3.1 Membership of the EMA is open to all Master Masons who are in good standing with a Lodge within a European Constitution which is in fraternal accord with and recognised by the United Grand Lodge of England
3.2 All new members must be proposed and seconded.
4.1 All applications for membership of the EMA should be submitted to the Secretary through the respective country representative. Applications may be sent direct to the secretary, .who will enquire of the applicant.
4.2 All applications for membership must include the name and number of the applicants Lodge and Constitution to which it is attached .
4.3 The Secretary will submit all membership applications received by him to the next Meeting of the members where each application will be discussed and voted upon. by show of hands, a simple majority deciding.
4.4 The Speaker may order a secret ballot.
4.5 An application for membership may be rejected without disclosing the reasons.
4.6 Members of the Executive Committee have the right to veto applications submitted.
If such a veto is exercised, the application cannot be proceeded with and will not be submitted to the meeting of the members so long as the Veto is upheld.
8.2 The Executive Committee shall be convened by the Speaker and meet, if necessary during the Regular EMA Meetings in the Spring and Autumn of each year.
8.3 The members of the Executive Committee shall hold office for ONE year. They may be re-elected.
8.4 The Speaker.
Will represent the EMA in all external relations and will have sole signing authority in all matters concerning the EMA.
He will be responsible for managing the affairs of the EMA, to the extent that these are not specifically assigned to any other member of the Executive Committee.
8.5 The Deputy Speaker.
Will assume the duties of the Speaker in the absence of the Elected Speaker or should the Elected Speaker be prevented from carrying out his duties.
He will represent the EMA in all external relations, in the Absence of the Elected Speaker. he shall have Joint signing authority together with the Speaker and /or The Secretary.
8.6 Three nominated / appointed Assistant Speakers. (Approved April 2009)
8.7 The Secretary.
Will prepare the items to be submitted to the meeting of Members.
Maintain the Register of Members.
Submit all applications for membership together with the corresponding recommendations of the Executive Committee to the meeting of Members.
Maintain and keep the Minutes of all Meetings.
Responsible for all correspondence of and pertaining to the EMA, after due consultation with the Speaker.
For such correspondence he shall have sole signing authority.
He may only make commitments on behalf of the EMA jointly with the Speaker.
He may reclaim all reasonable expenses incurred on behalf of the EMA.
8.8 The Treasurer
Will be responsible for collecting all membership dues and for settling all EMA Commitments to Third Parties.
Maintain all Bank Accounts as agreed by the Members and deposit all monies received on behalf of the EMA into those Accounts.
He will keep the Accounts of the Association and establish Annual Statements at the end of each calendar year.
He will cause to be circulated an Annual Balance Sheet at the Annual Members meeting in the Spring of each year .
He must keep all vouchers, receipts and all other documents necessary for the Annual Audit and ensure they are available to the Auditors.
In purely financial matters, he shall represent the EMA towards and with our agreed Bankers and will have sole signing authority.
9.1 The meeting of the Members is the highest authority of the EMA. It shall decide finally on all matters concerning the EMA.
9.2 The Meeting of the Members shall be responsible for the following:
The election of the Executive Committee.
The admission of new Members.
The Exclusion of Members.
Fixing of Admission Fees.
Fixing of Annual Membership Fees.
Amending the By Laws.
Deciding on the Dissolution of the EMA.
9.3 The required quorum for a Meeting of the Members shall be fifteen members.
9.4 All votes and resolutions at a Meeting of the Members shall be carried by a simple majority of the Members present. The Speaker shall have the casting vote.
9.5 The exception to 9.4 above is made in the case of a change to the By Laws when a majority of two thirds of the Members present shall be required.
All votes and elections will normally be by a show of hands. The Speaker may order a Secret Ballot.
Each Member shall have one vote.
9.6 The Speaker will vote as normal in the event of a tie he may have a Casting Vote.
10.1 Each Country represented within the EMA may have a maximum of three delegates with full voting rights.
The members of each country represented shall appoint the Delegates for their country.
If a member delegate be appointed as an Assistant Speaker He shall automatically become one of the representatives from that respective Country.
10.2 The International Delegates will represent the Interests of their respective Countries within the Organisation
10.3 A meeting of the International Representatives may be Convened at any time.
10.4 The required quorum for a meeting of International Delegates shall be 25% of all the Registered International Delegates
10.5 All resolutions agreed by a meeting of the International Delegates must be formerly approved and adopted at a full meeting of the Members at the Spring or Autumn Meeting. No such resolution can be adopted unless first approved by and voted upon by the Members
11.1 Two Auditors shall be elected from the Membership of the EMA
11.2 The Appointed Auditors will undertake a formal and substantive audit of the Associations Accounts Annually at the end of the financial year. (December)
11.3 The Auditors will submit a report and recommendations to a meeting of The Members at the Spring Meeting each year. (AGM)
The report must be submitted to the Secretary at least four weeks before the meeting at which it is to be discussed and voted upon.
11.4 Acceptance and approval of the Auditors Report at the AGM will be deemed to discharge the Treasurer and the Executive Committee from any liability.
The auditors will be elected annually. Auditors may be re-elected.
12.1 The Members shall meet regularly twice a year, in the Spring (AGM) and the Autumn.
The Speaker can, if necessary convene additional , extraordinary meetings.
The places and dates of meetings shall be fixed in advance by the Meeting of Members.
The Meetings will be allocated alternately among the European Countries within the EMA, but without any fixed precedent.
12.2 The Spring Meeting will in principle be the AGM where all currant affairs, elections and financial matters, approving expenditure and regulating Annual and Joining Fees ,will be dealt with.
New Members may be admitted at any meeting Urgent matters may be dealt with at any meeting.
12.3 All Members Meetings are held with in the framework of a week-end gathering to which all members of the Association and their families are invited.
The prime function of the gatherings is to further the aims of the Association as set out in clause 2.. To renew old and establish new Fraternal contacts and to widen Masonic Experience amongst the Members
The gatherings will always involve a Masonic element and a separate Social element.
All Meetings will be held without Ritual or Regalia.
12.4 In the event of there not being a Masonic Lodge Meeting for the Brethren to attend a suitable Lecture or Talk will be arranged.
13.2 All Members shall pay an Annual Subscription.
13.3 Annual Subscriptions fall due on 1st of January each year and are payable in advance.
Annual subscriptions that remain unpaid by the date of the Autumn Meeting will automatically trigger the Exclusion procedure (clause 6.1(b)) A member may be excluded after due notice.
Any Member whose Annual Subscription remains unpaid for two years will be excluded at the Spring Meeting.
14.1 The Meeting of Members may decide on the Dissolution of the EMA..
Dissolution must be proposed in due time before the Spring Meeting.
In the first instance, the Members shall only decide if the dissolution proposal will be discussed or not.
A valid decision on the dissolution of the EMA will only be made at the Spring Meeting the following year after every member has been served due notice of intent.
In the event of dissolution , any assets of the EMA shall be handed over to a Masonic Charity to be determined at the last meeting of the Members.
15.1 No alteration or changes to the aforementioned By Laws is permitted except as defined in clause 15.2.
15.2 Resolutions to change or amend the By Laws must be submitted to the Secretary and must be voted upon and approved by the members at the Spring Meeting. before any change can become effective.
ADOPTION
These By Laws were approved and adopted at a Meeting of the Members of the EMA on....28th April 2007 Dundee First Amendments approved 4th October 2008 (Widows)
All earlier versions of the By Laws are Cancelled
These By Laws become effective from the time of their approval and adoption.
16. 1 Widows of deceased members will be welcome to attemd all EMA gatherings.
16. 2 Widows will not be charged a single supplement for Single occupancy accommodation at any gathering of the EMA. Any surcharge will be met from the funds of the EMA.
(This only applies to Widows and does not cover other relatives and friends where Double Occupancy will be encouraged).