SLF BY-LAWS (STATUTES)

Federation of Scandinavian Paint and Varnish Technologists

Founded January 26, 1953, latest statutes revision 3 February 2011

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§ 1. NAME

Skandinaviska Lackteknikers Förbund (SLF).
Federation of Scandinavian Paint and Varnish Technologists.
Vereinigung der Skandinavischen Farben- und Lacktekniker.
Fédération d’Association de Techniciens des Industries des Peintures et Vernis de la Scandinavie.

§ 2. MEMBERS

Danske Lak og Farvekemikeres Forening, (Denmark) (DLFF).
Väri- ja Lakkateknillinen Yhdistys r.y. / Färg och Lacktekniska Föreningen r.f. (Finland) (VLY).
Norsk Maling- og Lakkteknisk Forening, (Norway) (NMLF).
Färg och Lacktekniska Föreningen (Sweden) (FLFS).

§ 3. PURPOSE

1. To promote co-operation between the Scandinavian Associations.
2. To develop friendship between the members of these associations.
3. To arrange joint Scandinavian meetings, primarily the SLF congress held every three years.
4. To promote the contact between the Scandinavian Associations and the international coatings associations, via Coatings Society International (CSI) organisations.

§ 4. BOARD

4.1. Members of the Board
The Federation’s affairs are managed by a President based on the guidelines decided by the Board members. The Board members are SLF President, General Secretary, Treasurer and the national chairpersons from the four member national associations listed under § 2 (total seven members). The General Secretary and Treasurer have no voting rights. In the event of a national chairperson being unable to participate in the Board or Board meetings, the secretary or vice-chairperson, as the case may be, of the national association serves as deputy to the national chairperson.

4.2 President
The presidency is held in turn by the four national associations for terms of three years reckoned from 1 January 1953. The rotation order is Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden with the serving period starting 1 January of the first year and ending 31 December of the third year. The President is elected for three years by the national association taking over the presidency. Election is made at the annual general meeting of the national association concerned. An eligible candidate for the presidency is one who has served at national or sub-national association committee level. If the President happens to be simultaneously chairperson of their national association he/she may resign as that chairperson without this affecting his/her position as SLF President. If a President is prevented from continuing as President during his three-year period, the national association concerned must elect a new President at an ordinary or extraordinary meeting as soon as possible. During the interim period the chairperson of the national association holding the presidency, or if he/she is not available the vice-chairperson, carries out the functions of the SLF President.
The primary function of the President is to manage the Federation’s affairs between Board meetings and maintain the purpose of the SLF as per § 3 and organize the SLF congress as per § 7. The president is responsible for reporting to the Board the annual activities and economic accounting statements (income and expenses, profit and losses, capital and budget for coming year) of the SLF. The president appoints his/her own collaborators, excluding the SLF General Secretary whom is first approved by the Board members. The president also has the responsibility for ensuring that the goals for the association's journal (Färg och Lack Scandinavia) are being fulfilled and maintenance of the SLF´s official home page.
The President is responsible for handling the finances of the SLF. During change of Presidents, the out-going President and in-coming President, with assistance from the General Secretary, are responsible for re-location of the SLF bank account and transfer of all capital and documents to the in-coming President's national bank of choice. All documentation is to be archived by the General Secretary.

4.3 General Secretary
The General Secretary is nominated by the serving President during the first year of service of the President's three-year term. The nominated General Secretary is to be approved in writing by the majority of the sitting Board members. The serving term for the General Secretary starts exactly one year after the start of the sitting President's term and lasts for three years.
The function of the General Secretary is to assist the President in carrying out his/her functions in maintaining the purpose of the SLF as per § 3 and § 7. This includes organisation of Board meetings and SLF congress, documentation of minutes from Board meetings, archiving of formal SLF documents (minutes, budgets and economic statements), correspondence with international coatings associations and also to function as an active discussion partner and adviser.
In the event that the General Secretary cannot complete his/her service period, a new general secretary is to be nominated by the sitting President and approved in writing by the majority of Board members.

4.4 Treasurer
The Treasurer is nominated by the serving President at the start of service of the President’s three year term. The serving term of the Treasurer is normally three years and during the same term as the President’s. The Treasurer may serve continuous terms if the serving President and Treasurer so desire.
The function of the Treasurer is to maintain the economic accounting records for the SLF which includes invoicing, handling of bank accounts and external auditing of records. The serving treasurer may, but not necessarily also be responsible for the economic accounting records of the SLF congress.

4.5 National Chairpersons
National Chairpersons function as ordinary Board members and have the primary role of representing their national associations and maintaining the purpose of the SLF as per § 3.

4.6 Board Meetings
An ordinary Board meeting called by the President is to be held at least once a year, typically at the start of each calendar year and no later than 31 March. Notice of the meeting and agenda is to be posted no later than 28 days before the meeting. The agenda shall include the following:
   1. Review of previous minutes
   2. The Federation’s journal
   3. Matters concerning international contacts.
   4. Distribution if necessary of the Federation’s expenses or income from the preceding year among the national 
       associations.
   5. Co-ordination of the SLF congress and any other meetings of the     Scandinavian associations, including distribution
        of any profit from SLF congress (see § 7)
   6. Annual activity and economic reports for the previous year, including reports from national associations
   7. Approval of budget for the coming year.
   8. Any other relevant business.
The economic reports should be checked and approved by an external auditor (see § 7.3).
Expenses in association with the ordinary Board meeting are to be borne by the SLF. The ordinary Board meeting should be complemented by at least a telephone conference involving all Board members not later than August every year.
In addition to the members of the board, one observer from each Association may be present at the Board Meetings, as an observer but with speaking rights. Any costs for this observer is to be borne by the national association sending the observer.
A special Board meeting can always be held at the request of at least two of the Board members and held either in person or via telephone/video conferencing.
Simple majority, each national association having one vote, passes all decisions. In the case of an equality of votes the President has the casting vote.
Minutes from Board meetings are to be written by the General Secretary and presented to the Board in writing within 4 weeks after the Board meeting has taken place.