Statutes

(version 02.06.2002)

§ 1 Name, Place, Business Year

1. The association bears the name "Freie Zone". It shall be entered in the register of associations. Upon registration the name will be 
   Freie Zone e.V. (e.V. = registered association)
2. The seat of the association is Munich.
3. Business Year of the association is according the calendar year.

§ 2 Purpose, Tasks, Not for Profit

1. Purpose of the association is to inform the public about the philosophies of cognition especially the philosophy of L. Ron Hubbard as well as about organizations working in this field.
   The association emphatically differentiates itself from the official and unofficial organizations of the Church of Scientology. The members of the association do not agree with their practice as well as their interpretation of the philosophy of L. Ron Hubbard.
2. The association follows exclusively and directly purposes of a nonprofit making character as per paragraph "purposes carrying tax privileges" of the tax law. The purpose of the Articles is attained especially by:
1. Organization of lectures and events
2. Establishment of information centers for the public, press and interested persons
3. Writing and editing of own publications
4. national and international contact and cooperation with organizations as well as religious groups following similar objectives.
5. Public Relations
3. The association acts in an unselfish way. It does not mainly follow purposes of profit making character.
4. Financial means of the association may only be used in accordance with the statutes. The members do not receive any monetary allowances from the association. No person may benefit from expenses not in accordance with the purpose of the statutes nor from excessive remuneration.
5. In case of disbandment or dissolution of the association or in case of cessation of the existing purpose, the means of the association devolve upon a corporation under public law or upon other non-profit organization which must use these means solely and directly for the purposes as per § 2 of these Statutes. 

§ 3 Membership Acquisition

1. The association consists of:
1. Full Members
2. Subscribing / supporting members
3. Honorary Members
2. Each natural or juristic person with full legal capacity in Germany or abroad can become a member of the association provided that the person is not a member of an organization working actively against the goals of the association.
3. Membership acquisition must follow with a written application for admission (by letter, telefax or email) that shall be addressed to the board of directors.
4. The board approves membership admission on its own discretion. In the case of refusal of the application the board is not obligated to inform the applicant about the reasons.
5. The board may propose honorary life members to be appointed by the members at the annual meeting.

§ 4 Ending of Membership

1. The membership ends by leaving the association, exclusion or death.
2. Leaving the association requires a written notice (by letter, telefax or email) addressed to the board. Leaving is only possible at the end of a business year with two months prior notice.
3. A member can be expelled from the association by a majority vote of all board members.
   The decision of the board should be sent to the member in written form stating the reasons. All members must be informed about the expulsion.
   The board decides on its own discretion to proclaim the reasons or not.

§ 5 Membership Dues

1. The members are charged an admission fee, an annual subscription and an apportionment of costs.
2. Amount and due date of the admission fee, annual subscription and apportionment of costs are fixed by the board.
3. Honorary members are exempt from subscription and apportionment of costs.
4. The board can by resolution partly remit or grant a respite in the payment of fees, contributions and apportionment of costs in appropriate cases.

§ 6 Rights and Duties of the Members

1. All members have the right to actively take part in the realization of the statutes' purpose within the scope of their assigned duties.
2. The members are allowed to use the facilities and equipment of the association as well as to participate in the events organized by the association.
3. The members must respect within the scope of their activity in the association all contribution-, house- and other rules fixed by the board.

§ 7 Organs of the Association

Organs of the association are the board, the senate and the general assembly of members.

§ 8 The Board

1. The board of the association consists as per § 26 BGB (German Civil Code) of the president, the vice-president and the treasurer.
2. The association is represented by two members of the board. The power of representation of two members is limited in such a way that for legal transactions with a value over EUR 2.500 the votes of all board members are required.

§ 9 Responsibility of the Board

The board is responsible for all matters of the association unless they have been delegated to another organ of the association as per the statutes. The duties of the board are:

1. to prepare and convoke the general assembly of members and to set up the agenda
2. to carry out the resolutions decided by the meeting of members
3. accounting and presentation of the annual report
4. admission of members
5. exclusion of members
6. assessment of the membership dues
7. issue of contribution-, house and other rules not forming an integral part of the statutes.
8. to decide legal transactions with a value over EUR 2.500.

§ 10 The Board's Election and Terms of Office

1. The board is elected by the general assembly of members for the period of 2 years, calculated from the beginning of the election. The board, however, holds office until the new election. Each member of the board has to be elected individually. Only full members of the association can be elected as members of the board. The senate has the sole right of nomination. Upon leaving the association the office of a board member automatically terminated.
2. Should a board member prematurely leave the association, the senate can elect a successor for the remaining time in office.

§ 11 Meetings and Resolutions of the Board

1. The board decides in meetings convened by the president or in the case of his disability by the vice-president. The agenda is to be announced. A summoning of one week shall be observed.
2. The board is competent to pass a resolution, if at least three of its members are present. Resolutions are decided by the majority of the valid votes cast, unless otherwise determined in the statutes. In the event of a tie the president or in his absence the vice-president, shall have the casting vote.
3. The board can decide in written proceedings, (by letter, telefax or email) if all members of the board agree to the subject of the resolution.

§ 12 Senate

1. The Senate advises the board in all matters of managing the association and is - with the exception of the first election of the board at the time of establishment - solely entitled to nominate the members of the board.
2. The Senate consists of five full members with the longest membership. In the event of equal affiliation of several members, the president or in his absence the vice-president decides by drawing lots.
3. The Senate elects a senatorial spokesman from among its members. He convenes the meetings of the Senate and decides in the event of a tie. The Senate is competent to pass a resolution, if at least three of its members are present.

§ 13 General assembly of members

1. Each full member of the general assembly of members has one valid vote. Only a full member can be authorized in writing (by letter, telefax or email) to execute the right to vote for another full member.
   The authorization must be given separately for each general assembly. A member, however, shall not represent more than three other votes.
2. The responsibilities of the general assembly of members are:
• to elect and dismiss the members of the board
• to accept the board's annual report and to discharge the board
• to pass resolutions regarding changes in the statutes and the disbandment of the association
• to nominate honorary members

§ 14 Convocation of the general assembly of members

1. Every 2 years, if possible during the first quarter, the general assembly of the full members takes place. It shall be convened by the board (by letter, telefax or email) with an observance of a fixed period of four weeks and by stating the agenda. The fixed period begins with the day following the mailing date of the invitation letter. The invitation is considered to be received by the member when it has been sent to the last written address (by letter, telefax or email) from the member to the board. The agenda is determined by the board.
2. Each full member has the right to propose in writing (by letter, telefax or email) to the board an addendum to the agenda at the latest one week before the general meeting. The leader of the assembly must give notice of the addendum the beginning of the meeting. Addendums suggested during the general meeting will be decided on by the general assembly.
3. Subscribing members and honorary members attend in an advisory capacity only.

§ 15 Special Meeting of Members

A special meeting of members is to be convened by the board if it is required by the interest of the association or if one-tenth of the full members applies for it in written form (by letter, telefax or email) stating the purpose and the reasons.

§ 16 Resolutions of the General Assembly of Members

1. The general assembly of members is leaded by the president or in his absence the vice-president takes over this task. In the event of elections an election committee can be assigned for leading the assembly during the ballot and the preceding discussion.
2. At the beginning of the general meeting the leader of the assembly determines a person to take down the minutes.
   The minutes of meeting must be signed by the keeper of the minutes and the leader of the assembly.
3. The leader of the assembly will determine the style of voting. The vote shall ensue in written form if this is required by a third of the present members with a valid vote.
4. The meeting of members is competent to pass a resolution if at least half of the full members are present or represented by a power of attorney according to § 13 (1). In case of absence of a quorum, the board is obligated to convene another meeting of members within four weeks and to set up the same agenda.
5. In general the meeting of members passes resolutions by a simple majority of the valid votes. Abstentions are invalid votes. A majority of nine-tenths, however, is required to change the statutes or respectively to dissolve the association.
6. A candidate who during the elections has received more than one half of the casted, valid votes is elected. Should no candidate receive more than half of the valid votes, a decisive ballot shall take place between the two candidates having received the majority of votes. The candidate receiving the majority of votes is elected. In the case of a tie, the leader of the assembly decides by drawing lots.

§ 17 Disbandment of the Association

1. The disbandment of the association can only be decided by a nine-tenths majority of the valid votes. (§ 15 (5)).
2. Should the meeting of the members not decide anything else, the president and the vice-president are the authorized liquidators.
3. When the liquidation is terminated, the association's assets devolve upon a corporation under public law or other non-profit organization. (§ 2 (5))
4. The aforementioned regulations apply mutatis mutandis if the association is dissolved by other reasons or if it loses its legal capacity.

§ 18 Domicile, Place of Jurisdiction, Liability

1. The domicile and the place of jurisdiction for all matters of the association is Munich, Germany.
2. The association and its members are liable for the members of the association in principle only in case of gross negligence and wrongful intent - as far as this restriction is permitted by law.

The German version of the statutes is binding for all legal matters of the association.