What is FEES? - Operating Rules Content

1. Name

Federation of European Ergonomics Societies (FEES)

2. Objectives

General

FEES is devoted to enhance the recognition of ergonomics contributing to economic development, to quality of life, to health and safety at work, and to social progress in European Countries.

Specific

1. to support - under the IEA umbrella - the development of ergonomics issues specifically related with the European region such as:
   • to enhance mutual communication between various European ergonomics societies
   • to encourage and facilitate contact and exchanges between ergonomists (educators, researchers and/or practitioners)
   • to organise and run European conferences about evolving ergonomics
2. to enable the good establishment of ergonomics in EU policy and programmes
3. to assist in the access to EU resources and facilities for ergonomics
4. to stimulate networking in the widest sense for ergonomics

3. Activities

Activities to support the development of ergonomics in Europe such as:

1. promoting ergonomics and networking with the EU
2. establishing scientifically and practically based professional networks
3. facilitating and supporting of European conferences, congresses, workshops etc. on ergonomics
4. promoting European wide activities related with education, certification and accreditation in co-operation with CREE.

4. Membership-categories

1. Federated FEES Members
2. Affiliated FEES Members

5. Definition of Members

1. Federated FEES Members: ergonomics societies in EU and/or EFTA-countries
2. Affiliated FEES Members: ergonomics societies in other European countries.

6. Qualifications for FEES-membership

For all categories identical to IEA Rules chapter 6/ Qualifications for Membership items 1 to 4.

7. Organisational Structure FEES

Governing body is the FEES Council consisting of representatives of both categories member. All major decisions are taken by FEES Council.

Decisions should be consistent with IEA policy. The day-to-day administration is executed by the FEES Executive Committee.

8. FEES-Council

The FEES Council meets at least once a year, usually by rotational order within Europe. Each member - whatsoever category - is represented by one representative and one vote at the FEES Council. Both member categories have voting right.

FEES Executive Committee members are members of the Council, without voting right unless they are a FEES-councillor. IEA Executive Committee members are allowed to attend the FEES Council, however without voting right.

9. Task of FEES Council

1. to determine general policy
2. to elect the FEES Executive Committee
3. to set membership dues

10. Executive Committee FEES

Comprising at least of

1. chairman
2. secretary
3. treasurer

Representatives of the Brussels Task Force may attend the Executive Committee meetings as non-voting participants.

The terms of office for Executive Officers are nominally 3 years in phase with the “FEES Council with Elections”. The maximum service is two terms for all 3 offices.

11. Election of FEES Executive Committee members

The Executive Committee is appointed by the FEES Council by a prescribed procedure, which is as follows:

1. To be eligible for office candidates must be members of a federated or affiliated society of FEES.
2. At least six months prior to the “FEES Council with elections”, the secretary will invite all FEES-member societies to make formal nominations for the FEES Executive Officers to be received by the secretary 2 months prior to Council meeting. This invitation will be sent to all FEES Council members and the secretaries of the member societies. The member societies nominating candidates must first determine their ability, availability and willingness to serve and attend the FEES meetings as necessary.
3. Six weeks prior to the “FEES Council with elections”, the secretary shall inform FEES Council members and secretaries of member societies of all nominations received.
4. Further nominations from the representatives of the federated or affiliated societies may be made prior to the elections for the specific office.
5. All nominated candidates must show, in written shape, their willingness to candidate.
6. Before voting for the particular office, all candidates for that office are invited to introduce themselves.
7. Voting shall be by secret ballot. Voting Council members may vote only for one eligible candidate. Election is decided by simple majority. In the event that a simple majority is not achieved, the candidate with the least votes shall be removed from the slate, and voting shall continue.
8. Officers shall be elected in the order provided below, unless Council votes to alter this order prior to the elections:
9. chairman
10. secretary
11. treasurer
12. After the election of an officer, the chairman may call for a short break in order to provide an opportunity for further nominations.
13. The chairman is responsible for the entire election process and must assure that the election is conducted according to these procedures. The chairman must control the number of eligible votes. In case the chairman is candidate the election process will be controlled by another member of the FEES Council, appointed by Council, not being a candidate.

12. Task of FEES Executive Committee

The main role of the Executive Committee is to manage the ongoing business (such as the promoting one and the web-site) and the (virtual) office. It will also have to deal with other day-to-day activities. It may need to be supported by working groups for specific issues.

13. Finances

1. Each member - whatsoever category - pays an annual fee, which will be used for the day-to-day expenses of FEES. Travel expenses for Executive Committee members could be reimbursed if needed.
2. The annual fee may be different for the various membership categories.
3. EU funding can be part of the annual budget.
4. Other sources.

Addendum on Finances

(accepted by the Council in 2006)

Non-payment of the whole annual fee for more than one year renders the FEES-member liable to termination of membership by the FEES-Council.

Addendum on Cash Control

(accepted by the Council in 2005)

Each year, the Council appoints two FEES Auditors, not necessarily members of the Council. The auditors' audit and report on the accounts of the past year submitted by the Treasurer.

Addendum Procedures

(accepted by the Council in 2005)

Policy for endorsing meetings and conferences by FEES

FEES may endorse a conference on ergonomics, organised by a FEES member society, an IEA - / but not FEES member or a professional association when it is considered to be appropriate by the FEES Executive. Therefore the Executive needs to have insight in the contents and organisation of such an event before a decision has been taken. FEES board will ask the meeting committee and the national society of its opinion if needed.

Organisers of an endorsed conference have to pay FEES a fixed fee as follows:

• FEES - member society: no fee;
• IEA - / but not FEES - member society: one time the regular registration fee for that endorsed conference;
• not IEA - / not FEES - member association: two times the regular registration fee for that endorsed conference.

The organisers of an endorsed conference are permitted to use the name and the logo of FEES in promotional and other material. They should identify the FEES endorsement as follows: 'Endorsed by the Federation of European Ergonomics Societies'. The organisers are allowed to give information about the endorsed conference on the FEES website. If the organisers wish they may ask FEES for support in the organisation of such an event. In that case FEES tries to react as quickly as possible to such a request.

The conference organisers should offer promotional opportunities to FEES and other incentives such as reduced costs of registration for FEES member societies. They should provide FEES with one copy of the conference proceedings, in printed or digital shape for use on the FEES web site as a link.

Requests for endorsement should be submitted to the FEES secretary together with sufficient background information about the event, in general not later than 6 months before the planned date of the event.

Policy towards commercial activities

FEES can take part and work together with organisers of different commercial activities like trade fairs etc. The aims of the trade or other commercial activity should be in line with the aims of FEES and should in general promote ergonomics and be in line with national society's activities. Direct promotion of products should not occur. In general it is recommended that in the commercial activity should be involved more than one partner if possible. In practice FEES has to ask the national society's opinion about the activity such as trade fair and act according to that.

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Page created 2003 - last revision 31.01.2008