Article I

 

Name

An Association is founded by those adhering to the following articles.

It is regulated according to the French law dated July 1, 1901 and to the Order dated August 16, 1901.

The name of the Association is Organisation mondiale d'Etudes Spécialisées pour les maladies de l'Oesophage, World Organization for Specialized Studies on Diseases of the Esophagus, hereinafter called OESO.

 

 

Article II

 

Head Office

The Head Office is located in Paris (France).

The location of the Head Office is: 2 boulevard Pershing - 75017 Paris (France).

 

 

Article III

 

Purposes

1. To assemble, in any country of the world, clinicians, as well as researchers, in all disciplines dealing with the esophagus, esophagology, and esophageal disease.
2. To initiate and coordinate joint multicenter polydisciplinary studies in the above fields, for the purposes of clinical, as well as fundamental research.
3. To evaluate new means for investigating the esophagus and new therapeutic modalities for benign and malignant esophageal diseases or functional disorders of the esophagus.
4. To organize congresses, courses or seminars focusing on one particular aspect of esophageal disease.
5. To publish encyclopedic books, brochures, and scientific articles in this field.
6. To contribute to the dissemination of knowledge by providing access to scientific information through all available means of communication, including the Internet.
7. To thus contribute to Continuing Medical Education in the fields of esophageal physiology, esophageal dysfunction, or esophageal diseases and their treatments, medical, endoscopic, or surgical.
8. To provide access to multidisciplinary expertise for information on diagnosis or treatment of esophageal diseases, by all available means of communication, including the Internet.
9. To be positioned among various international Organizations such as, UNESCO (United Nations Education, Science, and Culture Organization) and WHO (World Health Organization), as a structure for in-service medical training.
10. To cooperate with all scientific Societies, surgical or gastroenterological, in the undertaking of multicenter studies, or in the conception of educational programs.
11. To integrate its various activities in the development of the worldwide network of the OESO Foundation (Health Operating Polydisciplinary Expertise Services), stemming from an original OESO concept.

 

 

 

Article IV

 

Special provisions

Section 1: OESO is a not-for-profit organization.

The resources of OESO comprise the membership dues, subsidies and donations granted to the organization, capital inflow from excess of revenue over expenditures in the annual budget or from performance of services, and income derived from publication of scientific material.

The private property of the members and employees shall not be subject to the payment of corporate debts to any extent whatsoever.

Section 2: The Association is established for a period of 99 years from the day of its founding.

Section 3: The day to day scientific management will be entrusted to a Permanent Scientific Committee comprising representatives from various disciplines relating to esophagology.

OESO shall vest its general management in a Board of Trustees and in Officers, all coming from the Permanent Scientific Committee.

The composition, authority, and manner of selecting the Board of Trustees and the Permanent Scientific Committee shall be specified in the Bylaws.

Section 4: A Representation of OESO shall be set up in the five continents, having the capacity after approval of the Board of Trustees, to implement the aims of OESO (Article III) in accordance with the laws in force in the countries concerned, and to collect grants or donations intended for its own activities, as well as to those of OESO.

Section 5: Upon termination, dissolution, or winding up of OESO, any assets that remain after payment or provision for payment of all its liabilities, debts, and obligations shall be distributed by the Board of Trustees only to one or more charitable, educational, scientific, or philanthropic organizations.

Under no circumstances shall any assets be distributed to any member of OESO.

Section 6: The Bylaws may be amended as provided therein.

Section 7: A Statutory Auditor, appointed for a three-year renewable period by the General Assembly on the proposal of the Board of Trustees, will be in charge of auditing the accounts.

 

 

 

Article V

 

Membership

OESO shall consist of Active and Honorary members.

The rights, powers, and other conditions of membership shall be as stated in the Bylaws.

 

 

Article VI

 

General Assembly

OESO shall have a General Assembly once each year. It will assemble the members to hear reports on OESO activities, to elect members of the Board of Trustees, to appoint the Statutory Auditor, to amend this document, and to take other action as may be authorized pursuant to the Bylaws.

 

 

Article VII

 

Amendments

This Constitution may be amended by vote of the members.

Every proposed amendment shall be submitted to the Board of Trustees at least 60 days before the annual Meeting over the signature of at least five Members for consideration and recommendation by the Board before submission of the amendment to the members.

Notice of any such amendment, together with the Board's recommendation, shall be mailed to each member of OESO at least 30 days before the annual meeting.

To be adopted, an amendment must be approved by at least three-fourths of the Members voting or represented at the General Assembly.