NSR - By Laws

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NSR By-Laws

The definition of terms

The definitions of the terms used in these By-Laws are as follows:

  • NSR – Nordiska samarbetsrådet – The meetings of five Nordic countries, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland to co-operate for strengthening Lions matters in these countries
  • NSR Meeting – The weekend in January, preferably the 3rd weekend
  • NSR Council Meeting – Rådsmöte – The decisive meeting during NSR Meeting
  • CC Board – The group of CCs from Nordic countries
  • CC Board Meeting – The meeting of CCs. Nordic IP, ID, ID Candidates, PIP, PID, GS, VCC and NSR-OC can also take part of this meeting
  • NSR-OC – NSR Operating Committee, helping organ of NSR and CCs
  • NSR Coordinator  - The person who takes care of the matters at the International Convention
  • ID – International Director from Nordic countries according to the table 3 in Appendix 1
  • IRD – International Relations Directors, the committee of one member from every Nordic country according to table 2 in Appendix 1

1     The tasks to be fulfilled by MD

 The MD secretary should send to the members of NSR-OC the following documents

  • The LION Magazine
  • Decisions by MD meetings concerning Nordic cooperation

Every MD should have a complete NSR material including

  • The NSR Constitution and By-Laws
  • The minutes of NSR Council Meetings and CC Board Meetings

District Governor elects should receive the following documents from his/her MD secretary:

  • The NSR Constitution and By-Laws
  • A short presentation of NSR
  • The decisions taken by the previous NSR Council Meeting that should be implemented during their year as a District Governor.

MD offices shall give information to the participants in accordance to tasks shown in the NSR calendar. See table 1 in Appendix 1.

2     Responsibilities

2.1  The NSR Meeting

The timetable of NSR matters is on the table 1 in Appendix 1.

When organizing a NSR meeting, the following guidelines should be respected/taken into account:

  • The circulation between countries, see table 3 in Appendix 1
  • NSR Meeting shall be organized in January, preferably the 3rd weekend
  • The location of NSR Meeting is to be no more than one hour drive from an international airport in the big cities of Scandinavia
  • Model of the program, see table 5 in Appendix 1
  • The price level should remain moderate following previous years’ examples. Prices shall include hotel, meals (no alcohol) and registration fee. The CC Board shall approve all fees.
  • The registration fee should include the cost of conference rooms, welcome program, printed matters and coffee breaks.
  • Sponsors may be used to reduce the price level
  • Spouse program can be arranged if needed
  • All practical issues when preparing the NSR Meeting shall be confirmed by the NSR-OC representative
  • All NSR meetings are open for all Lions members

2.2   Responsibility in practical matters

The Lions clubs/MD which have been given the right to arrange the NSR weekend carry the responsibility for all practical matters during the event.

2.3 Economical responsibility

The Council of Governors of the host country has the economic responsibility for the NSR meeting and its arrangements. A preliminary plan should be presented to CC  Board meeting in January one year before the NSR meeting. The final plan must be accepted in the CC Board meeting in November.

2.4 The responsibility of the matters

The CC Board has the responsibility of the matters during NSR Meeting. Main responsibility has the CC from the host country. The chairperson of the organizing committee should send a tentative program to the NSR-OC before the Board meeting during the Europa Forum. NSR-OC should send the proposed program to the CC Board Meeting before Europa Forum after having discussed and developed the contents.

3     The theme of the year

Host country should decide the theme of the year. The theme should be presented to the NSR-OC at the beginning of November before the NSR meeting. The NSR-OC prepares its comments to the CC Board.

The theme should be presented by a Lions or non-Lions speaker.

Possible expenses of speakers can be paid from the NSR's budget if approved by the CC Board.

The theme of the year should relate to something that Lions do or has an affect to the Lions in the future.

The group discussions should lead to a joint statement or recommendation to MDs or clubs by the NSR Council Meeting.

4     Workshops

See Appendix 2, chapter 4.

5    The NSR Council meeting program

The model agenda of a NSR Council meeting is presented in the Appendix 1 table 7

The language in a NSR Council meeting is English. The language in all other NSR meetings, seminars and workshops shall be decided by the chairpersons and the participants.

 Guidelines for the opening and closing ceremonies are presented in Appendix 1, table 6.  

6      Guidelines for NSR-OC

6.1 The composition of and the length of membership in NSR-OC

The NSR-OC consists of 5 Lions, one from each Nordic country. The representative shall be appointed or elected in each member MD and should be a Lions leader with strong NSR experience.

The representative shall be appointed or elected for a period of 5 years. Appointment/election follows a principle of rotation where one member of the NSR-OC must be replaced or reappointed/reelected every year.

The representative from the host country of the annual NSR meeting is always the chairperson of the NSR-OC. The representative from the country hosting next year NSR meeting is always the secretary of the NSR-OC.

6.2 NSR-OC meetings

The NSR-OC has every year one ordinary meeting in connection with the annual NSR Meeting. Other meetings should be held as teleconferences or by e-post.

The members of the NSR-OC are encouraged to participate in the Council of Governors meetings in their MD, especially in the first half of the fiscal year.

The chairperson of the NSR-OC participates as the secretary in the annual NSR CC Board meeting in November/December in order to prepare the coming NSR Meeting.

6.3  The tasks of NSR-OC

The NSR-OC is a service and advisory committee for the NSR CC Board in order to secure the continuity in the NSR cooperation. NSR-OC shall be used as a focal point/resource centre in NSR matters.

Together with the host committee, the NSR-OC shall prepare the program for the annual NSR meeting and the agenda of the NSR Council meeting. The final proposals must be approved by the NSR CC Board.

The agenda of the NSR Council meeting must reflect the NSR Constitution and By-Laws and other NSR rules.

Together with the NSR CC Board, the NSR-OC shall prepare all accounts and budgets for NSR and NSR activities at International Conventions. NSR-OC shall present accounts and budgets in the NSR Council meeting for approval.

The NSR-OC shall see to the future development of NSR in order to make the annual NSR Meetings active, interesting and relevant for Lion leaders and members. All proposals shall be presented to the NSR CC Board for final acceptance. Approval must be taken on a NSR Council Meeting.

6.4  NSR-OC budget

NSR-OC budget is a part of the total NSR budget.

The budget covers NSR-OC member participation in the annual NSR meeting.  The budget also covers the NSR-OC Chairperson’s participation in the NSR CC Board meeting in November/December.

7      CC Board

7.1      Cost compensation for the CC Board

Each MD covers the expenses to the CC Board Meetings for their own CC. However, travel expenses to the CC Board Meeting in November are covered by NSR. Other expenses in this meeting are covered by each MD.

7.2      Responsibilities of the chairperson of CC Board

  1. The chairperson is responsible for preparing the minutes of the CC Board meetings, and the distribution of the minutes to all participants, Nordic ID’s and Nordic MD offices.
  2. In the CC Board meeting at the Convention, the agenda should include a presentation of motions coming up at Convention and Europa Forum (EF).
  3. During the CC Board meeting at the Europa Forum, the agenda should include the program of the next NSR meeting and if possible a guideline of how to act during EF.
  4. The chairperson is also responsible for contacting and negotiating with the next EF organizer with respect to translation in the Nordic languages or compensation to NSR if there is no translation in the Nordic languages. The decision how to act should be taken into discussion by the CC Board at the CC Board meeting at the Convention.
  5. The chairperson makes arrangements for the CC Board meeting to be held between EF and NSR. Main topics of this meeting are:
    - Agenda for the next NSR meeting and the NSR Council Meeting according to a proposal by the NSR-OC
    - Theme for the main speaker in the next NSR meeting.
    - Administrative budget for the next Lions year.
    - Next IR project proposed by the IR committee.
  6. During the NSR Meeting the chairperson is responsible for the agenda to the CC Board Meeting. Main topics at this meeting are:
    - Questions to the agenda at the NSR Council Meeting
    - Participation at the national Convention
    - Common Nordic acting at the next Convention
    - Approval of the budget for the next NSR
  7. The chairperson is responsible for informing the next chairperson about any matters that have to be implemented during the next Lions-year.

Throughout the year, the NSR-OC shall serve as an advisory and working committee for the chairperson and the CC Board.

8     Guidelines for Coordinator

8.1  Expenses for Coordinator

Expenses for coordinator and his/her maintenance during the International Convention shall be covered by the NSR budget. The expenses are for two persons in each Convention. See table 4 in Appendix 1.

8.2  NSR Coordinator´s assignments                   

Coordinator´s main assignment is to organize and lead all common activities of the Nordic countries during the Lions Clubs International Convention.

In addition he/she

  1. Makes and sends out the common Nordic program for the convention.
  2. Arranges a meeting room for the CC Board Meeting
  3. Arranges a room and other services for the Scandinavian Get-together.  Coordinator also prepares the program and is the toast-master.
  4. Arranges a room and other services for the Scandinavian Hospitality room.  Coordinator is also the leader of this event.
  5. Makes one common registration for the International parade for all Scandinavian participants.
  6. Draws up a budget that covers all possible cost of his/hers assignment and work.
  7. Gives a report from last convention and introduce a plan for next convention in the NSR meeting
  8. Briefs and coaches the incoming coordinator
  9. Coordinator is liable to the CC Board on his/her actions.

9      Ad-hoc committees

Expenses from an ad-hoc committee appointed by the CC Board or NSR Council should be covered by the NSR administrative budget and be specified separately in the budget and/or final accounts.

10   The administrative budget

From this budget, the following expenses are covered:

  1. NSR-OC expenses according to the by-laws
  2. NSR coordinators expenses according to the by-laws
  3. Travel cost of the CC’s to the CC meeting in November
  4. All expenses of the NSR-OC chairperson and other specially invited persons to the CC meeting in November.
  5. Other administrative expenses decided in the NSR Council meeting.
  6. If NSR is covering travel cost, the following will be covered:
  • Travel expenses from home to the meeting place by using the cheapest communication
  • Lodging (single room price)
  • Meals according to receipts or meals included in the official program
  • Invited ID
  • Taxi if absolutely necessary
  • Expenses for alcohol will not be covered
  • Expenses for spouses will not be covered except if the spouse is a responsible coordinator (see 8.1)

The NSR administrative expenses are covered by the five Nordic countries according to the number of members (LCI figures) on June 30 each year.

11 Composition of the IRD committee and the project management

The IRD committee consists of the International Relations Directors (IRD) of the Multiple Districts (MD) of the NSR countries.

The planning period for the NSR project should normally be 2 years.

The project should be finished within 2 years. If the project runs for more than 2 years the responsibility remains with the country running the project with no responsibility for the other NSR countries.

The NSR part of the expenses for the NSR IR project is covered by the five countries as follows:
MD 101 Sweden 24 %, MD 104 Norway 23 %, MD 106 Denmark 17 %, MD 107 Finland 32 % and MD 109 Iceland 4 %. The NSR part of the expenses per year is calculated as follows: Total number of members as per June 30 multiplied by an amount per member decided by the NSR Council Meeting (see Appendix 2).

11.1       Role of the IRD committee

The role of IRD committee and IRD Chairperson is presented in paragraph 1 and 2 in Appendix 2.

11.2       Work plan for the IRD committee

 Work plan is presented in paragraph 3 in Appendix 2.