BYLAWS OF THE DANISH CONSUMER COUNCIL (translation)
CHAPTER I
Name. Status
§ 1 The Danish Consumer Council is a non-profit organisation for consumer interests, independent of public authorities, trade, industry and political parties.
Purpose and Scope
§ 2 The purpose of the Danish Consumer Council is to promote the common good by safeguarding consumer interests through an active consumer policy. Its main tasks are as follows:
to work for the protection of the health and safety of consumers, for the rights and economic interests of consumers, as well as for their right to information and education.
to publish a consumer magazine for its members.
to convey consumer views to the parliament, public authorities, trade, industry, etc.
to contribute to consumer interests being represented in committees, commissions, councils, boards, etc. working on issues of relevance to consumers.
to conduct testing, research and informative activities within the framework of the tasks the Danish Consumer Council is working with.
to work for a strengthening of the position of consumers at the local level.
to work for the promotion of consumer education in the primary school and other educational institutions.
to co-operate with authorities, organisations, institutions etc. working with issues of relevance to consumers.
to co-operate with and influence trade and industry and their organisations, as well as
to co-operate with consumer organisations and similar institutions in other countries.
CHAPTER II
Members
§ 3 Members
The Danish Consumer Council is composed of organisations, local consumer groups, individual members and honorary members.
The members commit themselves, in their work with and for the Danish Consumer Council, to seek to promote consumer interests.
§ 4 Admissions
New member organisations can be admitted to the Danish Consumer Council with the right to appoint two representatives and two substitutes to the Council. Decisions on this should be taken at a meeting in the Council with a majority of at least two thirds of the votes cast.
Local consumer groups can be admitted as members of the Danish Consumer Council with the right to appoint representatives and substitutes to the Council. Detailed rules to this effect are established by the Council.
Individuals can become members of the Danish Consumer Council as individual members with the right to jointly appointing two representatives and two substitutes for the Council. Rules to this effect are established by the Council.
The Council may decide to appoint an honorary member of the Danish Consumer Council. The decision is taken at a meeting in the Council with a majority of at least two thirds of the votes cast. Honorary members attend Council meetings with the right to speak, but without the right to vote.
§ 5 Resignations
Notice of resignation from the Danish Consumer Council by member organisations and local consumer groups should be submitted in writing and can be effected without notice. Any subscription fee paid will not be refunded.
Individual members cease being members if they do not pay the subscription fee.
§ 6 Expulsion
Members of the Danish Consumer Council may, in case of obvious counteraction of the purpose and activities of the Danish Consumer Council, be expelled from the Danish Consumer Council. A decision in the Council must be taken by at least four fifths of the votes cast.
CHAPTER III
Management
§ 7 The Council
The supreme authority of the Danish Consumer Council is the Council, which determines the main guidelines for the consumer policy.
The Council consists, cf. § 4, of two representatives from each member organisation, representatives from the local consumer groups that are admitted to the Danish Consumer Council as well as two representatives for the individual members.
The Council establishes an order of business for its activities.
§ 8 The Executive Committee
The Council elects an Executive Committee, which is the supreme authority of the Danish Consumer Council in the time between Council meetings.
The Executive Committee is composed of a President, a Deputy President, a Treasurer and six other members. The members of the Executive Committee are elected for two years. The President and three members in even years, the Deputy President, the Treasurer and three members in odd years.
The President is elected among the members of the Danish Consumer Council, either among the persons entitled to attend the meeting or among the individual members.
Furthermore the Council elects three substitutes to the Executive Committee. The substitutes are elected for one year.
The detailed rules for the election procedure are incorporated into the order of business of the Council.
The Executive Committee appoints and dismisses those employed in the Secretariat. The detailed procedure is determined in the order of business of the Executive Committee, cf. § 8, subsection 8.
The Executive Committee determines the salaries for the main posts in the Secretariat of the Danish Consumer Council, as well as the guidelines for salaries of other employees in the Secretariat.
The Executive Committee adopts an order of business for its activities.
§ 9 The Secretariat
The Secretariat performs the daily activities on the basis of the guidelines and decisions agreed upon in the Council and the Executive Committee.
Detailed guidelines for the activities and organisation of the Secretariat are laid down by the Executive Committee.
§ 10 Committees
The Council and the Executive Committee can appoint committees to deal with special issues.
CHAPTER IV
§ 11 Subscription
The member organisations, the local consumer groups and individual members pay a subscription to the Danish Consumer Council. The subscription is fixed by the Council.
Apart from this the Danish Consumer Council can seek and receive economic support for its activities.
§ 12 Budget
The budget of the Danish Consumer Council is decided on by the Executive Committee and is presented to the Council for approval.
§ 13 Annual Reports
The financial year follows the calendar year. The Annual Report is audited by a chartered accountant, who is appointed by the Council.
The Annual Report is submitted to the Council for approval during the first half of the following financial year.
§ 14 Liability
No member is liable in excess of its subscription for claims that might be put forward subsequent to the activities of the Danish Consumer Council. For such claims and for other obligations the Danish Consumer Council alone is liable with its own assets.
§ 15 Signatures
The President and the head of the Secretariat are jointly empowered to sign on behalf of the Danish Consumer Council and enter into financial obligations. The power hereto can be delegated subsequent to the approval of the Executive Committee.
CHAPTER V
Changes of bylaws
§ 16 Proposals for changes in the bylaws of the Danish Consumer Council must be carried with a minimum of two thirds of the votes cast, whereupon the proposal must be submitted to the member organisations and local consumer groups of the Danish Consumer Council. The final adoption at the following Council meeting must be carried with a minimum of two thirds of the votes cast.
The proposal must be submitted to the organisations and local consumer groups which are members of the Danish Consumer Council not later than four weeks prior to this Council meeting.
Dissolution of the Danish Consumer Council
§ 17 Dissolution of the Danish Consumer Council can only be effected, if so is decided, with two thirds of the votes cast, at two successive Council meetings, held at least four weeks apart. In the event of the dissolution of the Danish Consumer Council, the assets are to be used for research and information benefiting consumers in Denmark. The Council decides on this in detail.
Adopted at the Council meeting on 30 April 1984.
Amendments of § 3, subsection 1, and § 5 and inclusion of a new subsection in § 4 adopted by the Council on 28 March 2003.
Amendments of the bylaws adopted by the Council on 13 November 2007.
