International Association of Press Clubs

Article 1- Constitution
Under the denomination of the International Association of Press Clubs, an association of Press Clubs subscribing to the said association on a voluntary basis has been constituted in Dubai on January 6, 2002. Founding members of the International Association of Press Clubs" are: Dubai Press Club, European Federation of Press Clubs, Press Club de France, Geneva Press Club, The Malta Press Club, Press Club Concordia - Vienna, London Press Club, Singapore Press Club, Foreign Correspondent's Club, Hong Kong.

Article -2 Scope
The geographical scope of the association's activities shall be worldwide and incorporate Europe via the European Federation of Press Clubs.

Article 3- Registered Office
The association's registered office shall be designated by the General Assembly for the duration of one year and based on the principle of rotation between IAPC members. The Assembly shall determine the order of rotation. The IAPC hosting the registered office of the association shall hold the Chairmanship of the association throughout this period.

Article 4 - Object
The primary objective of the association shall be to foster dialogue, cooperation and an exchange of practical experience and ideas between IAPC members. It shall also aim to render services and facilities of each IAPC member more easily accessibility to its fellow members.

The International Association of Press Clubs shall likewise seek to :

•	Uphold the ethics of journalism and free access and distribution of information in the spirit of prevailing constitutional charters, parliamentary resolutions and international conventions.
•	Broaden the services and mutual advantages between IAPC members.
•	Develop and facilitate information exchange with political, economic, social and cultural institutions, and with the world of communications across the world.
•	Set up links with other Press Clubs and International Press Centers particularly via the Internet.
•	Promote the language and culture specific to the various member countries of the International Association of Press Clubs.

Article 5 - Admission
Member status shall be held by all Press Clubs that shall have applied for membership and been approved by the Executive Board on the sole condition that they shall accept and adhere to the present articles of association.

Candidate IAPC members should seek to provide a minimum service infrastructure such as :
• Press Conference Room
• PC's with access to the Internet
• Adequate communication facilities
• Recreation area

Associate member status may be attributed to International / Foreign Press Centers who have applied for membership and whose qualifications shall comply with the aims and principles of IAPC. However associate member status shall not entail a voting right and shall not enable representatives to hold elected office within the association. However associate members may take part in ad hoc committees.

Article 6 - Rules of Procedure
The IAPC shall have no say either in the organization or the activities of Press Club members as long as they comply with the aims and principles of the IAPC.

The association shall remain neutral with regard to political, religious ideology or support for any given faction.

Journalists accredited by each associate PC or IPC member of the International Association of Press Clubs shall have the right to use the services of actual PC or IPC members. The sole formality shall be that journalists show their accreditation issued by the PC or IPC to which they belong. The issuer of the said accreditation shall testify to the holder's status as a journalist.

When using the facilities of the PC-IPC members, visiting journalists shall be required to accept the operating procedure of each PC-IPC, and shall cover any expenses incurred through the use of the services and facilities placed at their disposal.

Businesses that are members of the PC shall be eligible to use the services and facilities of the PC belonging to the association, in accordance with the operating regulations of the latter.

Businesses shall be required to submit a letter issued by the PC-IPC to which they belong or show the membership ID card testifying to their membership status.

Article 7 - Subscription Fees
Member PC as well as associate members shall be called upon to contribute an annual subscription fee of US $ 300/-.

Article 8 - Loss of membership
Membership status shall be forfeited in the following cases :

1.	Those members having tendered their resignation in writing to the General Secretary.
2.	Those members whose exclusion shall have been announced by the Executive Board with due cause, or serious ground, following a hearing of those concerned. The grounds for exclusion shall be rendered public solely at the request of the expelled party.
3.	Those members struck off the register by the Executive Board on the grounds of non-payment of fees within three months after the payment deadline.

The Executive Board shall adopt decisions concerning the loss of membership status. The Assembly shall ratify the resolution, but the latter shall take effect on the basis of the decision taken by the Executive Board.

Article 9 - Appeal
Any decision adopted under Article 8, Paragraphs 2 and 3 shall be eligible for appeal before the General Assembly, which shall issue the final ruling.

Article 10 - Financial Year
The Association's financial year shall commence January 1st and close December 31st of each year.

Article 11 - General Assembly
All members of the Forum whose subscription fees shall have been duly paid shall constitute the General Assembly. The General Assembly shall be the sovereign body of the association.

Article 12 - Organization of the General Assembly
The General Assembly shall be given notice of meeting in writing by the President. It shall convene at least once a year and as often as shall be in the Association's interest. It shall convene at the request of the Executive Board or half of the members plus one. The ordinary General Assembly shall be held in the place chosen by the President of the International Association of Press Clubs, no more than 15 months after the preceding ordinary General Assembly.

Article 13 - President
The President shall preside over the General Assembly and the Executive Board meetings. The President shall guarantee that their decisions are enforced, shall manage and monitor the general running of the Association, which he/she will represent legally and in all acts of civil.

Article 14 - Vice President
The Vice President shall replace the President in his/her functions in the event that the latter is unable to do so. The Vice President shall organize areas of activity for which they have remit. They shall Chair the ad hoc committees set up by the Executive Board. The elected Vice-President will move to the position of the President after holding office for one year.

Article 15 - General Secretary
The General Secretariat will have its permanent base in the founding press club of Dubai, UAE. (Dubai Press Club). The General Secretary shall manage the General Secretariat, assisting the President and the Vice President in their work. The General Secretary shall draw up reports of meetings and deal with correspondence. Delegated by the Executive Board, he/she shall see to the general running of the Association and its various activities and shall co-ordinate the various committees.

He/She shall keep a register of the names and addresses of the Association's representatives and members and shall be responsible for sending out notices of meeting with location and dates thereof. The General Secretary's books and registers may be consulted at all times by representatives of the IAPC.

He/She shall perform the function of Treasurer. Delegated by the President, he/she shall draw up the budget and keep the association's accounts. The funds will be used by the elected President for organizing the General Assembly or by the special request of the Executive Board.

Article 16 - Funds
The Association's funds shall comprise :

•	Members fees, in line with the rate set by the articles and, subsequently by the Executive Board
•	Subsides which may be allocated to it by public, government or international bodies, foundations or private institutions, with a view to enabling it to achieve its avowed goals.

The Reserve fund shall comprise :

•	Capital from savings on the annual budget. Capital shall be so used, in accordance with decisions by the General Assembly or the executive Board, with a view to achieving the Forum's goals.
•	Proceeds from any events it might organized.

Article 17 - Amendments to Articles of Association
Any proposal to amend the present articles must be put before the General Assembly, which shall rule in extraordinary session with a qualified majority of ¾ of all active members, registered with the Association, and having duly paid their subscription fees, present or represented.

Article 18 - Winding Up
The Voluntary dissolution of the IAPC can be determined, by the General Assembly only, sitting in extraordinary session, with a qualified majority of ¾ of its active members registered with the federation, having duly paid their fees, present or represented.

Any funds remaining after liquidation shall be evenly distributed among those members.