INVITATION TO THE ESRS BUSINESS MEETING 2020
 
Dear Fellow Members,
 
The Business Meeting re. the General Assembly of Members shall be held at least every second year.

I encourage all members to attend this meeting. Important decisions will be made by members’ votes and only those in attendance can participate in the voting.

This year's ESRS Business Meeting will be held as an online session with ZOOM. Please note that the on-line polls will be strictly anonymous.

All ESRS members will find a registration link in the agenda. In order to give all participants, ESRS board and staff enough time for the check-in, the ZOOM meeting room will open at 19:00 CEST.

I look forward to welcoming you to the meeting.

Best wishes,

 
 
Walter McNicholas
ESRS President

AGENDA OF THE ESRS BUSINESS MEETING

Date: 23 September 2020, 19:45 h – 21:30 h CEST

Venue: Virtual Business Meeting (the meeting room opens at 19:00 CEST)

TECHNICAL INFORMATION FOR THE VIRTUAL BUSINESS MEETING
 
You will find an advance registration link for the meeting below. You can register even after the meeting has started.

We ask for this registration process in order to ensure that only ESRS members join the meeting. For this purpose we will ask for your name and email.
 
Register in advance for the meeting by following this link:

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEpduiurTMrGdMm8vNQZlnzWjmYc4JTcj6G
 
After having registered, you will receive an invitation email with the joining link.

 
MINUTES OF THE 2018 BUSINESS MEETING
 
Please see the link to the minutes of the 2018 Business Meeting:
 
ESRS Newsletter December 2018

APPENDIX: BYLAWS AMENDMENT PROPOSAL
 

Five modifications are proposed by the ESRS Board and will be voted on by ESRS members at the ESRS Business Meeting 2020 to take place as a virtual meeting on Wednesday, 23.09.2020.
 

Modification1

Current text

1. The goal of the society is exclusively and directly to serve the public interest within the meaning of the section "Purposes subject to lower tax rates" in the Tax Code. The purpose of the society is to promote research on sleep and related areas, to improve the care for patients with sleep disorders and to facilitate the dissemination of information regarding sleep research and sleep medicine.
 

2. The goal of the society is exclusively and directly to serve the publicinterest within the meaning of the section "Purposes subject to lower tax rates" in the Tax Code. The purpose of the articles of association shall be fulfilled through scientific and practical activities of the members in all areas of sleep research, the care for patients with sleep disorders and through the continuing education of all professional groups involved in this field. The purpose of the articles of association shall also be implemented through the holding of conferences, symposia, workshops, teaching courses and presentations in the area of sleep research and through the financing of educational visits and the setting up of grants and scholarships. This shall include a publication such as the Journal of Sleep Research (JSR).

3. The society acts on a non-profit basis; it does not pursue business purposes of its own.

4. The funds of the society may only be used for the purposes permitted by the articles of association. The members of the society or other persons shall receive funds from the society only if this is necessary to fulfil the tasks of the society (§2 paragraph 2). The amounts of the funds have to be appropriate for the tasks. The consent of the board of officers is necessary for this purpose.

5. Upon dissolution or termination of the society or if the current purpose ceases to apply, a resolution shall be passed regarding who shall receive the assets of the society. Only those recipients may be considered who will use them directly and exclusively for the public benefit. This resolution can only be carried out with the approval of the tax authorities.

Proposed amended text:

1. The goal of the society pursues exclusively and directly non-profit purposes to serve the public interest within the meaning of the section "tax-privileged purposes" subject to lower tax rates" in of the German Tax Code. The purpose of the society is to promote research on sleep and related areas, to improve the care for patients with sleep-wake disorders and to facilitate the dissemination of information regarding sleep research and sleep medicine.
 

2. The goal of the society is exclusively and directly to serve the public interest within the meaning of the section "Purposes subject to lower tax rates" in the Tax Code. The purpose of the articles of association shall be fulfilled through scientific and practical activities of the members in all areas of sleep research, the care for patients with sleep-wake disorders and through the continuing education of all professional groups involved in this field. The purpose of the articles of association shall also be implemented through the holding of conferences, symposia, workshops, teaching courses and presentations in the area of sleep research and
through the financing of educational visits and the setting up of grants and scholarships. This shall include a publication such as the Journal of Sleep Research (JSR).

3. The society acts on a non-profit basis and selflessly; it does not pursue business purposes of its own.

4. The funds of the society may only be used for the purposes permitted by the articles of association. The members of the society do not or other persons shall receive funds any contributions from the funds of the society. No person may be favoured by expenses that are not in line with the purposes only if this is necessary to fulfil the tasks of the society (§2 paragraph 2) or by disproportionately high remuneration. The members of the society or other persons shall receive funds from the society only if this is necessary to fulfil the tasks of the society. The amounts of the funds have to be appropriate for the tasks. The consent of the board of officers is necessary for this purpose.

5. Upon dissolution or termination of the society or if the current purpose ceases to apply, a resolution shall be passed regarding who shall receive the assets of the society shall fall to a legal person under public law or another tax-privileged corporation for the purpose of use for the promotion of research on sleep or related areas, for improvement of the care for patients with sleep-wake disorders or for facilitation of the dissemination of information regarding sleep research or sleep medicine. Only those recipients may be considered who will use them directly and exclusively for the public benefit. This resolution can only be carried out with the approval of the tax authorities.

Modification 2

Current text

6. Associate individual members are members of associate societies who are not full ESRS members. They have no active or passive voting rights within the ESRS, but they will get privileged access to a wide range of ESRS material.

Proposed amended text:

6. Associate individual members are members of associate societies who are not full ESRS members. They have no active or passive voting rights within the ESRS, but they will get receive privileged access to a wide range of ESRS material.

Modification 3

Current text

3. A member may be excluded by a resolution of the general assembly of member, if that member culpably inflicts substantial damage on the interests of the society, or is deemed guilty of serious misconduct. For this purpose a majority of two-thirds of the valid votes cast, or a postal ballot with a two-thirds majority, is necessary. Members’ responses must be sent to the board within fifty days after the start of the postal ballot. The board shall record the valid votes received. A board member has to sign the protocol; the result shall be made public in writing.

Proposed amended text:

3. A member may be excluded by a resolution of the general assembly of members, if that member culpably inflicts substantial damage on the interests of the society, or is deemed guilty of serious misconduct. For this purpose a majority of two-thirds of the valid votes cast, or a postal ballot with a two-thirds majority, is necessary. Members’ responses must be sent to the board within fifty days after the start of the postal ballot. The board shall record the valid votes received. A board member has to sign the protocol; the result shall be made public in writing.

Modification 4

Current text

1. The members of board of officers of the society are elected from the group of the full members who have their residence in a European country or Israel.
The board of officers according to § 26 BGB consists of:

Proposed amended text:

1. The members of board of officers of the society are elected from the group of the full members who have their residence in a European country or Israel.
The board of officers according to § 26 of the German Civil Code (BGB) consists of:

Modification 5

Current text

1. Only full ESRS members and student members in attendance are entitled to vote. Each member carries one vote.

Proposed amended text:

1. Only full ESRS members and, student members and retired members in attendance are entitled to vote. Each member carries one vote.