Title

The title of the organization shall be the INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR SURFACE FINISHING, hereinafter referred to as the I.U.S.F.

Aims and Objectives

  • The advancement of knowledge and education through programs, such as the World Congress on Surface Finishing, to be held and organized by Member Societies.
  • Providing information regarding international standards and nomenclature for surface finishing.
  • The promotion of the means of education, both theoretical and practical, in the art and science of surface finishing.
  • The advancement of industry through education of industrially used processes.
  • The conducting and publication of research in the art and science of surface finishing.

Powers of the I.U.S.F.

  • Influence Member Societies to accomplish the aims and objectives of the I.U.S.F.
  • Publish books, reports, abstracts, or journals.
  • Carry out research, by itself or through agents.
  • Hold meetings, conferences or symposia.
  • Endow scholarships or other financial support for education in the field of surface finishing.
  • Provide regulations governing the place, frequency, and content of Interfinish World congresses.

Note: The I.U.S.F. publications may carry advertisements, clearly distinguished from educational matter, with no endorsement implied by the I.U.S.F.

Membership of the I.U.S.F.

  • Any regional or national society with aims and objectives similar to those of the I.U.S.F. shall be eligible for membership.
  • Any society applying for membership shall provide the Secretary General a copy of its constitution or rules.
  • The name of the applicant, along with relevant information, shall be provided to all members at least two months prior to a meeting of the Council.
  • Admission to membership shall require the consent of two-thirds of the members present at a Council meeting.

Officers of the I.U.S.F.

    The officers of the I.U.S.F. shall constitute the Executive Council and consist of:
  • The President
  • Two Vice-Presidents
  • The Treasurer
  • The Secretary General

  1. The President shall be from the country in which the next Interfinish - World Congress is to be held, and will be a delegate from that country. He shall assume the office at the commencement of the Council meeting two years before the date of the Interfinish World Congress, and shall remain in office until a successor takes his place.
  2. Of the two vice-presidents, one shall be the second delegate of the President’s country, and the other shall be the Immediate Past President.
  3. The Treasurer shall be elected by the Council from among its members, assume the office for a term of four years, and be eligible for re-election.
  4. The Secretary General shall be selected by the Council, assume office at the same time as the President, hold office for a term of four years, and be eligible for re-election.

Membership of the Council

The office of Honorary Vice-President may be created at any time, by the Council in order to confer recognition for services to the I.U.S.F., the term of office decided by the Council. No more than one can hold the office at the same time. The Honorary Vice-President shall be an ex officio member of the Council, but not a member of the Executive Council.

Duties of the Officers

  • The President shall, if present, take the Chair at all meetings of the Council.
  • One of the Vice-Presidents shall take the chair in the absence of the President.
  • The Treasurer is responsible for accurate financial record keeping and shall provide the Council with an annual audited balance sheet and income statement. He shall provide a proposed budget to the Executive Council for review and approval. The approved budget must then be presented to the Council at the annual meeting.
  • The Secretary General, in close co-operation with the Executive Council, shall conduct the correspondence of the Union, issue notices and agendas for all meetings of the Council, and perform such secretarial duties, as the Council shall determine. He shall provide a general liaison between Member Societies and act as contact between the delegates of the Council.

Delegates to the Council

The governing body of the I.U.S.F. shall be the assembly of the delegates, called the Council. Each Member Society of the I.U.S.F. is entitled to appoint two delegates to the Council.

Voting at Council Meetings

  • Each country is limited to two votes in the Council meeting.
  • When a single delegate represents his country, he is entitled to a second delegate’s proxy vote.
  • The President is entitled to a vote in the Council meeting and casts the deciding vote in the case of a tie.
  • All matters resolved by the Council shall be determined by a simple majority vote by the members present.

Finance

  • The financial year shall be from 1 January to 31 December. Annual dues from Member Societies shall be determined at a fixed amount and currency by the Council.
  • The financial responsibility of the Interfinish World Congress shall be borne by the sponsoring society, unless sponsored by the I.U.S.F. itself.
  • A levy of five percent (5%) of the total entrance fee to an Interfinish World Congress must be paid to the I.U.S.F. by the sponsoring society regardless of any loss incurred.
  • A levy of two percent (2%) of the total entrance fee to an Interfinish held between Interfinish World Congresses must be paid to the I.U.S.F. by the sponsoring society regardless of any loss incurred.
  • Reimbursement of expenses can be made at the discretion of the Executive Council.

I.U.S.F. Interfinish World Congress

  • Member Societies are discouraged from conducting a conference similar to an international World Congress in the year an Interfinish World Congress is held.
  • Any Member Society conducting an international conference is required to notify the I.U.S.F.
  • The Interfinish World Congress shall be held every four years.
  • The venue of each Interfinish World Congress shall be determined by a simple majority vote of the Council eight years in advance.
  • The organization of a World Congress is the responsibility of the Society of the host country. Member Societies wishing to conduct the Congress shall submit a request in writing to the Secretary General, including a statement of guarantied payment of the five percent (5%) levy. Such applications must be received no later than six months prior to the annual meeting of the Council at which the venue is to be decided. The Secretary General is responsible to notify the Member Societies of applications received.
  • The official language of the Interfinish World Congress shall be English and possibly one other language, decided by the organizer and the Council.

Special Events

The I.U.S.F. may sponsor special events, such as regional conferences held by Member Societies. Such events can only take place approximately one year before or after an Interfinish World Congress. The event is subject to a two percent (2%) levy of the total entrance fees received, unless otherwise decided by the Council upon request of the organizing society.

Meetings of the Council

  1. The annual meeting of the Council shall take place at a regional Interfinish conference. If a meeting is not held in a given year, the Treasurer and Secretary General must provide annual reports, including a budget for the upcoming year.
  2. In the year when an Interfinish World Congress takes place, the meeting shall include an election of officers and the selection of a sight for an Interfinish World Congress.
  3. A special meeting of the Council must be called if requested by not less than one third of the Member Societies. The request must contain a statement of the proposed business to be discussed. At least a two months notice prior to the meeting must be given to Member Societies.

Meetings and Duties of the Executive Council

  1. The Executive Council shall normally meet prior to any meeting of the Council.
  2. The Executive Council is responsible for the following of proper procedures and insuring the proper information is provided for the meeting of the Council.
  3. The Executive Council shall meet when necessary, upon the request of two members of the Executive Council.
  4. A quorum for the Executive Council must be three or more members of the Executive Council.
  5. The administration of the I.U.S.F. may be subcontracted at the discretion of Executive Council.

Alterations to the Charter

  1. Any proposed change to the Charter of the I.U.S.F. shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary General, who shall forward it to a “Constitutional Sub-Committee”.
  2. The committee shall consist of the Executive Council and two other delegates of the Council, appointed by the Executive Council.
  3. At least one delegate of the country submitting the change must serve on the committee.
  4. The Sub-Committee report shall be distributed to the Member Societies for review and comment at least thirty days prior to the Council meeting.
  5. Adoption of the proposed change requires a two- thirds majority of the Council.

Termination of Membership

Membership will be terminated by resignation of the Member Society or by resolution of the Council.

  1. The resignation of a Member Society can only take place by giving notice in writing not later than July of the current year. The Society is obligated to pay any current or outstanding dues.
  2. Any Member Society in which its due payments are two years in arrears, with no response to two written notices, may have its membership revoked by resolution of the Council. A vote of two thirds of the members present is required revocation. The Member Society remains obligated to pay any outstanding dues.

Termination of the Union

  1. Any decision to terminate the I.U.S.F. can only be approved at a meeting of the Council with a quorum of four fifths of the Member Societies. A vote of four fifths of the delegates is required for dissolution.
  2. The Executive Council must remain in office until all financial matters are satisfied.
  3. re-distribution of funds of the I.U.S.F., if any, shall be to Member Societies in good standing at the time of dissolution.

This Charter was adopted by a vote of Member Societies in May 1984. An amendment to Clause 6 was proposed in Paris, October 1988 and adopted in Brighton, April 1989. A series of amendments to the Charter were proposed in Schwabish Gmund in March, 1995 and adopted in Birmingham in September 1996. This Charter was revised and adopted in Chicago, IL, USA on 29 June, 2004