Satzung/en
Sebmol (Diskussion | Beiträge) K (hat „Satzung (19. November 2011)/en“ nach „Satzung/en“ verschoben) |
Sebmol (Diskussion | Beiträge) K (Kleinigkeit) |
||
| Zeile 167: | Zeile 167: | ||
Organe des Vereins sind | Organe des Vereins sind | ||
#die Mitgliederversammlung | #die Mitgliederversammlung | ||
| + | #das Präsidium | ||
#der Vorstand.</div> | #der Vorstand.</div> | ||
Aktuelle Version vom 6. Februar 2012, 12:02 Uhr
The following is not an official translation. It is published here merely for informational purposes. The text is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike 3.0 and the GFDL and was originally published at http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Deutschland/Satzung/English .
The charter was enacted by the Wikimedia Deutschland's founding assembly on 13 June 2004. It has been amended by the Members Assembly on 25 February 2006, 21 March 2009, 8 May 2010, and 19 March 2011. The following is the version in effect as of 19 November 2011.
Preamble
Denis Diderot
Denis Diderot
Knowledge has always been a decisive factor for the social, cultural and scientific development of humankind, and now that we are on the path to a global society of knowledge it becomes more and more important to every single person. On this background, free access to knowledge becomes a human right.
Over centuries knowledge was kept imprisoned by rulers and abused as an instument of power. Only with the enlightenment it was freed from these clutches, not least by Denis Diderot and Jean d'Alembert, whose Encyclopédie was a significant contribution to this. From this time onward it was only the cost of distribution which kept knowledge un-free; and in the digital age it is the legitimate interests of authors and copyright holders.
The purpose of Wikimedia Deutschland - Gesellschaft zur Förderung Freien Wissens is to find the answer to the question how knowledge can be ultimately freed and therefore accessible for all human beings.
§ 1 Name, seat, and fiscal year
(1) The association is named "Wikimedia Deutschland - Gesellschaft zur Förderung Freien Wissens" ("Wikimedia Germany - Association for the promotion of free knowledge") - hereafter referred to as "the association".
(2) The association's seat is Berlin and is registered at the local court in Berlin-Charlottenburg.
(3) The fiscal year is the calendar year.
§ 2 Goals and responsibilities
(1) The purpose of the association is to support the creation, collection and distribution of Open Content in an altruistic way in order to support equal opportunity to access to knowledge and education. In terms of the association, Open Content is defined as all works that have been placed under a license by their creators that allows everybody to distribute and to modify the works without charge. To this end, public understanding for the associated social and philosophical questions shall be sharpened as well.
(2) For collection and distribution of Open Content, wikis shall be used predominantly yet not exclusively. Wikis are software systems accessible via the internet which let users both access and modify content, thus enabling collaborative creation of such content. The most prominent example of this principle is the free encyclopedia "Wikipedia" initiated by Larry Sanger and Jimmy D. Wales and operated by the Wikimedia Foundation.
(3) The association shall assume the responsiblities of a section (Local Chapter) of the Wikimedia Foundation Inc. (Florida, USA). The association's independence shall not be affected by this. The Wikimedia Foundation serves as the umbrella organization for all national Wikimedia sections, coordinates the activities according to the association's purpose within the internactional sector, and manages the name Wikimedia as well as the names of the various international Wikimedia projects.
(4) The association's purpose shall be served namely by:
- the operation and funding of operation of online systems for the creation, collection, and distribution, respectively, of Open Content. The main focus shall lie on the several international Wikimedia projects.
- the distribution and support of distribution of Open Content by other means, e.g., in digital or printed media, with focus on content from the international Wikimedia projects.
- the acquisition, making available, und distribution of information about and public relations activities relating to Open Content, Wikis and the various Wikimedia projects. This shall be accomplished, for example, through events or informational materials.
- resolving scientific, social, cultural, and legal questions relating to Open Content and Wikis, e.g. with expert opinions, scientific studies, and awarding of scholarships.
- der Betrieb und die finanzielle Förderung des Betriebs von Internetsystemen zur Erstellung, Sammlung bzw. Verbreitung Freier Inhalte. Der Schwerpunkt soll dabei auf den verschiedenen internationalen Wikimedia-Projekten liegen.
- die Verbreitung und die Förderung der Verbreitung Freier Inhalte auf anderen Wegen, zum Beispiel in digitaler oder gedruckter Form, mit Schwerpunkt auf den Inhalten der verschiedenen internationalen Wikimedia-Projekte.
- die Beschaffung, Bereitstellung und Verbreitung von Informationen sowie die Öffentlichkeitsarbeit zum Thema Freie Inhalte, Wikis und den verschiedenen Wikimedia-Projekten. Dies soll beispielsweise durch Veranstaltungen oder Informationsmaterial geschehen.
- die Klärung wissenschaftlicher, sozialer, kultureller und rechtlicher Fragen im Zusammenhang mit Freien Inhalten und Wikis zum Beispiel durch Gutachten, Studien und Vergabe von Stipendien.
(5) The association may collect funds for or transfer them to other tax-exempt corporations or corporations under public law, if they are used exclusively for the purposes mentioned above, and it may hold shares or become a member of such corporations.
(6) The association pursues exclusively and directly charitable purposes as stated in the passage about "tax privileged purposes" of the fiscal code. The assocation acts selflessly and does not pursue goals primarily serving its own economic interest.
(7) Funds of the assocation must only be used for the purposes stated herein. Its members, in their capacity as members, must not receive any financial benefits from the association's funds. Members must not receive any part of the association's assets upon the end of their membership or upon the association's desolution. No person may benefit from expenditures foreign to the purposes of the association or from unreasonable compensation.
§ 3 Membership
(1) Every individual and legal entity can become a member.
(2) The Verein consists of active members, sustaining members, and honorary members.
(3) Any individual, who wants to actively participate in the association or in one of the projects supported by the association, may become an active member. Any individual or legal entity, that may not want to actively participate but wants to promote and support the aims and purpose of the association, may become a sustaining member.
(4) Individuals may become honorary members if they rendered the association a great service. A resolution by the Members Assembly is required for honorary membership.
§ 4 Member's rights and responsibilities
(1) Members are entitled to participate in all events sponsored by the association. They are furthermore entitled to file motions with the Executive Board and the Members Assembly.
(2) Members are obliged to support the association and its purpose in a proper way - in public as well - and to pay the membership fees as defined in the contribution bylaws on time. They are also obliged to report changes in their postal address, e-mail, or bank account immediately. Members shall be liable for all damages following from non-compliance to these obligations and shall indemnify the association from any liability.
(3) Active members have the right to elect and to stand for election as well as the right to file motions, vote, and speak at the Members Assembly.
(4) Sustaining members have the right to speak and file motions at assemblies, but no right to vote or elect.
(5) Honorary members are exempt from the obligation to pay fees but have all the rights and duties of active members.
§ 5 Membership start and termination
(1) Membership must be applied for in writing to the Executive Board. The Executive Board decides on membership applications, unless the Supervisory Board objects to the application. The Executive Board is not required to provide reasons for a rejection. Rejected applicants may appeal to the Members Assembly to render a final decision on the application.
(2) Membership terminates by voluntary withdrawal, expulsion, death, or loss of capacity to act, for legal entities.
(3) Voluntary withdrawaly must be declared in writing to the Supervisory Board or to the Executive Board, with an effective date at the end of the fiscal year and under consideration of a three month termination period.
(4) The expulsion of a member with immediate effect and for important reason may be declared if the member grossly violates the charter, the bylaws, the purposes stated in the charter, or the interests of the association. The expulsion is decided by the Supervisory Board with a two-thirds majority vote. The member shall receive the opportunity to respond to the charges within a period of two weeks. Expelled members may request the opportunity to appeal their expulsion at the next Members Assembly directly following the expulsion. The decision by the Members Assembly upon such an appeal is final.
(5) At the time membership is terminated, regardless of cause, all claims pursuant to the membership expire. No reimbursement for fees, donations, or other supporting activities shall be made. The association's claim to fees already due shall not be affected by this.
(6) Membership is terminated by removal from the roster if, after two notices at least two weeks apart, membership fees have not been paid. The second notice must be in writing. After a declatory period of three months, membership terminates automtatically. The period starts at the time the second notice is sent.
§ 6 Membership fees
The level of annual membership fees, application fees, and other contributions are determined by the corresponding fee schedule, as enacted by the Members Assembly.
§ 7 Bodies of the associaton
Bodies of the association are:
- the Members Assembly
- the Supervisory Board
- the Executive Board
Organe des Vereins sind
- die Mitgliederversammlung
- das Präsidium
- der Vorstand.
§ 8 Members Assembly
(1) The supreme body of the association is the Members Assembly. The Members Assembly shall decide upon fundamental questions and matters of the association. In particular it shall have the following responsibilities:
- to elect the Supervisory Board and the internal auditors,
- to decide about the charter, changes to the charter, and dissolution of the association,
- to enact the annual plan
- to receive and to deliberate on the annual report,
- to discharge the Supervisory Board and the Executive Board,
- to debate and to decide on filed motions,
- to approve all rules of procedure in the domain of the association,
- to pass resolutions on the fee schedule,
- to decide on raising of credit, where the sum of total liabilities of the association would exceed 4% of total revenues of the prior fiscal year.
- Das Präsidium sowie die Kassenprüfer zu wählen,
- Über die Satzung, Änderungen der Satzung sowie die Auflösung des Vereins zu bestimmen,
- Den Wirtschaftsplan zu beschließen,
- Die Jahresberichte entgegen zunehmen und zu beraten,
- Das Präsidium und den Vorstand zu entlasten,
- Über vorliegende Anträge zu beraten und zu beschließen,
- Genehmigungen aller Geschäftsordnungen für den Vereinsbereich,
- Beschlüsse zur Beitragsordnung,
- Aufnahme von Darlehen zu beschließen, mit denen die Summe der Gesamtverbindlichkeiten des Vereins 4% der Gesamterlöse des Vorjahres übersteigen würde.
(2) The Members Assembly shall be called into session by the Supervisory Board once a year. It shall take place during the first half of the year. The invitation shall be sent out in writing or by email at least six weeks prior and shall include the agenda and all present motions. Objections against the agenda and candidate proposals as well as motions by members shall be submitted to the Executive Board at least four weeks prior to the assembly's date. For elections, changes to the charter, and changes to the fee schedule, members shall be provided with an opportunity vote remotely. Documents for remote votes shall be sent to the memember upon request at least two weeks prior to the assembly. They shall be complemented as well with the annual report and the financial report.
(3) Later motions (but no changes to the charter and also no changes to the fee schedule) - also motions introduced at the Members Assembly - must be put on the agenda upon approval, at the Members Assembly, by a majority of the attending members with voting rights (emergency motions).
(4) To be elected as an assessor, a candidate must receive the votes of at least half of all voting members. If such applies to more than six candidates, only those six candidates with the highest number of votes shall be considered elected. In case of a draw, the election shall be decided by drawing lots.
(5) The Supervisory Board is required to immediately call for a special session of the Members Assembly, providing specific reasons, if the interests of the association so require or at least 10% of members, but no less than 10 members, so request in writing to the Supervisory Board stating purpose and reasons.
(6) Decisions by the Members Assembly shall be documented in the minutes within two weeks after the assembly's date and signed by the Executive Board and by two members of the Supervisory Board. The minutes shall be made available to all members immediately after the signing. It shall become valid if, within six weeks after the assembly's date, no objection has been raised by a member of the Executive Board or the assembly's presiding officers or at least 10% of attending members.
§ 9 Voting rights / quorum
(1) Every member with voting rights has one vote. The right to vote is not transferable.
(2) Every Members Assembly that has been properly called into session has a quorum.
(3) The Members Assembly decides by majority vote. If there is an equal number of votes for and against a motion, the motion fails.
(4) For changes to the charter und resolutions to dissolve the assocaiation, a two-thirds majority vote is necessary.
§ 10 Supervisory Board
(1) The Supervisory Board consists of
- a President
- two Vice Presidents
- a Treasurer
- up to six assessors
The Supervisory Board shall be represented by the President jointly with one Vice President or the Treasurer.
(1) Das Präsidium setzt sich wie folgt zusammen:
- ein Vorsitzender
- zwei stellvertretende Vorsitzende
- ein Schatzmeister
- bis zu sechs Beisitzer
Das Präsidium wird durch den Vorsitzenden gemeinsam mit einem Stellvertreter oder dem Schatzmeister vertreten.
(2) The term of the elected members of the Supervisory Board shall be one year. The term of the old Supervisory Board ends on the day the new Supervisory Board has been elected. The business of the Supervisory Board will be continued by the old Supervisory Board until it has been passed on to the new Supervisory Board, which shall be completed within four weeks after the election of the new Supervisory Board.
(3) The Supervisory Board shall be particularly responsible for:
- representing the association in relation to the members;
- appointing and recalling the members of the Executive Board;
- executing, changing, and terminating the employment contracts with the members of the Executive Board;
- updating the association's strategic plan and set objectives for the Executive Boards;
- controling and overseeing the management of the association's operations by the Executive Board;
- pre-approving transactions as provided in § 12 (5);
- enacting changes to the annual plan for the current year;
- representing the association in corporations in which it is invested according to § 2 (5).
- Den Verein den Mitgliedern gegenüber zu repräsentieren;
- Die Mitglieder des Vorstands zu bestellen und abzuberufen;
- Die Anstellungsverträge mit den Mitgliedern des Vorstands abzuschließen, zu ändern und zu beenden;
- Die strategische Ausrichtung des Vereins fortzuschreiben und Zielvorgaben für den Vorstand zu formulieren;
- Die Geschäftsführung des Vorstands zu kontrollieren und zu beaufsichtigen;
- Die vorherige Zustimmung zu Rechtsgeschäften gemäß § 12 Abs. 5 zu erteilen;
- Änderungen des Wirtschaftsplans für das laufende Jahr zu beschließen;
- Den Verein in Körperschaften zu vertreten, an denen er gemäß § 2 Abs. 5 beteiligt ist.
(4) The two candidates with the largest number of votes shall be elected Vice Presidents. In case of a draw, the election shall be decided by drawing lots.
(5) If the President, a Vice President, or the Treasurer leaves office prior to the end of the term, the Supervisory Board shall elect by secret ballot one of its members to be the successor. If an accessor leaves office prior to the end of the term, a successor shall be elected by the next Members Assembly. If the total number of members of the Supervisory Board shall become less than five, a Members Assembly shall be called for a by-election.
(6) The Executive Board is authorized to enact such changes to the charter as are requested by the court of registry or the tax authorities for association or tax law reasons. The Executive Board shall inform the members about such changes no later than the next Members Assembly.
(6) The members of the Supervisory Board shall serve in honorary office. Liability of the Supervisory Board is limited to intent and gross negligence.
§ 11 Decision-making by the Supervisory Board
(1) The Supervisory Board decides by majority vote. The Supervisory Board has quorum if at least half of its members participate in the vote. If there is an equal number of votes for and against a motion, the motion fails. A motion is considered adopted if there have been more votes submitted for than against. Abstentions and invalid votes are considered as not submitted.
(2) The Supervisory Board may decide at meetings, phone conferences or through online voting. Decisions made through online voting are only allowed, if the identity of the participant is guaranteed by appropriate authentication methods (e.g. login and password).
(3) Invitations for a meeting must be effected at least seven days prior, for phone conferences at least two days prior to their start. Provision of an agenda may be omitted. Invitations must be effected by the President. He may name a representative if needed. If at least two members of the Supervisory Board so request, motions submitted for a phone conference must be conducted as decisions during a meeting or through online voting. In these cases, the motion may not be decided upon during a phone conference. Decisions of the Supervisory Board are documented in the meeting minutes.
(4) Each member of the Supervisory Board has the right to create motions for the Supervisory Board's decision in the Supervisory Board's wiki and propose a vote on them through online voting. This right also applies to the Executive Board provided that such a decision is necessary for sustaining or developing the association's operations or the approval of the Supervisory Board is required. The decision-making process starts at the point in time when the sponsor of the motion has informed the Supervisory Board via mailing list about the proposal and has requested its participation. The decision-making process consists of a discussion period followed by a voting period. The voting period regularly lasts seven days, but at least three days. Voting periods of less than seven days may only be ordered by the President and only for important reasons. The end of the voting period shall be determined by the Secretary.
(5) Further details shall be determined by the Supervisory Board's rules of procedure.
§ 12 Executive Board
(1) The Executive Board according to § 26 BGB shall consist of at least one member. The Supervisory Board may appoint additional members to the Executive Board. Members of the Executive Board may be members of the association, but must not be members of the Supervisory Board.
(2) The Executive Board shall serve in full-time capacity. He shall be appointed for a term of no more than five years. Repeat appointments are permitted. By resolution of the Supervisory Board, for which a 2/3 majorty of votes cast is required, the Executive Board may be recalled at any time. In relation to the Executive Board, the association shall be represented by the President.
(3) The association shall be legally represented by the Executive Board, as long as the Executive Board has only one member. If the Executive Board has more than one member, the association shall be legally represented by two members of the Executive Board jointly.
(4) The Supervisory Board may authorize all or individual members of the Executive Board to serve as legal representatives on their own.
(5) The Supervisory Board may determine by resolution or rules of procedure that some transaction require its pre-approval or that they may be executed only within certain limits. The following transactions always require the approval of the Supervisory Board, unless they have already been approved as part of the annual plan:
- purchasing, mortgaging, or selling of land or land-like rights;
- performance of construction work;
- founding and investing in private-law corporations and institutions;
- opening and closing of branch offices.
- Erwerb, Belastung und Veräußerung von Grundstücken und grundstücksgleichen Rechten;
- Vornahme von baulichen Maßnahmen;
- Gründung von und Beteiligungen an privatrechtlichen Gesellschaften oder Einrichtungen;
- Gründung und Schließung von Niederlassungen.
(6) The Executive Board shall be particularly responsible for:
- managing the association's operations;
- implementing the measures, strategies, and goals set by the Members Assembly or the Supervisory Board;
- presenting the annual plan through the Supervisory Board to the Members Assembly for approval;
- submitting changes to the current annual plan to the Supervisory Board for approval;
- preparing the annual financial statements and submitting them to the Supervisory Board for deliberation and approval;
- reporting to the Supervisory Board all significant facts and developments;
- reporting to the Members Assembly on its activities.
- Die Geschäfte des Vereins zu führen;
- Die von der Mitgliederversammlung oder dem Präsidium festgelegten Maßnahmen, Strategien und Ziele umzusetzen;
- Den Wirtschaftsplan über das Präsidium der Mitgliederversammlung zur Beschlussfassung vorzulegen;
- Änderungen des laufenden Wirtschaftsplans dem Präsidium zur Genehmigung vorzulegen;
- Den Jahresabschluss aufzustellen und über das Präsidium der Mitgliederversammlung zur Beratung und Genehmigung vorzulegen;
- Dem Präsidium regelmäßig über alle wesentlichen Sachverhalte und Entwicklungen zu berichten;
- Der Mitgliederversammlung über seine Tätigkeiten zu berichten.
(7) If the Executive Board consists of more than one member, the decision-making of the Executive Board shall be conducted according to § 11.
§ 11 Internal auditors
(1) The Members Assembly shall elect two internal auditors and two deputies. The term of the internal auditors shall be one year and shall end on the day the new internal auditors have been elected. If an internal auditor leaves office prior to the end of his term, one of the deputies shall assume his office. In the case that this is not possible, a by-election shall be executed.
(2) The internal auditors shall have the responsibility to audit the financial records as well as their proper accounting and the use of funds and thereby to especially determine the proper use of funds according to the charter and tax law. The audit does not encompass the usefulness of expenditures by the Executive Board. The internal auditors shall report the result of their audits to the Members Assembly. The internal editors may not be members of the Executive Board or a committee appointed by the Executive Board and they may not be employees of the association.
(3) The Supervisory Board is required to immediately call for a special session of the Members Assembly, if the internal auditors so request unanimously and in writing, stating purpose and causes. The request is only valid if the necessity of the special session derives from an internal audit.
§ 12 Dissolution of the association
(1) After dissolution of the association or revocation of its prior charitable purposes, the assets of the association shall be disbursed to a corporation under public law or a tax-exempt corporation for the purpose of promoting education as defined in the charter. The Members Assembly shall determine the receiver jointly with the motion to dissolve the association.
(2) The current Executive Board members with representative rights shall be named as liquidators if the Members Assembly does not finally decide otherwise.
§13 Arbitration agreement
The attached arbitration agreement is part of this charter.