National Statue and Rules

I GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.1 The non-profit association named the Estonian Section of the International Police Association (hereinafter IPA Estonia) is an independent non-profit organization of voluntarily associated natural persons, which operates in the interests of the members of IPA Estonia, on the principles of democracy, self-support and self-financing. 

1.2 The legal seat of IPA Estonia is Pärnu road 139, 15060, Tallinn, the Republic of Estonia.

1.3 The financial year of IPA Estonia begins on 1st January and ends on 31st December.

1.4 In its activities IPA Estonia is guided by the legislation of the Republic of Estonia, the Statute of the International Police Association (hereinafter IPA), this statute and the decisions of the labour bodies of IPA Estonia.

1.5 The labour bodies of IPA Estonia are meetings, the management board of the association and the working committees and other working groups established by the management board. 

II GOALS AND ACTIVITIES

2.1 The goals of IPA Estonia are:

2.1.1 to develop national and international cultural contacts and social services of its members, also the friendship between people and nations, and to strengthen the continuance of peace. 

The motto of the International Police Association in Esperanto "Servo per Amikeco" means „Service Through Friendship“;

2.1.2 to develop and to strengthen between its members:

2.1.2.1 communication, friendship and belonging;

2.1.2.2 professional expertise and ethics to increase the prestige of the Police and to improve relations between the policemen;

2.1.2.3 cultural activities in order to broaden the common knowledge;

2.1.2.4 social activities, above all, in order to create opportunities for spending one’s free time and vacation;

2.1.3 to be impartial in all their declarations, not to participate in political, religious and racial conflicts and not to publish relevant topics;

2.1.4 to observe in its activities and to propagandize in detail the International Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted in 1948 by the United Nations Organization;

2.1.5 to belong as a national section to the international friendship organization of policemen - the IPA, and to participate, for achieving common goals, in the work of its International Executive Council (hereinafter IEC), following the statutes of IPA and the mandatory decisions of IEC, provided that they do not contradict to Estonian law. 

2.2 In order to achieve these goals, the IPA Estonia:

2.2.1 organizes common training and free time spending opportunities for its members;

2.2.2 organizes for its members joint trips and visits at home and abroad;

2.2.3 publishes the newsletter of IPA Estonia;

2.2.4 exchanges publications with IPA sections in other countries;

2.2.5 promotes hobby activities of members and mutual communication of members and their families; 

2.2.6 collects resources in addition to members’ fees, following the established rules arranges cultural events, lotteries, fundraisings and accepts donations; 

2.2.7 arranges in-service trainings;

2.2.8 may hold real estate and movables and render economic services. 

2.3 IPA Estonia is entitled to perform all and any legal transactions; collect special-purpose donations; receive sponsor support, enter into agreements with natural and legal persons of Estonia as well as of foreign countries.

2.4 IPA Estonia is liable for performance of its obligations according to the rules provided by law.  

III TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND RULES FOR GRANTING, RESIGNING AND EXPELLING MEMBERSHIP OF IPA ESTONIA.

3.1 The membership of IPA Estonia includes active members, free members, honorary members and associated members.

3.1.1 Active membership of IPA Estonia shall be open to the serving or retired staff members of the Police and Border Guard Board, the Security Police Board, the Police and Border Guard College of the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences or Information Technology and Development Centre of the Ministry of Interior, who are on public law service or confidence terms with the above-mentioned authorities or on private law work terms for performing the tasks of the authority. It is also open to the cadets studying at the public service higher educational institution in the speciality of the police or border guard.

3.1.2 Free membership is granted by a decision of the management board to a member who retired before 01.01.2018, who has been a member of IPA Estonia for at least 10 years, has paid the yearly membership fee and had submitted a corresponding application to the management board before 01.01.2018.

3.1.3 Honorary membership may be granted to a member of IPA Estonia by a decision of the management board for the person’s special service provided for the IPA Estonia.

3.1.4 Foreign associate membership of IPA Estonia may be granted to a person who is working in a police agency of another country or who has retired, if the country where he or she is working has no IPA section.

3.2 While granting membership there must be no discrimination of applicants upon service position, gender, race, age, language or religion. 

3.3 When joining IPA Estonia the person submits to the management board a written application, recognizing by his or her signature the principles, goals and obligations of IPA Estonia. The management board shall decide the granting of membership within the term provided by law. 

3.4 Should the management board reject the applicant’s application for membership, then the applicant is entitled to request that his or her membership status shall be decided by the general meeting. 

3.5 A person is considered to be a member of IPA Estonia from the date of adoption of the decision by the management board or by the general meeting.

3.6 For resigning IPA Estonia a member shall submit a written application to the management board together with the membership card. The membership fee shall not be refunded. The management board of IPA Estonia shall remove the resigning person from the membership list within one month.

3.7 A member can be expelled from IPA Estonia by a decision of the management board, if such member: 

3.7.1 has failed to pay the membership fee in two (2) successive years or has failed to submit an application for deferring the date of payment of membership fee;

3.7.2 due to other reasons besides retirement does not correspond any more to the terms and conditions provided in clause 3.1.1 of the statute or who has caused difficulties to the work of IPA Estonia or has damaged its interests by his or her activities in IPA Estonia.

3.8 The management board shall decide the expulsion of a member at its meeting, a notice of the matter to be discussed shall be given to the member in question in writing before the meeting.  The member being expelled has a right to participate at the discussion of his or her expulsion.

3.8.1 The management board has right not to expel a member who does not correspond to the conditions provided in clause 3.1.1 of the statute, if a member is released from service or job because of redundancy or is admitted to service or work in the Ministry of the Interior or in another Office under its governance. While making the decision the management board takes into account commitment of a member in the IPA acivities and correct payment of the membership fee.

3.8.2 An honorary member can be expelled from IPA Estonia only in case if an honorary member by his actions in IPA Estonia or outside it complicated work of IPA Estonia or damaged its interests or reputation.

3.9 The member being expelled has a right to request that the matter of expulsion shall be decided by the general meeting. 

3.10 Every leaving or expelled member of IPA Estonia must return the membership card and the assets of IPA Estonia which are in his or her possession, and must clear all debts (incl. overdue membership fee) before IP Estonia. 

IV RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERS

4.1 The members of IPA Estonia are entitled:

4.1.1 to participate with voting right at the general meetings of IPA Estonia;

4.1.2 to be elected into the management board and other labour bodies of IPA Estonia;

4.1.3 to receive from the management board and other labour bodies of IPA Estonia information concerning the activities of IPA Estonia;

4.1.4 to make use of symbols of IPA and to take advantages foreseen for the members.

4.2 A member of IPA Estonia is obligated:

4.2.1 to follow the statutes and to comply with the decisions of the labour bodies of IPA Estonia upon participating in the activities of IPA Estonia;

4.2.2 to pay the admission fee when being accepted as a member;

4.2.3 to pay the yearly membership fee. Honorary and free members are released from the obligation of paying the membership fee;

4.2.4 to notify the management board of IPA Estonia at first possibility about change of his or her contact data. 

V GENERAL MEETING

5.1 The highest labour body of IPA Estonia is the general meeting, each member of which has one vote. 

5.2  The competence of the general meeting is: 

5.2.1 modification of the statute;

5.2.2 approving of the annual report;

5.2.3 election and withdrawal of the president, members and reserve members of the management board;

5.2.4 election and withdrawal of the members and reserve member of the auditing commission;

5.2.5 election of the members of other statutory labour bodies, unless otherwise provided by the statutes;

5.2.6 decision on entry into transactions with the members of the management board or another labour body, determination of the terms and conditions of such transaction, decision on legal disputes and appointing of a representative of IPA Estonia in such transaction or dispute;

5.2.7 decision on transfer or encumbering with a real right immovables or movables subjected to registration, which are owned by IPA Estonia, and determination of terms and conditions for such transactions;  

5.2.8 decision on termination of activities, merging and division of IPA Estonia;

5.2.9 approval of the rate of the admission and membership fees;

5.2.10 decision making in other matters which have not been put into competence of other labour bodies by law or by the statute; 

5.2.11 decision making in other matters, discussion of which may be proposed to the management board by any member of IPA Estonia by written proposal at least two months prior the general meeting. The general meeting can also discuss, without making a decision, any other mattes which were not previously put to the agenda. 

5.3 The general meeting shall be called by the management board at least once a year:

5.3.1 for approving the annual report;

5.3.2 in case if requested in writing and with providing the reason by at least 1/10 of the members of IPA Estonia or by the auditing commission;

5.3.3 on the occasions established by law or on other occasions, if the interests of IPA Estonia call for it.

5.4 For calling the general meeting the management board shall send a notice with the time, place and agenda of the meeting to all members at least two (2) weeks prior the general meeting to the e-mail addresses of the members and shall publish the announcement on the webpage of IPA Estonia. 

5.5 The general meeting is competent with the number of members attending the meeting.  

5.6 A decision of general meeting is adopted, if more than one half of the votes of the members or their representatives, participating at the meeting, are in favour. A representative can only be another member of IPA Estonia on the basis of a written authorization. Should the votes be divided equally, then the opinion, in favour of which the president of IPA Estonia voted, shall be approved as the decision.  

5.7 The decision on amending the statutes shall be deemed to be adopted, if more than 2/3 of the members or their representatives participating at the meeting are voting in favour, for amending the goal of IPA Estonia, which is stated in the statutes, the consent of at least 9/10 of the members is necessary. 

5.8 Upon election or assignment of a person, the candidate who received the biggest number of votes shall be deemed to be elected at the general meeting. In case of equal division of votes, a new voting shall be arranged between the candidates who received the equal number of votes. If the repeat vote also results in equal votes of candidates, then lots shall be drawn.

VI PRESIDENT

6.1 The President of IPA Estonia is elected by the decision of general meeting for the term of (3) three years. The President represents the IPA Estonian Section at internal and international events and is a member of the management board with a voting right.

VII MANAGEMENT BOARD

7.1 The operation of IPA Estonia is directed and represented by the management board, which consists of seven (7) members.

7.2 The members of the management board shall be nominated by the general meeting for the term of three (3) years.

7.3 The management board shall elect the Secretary General and the Treasurer from amongst the members of the management board.

7.4 The Secretary General shall direct the operation of the management board. 

7.5 The meetings of the management board shall take place at least four times a year.

7.7 For performance of transactions in the name of IPA Estonia, the value of which exceeds sixty three thousand nine hundred and twelve (63 012) Euros, the management board shall need prior approval of the general meeting. 

7.8 The President, the Secretary General and the Treasurer have a right to represent IPA Estonia solely in all legal acts, and the other members of the management board shall represent IPA Estonia jointly with the President or the Secretary General or the Treasurer.  

7.9 The representatives of regions or sub-departments and the members of the auditing commission may participate at the meeting without a voting right. They will be notified about the meetings of the management board equivalently with the members of the management board. 

7.10 Duties of the management board:

7.10.1 to organize the operation of IPA Estonia;

7.10.2 to organize the performance of the decisions of the general meeting;

7.10.3 to organize accounting and reporting of IPA Estonia;

7.10.4 to nominate from amongst themselves the contact persons of international working groups;

7.10.5 to approve the number of labour commissions and to nominate their members;

7.10.6 to approve the rules of procedure of the labour commissions;

7.10.7 to organize economic activities of IPA Estonia;

7.10.8 to accept and exclude members of IPA Estonia, to keep records of the members. 

7.11 The management board is competent to adopt decisions, if at least five members of the management board are participating at the meeting.  

7.12 In order to adopt decisions, the majority of votes of the members participating at the meeting of the management board must be in favour of the decision, in case of equal division of votes the vote of the President of IPA Estonia shall be decisive. 

7.13 The management board is entitled to adopt a decision without calling a meeting, if all members of the management board shall vote in writing in favour of the decision. 

7.14 The management board is competent to represent IPA Estonia in all legal acts deriving from law.   

7.15 The competence of the management board includes the issue of mandatory precepts to members of IPA Estonia.

7.16 The reserve member of the management board:

7.16.1 In case of resigning of a member of the management board, or of his or her expulsion from the membership of IPA Estonia, the management board shall propose to the reserve member of the management board, elected by the general meeting, to start to perform the obligations of a member of the management board.

7.16.2 The reserve member of the management board notifies the management board in writing about his or her consent to take the place of a member of the management board.

7.16.3 After receipt of the written consent of the reserve member of the management board, such reserve member shall be appointed as a member of the management board by the decision of the management board. 

7.17 A member of the management board can be removed by the general meeting, if his or her obligations before IPA Estonia have not been fulfilled in significant part, or if his or her incapacity or unwillingness to participate in the work of the management board appears. 

VIII AUDITING COMMISSION

8.1 The general meeting shall elect the auditing commission, which consists of up to three members, for the time period of one to three years. Members of the management board, accountant or any other paid employee of IPA Estonia cannot be a member of the auditing commission. 

8.2 The task of the auditing commission is to audit the financial activities of IPA Estonia. After the expiry of a financial year the auditing commission shall prepare a report of the results of the auditing, which will be enclosed to the annual report being presented by the management board to the general meeting. 

8.3 The auditing commission is entitled to audit at any time the cash in hand, the book-keeping and the managing of IPA Estonia, and to attend the meetings of the management board without a voting right. 

8.4 The auditing commission is entitled to request calling of the general meeting according to the procedure provided in clause 5.3.2 of the statute.

8.5 Upon necessity the auditing commission is entitled to order an auditing for checking the financial operation, the costs of the auditing shall be borne by IPA Estonia. 

IX SUB-DEPARTMENTS OF IPA ESTONIA

9.1 By a decision of the general meeting may be established sub-departments on territorial or other bases (hereinafter sub-department of IPA Estonia or sub-department), which are not independent legal persons and which are operating on the basis of the statutes of IPA Estonia. 

9.1.1 The members of the sub-departments may elect from amongst themselves a representative, who is entitled to participate at the meetings of the management board without a voting right. 

9.1.2 The sub-departments are entitled to organize in-department meetings. 

9.1.3 The sub-departments are entitled to establish for better work the management board of sub-department, which will elect from amongst their members the chairman of the management board. Chairmen of the management boards of sub-departments are entitled to attend the meetings of the management board of IPA Estonia without a voting right. 

9.1.4 The management boards of the sub-departments are pertaining to a report to the management board of IPA Estonia. 

X FINANCIAL OPERATION OF IPA ESTONIA

10.1 IPA Estonia is permitted to develop any financial operation outgoing from the interests of its statutory operation, if such is not contradicting to current law. 

10.2 Assets of IPA Estonia:

10.2.1 admission and membership fees;

10.2.2 material donations and allotments. Material donations can be either with special purpose or without determining the purpose; 

10.2.3 income gained from publishing and distribution of publications of IPA Estonia, or from organizing of other paid actions which derive from statutory goals;

10.2.4 other income gained from economic activities, which is necessary for developing the statutory operation of IPA Estonia;

10.2.5 IPA Estonia may hold any assets which are necessary for achieving the statutory goals of IPA Estonia, and holding of which does not contradict to law.

10.3 The assets and funds of IPA Estonia are disposed of by the management board of IPA Estonia.

10.4 IPA Estonia keeps accounts according to the procedure provided by law, pays state and local taxes.

10.5 The funds of IPA Estonia are used:

10.5.1 for making mandatory payments and allotments;

10.5.2 for compensation of expenses of IPA Estonia;

10.5.3 for salary payments;

10.5.4 for establishment of endowment funds and foundations;

10.5.5 for other disbursements. 

XI MERGER. DIVISION. LIQUIDATION.

11.1 Merger, division and liquidation of IPA Estonia shall be carried out according to the procedure prescribed by law. 

11.2 The liquidators of IPA Estonia shall be members of the management board or persons appointed by the general meeting. 

11.3 In case of liquidation of IPA Estonia, its assets shall be transferred to its legal successor or, in case if there is no successor, to the possession of a legal person governed by public law, which provides police education in the Republic of Estonia.