Rule 4.1

Members of the Association fall into a single category and have equal rights and obligations as set out in the Articles of Association. Members enjoy the rights given by the Articles of Association from the moment they sign their membership documents.

Rule 4.2

All Members of the Association must abide by the Articles of Association, these Internal Rules, and decisions of the Board and Steering Committee.

Rule 4.3

The Board may receive applications from new organisations wishing to be admitted as Members of the Association. Such applications may be dealt with as an item of business at both Annual Meetings and Extraordinary Meetings.

Rule 4.4

Candidates for admission as a Member of the Association must fall within one of the following categories:

  • National Meteorological Services recognised by the World Meteorological Organization;
  • Government Organisations which hold a mandate or authority to carry out weather and climate research and services;
  • Other Public Organisations which, in the opinion of the Board, are constituted for a purpose which is compatible with the purpose and objectives of the Association; or
  • Other Non-Profit Organisations (including Non-Governmental Organisations) which, in the opinion of the Board, are constituted for a purpose which is compatible with the purpose and objectives of the Association.

Rule 4.5

Applications for admission as a Member should be made in writing and addressed to the Chairperson of the Board. The application should set out the candidate’s name, its tasks, activities, corporate purpose and legal status, provide details of its interests in the field of meteorology and briefly set out why it wishes to become a Member of the Association and how it might contribute to the realisation of the Association’s objectives.

Rule 4.6

The Board may (but shall not be obliged to) invite a representative of any candidate for membership to attend an Annual or Extraordinary Meeting of the Board at which that candidate’s application is to be considered, in order to present the candidate’s interests and capabilities to the Board.

Rule 4.7

An application for admission as a Member may only be accepted by unanimous decision of the Board in Annual or Extraordinary Meeting, the Board having given due regard to the membership criteria set out in these Internal Rules.

Rule 4.8

In considering whether to approve or reject any application for membership of the Association, the Board should have in mind the following matters:

  • The willingness of the candidate to abide by the Articles of Association and these Internal Rules;
  • The compatibility of the candidate’s corporate purpose with the purpose of the organisation;
  • The financial soundness of the candidate;
  • The scientific and technical capability of the candidate and the compatibility of these capabilities with the Association’s purpose and its current and future strategic programmes and work plans;
  • Whether admission of the candidate would best serve the interests of the Association and its existing Members and Partners in ensuring that the purpose and objectives of the Association are met; and
  • Any other matter which the Board reasonably feels may have a bearing on its decision.

Rule 4.9

In accordance with Article 7 of the Articles of Association, any Member that wishes to resign from the Association must give notice, at least six months prior to 31 December of the year in which the Member wishes to leave. The notice must be in writing and addressed to the Chairperson of the Board. If the notice requirements have been properly complied with, that Member will cease to be a Member of the Association from 1 January of the following year.

Rule 4.10

Any Member who resigns from the Association shall remain fully liable for its commitments (whether financial or in kind) to the Association prior to its resignation taking effect. A resigning Member may only be released from its existing obligations by unanimous decision of the Board

Rule 4.11

If any Member puts the Association’s activities at risk by failing to meet its obligations (whether financial or in kind), such failure may be reported to the Board who may convene an Extraordinary Meeting to decide whether, in line with Article 8 of the Articles of Association, that Member should be excluded from the Association. At the Meeting dealing with the question of exclusion, the Member whom it is sought to exclude shall not be taken into account for presence or approval quorum.

Rule 4.12

It is recognised that exclusion is a drastic measure and that all reasonable means of curing any default should be considered before any decision is taken to exclude a Member from the Association. In deciding whether or not a Member should be excluded, the Board should consider the following matters:

  • The impact on the Association of the default (particularly where the default is ongoing);
  • The defaulting Member’s willingness and ability to cure the default;
  • The realistic timescale within which the default might be cured;
  • The impact on the Association of losing the expertise, abilities and resources brought by the Member whom it is sought to exclude;
  • The availability of alternative resources;
  • The financial stability of the Member whom it is sought to exclude;
  • Whether the defaulting Member has previously met its obligations to the Association; and
  • Any other matter which the Board reasonably feels may have a bearing on its decision.

Rule 4.13

In line with Article 12.13 of the Articles of Association, the Board may only exclude a Member from the Association by unanimous decision (the Member whom it is sought to exclude not being taken into account for presence or approval quorum).

Rule 4.14

A Member who is excluded from the Association shall be given written notice of the Board’s decision as soon as reasonably practicable. The excluded Member shall cease to be a Member of the Association as soon as the notice is dispatched.

Rule 4.15

In accordance with Article 8.3 of the Articles of Association, a Member who is excluded from the Association may subsequently apply for readmission. Applications shall be dealt with in the manner set out in Rules 4.1 to 4.8 of these Internal Rules, save that no application for readmission may be considered by the Board until the excluded Member makes good any financial default to the Association.

Rule 4.16

In accordance with Article 7.3 and 8.2 of the Articles of Association, any Member who ceases to belong to the Association, whether through resignation or exclusion, shall not be entitled to any share of the Association’s funds and may not claim a refund of any membership dues previously paid.

Rule 4.17

The Association is legally obligated to have at least two Members. In the event that only one Member remains, that Member shall make maximum efforts to have a second Member admitted to the Association within 45 days. If the Association then fails to secure a second Member, the remaining Member shall be required to begin the process of liquidating the Association.

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