BY - LAWS of the IMU

I. Administration

1. The General Assembly shall meet as provided in the in the Statutes. Notice of special meetings shall be dispatched to the Adhering Organizations at least six months in advance.

2. The Executive Committee, the Adhering Organizations, and the Commissions of the Union may propose business to be transacted at meetings of the General Assembly. Such proporsals shall reach the Secretary at least four months before the meeting at which they are to be considered.

3. The agenda for a meeting of the General Assembly shall be dispatched by the Executive Committee to the Adhering Organizations at least three months before the meeting at which they are to be considered. A question which has not been put upon the agenda may be discussed, but shall not be put to the vote unless a proposal to that effect be approved by a majority of the total number of votes assigned to the members.

4. The President with the approval of the Executive Committee may invite any person to participate in a meeting of the General Assembly for purposes of consultation upon specific items on the agenda, but such an invited participant shall have no vote.

5. The General Assembly shall

(a) admit or reject organizations in the manner laid down in the Statutes;

(b) elect the Officers of the Union and the Members at large of the Executive Committee;

(c) estasblish the Commissions of the Union, determine their terms of reference and elect their Chairmen; and elect also representaives of the Union on Joint Commissions formed in cooperation with other international organizations;

(d) examine and establish the regular budget and propose the projetcs which shall be financed independently of general expediture, in accordance with the Statutes of the Union;

(e) receive and consider reports form the Executive Committee and from Commissions of the Union;

(f) determine the calendar of its ordinary meetings;

(g) prescribe rules under which the Executive Committee may initiate and conduct postal ballots among the members of the Union during periods between meetings of the General Assembly;

(h) prescribe rules for the representation of the Union on the International Council of Scientific Unions;

(i) take such other actions as are necessary in the exercise of its authority under the Statutes and these By-Laws.

6. The Executive Committee shall present an annual report on its activities and those of the Union to each Adhering Organization and shall also report on its activities and those of the Union at each ordinary meeting of the General Assembly. The report to the General Assembly shall be dispatched by the Secretary to the Adhering Organizations at least two months before the meeting at which it is to be received.

7. The Executive Committee shall meet on the call of the President. The quorum for the transaction of its business shall consist of five voting members. The Executive Committee may conduct its business by postal ballot.

II. President and Vice-President

8. The President is Chairman of the General Assembly and of the Executive Committee. In his absence his place shall be taken by one of the Vice-Presidents. He is an ex-officio member of all Commissions of the Union. In specific cases he may delegate this responsability to some other member of the Executive Commitee.

III. Secretary

9. The Secretary is responsible for conducting the ordinary business of the Union and for keeping its records; and he shall act as Treasurer subject to the proviso of Statute 17. At least once every four years the members of the Union shall obtain from the Executive Committee an audit of the accounts.

IV. Commissions of the Union

10. The Commissions of the Union which mayfrom time to time be established by the members of the Union by postal ballot or at a meeting of the General Assembly, may coopt additional members, and shall generally have full freedom in arranging their own internal structure and work within the framework of the Statutes and By-Laws of the Union. If special funds are provided for their use, they may make their own financial arrangements, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee.

11. The Chairman of each Commission, or in the case of Joint Commissions one representative designated for that purpose, shall forward records of all meetings of the Commission to the Secretary and shall report on the activities of the Commission to the General Assembly. The reports of Comissions to the General Assembly shall reach the Secretary at least three months before the meeting at which they will be received and shall be dispatched by him to the Adhering Organizations at least two months before that meeting.

V. Finance

12. The Executive Committee shall prepare financial reports and budget estimates for the consideration of the General Assembly at each of its ordinary meetings, covering in its reports the period between the immediately preceding ordinary meeting and the meeting at which they are to be received, and covering in its estimates the period between the meeting at which they are received and the next following ordinary meeting. These reports and estimates shall be dispatched by registered mail to the Adhering Organizations at least three months before the meeting at which they are to be received, or by registered air mail at least six weeks before that meeting.

VI. Authoritative Texts

13. The English, French and Russian texts of the By-Laws shall be considered as equally authoritative.


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