statutes

As of 20 September 2025

§ 1 Name, registered office, financial year

(1) The association bears the name „Desiderius-Erasmus-Stiftung e.V.”. It has the legal form of a registered association.

(2) The registered office of the association is Lübeck.

(3) The financial year is the calendar year.

Section 2 Purpose of the Association

(1) The Desiderius Erasmus Foundation Association pursues exclusively and directly charitable purposes within the meaning of the section „Tax-privileged purposes“ of the German Tax Code. It acts altruistically; it does not primarily pursue its own economic purposes. In particular, it

1. promote the democratic system of government and impart civic education,
2. Promote science and research, in particular by awarding research contracts, and promote the scientific education and training of talented young people.,
3. promote international understanding, international relations, and tolerance in all areas of culture and international relations,
4. promote development cooperation, in particular through projects for scientific and professional further education at home and abroad,
5. Promoting art and culture.

(2) The association's objectives are achieved in particular through scientific events and research projects (e.g. in the fields of economics, political science and social sciences), the promotion of contacts and projects in Europe and internationally, the awarding of scholarships in accordance with the award guidelines of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the Federal Foreign Office in their currently valid versions, as well as through public exhibitions, publications, conferences, seminars and lectures. The promotion of art and culture shall be realised through scholarships, the awarding of prize money and grants to cultural projects that are themselves recognised as non-profit.

(3) The association shall publish its scientific findings in a timely manner. These tasks shall be carried out by the association within the scope of its personnel and material resources in Germany and abroad.

Section 3 The association's funds

(1) The funds for the association's purpose shall be raised through grants, voluntary contributions and donations. Membership fees shall not be charged.

(2) All funds may only be used for the purposes specified in § 2. No person may benefit from expenditures that are not related to the purposes of the association or from disproportionately high remuneration.

(3) The legal options for forming reserves, in particular a free reserve, shall be exhausted, provided that economic circumstances permit. This is intended to secure the charitable work of the foundation in the long term.

(4) Donations and other contributions that are recognisably made to strengthen the association's assets by means of an explicit declaration by the donor or contributor are exempt from the requirement to use funds in a timely manner. This is also intended to secure the charitable work of the foundation in the long term.

(5) Profits from asset reallocations in asset management shall, to the extent legally permissible, remain in the assets as a reallocation reserve.

(6) Members shall not receive any payments from the association's funds. The members of the executive committee shall work on a voluntary basis. They shall be entitled to reimbursement of proven expenses, insofar as the association's financial resources permit.

Section 4 Membership

(1) Only natural persons may become members of the association. The executive committee shall make the final decision on written applications for membership.

(2) The total number of club members is limited to 60.

(3) Membership shall last for at least two years. The next ordinary general meeting, which shall take place after two years of membership, shall decide by a simple majority on its termination or extension for a further two years. In the period between the completion of two years of membership and the subsequent ordinary general meeting, membership shall continue with all rights and obligations.

(4) Resignation from the association shall be effected by written declaration to a member of the executive committee. Resignation may be declared at any time.

Section 5 Loss of membership

A member may be expelled from the association by a two-thirds majority vote of the general meeting at the request of the executive committee if there is good cause. The member shall be given the opportunity to comment before the decision is made.

Section 6 Organs of the Association

The organs of the association are the general meeting and the executive committee.

Section 7 The Executive Board

(1) The Executive Board consists of up to fifteen members:

(2) The chairperson, the two deputy chairpersons and the treasurer form the executive committee within the meaning of Section 26 of the German Civil Code (BGB). Two of these executive committee members jointly represent the association in legal transactions with a financial volume of more than €50,000 (fifty thousand euros). Otherwise, these executive committee members represent the association in and out of court alone, unless the executive committee decides otherwise.

(3) The chairperson of the executive committee and the deputy chairpersons are each individually authorised to make amendments and additions to the statutes which the local court (register court) makes registration in the register of associations or its maintenance dependent, or the tax authority for corporations makes recognition as a non-profit organisation or its maintenance dependent, insofar as these amendments do not relate to significant changes to the purpose of the association or the provisions on the majorities required for elections and resolutions.

(4) The combination of several executive board positions in one person is generally not permitted. In exceptional cases, the general meeting may decide that the position of deputy treasurer and the position of secretary may be combined in one person for a transitional period, whereby this person shall have only one vote.

(5) The Executive Board manages the association's business and administers its assets. It is responsible for all tasks unless these are assigned to the General Meeting by the Articles of Association. The awarding of contracts to companies in which association members are directly or indirectly involved or associated in any way is not permitted. The Executive Board decides on exceptions.

Section 8 Term of office of the Executive Board

The Executive Committee is elected by the General Meeting for a term of two years, calculated from the date of the election. However, it remains in office until the new Executive Committee is elected. If a member of the Executive Committee resigns during their term of office, the Executive Committee elects a replacement member from among the association members for the remainder of the term of office of the resigning member.

Section 9 Convening and passing resolutions by the Executive Board

(1) Meetings of the Executive Board shall be convened as required. They shall be convened by the Chair or one of the Deputy Chairs, stating the agenda and giving seven days' notice. In justified exceptional cases, the notice period may be shortened. The invitation may also be sent by email.

(2) The Executive Board may also hold its meetings in the form of a telephone or video conference. All meetings and resolutions of the Executive Board shall be recorded for evidence purposes and signed by the chair of the meeting.

(3) The Executive Committee meeting shall be chaired by the Chair or, in his or her absence, by one of the Deputy Chairs.

(4) The Executive Board shall constitute a quorum if at least half of the current members of the Executive Board are present, including the Chair or one of the Deputy Chairs. It shall decide by a majority of its members present. In the event of a tie, the Chair or the person chairing the meeting shall have the casting vote.

(5) A decision of the Executive Board may be made in writing or by email if at least two-thirds of the current members of the Executive Board agree to the respective decision.

(6) If the number of elected members of the Executive Committee falls below half, a quorum is no longer present. The remaining members of the Executive Committee must immediately convene a general meeting.

Section 10 Management

(1) If one or more managing directors are appointed, the executive committee may grant them power of representation (power of attorney) in relation to external parties within the scope of day-to-day business.

(2) Further details may be regulated by the association's rules of procedure. These rules of procedure do not have the status of statutes.

(3) The managing directors are not members of the executive committee and do not have to be members of the association.

Section 11 The general meeting

The general meeting is the highest body of the association. It is primarily responsible for the following matters:

1. to receive, discuss and approve the Executive Board's business and cash flow report, and to discharge the Executive Board,
2. to elect and, if necessary, dismiss the Executive Board,
3. to elect two auditors, who shall be replaced by a chartered accountant to be elected by the general meeting in the calendar year in which the foundation first receives funds from the federal budget,
4. To decide on amendments to the Articles of Association,
5. to decide on the renewal or non-renewal of membership after at least two years and on the exclusion of members,
6. to decide on the dissolution of the association.

Section 12 Convening of the ordinary general meeting

(1) An ordinary general meeting shall be held in the third quarter of each financial year.

(2) The ordinary general meeting shall be convened by the executive committee in writing, giving two weeks' notice and stating the agenda. Invitations may also be sent by e-mail. The notice period shall commence on the calendar day following the dispatch of the invitation. The invitation shall be deemed to have been received by the member if it is sent to the last residential address or email address notified in writing by the member to the association.

(3) Subsequent motions for the agenda: Any member may submit a written request to the executive committee no later than one week before the date of the general meeting to have additional items added to the agenda. The chairperson shall amend the provisional agenda accordingly at the beginning of the general meeting. The general meeting shall decide on motions to add items to the agenda that are only submitted during the general meeting. A majority of three quarters of the valid votes cast is required for the motion to be accepted.

(4) Motions to amend the Articles of Association or dissolve the Association must be included in the agenda sent out with the invitation in order for a decision to be made on them. The General Meeting may also only decide on the election and dismissal of members of the Executive Board if the relevant motions have been announced to the members in the agenda.

Section 13 Holding and resolutions of the general meeting

(1) The general meeting shall be chaired by the chairperson or, if he/she is unable to attend, by a deputy chairperson. If both are unable to attend, the meeting shall appoint a chairperson. The secretary shall take the minutes. If the secretary is not present, the chairperson shall appoint a minute-taker.rer.

(2) Every duly convened general meeting shall constitute a quorum, regardless of the number of members present.

(3) Each member has one vote. Voting rights may only be exercised in person or on behalf of an absent member by presenting a handwritten, signed proxy, which may also be sent by email or fax to the proxy holder or the chair of the meeting. Only members of the association may be appointed as proxy holders.

(4) The chairperson shall determine whether voting shall be by acclamation or by secret ballot. Voting must be by secret ballot if one-third of the members present and entitled to vote so request.

(5) Votes shall be decided by a simple majority of the votes cast. Abstentions and invalid votes shall not be taken into account. In the event of a tie, the chairperson shall have a casting vote. If the chairperson does not take part in the vote, a motion shall be deemed rejected in the event of a tie.

(6) A majority of three quarters of the valid votes cast is required to amend the Articles of Association (including the purpose of the Association) and a majority of four fifths is required to dissolve the Association.

(7) The following applies to elections: If no candidate has obtained a majority of the valid votes cast in the first ballot, a run-off election shall be held between the candidates who have obtained the two highest numbers of votes.

(8) The general meeting is not open to the public. The chairperson of the meeting may admit guests. The general meeting shall decide on the admission of the press, radio and television.

(9) The minutes of the general meeting shall contain the following information: the place and time of the meeting, the names of the chairperson and the minute-taker, the number of members present, the agenda, the individual voting results and the type of voting. In the event of amendments to the Articles of Association, the provision to be amended shall be specified. The minutes shall be signed by the chairperson and the minute-taker.

§ 14 Extraordinary general meetings

The Executive Board may convene an extraordinary General Meeting at any time. It must convene such a meeting if the interests of the Association so require or if one third of the members request it in writing, stating the purpose and reasons. The meeting shall be convened by the Executive Board with two weeks' notice. Paragraphs 12 and 13 of these Articles of Association shall apply accordingly.

Section 15 Dissolution of the Association and Entitlement to Assets

(1) The dissolution of the Association may only be decided upon at a General Meeting with the four-fifths majority specified in § 13 (6), provided that the meeting was convened with the relevant agenda and written justification within one month, cf. also § 12 (4).

(2) Unless the general meeting decides otherwise, the chairperson, deputy chairpersons and treasurer shall be jointly authorised to represent the association. In the event that the association is dissolved for any other reason or loses its legal capacity, the above provisions shall apply mutatis mutandis.

(3) Following its dissolution or in the event that its tax-privileged purposes cease to exist, the remaining assets of the association shall be transferred to the Förderstiftung Konservative Bildung und Forschung (FKBF) [Foundation for Conservative Education and Research], Fasanenstraße 4, 10623 Berlin, which shall use them directly and exclusively for charitable purposes.

(4) These Articles of Association were adopted at an ordinary general meeting on 20 September 2025. They replace the Articles of Association adopted at the founding meeting on 9 April 2017 and amended on 15 September 2018, 23 September 2023 and 28 September 2024.