§ 1 Name, Seat, Fiscal Year

(1) The name of the association is "Center for Independent Social Research (CISR)". After entry in the register of associations, it shall bear the suffix "e. V.".

(2) The registered office of the association is in Berlin.

(3) The fiscal year of the association is the calendar year.

§ 2 Purpose

(1) The Association shall exclusively and directly pursue charitable purposes within the meaning of the section "Tax-privileged purposes" of the German Tax Code. The Association shall act selflessly; it shall not primarily pursue its own economic purposes.

(2) The purpose of the Association is to promote scientific research, social information and education as well as international understanding, especially in and in cooperation with Russia and other states of the former Soviet Union, ideally, financially, through projects, contacts, through events and through other measures. Furthermore, the association wants to contribute to a further internationalization of the social sciences - especially in Russia and the other states of the former Soviet Union - and to support the civil society of the countries involved as well as the cross-border and interdisciplinary scientific, civil society and cultural cooperation between Germany, Russia and other states.

(3) Another purpose of the Association is to raise funds for the promotion of science and research by another tax-privileged corporation or a corporation under public law. In the case of cooperation with other institutions, financial and other benefits may flow exclusively to likewise tax-privileged corporations or corporations under public law, which may use them exclusively for tax-privileged purposes.

(4) The Association shall also carry out scientific research projects on its own and commission research work to auxiliary persons within the meaning of Section 57 (1) sentence 2 of the German Fiscal Code (Abgabenordnung). The association will publish all research results in a timely manner.

(5) The purpose of the Association is not directed towards commercial business operations. Funds of the corporation may only be used for purposes in accordance with the statutes. The members shall not receive any share of the profits and, in their capacity as members, shall not receive any other benefits from the funds of the Association. No person may benefit from expenditures that are alien to the purpose of the Association or from disproportionately high remuneration.

(6) The Association is non-partisan and non-denominational.

§ 3 Membership

(1) Natural persons (individual members) as well as legal entities and associations of persons, in particular other registered associations, may become members of the Association. The Executive Board shall decide on the application for membership, which must be submitted in writing. The executive committee is entitled to reject an application for membership without giving reasons. Acquisition of membership shall be effected by entry in the list of members.

(2) The General Assembly may appoint honorary members upon proposal of the Executive Board.

(3) The membership fee is an annual fee. The amount of the fee and its due date shall be determined by the General Assembly upon proposal of the Executive Board. Honorary members are exempt from the obligation to contribute.

(4) Membership ends through:
a) voluntary resignation
b) exclusion from the Association
c) death of the member
d) deletion from the list of members

(5) A member may resign from the Association at any time by written declaration. However, the membership fee for the current calendar year must still be paid.

(6) The Executive Board may expel members who behave in a manner detrimental to the Association or who grossly violate the objectives of the Association. The person concerned must be given the opportunity to comment beforehand. The decision on the exclusion is to be provided with reasons and made known to the member. The person concerned may lodge an appeal against the exclusion with the general meeting within one month.

(7) The Executive Board can delete members from the membership list who are at least two years in arrears with their membership fees. A threat of deletion is not required. The member shall be informed of the deletion.

(8) The Executive Board shall inform the General Meeting of the names of members who have been excluded from the Association or deleted from the membership list.

§ 4 Organs

Organs of the association are
a) the general meeting
b) the executive committee

§ 5 General Meeting

(1) The General Meeting is the highest body of the Association and determines the guidelines of the Association's work. It takes place annually. In addition, the General Meeting must be convened if the interests of the Association require it or if the convening is requested in writing to the Board by one third of the members.

(2) The General Meeting shall be convened by the Executive Board in text form and with a notice period of two weeks. The agenda set by the Executive Board shall be communicated at the same time.

(3) Minutes shall be taken of the resolutions of the General Assembly of Members, which shall be signed by the respective chairman of the meeting and the keeper of the minutes.

(4) The General Assembly is responsible for decisions in the following matters:
- Amendments to the Articles of Association,
- Reorganization and dissolution of the association,
- Determination of principles for the preservation and use of the Association's assets,
- Appointment of honorary members as well as the exclusion of members from the Association,
- The election and dismissal of the members of the Board of Directors,
- The acceptance of the annual report and the discharge of the Executive Board,
- The determination of the admission fee and the membership fees as well as
- The appointment of committees, delegates and auditors.

§ 6 Executive Board

(1) The Executive Board of the Association shall consist of the Chairperson and two other members. They form the executive committee in the sense of § 26 BGB and are each alone authorized to represent the association.

(2) The Executive Board shall be elected by the General Meeting from the members of the Association for a period of two years; however, it shall remain in office after the expiry of the term of office until a new Executive Board is elected. If a member of the Executive Board leaves office prematurely, the remaining members are entitled to include a member of the Association in the Executive Board until the election of the successor by the General Meeting.

(3) The Board determines the operational work of the Association in accordance with the guidelines of the General Assembly. In particular, it decides on the use of funds in accordance with the purpose of the Association. The board may appoint a management.

(4) The board generally makes its decisions in board meetings. Exceptionally, a resolution of the Executive Board may also be passed in writing, electronically or by telephone if all members of the Executive Board agree to this procedure.

(5) Each member of the Board of Management shall have one vote. The Executive Board shall pass its resolutions by majority vote.

§ Section 7 Annual Report

(1) The Executive Board shall submit an annual report to the General Meeting after the end of the fiscal year. The annual report shall explain the course of the business year, the activities and the situation of the Association.

(2) The Executive Board shall also submit a financial report which presents and explains the financial situation of the Association.

(3) The accounts of the Association shall be audited by a cash auditor. The auditor's report shall be attached to the financial report. The cash auditor is elected by the general meeting and does not necessarily have to be a member of the association.

§ 8 Dissolution

In case of dissolution or abolition of the Association or in case of discontinuation of its tax-privileged purpose, the assets of the Association shall be transferred to the Verein Deutsch-Russischer Austausch e.V. (VR 12005 B) for non-profit purposes, which shall use the assets directly and exclusively for tax-privileged purposes.