# Articles of Association

# §1 Name, Headquarters, Fiscal Year

The association is named "ACD Deutschland - Leben mit Kreatinmangelsyndrom".
It is to be entered into the register of associations and will then add the suffix e.V (german for registerd association).
The association has its headquarters in Radebeul.
The fiscal year is the calendar year.

⁠Patient, family, and public education.
⁠Building networks and making contacts: between affected families, medical professionals, and researchers, as well as with other patient organizations.
⁠Promotion and motivation of research for therapies of creatine deficiency diseases.

The association exclusively and directly pursues non-profit purposes as defined in the "Tax-Advantaged Purposes" section of the Fiscal Code under § 52 AO.
The association operates selflessly and does not pursue its own economic purposes.
The funds of the association may only be used for the purposes specified in the articles of association. Members receive no benefits from the funds of the association. No person may be favored by expenditures that are unrelated to the purpose of the association or by disproportionately high remuneration.

Any natural or legal person who supports the goals of the association can become a member.
The application for membership must be made in writing to the board. The board decides on the acceptance. For minors, the application must be made by their legal representatives.
Membership ends through resignation, expulsion, or death.
Resignation must be declared in writing to the board at least 14 days before the end of the calendar year.
A member can be expelled from the association if their behavior grossly violates the interests of the association. The expulsion decision is made by the general meeting. Expulsion can only take place with an absolute majority (50% plus one of the possible votes of the members present at the meeting).
The resigned or expelled member has no claims against the association's assets.
The amount and due date of membership fees are determined by the fee schedule. This is part of the articles of association and complements its provisions.

The organs of the association are:

The ordinary general meeting takes place once a year.
An extraordinary general meeting must be convened if the interests of the association require it or if at least 1/3 of the members request it in writing from the board.
Duties of the general meeting:
- Receipt of the annual report from the board,
- Discharge of the board,
- Election and dismissal of board members,
- Decision-making on amendments to the articles of association, and
- If necessary, the dissolution of the association.
The general meeting is to be convened by the board in writing, with a notice period of two weeks and specifying the agenda.
The chairperson of the meeting is the first chairperson and, in case of their absence, the second chairperson. If neither is present, a chairperson will be elected by the general meeting. A secretary will also be appointed by the general meeting.
Every properly convened general meeting is quorate regardless of the number of members present.
Decisions of the general meeting are made by a simple majority of the valid votes cast.
Minutes must be taken of the decisions made at the general meeting, to be signed by the chairperson and the secretary.

The board consists of the chairperson, the deputy chairperson, and the treasurer.
The board is elected by the general meeting for a period of two years. Re-election is possible.
The board conducts the day-to-day affairs of the association and represents the association in legal and non-legal matters.

The general meeting may be held digitally, such as via video or telephone conference. In this case, all properly invited members who have joined digitally are considered present and entitled to vote. Technical provisions must be made to ensure the participation of all members and the proper conduct of votes and elections.
Board meetings can also be held digitally. The decisions made in digital board meetings are valid as long as all eligible board members were properly invited and the meeting was conducted according to the provisions of the articles of association.
Minutes must be taken for both digital and non-digital general meetings and board meetings, recording the essential content and decisions.

Amendments to the articles of association require a two-thirds majority of the members present at the general meeting.
The board may decide on amendments to the articles of association that are required by supervisory, judicial, or financial authorities for formal reasons.

The dissolution of the association can only be decided in a general meeting specially convened for this purpose. A three-quarters majority of the members present is required.
In the event of the dissolution or termination of the association, or if the tax-privileged purposes are no longer fulfilled, the assets of the association will be transferred to a non-profit organization, which must use it directly and exclusively for non-profit purposes in the field of health care.

This articles of association was adopted on December 2, 2024, by the founding meeting.