Click here to see the published version of the constitution in the Belgian State Paper.
THE TEXT BELOW CONTAINS THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE ORIGINAL CONSTITUTION. IN 2023, A NEW CONSTITUTION WAS PUBLISHED WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME BUT UPDATED TO ACCOMODATE NEW REQUIREMENTS BY BELGIAN LAW.
New Order of Druids vzw, in short N.O.D. vzw[address redacted]
The undersigned,
David Dom, [address redacted]
Jenni Heiden, [address redacted]
Hans Roggeman, [address redacted]
have agreed to found a non-profit organisation of which the Constitution is the following:
TITLE 1. Name, headquarters, purpose, duration.
Article 1.
The organisation carries the name New Order of Druids, vereniging zonder winstgevend ookmerk (non-profit organisatin), in short N.O.D. vzw (npo).
Article 2.
The headquarters are located in the province of Antwerp, at 2140 Antwerpen (Borgerhout), Joris Helleputtestraat 34. Within Belgium, this location can be moved by decision of the General Assembly. This decision is reported as soon as possible to the registrar.
Article 3.
The organisation has the purpose to stimulate, advance and develop the artistic, cultural, historical, emancipating and personal creativity of the human being, as individual or in group. The organisation has as purpose to devise, produce, spread and support the artistic, socio-cultural, educational forming and spiritual developing activities. (This by the organising of workshops, courses, re-enactment, exhibitions, theatre, manifestations, presentations, the stimulating of creativity, publishing of poetry, brochures and cultural information, without limiting this list.)
It may organize any activities that can advance this purpose. The organisation can, to realise its goal, create income from activities that are related to its purposes.
The organisation can also participate in, or in any form take part of or work together with, other organisations or enterprises that can contribute to its development or advance it.
Article 4.
The organisation is founded for an unlimited period of time.
TITLE 2. Members.
Article 5.
The organisation has effective members, henceforth called member or members, unless noted otherwise, and joined members. Joined members can also be supportive or honorary members. The number of members is unlimited. Joined members gain a membership of one year each time. The rights and obligations of the joined members is decided by the Board of Gorvernors in a series of regulations.
Article 6.
There are at least three effective members. Founding members are effective members. Founding and effective members are part of the General Assembly and have a right to vote. These members cannot be held personally responsible.
The General Assembly is qualified to appoint new effective members. Each candidacy is required to be submitted in written form to one of the members of the General Assembly, and will be approved by a two third majority vote, if the majority of the members of the General Assembly is present or represented.
Article 7.
The annual membership fee is determined by the Board of Governors and has a maximum of € 100,00. The member that does not pay its annual fee, is considered to have resigned.
Article 8.
The founding and effective members are free to withdraw themselves from the organisation at any time, without however having the ability to claim any of the mutual possessions. They need to do so by registered letter addressed to the Board of Governors. A member can only be excluded by the General Assembly with a two third majority of votes.
The resigning and according to the law excluded members and the rightful descendants of deceased members, have no part in the property of the organisation and can never claim a refund or compensation of made payments or created income.
TITLE 3. Board of Governors
Article 9.
The Board of Governors exists of at least three members, who can perform any function that the Board of Governors considers adequate. They perform their function without payment.
Article 10.
The members of the Board of Governors have, by assignment of the Board of Governors, the right for an expense refund within limits as stated by law. Either there can be made use of a real expense refund, with bills and other expense notes. Only the expenses that were made related to the performing of the function of governing can be refunded, not those who have no relation to the performing of the function of governing.
Article 11.
The Board of Governors is appointed by the General Assembly for an unlimited time. Their mandatory ends with exclusion or demise.
A member of the Board of Governors can be removed at any time from his function by the General Assembly and this with a two third majority of votes, if the majority of the members of the General Assembly is present or represented.
A governor can end his term himself at any time by informing the General Assembly in written form.
Article 12.
The Board of Governors has a meeting at least twice a year and more if necessary. A report is made and signed by the secretary and chairman. Decisions are made, if at least half the number of governors is present, with a regular majority of votes.
Article 13.
The Board of Governors has the most extensive qualifications regarding actions of governing and arrangement, necessary for the realisation of the purpose of the organisation, as well as all qualifications that are not appointed to the General Assembly.
TITLE 4. Representation.
Article 14.
The Board of Governors represents and connects the organisation in all legal and other actions. Toward the third party, the organisation is only linked by the signatures of chairman and secretary. The Board of Governors can hand over its qualifications to one or more governors for the actions of the daily governing.
A governor can end his term himself at any time by informing the General Assembly in written form.
TITLE 5. General Assembly.
Article 15.
The General Assembly is called together at least once a year by the Board of Governors, at least eight days beforehand, on a date determined by the Board of Governors, within six months after the closing of the booking year. This calling is done in written form or by e-mail, with in attachment the agenda for the approval of the bills of past year, the budgets of next year and the discharge to governors.
Every member, except the governors, can be represented by proxy on the General Assembly. Every member can only contain one proxy.
The decision of this meeting are written in a register and signed by the secretary or a governor.
Article 16.
The General Assembly is qualified for:
1. Changing the constitution;
2. The appointing and excluding of governors;
3. The appointing and excluding of commissioners and the determining of their payment in case a payment is admitted;
4. The discharge to the governors and commissioners;
5. The approval of budgets and bills;
6. The exclusion of members;
7. The changing of the status of the organisation into a partnership with a social intent and all cases in where the constitution requires as such;
8. The destination of all goods in case the organisation is disbanded;
9. The disbanding of the organisation.
Article 17.
Every change of the constitution needs to be reported as soon as possible to the registrar. This is also the case for every appointment, retirement or removal of a governor. Every decision of the General Assembly is delivered in written form or by e-mail to the effective members and the related people.
TITLE 6. Budgets, bills.
Article 18.
The booking year of the organisation starts at January 1 and ends at December 31. Anomaly for the first booking year, from the day of foundation until December 31 of the following year.
The Board of Governors prepares the bills and budgets and presents them for approval to the General Assembly.
TITLE 7. Disbanding, settlement.
Article 19.
In case of settlement, the Board of Governors will appoint the people for which settlement is required.
Article 20.
In case the organisation is disbanded, the remaining goods and money will be, by decision of the General Assembly with a regular majority of votes, donated to an organisation with a similar purpose.
The disbanding of the organisation can only take place if two third of the members is present and at least four fifth agrees with this decision. If the number of required people to be present or represented is not obtained, a second General Assembly is possible, at least 15 days after the first General Assembly, which decides lawfully regardless of the number of present people or representatives, while the four fifth majority of votes remains a requirement.
Article 21.
For everything not explicitly described here, the law of June 27, 1921 remains applicable, as well as the modified nplo-law of May 2, 2002.
Article 22.
Written and approved with unanimous vote on the founding meeting, in eight copies, of which every member receives one copy. Three copies are destined for the Government of the Belgian State Paper, and the last copy is destined for the register of decisions of the General Assembly.
Done in Antwerp, May 27, 2006.
David Dom, chairman Jenni Heiden, secretary Hans Roggeman, procurator