Constitution

HISTORY

The International Federation of Societies of Endoscopic Surgeons was established during the 3rd World Congress of Endoscopic Surgery in Bordeaux. In 1902 Here are the bye-laws, in which the objectives of the Society Memebers are clearly expressed.

BYE-LAWS OF THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF SOCIETIES OF ENDOSCOPIC SURGEONS (IFSES)

(Ratified March 26, 1999)
(Revised February 2004)

• NAME
• PURPOSE
• SURGICAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP
• CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP COMMITTEE (CPC)
• BOARD OF DIRECTORS. VI.EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
• EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
• RESOURCES
• WORLD CONGRESS OF ENDOSCOPIC SURGERY SITE SELECTION
• CONSULTANTS AND COMMITTEES
• PARLIMENTARY PROCEDURE
• MODIFICATION OF THE BYE-LAWS
• DISSOLUTION

NAME

The name of the Organization is the International Federation of Societies of Endoscopic Surgeons (IFSES), herein referred to as the Federation.

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PURPOSE

The purpose of this Federation is to enhance and promote Endoscopic Surgery minimal access techniques by:

Serving as an international forum to Endoscopic Societies around the World for the discussion, evaluation, and dissemination of information pertaining to Endoscopic Surgery, and minimal access techniques.

Promote, Organize, and train the developing parts of the World in basic Laparoscopic techniques.

Selecting the venue for the biennial World Congress of Endoscopic Surgery.

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SURGICAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Current members

The seven founding member societies of the Federation are the Canadian Association of General Surgeons (CAGS), European Association of Endoscopic Surgeons (EAES), Endoscopic and Laparoscopic Surgeons of Asia (ELSA), Federacion Latino Americana de Cirurgia (FELAC)/Asociation Latino Americana de Cirugia Endoscopica (ALACE), Japanese Society of Endoscopic Surgery (JSES), Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS), and the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES). With the recent addition of Chinese Society of Laparo-Endoscopic Surgery (CLSES), the Indian Association of gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (IAGES), and the split of ALACE and FELAC into two voting members. There are now 10 member societies, each society has one vote in the Federation.

Section 2: New members

• Requirements: A candidate society should have as its mission the advancement of Endoscopic Surgery and/ or minimal access technique (ES/ MAS), and this must be reflected in its bye-laws. A candidate society must be prepared to advance the missions of IFSES. The candidate society must be widely acknowledged to represent surgeons practicing ES/MAS on a worldwide, continental or subcontinental scale. This candidate society must have the ability to Organize and host a World Congress of Endoscopic Surgery.


• Application process: An application for full membership in the Federation shall require a letter of intent from the president of the candidate society, the bye-laws of the society, a list of active members, and an abbreviated financial statement from the preceding three years. The completed package will be circulated to all members of the federation executive board (vide infra) not less than three months prior to the federation meeting at which the application is to be considered. All material submitted will be held in confidence by members of the executive board. New membership shall be conferred by a simple majority vote of the executive board using a written ballot. In case of rejection, the candidate society may resubmit an application for consideration the following year. Once accepted, the candidate society becomes a full member of the Federation and enjoys the same rights as the Founding Societies.

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CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP COMMITTEE (CPC)

Section 1: Mission

The CPC of the Ffederation provides a structured forum and a close interface between the corporate sector and the federation societies (as described in ARTICLE III). It is the intent of the Federation that this committee will serve as the main working group for dissemination of scientific and political information relevant to the practice of endoscopic and minimal access surgery, internationally, and for collaboration between surgeons and corporations in decision making regarding education, research, and practice of Endoscopic Surgery. This latter goal includes the identification of appropriate venues for World Congresses, and support of the world congress organizing committees. The partnership committee will embrace the purpose of the federation to enhance and promote the highest standards of Endoscopic Surgery and other minimal access techniques. The Corporate Parntership Committee should be an important forum for the arrangement of laparoscopic and minimal access technique training in the developing parts of the world.

Section 2. Composition

The CPC will be composed of:

• Two representatives from each of the Federation member societies. The term on this committee is four years. Surgical society representatives to the CPC will also serve on the executive board of the federation (see below).


• One representative of each of the major corporate sponsors of the previous world congress will be asked to join the CPC. Offers for corporate membership will be made by the executive board every other year after reviewing corporate involvement in the previous World Congress. Corporate representatives will be assigned by the chief executive officer of the corporation and will serve a four-year term unless the corporation resigns from the CPC, or the corporation chief executive officer chooses to replace the representative. The number of corporations represented in the CPC should not exceed the number of surgical societies in the federation.


• The President/Chairman of the previous world congress. He will remain a member of this committee for two years following the closing of his/her World Congress.


• The President/Chairman of future world congresses will become a member of the CPC upon selection by his/her society, and not less than two years before the World Congress they are to host.


• The CPC will meet before the executive board twice yearly as described below (ARTICLE V, section 3). The principal business of the Federation, reflected in the mission statement, will occur at this meeting.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1: Mission

The Board of Directors (Board) is responsible for the general administration of the Federation and CPC. It is the responsibility of the Board to administer to the budget of the Federation and see that dues are collected. It is also the responsibility of the EB to develop and execute Federation policy, to enforce and/or amend the by-laws.

Section 2: Composition

The Board shall consist of:

• Two representatives from each of the Federation's member societies. The representatives will be appointed by the president of each member society. Each member of the executive board shall serve for four years. Terms begin and expire on the day following a World Congress of Endoscopic Surgery. It is recommended that the four-year term of EB representatives is offset by two years to allow continuity of representation within the federation.


• A president of the Federation will be elected by the executive committee and will serve for four years. If the president is an active member of the Board, the society represented by the incoming president will appoint a new member of the Board to complete the remaining term. The duties of the president will be to convene meetings of the Board and plan the meeting agenda. The president will only vote on the EB in the event of a tie. The presidency shall rotate amongst the member societies. After completion of his term, the society represented by the president must wait at least 8 years (two terms) before a new president may be elected from that society.


• A Secretary/ Treasurer will be elected, and will also serve a four year term. The duties of the Secretary/ Treasurer are to take minutes of each EB meeting, maintain an accurate and current set of the Ffederation bye-laws and policy, and supervise the budget and accounts of the federation. The first secretary/treasurer will be elected for a two-year term. Thus, the terms of the two officers will be offset by two years.


• In the exceptional circumstance that a Board member cannot complete his term, the member society will appoint a representative to complete the term within 60 days from the date of resignation, illness, or death. If an officer of the federation (president or secretary/treasurer) is unable to complete his term, the Board shall elect a replacement to complete the term of office at the next meeting of the Board. Election of all officers will be by simple majority of the representatives of all member societies whether present or otherwise at the Board meeting.

Section 3: Meetings

The CPC and EB will meet atleast once a year, at a minimum. One meeting will be held at the site of the World Congress of Endoscopic Surgery, every other year. In years when a world congress is not held, one meeting of the CPC and EB will occur at the annual congress of a member society, as chosen by a majority vote of the CPC one year prior to that meeting. A second meeting in any year will be held at a site chosen by a majority vote of the CPC, either at the previous meeting by a majority vote, or by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. A meeting agenda will be circulated at least 30 days prior to the meeting. All representatives to the CPC and EB will be expected to attend the annual meeting. If a representative is unable to attend a meeting, the president of the society or CEO of the corporation may designate an alternate representative.

Section 4: Quorum and Voting

A majority of Federation member societies and corporations must be represented at each meeting to conduct business. In the absence of a quorum or if all business cannot be completed during the annual meeting, mail ballots may be used after the meeting to complete business. Each surgical society and each corporate representative on the CPC has one vote. All issues shall be determined by simple majority, except bye-laws changes, which will require a 2/3 majority vote of all member societies and corporations present.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1: Mission

An Executive Committee shall conduct the day to day business of the Federation between meetings of the Executive Board.

Section 2: Compostion

The Executive Committee shall be made up of the President, Secretaty/ Treasurer, and three at large society representatives. Members at large of the Executive Committee will be elected by the IFSES Board.

Section 3: Meetings

Meetings of the Executive Committee will occur by phone or e-mail when called upon by the President to determine day to day decisions and business of the society. The actions taken by the Executive Committee will be reported to the Board by the President at its next meeting of the Board for discussed and a ratification vote.

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RESOURCES

The Federation shall generate resources for operation by:

• Annual dues will be assessed on each surgical society and on each corporate member. This amount shall be determined by a majority vote of the CPC and may be changed as needed to achieve the mission of the Federation.


• Private or corporate donations. Funds may be solicited for Federation purposes with a majority vote of the EB in order to achieve the mission of the Federation.

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WORLD CONGRESS OF ENDOSCOPIC SURGERY SITE SELECTION

• A World Congress is held in every even calendar year.


• The CPC shall develop the mechanism and forms to be used for applying to become a host of the World Congress of Endoscopic Surgery.


• The application shall be signed by the current President and President-elect of the member Organization applying to host a World Congress.


• A World Congress cannot be held two consecutive times in the Geographic territory of a federation member.


• The World Congress sites must be chosen at least four years before the date of the Congress.


• The host society assumes all financial liability for the World Congress, retaining all profits and covers all losses.


• Fund raising for the World Congress is the responsibility of the host society and local Organizers.


• The CPC should be updated on Congress planning by the Congress President or his designee at each meeting of the CPC. Additional reports will be generated by the Organizers upon request of the CPC.


• The president of the Federation will request proposals for World Congress sites at least four months before the meeting at which the proposals will be presented and one year before the meeting at which the site will be selected.


• The proposals will be presented by the host society's representative to the CPC or by his designee. Proposal presentations will be brief, but may be accompanied by supporting information to help the committee in its deliberations.


• The Secretary/ Treasurer will inform all CPC representatives by written announcement at least four months prior of the date, the time, and the place at which the World Congress site will be selected.


• The final site selection for a World Congress of Endoscopic Surgery will be made by the CPC. Only appointed representatives to the CPC, or their alternates, will be allowed to attend the World Congress deliberations. All others will be excused during such deliberations. Each corporation represented and each Member Society shall be allowed one vote.

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CONSULTANTS AND COMMITTEES

Section 1: The EB and CPC may seek the help of consultants. The decision to hire a consultant is determined by a simple majority vote of the EB or CPC. Reimbursement for consultant services shall be from the Federation funds and shall adhere to ARTICLE V above.

Section 2: The standing committees of the Federation are the CPC and the EB. Additional ad hoc committees may be designated by the President without a full vote of the EB.

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PARLIMENTARY PROCEDURE

In all affairs and meetings of the Federation, Robert's Rules of Order shall be observed.

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MODIFICATION OF THE BYE-LAWS

A 2/3 majority vote of the EB, whether present or otherwise, is necessary to modify the bye-laws, as stated in ARTICLE V, section 4, above.

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DISSOLUTION

The Board may dissolve the Federation upon a 2/3 vote of the Board. In the event of dissolution, all assets (or debts) will be divided equally amongst all societies belonging to the Federation. This will occur once the Secretary/ Treasurer has determined that no further financial liabilities (or payments) are to be incurred by the Federation (at least 90 days after dissolution).

THESE BYE-LAWS WERE RATIFIED BY AN UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THE FEDERATION COUNCIL, MARCH 26, 1999 IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, USA.

THE MODIFICATIONS WERE RATIFIED BY A MAIL VOTE (2004)

ADDENDUM: IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FEDERATION.