Constitution of the Geoparks Association of Taiwan

17 March 2017 – Approved at the 1st General Assembly of the 1st Session
26 March 2022 - Amended at the 3rd General Assembly of the 2nd Session

Chapter I - General Provisions

• Article 1 - The name of the Association is Geoparks Association of Taiwan (hereinafter referred to as the Association).
   
• Article 2 - The Association is a legally established social organization with the purpose of promoting academic research related to geoparks, landscape conservation, environmental education, community participation, and landscape tourism.
   
• Article 3 - The Association takes the national administrative region as the organizational area.
   
• Article 4 - The meeting place of the Association is located in the area where the competent authority is located and may be reported to the competent authority for approval to establish a branch. The brief organizational rules for the branches mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall be drafted by the board of directors and submitted to the competent authority for approval before implementation. The establishment and change of the address of the branch office shall be reported to the competent authority for approval in writing.
   
• Article 5 - The tasks of the Association are as follows:
  
  1. Engage in the research, evaluation and planning of resources related to geoparks.
  
  2. Hold academic seminars and various promotional activities related to geoparks.
  
  3. Accept entrusted research, education and training.
  
  4. Promoting contact and cooperation between relevant domestic and foreign institutions.
  
  5. Promoting, counseling and operating geopark-related undertakings.
   
• Article 6 - The competent authority of the Association is the Ministry of the Interior. According to the purpose and tasks stipulated in the Association articles, it is mainly the Agriculture Committee of the Executive Yuan. The target enterprises of the Association should be guided and supervised by the competent authorities of the industry.

Chapter II -Membership

• Article 7 - The members of the Association are divided into the following three types:
  
  1. Individual members: All nationals of the Republic of China who have reached the age of 20 can become individual members after being approved by the board of directors and paying membership fees.
  
  2. Group membership: All public and private institutions (organizations) and non-government organizations in the R.O.C. who agree with the purpose of the Association may apply for membership and be approved by the Board of Directors and pay the membership fee to become corporate members and send two persons to exercise the rights of membership.
  
  3. Honorary members: Those who have made outstanding contributions to the promotion of the geopark cause, nominated by the chairman, and approved by the council, can be honorary members of the Association.
   
• Article 8 - Member rights:
  
  1. The right to speak.
  
  2. Right to vote, elect, be elected and recall. Each member is entitled to one right.
  
  3. Participate in various activities held by the club.
  
  4. To enjoy the periodical publications published by the Association.
  
  5. Other entitlements. However, honorary members do not have the rights of the second point of the preceding paragraph.
   
• Article 9 - Members are obliged to:
  
  1. Abide by the articles and resolutions of the Association.
  
  2. Serve the duties assigned by the Association.
  
  3. Pay membership dues on time.
  
  4. Members of the Association who fail to pay the dues shall not enjoy membership rights, and those who fail to pay the dues for two consecutive years shall be deemed to have automatically withdrawn from the membership.
   
• Article 10 - When a member violates the laws and regulations, or fails to abide by the resolutions of the general meeting of members, he may be given a warning or suspension of power by the resolution of the board of directors. If the circumstances of the damage to the group are serious, he may be removed by the resolution of the general meeting of members.Anyone who falls under any of the following circumstances shall not be a member of the Association:
  
  1. Those who have been confirmed by criminal judgment or are wanted.
  
  2. The crime has been confirmed or is being executed.
  
  3. Those who have been deprived of public rights and they have not yet been restored.
  
  4. If the prohibition has not yet been revoked.
   
• Article 11 - A member who has one of the following circumstances shall be expelled from the meeting:1. Death. 2. Those who have lost their membership qualifications. 3. Those who are removed by the resolution of the general meeting of members.
   
• Article 12 - Members can state their reasons in writing to resign from the association.

Chapter III -Organization and Powers

• Article 13 - The Association takes the general assembly as the highest authority.
   
• Article 14 - The functions and powers of the general meeting are as follows:
  
  1. Formulation and modification of the Articles of the Association.
  
  2. Election and removal of directors and supervisors.
  
  3. Deciding on the amount and type of membership fees, annual membership fees, business expenses and membership donations.
  
  4. Decide on annual work plans, reports, budgets and final accounts.
  
  5. To decide on the expulsion of members.
  
  6. To decide on the disposition of property.
  
  7. To resolve the dissolution of the Association.
  
  8. To resolve other major matters related to the rights and obligations of members.The scope of major matters in Subparagraph 8 of the preceding paragraph shall be determined by the Council.
   
• Article 15 - The Association shall have 11 directors and 3 supervisors, who shall be elected by the members to form a board of directors and a board of supervisors respectively. When electing directors and supervisors, 2 alternate directors and 1 alternate supervisor may be elected at the same time according to the counting of votes. When there are vacancies for directors and supervisors, they shall be filled in order.
   
• Article 16 - The functions and powers of the council are as follows:
  
  1. Examining the qualifications of the members.
  
  2. Election and removal of the executive director and chairman.
  
  3. Resolving the resignation of directors, executive directors and chairmen.
  
  4. Employment and dismissal of staff.
  
  5. Formulate annual work plans, reports, budgets and final accounts.
  
  6. Other matters to be implemented.
   
• Article 17 - The board of directors shall have three standing directors, who shall be elected by the directors among themselves. One of the standing directors shall be elected by the directors as the chairman. The chairman manages and supervises the affairs of the association internally, represents the association externally and serves as the chairman of the general assembly and the council. When the chairman is unable to perform his duties due to certain circumstances, he shall designate one of the executive directors to act as his representative. When there is a vacancy for the chairman and executive director, by-election shall be held within one month.The duties and powers of the executive director of the Association are as follows:
  
  1. Assist the chairman to implement the resolutions of the board of directors.
  
  2. When the chairman is absent, the chairman shall designate one person to act as the representative of the executive director; if the chairman does not designate an agent, the executive directors shall recommend one person to act as the representative.
   
• Article 18 - The functions and powers of the board of supervisors are as follows:
  
  1. Supervise the execution of the work of the council.
  
  2. Review the annual final accounts.
  
  3. Election and removal of executive supervisors.
  
  4. To resolve the resignation of supervisors and executive supervisors.
  
  5. Other matters to be supervised.
   
• Article 19 - The board of supervisors shall elect one of them as standing supervisor to supervise the daily affairs of the board and serve as their chairman. When the executive supervisor is unable to perform his duties due to certain circumstances, he shall designate a supervisor to act as his representative; if no designation is made or cannot be designated, the supervisors shall recommend one of them to act as his representative. The chairman of the board of supervisors (executive supervisor) shall be elected within one month if there is a vacancy.The duties and powers of the standing supervisor of the Association are as follows:
  
  1. Representative of the Supervisory Committee.
  
  2. Execute the proposals of the board of supervisors.
  
  3. Convene the board of supervisors.
   
• Article 20 - The directors and supervisors are all unpaid. The term of office is three years and they can be re-elected. The chairman's re-election is limited to one term. The term of office of directors and supervisors shall be calculated from the day when the first meeting of the current session of the board of directors is held.
   
• Article 21 - Directors and supervisors shall be dismissed immediately if one of the following circumstances occurs:
  
  1. Those who have lost their membership qualifications.
  
  2. Resignation due to reasons passed by the board of directors or the board of supervisors.
  
  3. Those who have been dismissed.
  
  4. The suspension period exceeds half of the term of office.
   
• Article 22 - The Association has a secretary-general who is ordered by the chairman to handle the affairs of the Association. Several other staff members are nominated by the chairman and approved by the board of directors, and reported to the competent authority for reference. The staff in the preceding paragraph shall not be served by directors and supervisors. The powers and responsibilities of the staff and the hierarchical responsibilities shall be determined by the board of directors.
   
• Article 23 - The Association may set up various committees, groups or other internal operating organizations. Its organizational rules will be implemented after being approved by the council. The same is true for changes.
   
• Article 24 - The Council may appoint an honorary chairman, several honorary directors and consultants by the board of directors. The terms of appointment are the same as those of the directors and supervisors.

Chapter IV -Meetings

• Article 25 - General meetings are divided into two types: Regular meetings and temporary meetings, which are convened by the chairman of the board of directors. Except for temporary meetings in case of emergencies, a written notice should be given 15 days before the convening. Regular meetings are held once a year, and extraordinary meetings are held when the board of directors deems it necessary, or upon the request of more than one-fifth of the members, or when the board of supervisors requests a letter to convene. After the Association has registered as a legal person, an extraordinary meeting shall be held at the request of more than one-tenth of the members.
   
• Article 26 - When a member cannot attend the general meeting in person, he may entrust other members in writing to represent him. Each member is limited to one representative.
   
• Article 27 - The resolutions of the general meeting shall be made with the consent of more than half of the members present and the majority of the attendees. However, resolutions on the following matters shall be made with the consent of more than two-thirds of the people present.
  
  1. Formulation and modification of the articles of the Association.
  
  2. Expulsion of members.
  
  3. Removal of directors and supervisors.
  
  4. Disposal of property.
  
  5. Dissolution of the Association.
  
  6. Other important matters related to the rights and obligations of members.After the Association has been registered as a corporation, changes to the Articles of Association shall be effected by the consent of at least three-fourths of the members present or by the written consent of at least two-thirds of all members. The Association may be dissolved at any time by a resolution of at least two-thirds of all its members.
   
• Article 28 - The board of directors and supervisors shall convene once every four months. Joint meetings or interim meetings may be held when necessary. Except for ad hoc meetings, the aforementioned meetings shall be convened by written notice seven days in advance. The resolution of the meeting shall be made by a majority of the directors and supervisors present, with the agreement of the greater number of attendees.
   
• Article 29 - The directors shall attend the board meeting. The supervisors shall attend the board of supervisors meeting and shall not be entrusted to attend. If a director or supervisor fails to attend the board of directors or board of supervisors meeting for two consecutive times without reason, it shall be regarded as resignation. Council meetings, supervisor meetings, and joint director-supervisor meetings may be convened by videoconference. Directors and supervisors attending each videoconference shall be deemed to be present in person and the methods of signing in and voting shall be handled in accordance with the functions of the videoconferencing equipment. However, video conferencing shall not be used for elections, by-elections, recalls or the establishment of organizational regulations.

Chapter V - Funds and Accounting

• Article 30 - The fund sources for the association are as follows:
  
  1. Membership fee of the Association:
  
  (1) Individual membership: NT$1,000.
  (2) Group members: NT$20,000.
  
  2. Annual membership fee:
  
  (1) Individual membership: NT$1,000.
  (2) Group members: NT$20,000.
  (3) Individual members who pay a membership fee of NT$20,000 are permanent members.
  
  3. Business expenses.
  
  4. Donations from members.
  
  5. Entrusted income.
  
  6. The fund and its yields.
  
  7. Other income.
   
• Article 31 - The accounting year of the Association shall be based on the calendar year, starting from 1 January to 31 December each year.
   
• Article 32 - Every year, two months before the start of the fiscal year, the council shall prepare the annual work plan, income and expenditure budget statement, employee treatment statement and submit them to the general meeting for approval (if the general meeting cannot be held as scheduled for some reason, it shall be first submitted to the competent authority for approval before the beginning of the fiscal year. Within two months after the end of the fiscal year, the Board of Directors shall prepare the annual work report, income and expenditure statement, statement of cash, balance sheet, property catalogue and fund income and expenditure statement, and send them to the Supervisory Committee for examination. Then it shall issue an audit opinion and return them to the Board of Directors for approval at the general meeting, and report them to the competent authority for approval before the end of March (if the general meeting cannot be held as scheduled, they shall be reported to the competent authority first).
   
• Article 33 - After the Association is dissolved, the remaining property shall belong to the local self-government organization or the organization designated by the competent authority.

Chapter VI - Supplementary Provisions

• Article 34 - Matters not stipulated in the Articles of the Association shall be handled in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.
   
• Article 35 - The Articles of the Association shall be implemented after being approved by the general meeting of members and approved by the competent authority. The same shall apply to changes.
   
• Article 36 - The Articles of the Association were approved by the first General Assembly on 17 March 2017. The report was approved by the Ministry of the Interior in the letter No. 1060026353 on 11 May 2017.