The European Pocket Billiard Federation, hereafter called EPBF, is the association of the
national federations of Europe, which are responsible for Pool Billiard, Black Ball, Pyramid,
Artistic Pool and all further Pool Billiard referred disciplines.
1.2
The seat of the federation is in principle at the residence of the president. The federation is
stated at Brunssum, the Netherlands.
1.3
The EPBF is politically and denominational neutral.
1.4
The EPBF is founded in Trollhättan, Sweden by the “Deutscher Pool Billard Bund” and the
“Svenska Billiardförbundet” on three and four November nineteen hundred seventy-eight.
2. Memberships
2.1
The EPBF is member of the World Pool Billiard Association (WPA). Due to this membership
the EPBF is subjected to the set of rules of this federation. The regulations of the WPA are
obligatory on the EPBF and their members.
2.2
On further memberships at other organizations the general assembly decides. The rights of
the EPBF and their members from these statutes may not be affected thereby.
3. Purpose and tasks
3.1
Purpose and tasks of the EPBF are particularly:
to support the development of all Pool Billiard disciplines
to worldwide represent the European sport of Pool Billiard
to support the Youth
to reunite national Pool Billiard Unions and to support their efforts
to spread the sport of Pool Billiard
to determine uniform rules and regulations for the realisation of the Pool Billiard sport in Europe
to arrange the education of coaches and referees
to approve and assign international tournaments
to create regulations for the realisation of European Championships
and to assign the organisation of European Championships
4. Responsibilities and legal basis
4.1
The EPBF handles its own division by orders and decisions of their bodies. For this purpose in particular, it issues:
a sport regulation
a standing order
a financial order
a legal order and rules of procedure
a honorary order
4.2
If necessary, the EPBF can issue orders for further subjects by the board.
4.3
The orders and decisions of the EPBF bodies, issued in numbers 1 and 2 are in these scopes
binding for the members. To that extent the members ensure their commitment by
adherence to their obligations in accordance with § 12 of the statutes.
Individual players, associated to the members (participating national federations) are tied to
all regulations of the EPBF, especially the Sports Regulations, due to membership of national
federations. Regarding to membership for individual players at national federations, this will
be explicitly up in the regulations by the joined members (participating national federations)
The EPBF board is entitled, and it belongs to the right of the EPBF board, to sanction or take
disciplinary measures in respect to individual players. In order to guarantee the legal position
of the individual players, the Court of Arbitration has been appointed, wherefrom the rules
are determined in a separate regulation.
5. Official language
English is the official language of the EPBF.
6. Financial year, sport year
The financial year and the sport year correspond to the calendar year.
7. Members
7.1
The EPBF has:
a) provisional full members
b) full members
c) extraordinary members
7.2
Provisional full members are European national Pool Billiard federations, which were taken
up as such by the board of the EPBF and whose full membership was not yet confirmed by
the general assembly.
7.3
Full members are the national Pool Billiard federations of Europe, which were provisional full
members for three years and whose full membership was confirmed by the general
assembly.
7.4
In principle, only one provisional full member or one full member from any one country can
be accepted as member. However, if there are political or territory disputes that make it
imperative to accept additional associations as members in order to benefit the sport or to
help realize the EPBF`s objectives, in these instances multiple associations from the same
country can be accepted as provisional full members or full members of the EPBF.
7.5
Extraordinary members can be e.g. organizations, companies or individuals, which are
connected with the Pool Billiard sport and whose extraordinary membership was decided by
the board of the EPBF.
7.6
A member of the EPBF is not permitted to be a member of another organisation with the
same aims as the EPBF which has either “European”, “International” or “World” in their title.
Exceptions for this rule are organisations covered within the WCBS structure.
A member who joins such an organisation will automatically forfeit their EPBF membership.
8. Acquisition of membership
8.1
The admission of provisional full members and of extraordinary members takes place via the board
8.2
On the admission of full members the general assembly decides upon the request of the board.
9. Termination of membership
9.1
The membership of the EPBF ends:
a) by dissolution of a national federation
b) by withdrawal
c) by expulsion
d) by termination of the membership due to failure to fulfil financial obligations
9.2
The withdrawal of a provisional full or a full member can only happen at the end of the
financial year. The statement must be presented to the EPBF in writing at the latest on 30
September of the current financial year.
9.3
The withdrawal of an extraordinary member must be communicated in writing three months
before the financial year end of the EPBF.
9.4
The expulsion of a provisional full member is effected via the board, the expulsion of a full
member takes place via the general assembly:
a) if the obligations of the members , as stated in article 12 are grossly violated and the violation is continued despite a warning by the board;
b) if the member offends in a grossly way against the principles of the written and unwritten sport laws
9.5
Objection against the expulsion is possible within a period of 14 days at the court of
arbitration.
9.6
The membership of a provisional full member or a full member expires automatically, if the
member does not fulfil its financial obligations to the EPBF despite a first and second
reminder with period setting of 30 days and a warning of cancellation of of the membership.
9.7
In case of withdrawal, expulsion or cancellation of the membership depending payment
obligations to the EPBF stay in force and are to be settled.
10. Honorary members and honorary president
10.1
Upon the request of the board persons, who can take credit for their dedication to the Pool
Billiard sport, can be appointed to honorary members and honorary president by the general
assembly.
10.2
The bestowal of awards and memorandums to persons, federations etc. who may take credit
for their dedication to the Pool Billiard sport is arranged in an honorary order.
11. Rights of the members
11.1
The members handle all questions referring to the Pool Billiard sport within their ranges
themselves, as far as these questions about the adoption of resolutions are not reserved by
the EPBF.
11.2
The members have the right to participate the EPBF general assembly through their
representatives and to play a part at making decisions.
11.3
According to § 15 of the statutes, only full members have voting right at general assembly.
12. Duties of the members
12.1
Members are obliged:
a) to follow the statutes, the orders, decisions and resolutions of the EPBF bodies, which are binding for them.
b) to carry out the decisions of the EPBF bodies.
c) to submit disagreements, which accrued from the EPBF membership and this one at first to the responsible EPBF body for conclusion.
d) to not harm the reputation of the EPBF
13. Financing
13.1
The EPBF meets its expenditures with contributions, entry fees and other incomes. As long
as these incomes are not sufficient to meet the expenditures, the general assembly can
arrange shares of the costs.
13.2
The contributions of full members will be determined by general assembly.
13.3
The financial obligations to the EPBF (contributions, entry fees etc.) of provisional full
members and extraordinary members will be determined by the board.
13.4
Full particulars are handled by the financial order.
14. Bodies
14.1
The bodies of the EPBF are following:
a) the general assembly
b) the board
c) the court of arbitration
14.2
For the EPBF bodies, only persons who belong to a full or extraordinary member can be elected.
15. General assembly
15.1
Calling of the meeting
15.1.1
The EPBF will hold a general assembly ( GA ) every second calendar year. The GA will take
place at a date during the European Championships Men & Women, fixed by the board. The
GA will be announced not later than eight weeks before.
The announcement shall include place, date and time for the Gam as well as a preliminary
agenda according to § 15.6 including information about all positions that eventually are up
for elections.
The invitationfor the GA will be published no later than four weeks before.The invitation
shall include final agenda, report from the president, report from the sport director, report
from the youth director, statement of audited accounts and finance, report from the internal
auditor, report from the external auditor, budget for the next two calendar years, all notices
of motion and nomination for all positions up for election.
15.1.2
The general assembly will be summoned and supervised by the president or his substitute
according to the terms of the bylaws.
15.2
Formation of the general assembly
The general assembly is formed by:
a) the delegates of the full members
b) the delegates of the provisional full members
c) the representatives of the extraordinary members
d) the members of the board
e) the members of the court of arbitration
f) the honorary members
g) the honorary president
15.3
Voting right at the general assembly
15.3.1
Only full members as follows have voting right:
a) 1 votes if 1 to 999 members
b) 2 votes if 1.000 to 3.999 members
c) 3 votes from 4.000 members
15.3.2
If a member did not fulfill all financial obligations to the general assembly of the EPBF at that
time, the right to vote expires.
15.4
Delegates at the general assembly
15.4.1
The members have the right to send a delegate to the general assembly for each of the votes
they are entitled to.
15.4.2
If several delegates of a member participate at the general assembly, only a uniform casting
of votes may take place.
15.4.3
A transfer of votes is not permitted.
15.5
Tasks of the general assembly
15.5.1
The EPBF is entitled to have the adoption of resolutions in all EPBF affairs, as far as this is
according to the statutes not transferred to other bodies of the EPBF.
15.5.2
Subjected to the adoption of resolutions of the general assembly are particularly:
a) approval of the agenda
b) approval of the minutes of the previous general assembly
c) election, approval and dismissal of board members
d) the election of the chairman of the court of arbitration, four other members, two replacements and their recall
e) the election of internal auditors and the confirmation of an external auditor
f) the discharge of the board
g) the approval of the budget for the coming two calendar years and any reallocations
h) the determination of the contributions for full members
i) the approval and amendment of the statutes
j) the handling of requests
k) the admission of full members
l) the expulsion of full members
m) the appointment of honorary members and honorary presidents
n) the dissolution of the federation
15.5.3
Decisions of the general assembly are taken up to minutes, which are signed by the
president or its deputy and the minutes keeper.
15.6
Agenda of the general assembly
The agenda of the general assembly must contain following items:
a) Determination of the ones who are entitled to vote
b) Accountability report of the president, the sport director and the youth director
c) Closing of budget of the past two calendar years
d) Report of the internal auditor
e) Report of the external auditor
f) Approval of the budget for the next two calendar years
g) Election of the board, the auditors and the court of arbitration
h) Requests for amendment of statutes
i) Other applications
15.7
Voting rules and elections
15.7.1
For effective adoption of resolutions the simple majority of the valid given votes is sufficient;
abstentions are not taken into account.
15.7.2
The expulsion of members as well as amendments of the statutes require a two third
majority of the valid votes; the dissolution of the federation can be decided only with a
three quarter majority. Abstentions are not taken into account.
15.7.3
The elections during the general assembly are in principle secret. If only one proposal is
presented, then the election can take place via open voting. In case of several proposals, that
proposal is selected, which has the absolute majority (more than 50%) of the given valid
votes.
15.7.4
If in the first ballot no proposal attained the absolute majority, then a second ballot will take
place between those two proposals, which received most votes in the first ballot; if more proposals have the same amount of votes, then a ballot between them takes place.
15.7.5
With a ballot the simple majority of the valid given votes decides; with equality of votes the
election will be repeated.
15.8
Motions and nomination for the general assembly
Motions and nominations for the general assembly can be brought in only by the EPBF
bodies and the full members. They must be present at the EPBF no later than six weeks
before the general assembly. Motions and nominations, which are presented later may only
be treated as a matter of urgency . The handling of these matters of urgency require a two
third majority of the valid votes.
15.9
Adoption of a resolution of the general assembly
A statutory summoned general assembly is and remains resolutionable, independent of the
number of delegatees.
16. Extraordinary general assembly
16.1
The board can call an extraordinary genral assembly at any time for important reason. For
summoning it is however obligated, that at least a third of the full members agrees to the
application for summoning an extraordinary general assembly. Affairs, which were discussed
in an extraordinary general assembly and were discharged by resolutions, can only be the
reason to summon an extraordinary general assembly after the next statutory general
assembly.
16.2
Items on the agenda of an extraordinary general assembly can be only such, which led to
their summoning. Other items on the agenda can only be discussed in an extraordinary
general assembly, if they have the quality of an application of urgency.
16.3
A duly requested extraordinary general assembly must take place at the latest eight weeks
after submission of the requests. For the calculation of this time-limit the day is important,
on which by entrance with the EPBF the number of applicants, which are necessary for the
summoning of an extraordinary general assembly is reached. The agenda with applications is
to be communicated to the members with a summoning time-limit of at least three weeks.
17. Board
17.1
Formation and chairmanship
17.1.1
The board is formed by:
a) the president
b) the treasurer
c) the sport director
d) the youth director
e) an assessor
17.1.2
The board has the right to increase the number of the board members up to seven; the
thereby appointed board members must be confirmed by the next statutory general assembly.
17.1.3
A vice-president is elected within the board.
17.1.4
A dual function, with exception of the office of the vice-president, is not permissible
17.1.5
The board meetings are led by the president or its deputy
17.2
Term of office
The president is elected for the duration of six years, all other board members for the
duration of four years
17.3
Tasks, assembly, quorum
17.3.1
The board apprehends the tasks of the EPBF, as far as these are not explicitly reserved for
the general assembly; these tasks are among others e.g.:
to decree subordinate orders
to set committees
to deploy persons with special tasks
to admit and to exclude provisional full members
to admit and to exclude extraordinary members
to realize and supervise the decisions made by the general assembly
to pronounce penalties, as long as theser are not reserved for other bodies
17.3.2
The agency of the EPBF is incumbent on the board. The signature power is with the president
or its deputy together with another board member.
17.3.3
The board is entitled to immediately divest board members of their office at the EPBF by
written decision in case of rough neglect of duty or ignobility untill statutory general
assembly. The involved is to be heard before. He has the right to complain at the court of
arbitration within three weeks after te notification of the decision.
17.3.4
The board is authorized to replace members of the board, who quit during the electoral
period and then enter the electoral period of the drop-out and confirmed by the next
statutory general assembly.
17.3.5
The board is resolutionable, if at least half of its members are present. Resolutions of the
board can also be taken in writing or by telephone. It decides by a simple majority of votes of
the valid delivered votes; Abstention is not permissible, with equality of votes, the president
or in his absence his deputy decides.
18. Auditor
18.1
The cash of the EPBF is examined by an internal auditor and an external auditor.
18.2
An internal auditor and an internal sustitunional auditor are elected for the duration of four
years; these auditors can be elected once again. The tasks of the auditors are determined in
the financial order.
18.3
The external auditor must have a national acknowledgment and is determined by the board
for the duration of four years and confirmed by the general assembly.
19. Court of arbitration
19.1
The court of arbitration consists of a chairman and four assessors. It elects a deputy
chairman from the assessors. Usually, the court of arbitration is to decide in complete
occupation, however it is resolutionable with a minimal occupation of three members. The
general assembly elect for the court of arbitration two replacements. If a member of the
court of arbitration quit during the electorial period, one replacement enter in the electorial
period of the drop-out.
19.2
The members of the court of arbitration are elected for the duration of four years
19.3
Members of the court of arbitration may not belong to a EPBF board.
19.4
As the last instance, the court of arbitration decides on objections against decisions of the board.
19.5
The legal order and rules of procedure handles full particulars.
20. Committees
20.1
If necessary, committees are used and dissolved by the board.
20.2
The board is entitled to immediately divest committees members of their office at the EPBF
by written decision in case of rough neglect of duty or ignobility. The involved is to be heard
before. He has the right to complain at the court of arbitration within three weeks after te
notification of the decision.
20.3
The board is authorized to replace committee members, who quit during the election period.
20.4
The board supervises the activity of committees. It can overrule the resolutions of committees and decide again about this matter.
21. Penalties
21.1
Tracing offences of the members against statutes, orders, resolutions and the sporty
discipline is incumbent on the board as far as the statutes do not contain other regulations.
21.2
Following penalties can be pronounced:
Warning
Reprimand
Fine up to 1.000,00 €
Temporarily exclusion from participation to sport practice
Exclusion from certain events
Exclusion from the federation
21.3
Against the decision of the board summoning is permissible at the court of arbitration. It
must be received by the board within three weeks reception of the decision of the board.
22. Final clauses
The above statutes become effective by the resolution of the general assembly on 29.4.2005
in Veldhoven, Netherlands and replace all previous statutes.
Changes:
General Assembly in Liberec, Czech Republic, 23.7.2007 - § 19
General Assembly in St.Johann, Austria, 24.4.2009 - §§ 1, 5, 15
General Assembly in Brandenburg, Germany, 26.3.2011 - §§ 4.3, 15.8
General Assembly in Portoroz, Slovenia, 19.4.2013 - §§ 7.4; 7.6
General Assembly in Albufeira, Portugal, 25.3.2017 - §§ 15.1.1, 15.3.1, 15.8
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