• Article 1 : Name
• Article 2 : Objectives
• Article 3 : Powers
• Article 4 : Membership
• Article 5 : Membership Withdrawal
• Article 6 : Officers
• Article 7 : Official Publications
• Article 8 : Meetings
• Article 9 : Committees
• Article 10 : Financial Year and year of Association
• Article 11 : Amendments
• Article 12 : Receipts and Expenditure
• Article 13 : Property
• Article 14 : Accounts
• Article 15 : Dissolution

Constitution

Adopted 29 June 1994

1.1 The Society shall be known as the European Society for Developmental Psychology or ESDP.

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2.1 The objectives of the Society are: the advancement of education throughout Europe for the public benefit into Developmental Psychology.

In furtherance of these objectives the Society shall be empowered:

1. to stimulate, support or conduct research on human development in the European context;
2. to promote scholarship and appropriate publications in this field;
3. to act as a European information exchange by any means considered appropriate;
4. to foster links with other national and international organisations with similar aims.

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3.1 In furtherance of the objects but not otherwise the Council may exercise the following powers:

1. power to raise funds and to invite and receive contributions provided that in raising funds the Council shall not undertake any substantial permanent trading activities and shall conform to any relevant requirements of the law;
2. power to buy, take on lease or in exchange any property necessary for the achievement of the objects and to maintain and equip it for use;
3. power subject to any consents required by law to sell, lease or dispose of all or any part of the property of the Charity;
4. power subject to any consents by law to borrow money and to charge all or any part of the property of the Charity with repayment of the money so borrowed;
5. power to employ such staff (who shall not be members of the Council) as are necessary for the proper pursuit of the objects and to make all reasonable and necessary provision for the payment of pensions and superannuation for staff and their dependants;
6. power to co-operate with other charities, voluntary bodies and statutory authorities operating in furtherance of the objects or of similar charitable purposes and to exchange information and advice with them;
7. power to establish or support any charitable trusts, associations or institutions formed for all or any of the objects;
8. power to appoint and constitute such advisory committees as the Council may think fit;
9. power to do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the achievement of the objects.

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4.1 Membership of the Society is open to individuals meeting the following criteria:

1. any individual having completed a university or equivalent training at degree level in an area relevant to the study of human development of a duration of at least 3 years;
2. or to those who are professionally occupied with or have published research that contributes to the understanding of human development.

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5.1 The Society reserves the right to withdraw membership for any of the reasons stated in the By-Laws.

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6.1 The elected officers of the Society shall be a President, a Past President, a President- Elect, a Secretary and Treasurer. The post of Secretary and Treasurer may be held by the same person.

6.2 The governing body of the Society shall be the Council comprising of a maximum of fifteen voting members. The Council shall consist of the Officers of the Society and nine members-at-large elected so as to reflect the regions of Europe and the diversity of the discipline but so that at all times there shall be at least one person who is resident in the United Kingdom. The Council may be extended to the maximum of fifteen members by co-opting additional members.

6.3 The Council shall be responsible for all aspects of policy and for the general supervision of the affairs of the Society. When the Council is not in session the officers on behalf of the Council or as delegated by the Council of the Society may make such rulings as are necessary subject to review by the Council.

6.4 A quorum of the Council requires a majority of its members.

6.5 The President of the Society shall chair the Council, and the Secretary of the Society shall be Secretary of the Council.

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7.1 The Society shall issue such regular or occasional publications as it deems necessary in the achievement of its purposes.

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8.1 The President shall call at least one Business Meeting of the Society each biennium at a time and place determined by the Council, normally this will coincide with the biennial conference of the Society. At the Business Meeting the officers of the Council shall report to the Society on its activities over the preceding two years and respond to the questions from the membership.

8.2 Special Meetings shall be held at any time upon call of the Council or upon the call of one fifth of the electorate of the Society. The Council shall determine the time and place of such Special Meetings. Resolutions to such meetings will be passed by an absolute majority of votes. In the event of a tied vote the President will have the casting vote.

8.3 Formal notice, in writing, for every regular or special Business Meeting and every resolution to be presented to the meeting shall be given to members of the Society no fewer than fifteen days before any such meeting and for any Special Meeting, such notice shall state the object or objects thereof.

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9.1 The Council may establish such Committees as may be necessary in the management of the affairs of the Society and may make the necessary appointments and regulations for their proceedings. Subject to any such regulations any committee so appointed shall conform generally to the regulations herein for the proceedings of the Council. Any such committee shall report all acts and proceedings to the Council as soon as possible and shall incur expenditure only within a budget approved by the Council or with special prior approval of the Council.

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10.1 The financial year and the year of association are the same as the calendar year.

10.2 The biennial reports are drawn up by the Council and will be submitted to the General Assembly at the biennial Business Meeting.

10.3 The Council will propose the annual or biennial subscription for ratification by a majority vote of those present at the General Assembly.

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11.1 The Constitution may be amended by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of those voting in a referendum submitted to the electorate of the Society.

11.2 Amendments may be proposed by the Council of by petition of at least one tenth of the electorate.

11.3 Any proposed amendments to the Constitution shall be transmitted to the electorate at least forty-five days prior to the vote on the amendment.

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12.1 The funds of the Charity, including all donations, contributions and bequests, shall be paid into an account operated by the Council in the name of the Charity at such bank as the Council shall from time to time decide. All cheques drawn on the account must be signed by at least two members of the Council.

12.2 The funds belonging to the Charity shall be applied only in furthering the objects.

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13.1 Subject to the provisions of sub-clause (13.2) of this clause, the Council shall cause the title to:

1. all land held or in trust for the Charity which is not vested in the Official Custodian for Charities; and
2. all investments held by or on behalf of the Charity;

to be vested either in a corporation entitled to act as custodian trustee or in not less than three individuals appointed by them as holding trustees. Holding trustees may be removed by the Council at their pleasure and shall act in accordance with the lawful directions of the Council. Provided they act only in accordance with the lawful directions of the Council, the holding trustees shall not be liable for the acts and defaults of its members.

13.2 If a corporation entitled to act as custodian trustee has not been appointed to hold the property of the Charity, the Council may permit any investments held by or in trust for the Charity to be held in the name of a clearing bank, trust corporation or any stockbroking company which is a member of the International Stock Exchange (or any subsidiary if any such stockbroking company) as nominee for the Council, and may pay such a nominee reasonable and proper remuneration for acting as such.

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14.1 The Council shall comply with their obligations under the Charities Act 1993 (or any statutory re-enactment of modification of that Act) with regard to:

1. the keeping of accounting records for the Charity;
2. the preparation of annual statements of account for the Charity;
3. the auditing or independent examination of the statements of account of the Charity; and
4. the transmission of the statements of account of the Charity to the Commissioners.
5. the Council shall also comply with their obligations under the Charities Act 1993 with regard to the preparation of an annual report and an annual return and their transmission to the Commissioners.

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15.1 The Society can be dissolved through a decision of a Special Meeting of the members in which case the provisions in Article 8, Sections 8.2 and 8.3 will be applied. At the same time as the decision to dissolve the Society, arrangements for disposing any credit balance must be agreed.

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