.  The decision shall be approved at the next Member Meeting of KlM-International.

3.3    Termination of membership is possible after a twelve-month notice to the end of a calendar year. A summary dismissal by KlM-International is permissible if there has been a serious violation of the rules and objectives of KlM-International. The decision shall be made by the Board. This decision must be approved by the next Member Meeting. Termination without notice shall be, however, effective immediately.

3.4 Each Member club is responsible for strengthening the KlM breed through mutually practicable, uniform rules in fundamental and international issues, as well as in representing the interests of their national breed club. By January 31st of each year, the member clubs of the KLM-International must state the number of their members, kennels, litters and puppies from the previous year.

3.5 Meetings, documents and negotiations shall be conducted in German.  Correspondence is also possible in English and French.

4.  Bodies

4.1 The supreme body of KlM-International is the Member Meeting. Business is managed by the Board. The Board may appoint additional persons or committees which prepare and support business between Member Meetings.

5. Member Meetings
5.1 Ordinary Member Meetings shall be held at least every two years. At these meetings all   fundamental matters of KlM-International shall be discussed and decided upon or approved, Board members shall be elected and discharged from liability for their management, and changes can be made to the Bylaws by a two thirds majority vote. All other decisions require a simple majority.

The Member Meeting shall be convened in writing by the Board.

5.2 Each national member has one vote. The authority to represent the member club must be established and verified by the member’s Annual General Meeting. In addition, the President of KlM-International has one vote. All voting is open; in the case of a tie, the vote of the President decides. Motions must be submitted two months before the effective date. Written votes shall be conducted by request of the Board or at the request of at least five members. Decisions on motions not on the agenda are not possible.

5.3 Minutes shall be taken on the resolutions which have been adopted. The minutes shall be signed by the chairman of the meeting. Minutes from these meetings must be delivered to all members in a timely fashion.

6.  Board of Directors

6.1 The Board is to implement the goals and purposes referred to in Nr. 1 of these Bylaws, taking into account the autonomy of the national breed clubs and thereby also promoting cooperation of the national breed clubs with each other.

6.2 The Executive Board consists of the President, two Vice Presidents and an Executive Secretary (Geschäftsführer). The election takes place at a duly convened Member Meeting and is effective for four years. The parent country of the KlM breed provides the President. The Executive Secretary (Geschäftsführer) is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Member Meeting. Under German law for associations, KlM-International is represented by the President and Executive Secretary- each qualified alone – as authorized representatives of the Board according to § 26 BGB.
The Board is authorized by § 26 BGB to make editorial changes to the Bylaws and changes which are necessary because of complaints by the commercial register court or to achieve non-profit status.

6.3 The Board may invite non-voting guests to attend meetings in an advisory capacity or entrust other persons with important tasks.  Voting is by simple majority, in the case of a tie vote, No. 5.2 shall apply.

6.4 The Board shall conduct the business affairs of the association in a cost-effective manner and in keeping with the non-profit status of the club.  An annual financial statement and business plan shall be submitted to the Member Meeting.  Membership fees must also be determined by the Member Meeting.

7.      Amendments, termination of the association

7.1 Amendments to the Bylaws must be specified on the agenda of the invitation to the relevant Member Meeting. The agenda must be received by the members six weeks before the meeting, at the latest.

7.2 The termination of the club can only be decided by a two thirds majority of the members. The Member Meeting may decide to terminate the association for other reasons. It concurrently appoints a liquidator and decides on the use of the association’s assets.

Upon termination of the association or loss of tax-exempt status, the assets of the association would be transferred to another non-profit, versatile hunting dog organization, which must use the funds solely and directly for non-profit purposes as defined by the provisions of these Bylaws.

8.  Transitional and final provisions
8.1 In the case of the annulment of individual provisions of the Bylaws, the Board shall retain the remaining Bylaws and make the necessary changes to the association register, as long as this does not change the stated meaning and purpose of the original provisions of the Bylaws. The same applies to editorial changes.

8.2 These Bylaws were unanimously approved in Fulda-Almendorf on May 22, 2006 and signed by the founding members and further amended by the General Assembly on September 30, 2012 and October 19, 2014.

Autenried, October 19, 2014

Dietrich Berning                                                                   Jacqueline Mette

President                                                                                Business Manager