IAREP Rules

In the March 1987 IAREP newsletter (pp. 11-15), the IAREP statutes were published as follows:

Statutes of IAREP
(Translation of Austrian statutes)

Name, Address, Purpose and Membership
1. The Association bears the name "Internationale Gesellschaft für Forschung in ökonomische Psychologie"; in English: International Association for Research in Economic Psychology; in French: Association Internationale pour la Recherche dans la Psychologie Economique. The address of the association is the residence of its current president. Note that Rule 1 has been changed in 2016 (see below)
2. The goal of this nonprofit association is to further research and teaching in the field of economic psychology by organizing colloquia, by publishing a journal and by other means.
3. Membership is open to all those interested in Economic Psychology. The Board rules over the admission of members, but applicants who are not admitted have a right of recourse to the General Assembly.
4. Membership ends when members freely leave the Association or by Board Decision if a member has failed to pay his dues for a period exceeding one year. Note that Rule 4a has since been added (see below)

Presidency and Board
5. The Managing Committee is composed of the President, the Secretary, the Treasurer and the Editor of the Journal of Economic Psychology. The President represents the Association; in financial matters he acts in concert with the Treasurer. The Board of the Association is composed of the above mentioned committee, of one representative for each country in which the Association has members and of at most four co-opted members. The Board is responsible for the general conduct of the matters of the Association. All members of the Board must be chosen from among the Association members. Note that Rule 5 has been changed in 2001 and 2022 (see below).

Election of Committee and Board
6. The election of the Committee members should take place at least every two years at the occasion of the General assembly of the Association. Elected officials should be proposed by a member of the association at least two months before the General Assembly by notifying the Secretary. Such proposals must be seconded by at least one other member of the Association.
7. The President is elected for a two-year term and can be re-elected once.
Note that Rule 7 has been changed in 2001 (see below).
8. The Secretary and the Treasurer are elected for a two-year term. They can be re-elected. Note that Rule 8 has been changed in 2022 (see below).
9. The Editor (of JEP) is elected for a five-year term at the proposal of the Board. He can be re-elected once, bringing his maximum term in office to 10 years. Up to three co-editors can be appointed for the same term as that of the Editor.
10. Each country with members in the Association has the right to appoint a country-representative to the board. Their election is based on the proposal by a member for the country, lodged with the Secretary at least two months before the general assembly and supported by one further member from that country. Re-election is allowed. Every second year the terms of at least one third of the country representatives should expire.
11. All ballots are secret. The names of the candidates for office should be contained in the announcement of the general assembly where the vote will be held. For the election of the Committee members (President, Secretary, Treasurer), every member shall have one vote. For the election of country representative, each member from that country has one vote. The candidate who obtains the most votes shall be elected; in case of a tied vote, the toss of a coin shall be decisive. Mail ballot is allowed if the votes reach the president of the elections before the start of the General Assembly. Note that Rule 11 has been changed in 2016 and 2022 (see below).

Fees and Finances
12. Every member pays an annual membership fee. The amount due is fixed by the general assembly on the basis of the proposal by the board. Membership shall entitle members to subscribe to the Journal of Economic Psychology at a reduced fee, should such be offered to the Association. Note that Rule 12a has since been added (see below).
13. The Board has the power to exempt members from paying dues. This power should, in principle, only be used for the case of retired members. Exempted members have the same rights as ordinary members.

Meetings
14. The Association will hold a Colloquium and a General Assembly (preferably coordinated for site and time) at least every two years.
15. The time and place of the General Assembly should be communicated to all members with at least one month notice. The announcement should contain the agenda.
16. Colloquia are organized by the Board or by someone empowered to this effect by the board.

Board Meetings
17. The Board rules on the time and place of its own meetings. Should the President be absent, then the Board shall appoint one of those present to preside. The Board can decide when at least five members, representing at least three countries are present (Quorum). Votes can also be given by mail, provided that all Board members have been notified and that the above mentioned quorum is respected. The Board rules by simple majority of the votes. The president decides in the case of a tie.

Change of Rules
18. These rules can only be changed by the General Assembly. Proposed changes in the rules must be contained in the invitation to the General Assembly and require a two-third majority of the exercised vote. Mail ballot is allowed, provided it reaches the Secretary before the President calls for a vote over the proposal.

Associated Organizations
19. IAREP welcomes the association with National Organizations pursuing similar aims. The members of the latter organizations need not be members of IAREP.
20. The Board of IAREP can delegate the election of country representatives to such National Organizations, provided that the points 10 and 11 of these rules are respected and that only members of the National Organizations take part in the vote.

Arbitration
21. Conflicts in matters pertaining to the Association which cannot be resolved according to the powers of the Committee or of the General Assembly are decided by arbitration. Arbitration is carried out by three Association member. Each of the conflicting sides appoints one arbiter; these in term appoint a president-arbiter. The decisions by arbitration are binding.

Dissolution
22. The voluntary dissolution of the Association can only be decided by a General Assembly called specifically for this purpose and which can only rule when at least a simple majority of members is present. Dissolution requires approval by a two-third majority of the valid votes cast.
23. Should the quorum above not be obtained, then the Association can be dissolved at a next General Assembly, by a two-third majority of the votes cast, irrespective of the number of members present.
24. This General Assembly must also decide on the liquidation of the Association's assets. In particular, it should appoint a liquidator and decide to whom the remaining net assets should be transferred. To the extent possible, the net assets should be transferred to an organization pursuing similar aims as the Association.

CHANGE OF STATUTES

2001
The following appeared in the Autumn 2001 IAREP newsletter (p. 10):
New text for articles 5 and 7 of the statutes (as decided at the Baden General Assembly, 15th of July, 2000)
The rest of the statutes will be an English translation of the original IAREP statutes, passed in Linz at 10.2.1986.

Article 5. The Managing Committee is composed of the President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Editor of the Journal of Economic Psychology, and, when already appointed, the President-elect. The President represents the association; in financial matters he acts in concert with the Treasurer. The Board of the Association is composed of the above mentioned committee, of one representative for each country in which the association has members and of at most four coopted members. The Board is responsible for the general conduct of the matters of the Association. All members of the Board must be chosen from the Association members.

Article 7. One year before the president's term ends, the General Assembly chooses a new president, who first serves a year as president-elect, then two years as president. When a serving president is re-elected, which can be done once, the position of president-elect remains vacant for that year.

2007
In August 2007 IAREP was constituted as a non-profit making limited company in the UK.
The following change in statutes was agreed at the Ljubljana General Assembly, 11th of September, 2007 (see November 2007 newsletter, p.4). Adding a new section after paragraph 4:

4a. Honorary Membership shall be by invitation only. Honorary Membership may be granted to scholars of outstanding eminence and seniority who made significant contributions to the field of economic psychology. Honorary Members shall be nominated by the Managing Committee; nominations need approval with two-third majority in a formal ballot among the Board. The number of Honorary Members shall not normally exceed three per cent of IAREP's regular membership, calculated over the last three years.
Adding a new section after paragraph 12:

12a. Honorary Members are exempted from paying membership fees. The Board can decide on additional benefits for honorary members (e.g., receipt of Journal of Economic Psychology, invitation to the Colloquium), in accordance with the Association's financial situation.

Compiled and checked by Erik Hoelzl, January 21, 2005. 2007 change in rules edited December 19, 2007.

2016
The following change in statutes (Rules 1 and 11) was agreed at the Wageningen General Assembly, 9th of July, 2016 (see November 2016 Newsletter, p. 8)

1. The Association bears the name "International Association for Research in Economic Psychology" (IAREP); in French: "Association Internationale pour la Recherche en la Psychologie Economique"; in German "Internationale Gesellschaft für Forschung in Ökonomischer Psychologie". The legal status of IAREP is a limited company of the United Kingdom, IAREP LTD. Directors of IAREP LTD are a) the IAREP President, b) the IAREP Treasurer, and c) a IAREP member residing in England or Wales who is nominated by the Managing Committee.

11. All ballots are secret. The names of the candidates for office should be contained in the announcement of the ballot. The announcement should be distributed to members at least 4 weeks before the vote will be held. Votes will be held at the General Assembly or online if the General Assembly decides to do so. The President can - in agreement with the Managing Committee - ask the General Assembly to vote electronically. In case of electronic voting, the General Assembly can only validly take a decision if at least one tenth of the individual members participate in the ballot.
For the election of the Committee members (President, Secretary, Treasurer), every member shall have one vote. For the election of country representative, each member from that country has one vote. The candidate who obtains the most votes shall be elected; in case of a tied vote, the toss of a coin shall be decisive.

2022
The following change in statutes (Rules 5, 8 and 11) was agreed at the Kistiansand General Assembly, 11th of June, 2022 (see Fall 2022 Newsletter)

5. The Managing Committee is composed of the President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Digital Marketing Specialist (DMS), the Editors of the Journal of Economic Psychology, and, when already appointed, the President-elect. The President represents the association in financial matters in concert with the Treasurer. The Board of the Association is composed of the above-mentioned committee, of one representative for each country in which the association has members and of at most four coopted members. The Board is responsible for the general conduct of the matters of the Association. All members of the Board must be chosen from the Association members.

8. The Secretary, the Treasurer, and the DMS are elected for a two-year term. They can be re-elected.

11. All ballots are secret. The names of the candidates for office should be contained in the announcement of the ballot. The announcement should be distributed to members at least 4 weeks before the vote will be held. Votes will be held at the General Assembly or online if the General Assembly decides to do so. The President can - in agreement with the Managing Committee - ask the General Assembly to vote electronically. In case of electronic voting, the General Assembly can only validly take a decision if at least one tenth of the individual members participate in the ballot.
For the election of the Committee members (President, Secretary, Treasurer, DMS), every member shall have one vote. For the election of country representative, each member from that country has one vote. The candidate who obtains the most votes shall be elected; in case of a tied vote, the toss of a coin shall be decisive. 

2024
Fostering inclusive language, the following change in statutes (Rule 9) was agreed at the Dundee General Assembly, 22nd of August, 2024 (see Fall 2024 Newsletter, already presented in the IAREP Spring Newsletter 2024):

“9. The Editor (of JEP) is elected for a five-year term at the proposal of the Board. He can be re-elected once, bringing his maximum term in office to 10 years. Up to three co-editors can be appointed for the same term as that of the Editor.”

to

“9. The Editor (of JEP) is elected for a five-year term at the proposal of the Board. The person can be re-elected once, bringing the maximum term in office to 10 years. Up to three co-editors can be appointed for the same term as that of the Editor.”.

The change of rules is accepted by 22 IAREP members (22 IAREP members present).