Article 1: NAME
An international association for the furtherance of science, medicine and education is hereby constituted entitled, “The Asia Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology”.

Article 2: OBJECTS
The general object of the Association is the promotion of all aspects of chemical safety, poison control and treatment, within the Asia Pacific region. In pursuance of this general goal, the Association proposes:

2.1       To establish and maintain cooperation with governmental organizations, professional bodies and other groups or individuals concerned with toxicological problems, in order to facilitate action designed to reduce or eliminate risks and optimize treatment or management of poisoning;

2.2       To assemble studies, observations and data essential to the understanding of poisoning;

2.3       To promote and conduct scientific research and investigations for the study of poisoning;

2.4       To supply information and advice in this field through information centres in the Asia Pacific region;

2.5       To foster professional education in the field of toxicology;

2.6       To collaborate with international institutions;

2.7       To accept and administer gifts and bequests of every kind and nature without restriction as to amount or value and to use the same for furthering the aims of the Association;

2.8       To set up a secretariat with responsibility for realizing the objects of the Association.

Article 3: MEMBERS
The Association shall consist of regular members and associate members.

3.1       REGULAR MEMBERS: Any natural or legal person domiciled in one of the countries in the Asia Pacific Region, or in a country outside the Asia Pacific region, who shares a common interest in the objectives of the association shall be regular member upon making written application and such application being accepted by the Governing Body.

3.2       ASSOCIATE MEMBERS: Any other person may become an associate member if they are a member of a corresponding society such arrangements between the APAMT and corresponding society would be recorded in a Memorandum of Understanding. Associate-members may not be members of the Governing Body. They shall have no voice in the deliberations of the General Assembly. They shall have no voting rights.

3.3       The expulsion of a member may be decided by the General Assembly by a majority of two-thirds of the votes. Members may tender their resignation by ordinary letter addressed to the President in office or to the Secretary General in office.

3.4       All regular and associate members of the Association may be required to pay an annual or life subscription, the amount being fixed by the General Assembly on the proposal of the Governing Body. Any member who has not paid his subscription by the Thirty-first of December of the financial term during which such subscription become due shall automatically cease to be a member of the Association.

3.5       Members who, through death or otherwise, cease to belong to the Association shall have no claim on its assets.

Article 4: GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Full powers for the realization of the object of the Association shall be vested in the General Assembly.

4.1       The General Assembly shall meet at each scientific meeting on the date and at the place designated in the notice of the meeting. The latter shall be sent under the direction on the Governing Body at least three months in advance. The agenda shall be drawn up and communicated one month in advance. Furthermore, an Extraordinary General Assembly must be convened by the Governing Body if one-third of the voting members so request in writing. Such Extraordinary General Assembly must be convened one month in advance.

4.2       The General Assembly shall lay down the general policy of the association. It shall receive the Secretary General’s reports and the accounts for the proceding financial term presented by the Treasurer. It shall vote the budget for the secceeding financial term and shall fix the amount of members subscriptions. It shall discuss all questions placed on the agenda. No decision may be taken on any matter not appearing on the agenda save by unanimous resolution. It shall , where applicable, set the date and place of forthcoming congresses and conferences and determine the chairmanship and vice-chairmanship and the agenda thereof.

4.3       It shall proceed every two years to the replacement of outgoing members of the Governing Body and decide, if need be, on their removal from office. Nomination for office on the Governing Body shall be sent to the Secretariat six weeks before the meeting and communicated to members one month before the General Assembly. It shall also appoint the National Secretaries.

4.4       It shall decide on all proposals for amending the present constitution or for dissolving the Association in accordance with the provisions of this constitution.

4.5       Save in the exceptional cases provided for in this constitution, resolutions shall be adopted by simple majority of members present and voting.

4.6       Decisions shall be valid if a quorum of one-third of the members is present. They shall be notified to all members.

4.7       Voting by proxy shall be allowed. No member may, however, represent more than 3 others.

4.8       Resolutions of the General Assembly shall be recorded in a register signed by the Secretary General and kept by him, which he shall hold at the disposal of members.

Article 5: ADMINISTRATION – GOVERNING BODY
The Association shall be administered by a Governing Body composed of a President, Immediate Past President and a president elect, a Secretary General, a Treasurer, four national regular members from countries in the region and a Co-ordinating Secretary (ex-officio).

5.1       The offices of the President and President Elect shall be occupied by members of different nationalities, as shall those of national members. The offices of Secretary General, Treasurer and Co-ordinating Secretary shall alone be renewable.

5.2       Members of the Governing Body shall be elected by the General Assembly to a term of four years and one-half of their number shall retire by seniority every two years unless elected as president.., Immediate past president, president & President elect which each serve 2 years By way of exception, during the first four-year period five members shall be elected for two years and five for four years. Members of the Governing Body may be removed by the General Assembly by decision of a two-third majority of members voting. Duties as members of the Governing Body shall be unpaid.

5.3       The Governing Body shall meet once a year, physically or by communication link, or otherwise on being specially convened by the Secretary General.

5.4       It shall draw up its own Rules of Procedure.

5.5       Its resolution shall be adopted by a majority of its members. The president shall have a casting vote.

5.6       The resolutions of the Governing Body shall be recorded in a register signed by the President and the Secretary General who shall hold it at the disposal of members of the Association.

5.7       The Governing Body shall have all powers of management and administration subject to the prerogatives of the General Assembly. It may furthermore be given specific powers necessary for the advancement of the aims of the Association.

5.8       The Governing Body may delegate some parts of its powers to a committee of which an appoints the members. It may authorize such committee to undertake any duties it thinks fit.

5.9       The Governing Body may delegate day to-day management to its President, one of it members or to an appointee.

5.10     All documents binding on the Association shall, save where special powers are conferred, be signed by two members of the Governing Body who shall not be required to provide third parties with evidence of any prior deliberation by the Governing Body.

5.11     Legal proceedings, whether as plaintif or defendant, shall be attended to on behalf of the Association by the President of the Governing Body or by two of the Governors.

Article 6: COUNCIL OF NATIONAL SECRETARIES
National Secretaries shall be appointed by the General Assembly on the nomination of a single candidate by members of any one nationality.

6.1       The office of National Secretary may by way of exception, be combined with that of a member of the Governing Body.

6.2       The duties of the National Secretaries shall be to prepare, in their respective countries, the data necessary for the pursuit of the aims propounded by the Association.

6.3       The National Secretaries shall meet in council physically or by communication link with the Governing Body immediately after each meeting of the latter.

Article 7: BUDGET AND ACCOUNTS
The financial term shall end on the thirty-first of December in every second year.

7.1       The Governing Body shall be required to submit for the approval of the General Assembly the accounts for the preceding financial term and the budget for the succeeding one.

Article 8: WORKING LANGUAGES
The working language of the Association shall be English.

Article 9: AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION
Any proposal for amending the constitution must emanate from the Governing Body or from one-third of the regular members of the Association.

9.1       The Governing Body must notify the members of the Association at least three months in advance, of the date of the General Assembly which is to decide on the said proposal.

9.2       No decision shall be validly adopted unless it is voted by a majority of two-thirds the members voting during the General Assembly. However, if such General Assembly is not attended by two-thirds of the members of the Association, a further General Assembly shall be convened on the same condition as above, which shall then pronounce finally and validly on the proposal at issue by a majority of two-thirds of the votes of members present.

Article 10: DISSOLUTION
Any demand for dissolving the Association must be supported by at least three-quarters of the votes of the regular members of the Association.

10.1     If the General Assembly is not attended by three-quarters of the members (including proxy) of the Association, a further general Assembly shall be convened and shall meet validly irrespective of the number of members present. The decision shall be taken by a majority of three-quarters of the members present.

10.2     In the event of dissolution, the General Assembly shall designate one or more liquidators to be responsible for liquidating the property of the association. The General Assembly shall likewise designate the organisation to which the remaining funds are to be transferred.