STATUTES

The International Federation of Television Archives (FIAT/IFTA) is a professional Association established to provide a means for co-operation amongst television archives, multimedia and audiovisual archives and libraries concerned with the collection, preservation and exploitation of moving image and recorded sound materials and associated documentation, still image and other materials. The Association’s objectives and purposes are to:

• provide regular means of exchanging information, ideas and assistance among members.
• Take responsible positions on archival matters affecting moving images and recorded sound in general. Promote professional standards and practices for the preservation of moving image and recorded sound archival material.
• promote activities among members, both nationally and internationally, through such means as meetings, workshops, publications and direct assistance.
• encourage members to organise local and regional meetings to benefit members within a certain geographical area.
• encourage public awareness of and interest in the preservation and use of audiovisual archive materials and data as an important educational, historical and cultural resource.
• promote contact between professional study groups, universities, colleges and library schools to support research in the fields of re-use of materials already transmitted to the public and to support study of the preservation of the materials.
• establish relations whenever required with national or international organisations competent in fields related to the Association’s activities.

The Association’s sources of income shall be derived from member’s subscriptions, subsidies and receipts from its activities, namely for services rendered. The Association may acquire the use of buildings and equipment, dispose of permanent services and conclude contracts. The Association’s activities shall include publication, Committee and Working Parties meetings, as well as various other endeavours.

The Association is made up of Full, Associated, Individual and Research, Supporting and Honorary Members Full Members must be Archive Services of broadcasting organisations including television services, or of television production companies maintaining archives of their own programmes, or of organisations authorised by broadcasting organisations or national governments to maintain archives of television programmes for cultural or other reasons. An organisation meeting these requirements can only be a Full Member of the Association. An organisation being a Full Member receives one membership but may be represented by different individuals belonging to that organisation. Any individual elected to any office in the Association under the terms of Article 9 is so elected personally and cannot pass such office to any other individual. Associated Members will be organisations with a professional or academic interest in the objectives and purposes of the Association as set out in Article 2. They will have the right of access to the regular communications issued by the Association and the right to participate in meetings as members. An organisation being an Associated Member receives one membership but may be represented by different individuals belonging to that organisation. Supporting Members will be organisations with a commercial or industrial interest in the objectives and purposes of the Association as set out in Article 2. They will have the right of access to the regular communications issued by the Association and the right to participate in meetings as members. An organisation being a Supporting Member receives one membership but may be represented by different individuals belonging to that organisation. Individual and Research Members will be individuals with a professional or academic interest in the objectives and purposes of the Association as set out in Article 2. They will have the right of access to the regular communications issued by the Association and the right to participate in meetings as members. An individual and research membership is personal only to the individual being the member. An individual who is an employee of a company or organisation eligible for Full, Associated or Supporting Membership cannot be an Individual or Research member. In any case, applicants for membership must prove to the Executive Council that their organisation is operating in full compliance with the laws of their country of residence. Honorary Members will be appointed by the Executive Council at its discretion. They will be individuals who have given exemplary service or benefit to the Association over a number of years but are not currently officers of the Association. An Honorary Member will receive the same rights as an Individual or Research Member, but will pay no membership fees.

In order to become a member, it is necessary to apply for membership and to accept the Statutes in force. The applications are submied to the decision of F.I.A.T.’s Executive Council.

Membership in the Association shall cease through: • resignation • expulsion for breach of the provisions of the Statutes and in particular, for failure to pay subscription dues.

7.1 The General Assembly is the highest governing body in the Federation. It is composed of full, associated, supporting and honorary members. Every full member organisation has one vote. 7.2 The General Assembly shall meet in ordinary session at least once every two years. The notice of the assembly must be issued at least two months in advance of the date of the meeting. Its Agenda will include: • Approval of the Minutes of the previous session, • a report by the Council on the activities of the Association since the last session and its approval, • examination and approval of the accounts for the past financial year, • a draft of the programme of activities and budget for the following financial year, • fixing of subscription dues, • fixing the date and place of the next ordinary session of the General Assembly, • partial renewal of the Executive Council and the election of the President, when necessary, according to Article 9, • deliberation on other items placed on the Agenda. The Assembly’s Bureau will be the Council’s outgoing Bureau. French and English will be the official languages. The official text of the Statutes is that which has been written in French and which is in that form filed with the appropriate French Authorities who are competent in that field.

In order to deliberate validly, the number of votes recorded by full members present or represented must be at least equal to half the votes represented by the whole of full members considering the method of calculation defined in Article 7. Any full member can give a mandate for the vote at his disposal to another full member present. A full member present cannot have more than two votes at his disposal, considering the delegations he has received. In case the quorum should not be reached, another ordinary session will take place. Then the decisions would be valid, whatever the number of full members present or represented, might be.

The Association is managed by an Executive Council made up of twelve members at most, elected by secret vote by the General Assembly for four years and chosen out of the category of full members. The position of member of the Executive Council does not imply any remuneration. The renewal of the Council takes place at each ordinary sitting of the General Meetings, by halves. The outgoing members are eligible for re-election. In order to be elected at the Council, a full member must have obtained a simple majority of votes cast. In the event of candidates obtaining an equal number of votes, and the number of such candidates is in excess of the vacancies available, a second and if necessary subsequent ballot will be held until a majority vote has been obtained. The President will be elected directly by full members at the General Assembly every two years. The General Secretary, Treasurer and Vice President(s) will be elected by the Executive Council from among its members. The President and General Secretary may not be elected for more than two consecutive terms, i.e. a total of four years. Members are eligible for re-election to these offices after a minimum period of two years following their previous term of office. The Council may co-opt members to fulfil particular functions, or to temporarily replace resigned Council members until the next General Assembly. These replacement members will serve only the remaining period of the membership of the person they replace. The Presidents of Commissions will be co-opted onto the Council if they are not already members.

The Council is to convene at least once a year, and whenever it is required by its President to do so, or when requested by one quarter of its members. The Executive Council may validly deliberate only if half its members are present. Minutes shall be submitted to the President and the Secretary General for signature. In the case of a tied vote, the President’s will be the casting vote.

The Association may employ permanent staff if its resources permit it. The Association may form Commissions to work on subjects defined by the Executive Council in accordance with guidelines established by the Executive Council. (The Presidents of Commissions will be co-opted onto the Council if they are not already members according to Article 9). The Association may call upon outside experts for advice. The latter may be remunerated. Should consultants be required to participate in Administrative Council or General Assembly meetings, they will attend in an advisory capacity.

The President, in addition to the responsibilities defined in other articles of these statutes, represents the Association before the law and in all legal matters. The President is responsible for chairing meetings of the Executive Council and for representing the Association at meetings of other international bodies. The President can hand over his powers to one or several members of the Executive Council. The President can be represented at meetings of other international bodies by other Full Members of the Association, if authorised. The General Secretary, in addition to the responsibilities defined in other articles of these statutes, is responsible for the administration of Executive Council business, including elections, and the co-ordination of Commission work and conference organisation.

The treasurer must order to pay the Association’s receipts and expenses. He keeps up to date the accounts relating to the receipts and expenses. He can hand over part of the responsibility of ordering to pay the receipts and expenses to one or several members of the Association, who therefore will act under his authority.

The General Assembly may be convened in extraordinary session by the Executive Council or if so requested by one quarter of the full members. Notice of such session shall be given at least two months in advance. Summons to the extraordinary session of the General Assembly shall specify the Agenda. Should an amendment of the Statutes be proposed, the terms of the amendment shall be communicated together with the Agenda. The amendment of the Statutes or dissolution of the Association may result only from a vote by the General Assembly convened in extraordinary session. The number of votes cast by members present must achieve a majority - without delegation of votes - of the total number of votes corresponding to the totality of the Association’s full numbers. If the quorum is not present, the Agenda of the General Assembly’s extraordinary session shall be held over until the next General Assembly meeting in ordinary session.In the event of dissolution, the net assets and possession of the Association will be assigned to one or several international institutions competent in the field of audiovisual archives. Their designation shall be proposed by the Council and ratified by the General Assembly.