By-Laws

Rules of procedure for the election of the members of the Board of the European Society of International Law

1. Legal basis
The rules governing the election of Board members implementing Article 14, paragraph 2. of the Constitution of the European Society of International Law (henceforth: the Society) are as follows:

2. Eligibility
Any member of the Society who has been a member for at least a year is eligible to become a member of the Board. An active knowledge of one of the official languages of the Society and at least a passive knowledge of the other is required.

3. Nomination
Persons may be nominated either jointly or separately by two other members of the Society. Nominations must be in writing. Electronic data communication is considered to be in written form. Nominations have to be addressed to the incumbent Board and must arrive 90 days before the day of the election.

4. Content of the nomination
The nomination must include data which make the nominee unequivocally identifiable, a short justification of the nomination explaining why the nominee would particularly well represent the Society and its purposes, and a statement made by the nominating person(s) confirming that the nominee has approved the nomination.

5. Candidate status
Those enjoying the support of at least one third of the members of the incumbent Board are to be put on vote and become candidates. The Board members may express their approval or disapproval by any means of communication to the Secretary General.

6. Publication of the list of candidates
The list of the candidates, along with their 150 word self-description in both languages is to be published on the website of the Society not later than 15 days before the election date.

7. Late nomination
As a rule nominations arriving after the deadline will be disregarded unless the Board decides to the contrary, or the General Assembly approves by a 75% majority of those present and voting, the adding of lately nominated persons' names to the list of candidates on the ballot.

8. The ballot-sheet
The ballot sheet lists the names of the candidates in alphabetical order. No additional information may be added, except for the Board’s support of a candidate and the fact that the candidate is up for election or re-election.
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9. Introduction of the candidates
The Board may decide that, before taking the ballot, the candidates be given a very short time to introduce themselves and their envisaged contribution to the Board's activities.

10. Organization of the election
As a rule the election takes place at the general meeting of the General Assembly. The Secretary General of the Society is responsible for the orderly execution of the election, including the counting of the votes and communicating the result to the Board. In case there is no functioning Secretary General the Board takes over his duties.

11. The procedure
The election takes place by secret ballot. The general rules on quorum (Article 12 paragraph 3 of the Constitution) and on voting by proxy (Article 10 paragraph 4 of the Constitution) apply. Votes are only valid if the number of persons voted for on the sheet does not exceed the number of vacancies to be filled.

12. New and re-elected members
Elected to the Board are those candidates who receive the most votes until the number of vacancies are filled. Should such an elected member, immediately after the announcement, declare that s/he is unable or unwilling to function as a Board member, the nominee with the next highest number of votes is considered to be elected.

13. First meeting of the Board
Whenever possible, the newly elected Board members, together with those continuing their function, will hold their first meeting immediately after the General Assembly.

14. Transitional rules
Preceding the 2006 elections, transitional rules will apply. Accordingly, the requirement of a full year's membership for eligibility (rule 2) does not apply and the deadline for nominations is not 90 but 21 days (amending rule 3).