Chapter I. NAME-GUIDELINES-OBJECTIVES

Article 1: Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment (thereafter called VACNE) is a social and professional organization of those who are interested in, advocate and operate in the field of conservation of nature and the environment, which was established in accordance with Decision 299/CT dated 23 November 1988 issued by the Chairman of Council Ministers (now the Prime Minister of the Government).

Article 2: The overriding goal that VACNE is in pursuance of is to gather together and involve individuals and social organizations in Vietnam in works in favor of the conservation and rational use of natural resources, the protection and improvement of the environment for contributing to the country’s sustainable development during the process of industrialization and modernization, and to the world and regional environmental protection.

Article 3: VACNE operates in conformity with its Statute and national laws. It is under governance of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and other relevant state management bodies.

VACNE is a member of the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations.

VACNE has juridical entity status, and is entitled to possess its own seal, to open its accounts at the bank, and to have its own mouthpiece and logo.

The Office of VACNE is in Hanoi. If needed, VACNE can establish its representative offices in some provinces in accordance with the laws.

Chapter II: TASKS OF VACNE

Article 4: The powers and the responsibilities of VACNE shall be:

1. To promote awareness and education, and outreach of knowledge on nature conservation and environmental protection among the general public, contributing to the inclusion of nature conservation and environmental protection into schools curricula;

2. To agitate the people for complying with the laws, contributing their efforts and resources to, and raising mass movements for nature conservation and environmental protection, as well as struggling against any action violating laws and Statutes on nature conservation and environmental protection;

3. To involve its members and facilitate their participation in the development and implementation of policies, legislation and measures relating to nature conservation and environmental protection; to provide the government agencies and businesses with its relevant consultancy services, professional reviews and social appraisals on the issues within the fields of its activities;

4. To launch initiatives to improve its members awareness and knowledge of, and strengthen their capacity in nature conservation and environmental protection, and to involve them in scientific research and technological development in the fields of nature conservation and environmental protection;

5. To protect the legal rights and interests of VACNE and its members;

6. To raise the Association's fund from the membership fee and from revenues of the Association's activities; to receive legal financial assistance granted by domestic and foreign organizations and individuals, in accordance with the provisions of the laws, in order to cover the expenditure of activities;

7. To strengthen the partnership with other Vietnamese associations and organizations, Vietnamese expatriate and foreign country individuals and organizations, and international organizations in order to better conserve the nature and protect the environment in Viet Nam and contribute its part to the world and regional environmental protection and nature conservation;

8. To apply for the membership in regional and international organizations and associations operating in the field of environment protection in accordance with the provisions with the laws.

Chapter III. MEMBERSHIP

Article 5: The membership of VACNE shall include individual, collective and honorary members.

1. The Individual Members include those Vietnamese citizens who are interested in nature conservation and environmental protection, voluntarily work for the Association, agree to the Statute of VACNE, apply for the membership of VACNE, and are recognized by Executive Committees of Subsidiary Associations;

2. The Collective Members include those collectives of people working or studying in management agencies, scientific institutions and universities, production and business establishments, army and police force units, and other social organizations which voluntarily work for the Association, agree to the Statute of VACNE, their heads apply to it for the membership on their behalf, and are recognized by the Central Executive Committee of VACNE;

3. The Honorary Members include those institutions and individuals who have  great contribution to nature conservation and environmental protection in Viet Nam and actively support VACNE’s activities, are eligible to be recognized by the Central Executive Committee of VACNE.

Article 6: The Members are entitled to following rights to:

1. Be granted the membership card according to provisions specified by the Central Executive Committee of VACNE;

2. Participate in discussions and vote to works of the Association at its conferences;

3. To stand for, and elect positions in leading organs of VACNE;

4. Be provided with supports according to practical conditions and the extent of available resources of VACNE to fulfill works assigned by its or other nature conservation and environmental protection activities. These supports include access to information and documents, and use of facilities; participation in projects on scientific research or technological development carried out by the Association;  participation in training courses; and endorsement and appointment to national and international conferences;

5. Withdraw from the membership.

Article 7: The members have following obligations to:

1. Be exemplary in the compliance with policies and laws on environmental protection adopted by the State;

2. Respect and comply with the VACNE’s Statute, and resolutions made by VACNE;

3. Actively participate in the fulfillment of VACNE’s tasks and its development;

4. Pay membership fee as stipulated by the Association.

Article 8:

1. Organizations and individuals mentioned in items 1 and 2, Article 5, voluntarily applying for the membership of VACNE shall submit an application form in accordance with Association's regulation;

2. The application form shall be admitted if it is approved by over 50% of total members of an Subsidiary Association's Executive Committee (in the case of Individual Members) or 50% of total members of the Central Executive Committee of VACNE (in the case of Collective Members).

Article 9: The Members that voluntarily withdraw from the membership of VACNE shall only submit a form to the Executive Committee of the Subsidiary Association or to the Central Executive Committee of VACNE, corresponding to the provisions of the Item 2, Article 8.

Chapter IV. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE ASSOCIATION

Article 10: VACNE is structured and operates in a voluntary, self-control and self-supporting form .

VACNE consists of: the National Congress of Representatives, the Central Executive Committee, the Standing Committee; the Inspection Commission, the President and Vice-Presidents, the Secretary General and VACNE Office, and other Subsidiary Bodies.

VACNE is structured at central and local levels.

At central level it is Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment.

At local level, Local Associations for conservation of nature and environment may be established, if needed. The establishment of a Local Association shall be subject to a decision by the local People’s Committee according to the provisions of the laws. The Local Association shall be recognized as a Member Association to VACNE if it agrees to the Statute of VACNE and applies to it for the membership.

At institutions level, if there is a lack of conditions for establishing Associations,  Subsidiary Associations may be established.

Article 11: The National Congress of Representatives is the supreme body of VACNE, shall be convened every five years by the Central Executive Committee of VACNE. Extraordinary sessions of the Congress shall be held at the formal request of at least two third of the members of the Central Executive Committee.

The Congress shall have tasks to:

1. Review and approve VACNE’s performance reports submitted by the Central Executive Committee;

2. Review and approve its activity directions for a coming period;

3. Review and  approve the Statute of VACNE, and make the decisions necessary to revise the Statute;

4. Make decisions on the economic, financial and other issues of VACNE;

5. Elect the members of the Central Executive Committee and the Inspection Commission;

6. Appoint its representatives to the Congress of Vietnam Union of Science and  Technology Associations.

Article 12: The Central Executive Committee is elected by the National Congress of Representatives and is the leading body at intervals of the Congress sessions. Members of the Central Executive Committee and the procedure of its election shall be decided by the Congress. At intervals of the Congress sessions, the Central Executive Committee shall have power to dismiss and supplement its members but the supplemented number shall not exceed one fifth of total number elected by the Congress.

The Central Executive Committee shall hold its regular meetings every year.

The tasks of the Central Executive Committee shall be:

1. To take the leadership in the implementation of resolutions adopted by the National Congress of Representatives;

2. To act as a liaison body with the government agencies, partnership associations and international organizations;

3. To elect titles such as President, Vice-Presidents, Secretary General, Members of the Standing Committee, and the Head of the Inspection Commission. The election procedure is decided by the Central Executive Committee;

4. To manage a secretariat of the Central Executive Committee.

Article 13: A secretariat is hereby established under the Central Executive Committee. The secretariat shall act as the Standing Committee consisting of a President, Vice-Presidents, Secretary General and other members.

Number of members of the Standing Committee should not be more than one fifth of the total members of the Central Executive Committee.

The Standing Committee shall hold its regular meetings every 6 months to:

- Supervise and speed up the implementation of work programs of commissions and members of the Central Executive Committee, and the Executive Committees of all level Associations;

- Prepare reports to be submitted to sessions of the Central Executive Committee; and

- Tackle emerging issues.

The powers and responsibilities of the President of VACNE shall be:

- To act as a representative having the juridical status of the VACNE before the laws;

- To make arrangements for the implementation of the resolutions made by the National Congress of Representatives, the conferences of representatives, and decisions made by the Central Executive Committee and the Standing Committee;

- To convene and chair meetings of the Central Executive Committee;

- To designate staffs for the VACNE Office and other Subsidiary Bodies established by VACNE;

- Fully responsible before the Central Executive Committee and all the Members for the performance of VACNE activities.

The Vice-Presidents shall be assistants to the President and assigned by the President to be in charge of each area. The Vice-Presidents shall be authorized to manage works of the Central Executive Committee during the President’s absence.

Article 14:

1. The Inspection Commission shall be chaired by a member of the Central Executive Committee of VACNE elected by the National Congress of Representatives and shall consists of 3 to 5 members;

2. The tasks of the Inspection Commission shall be inspection, verification, review, and giving recommendations on measures against cases of violation of the Statute or other provisions of the Association.

Article 15: The VACNE Office is hereby established to assist the Central Executive Committee. It is managed by the Secretary General of VACNE.

1. The Secretary General is in charge of managing the daily works of the VACNE Office. The Secretary General shall be entitled to perform works designated by the President and the Standing Committee at intervals of its sessions;

2. The powers and responsibilities of the VACNE Office shall be:

- To make arrangements for the implementation of resolutions and decisions made by the Central Executive Committee and the Standing Committee of VACNE;

- To ensure regular internal communications within VACNE and the necessary coordination with external agencies;

- To perform administrative and archives arrangements;

- To administer assets of VACNE; and

- To apply accounting principles in VACNE in accordance with the prevailing accounting Statutes.

Article 16: The Member Associations to VACNE shall operate in accordance with the Statutes approved by the Standing Committee of the Central Executive Committee.

Article 17:

1. Subsidiary Associations shall act in accordance with the Statute of VACNE;

2. The Congress of Representatives of a Subsidiary Association shall be convened every five years;

3. The Congress shall elect the Executive Committee of the Subsidiary Association to manage its common matters.

Article 18: Depending on the work requirement, VACNE can establish some Subsidiary Organizations and Institutions in accordance with the provisions of the laws.  

Chapter V. FINANCE AND ASSETS OF VACNE

Article 19: VACNE’s financial resource is raised from:

1. The membership fee to be paid by VACNE Members;

2. Revenues from the provision of its scientific and technical services;

3. Financial assistance and supports legally granted by domestic and foreign individuals and organizations.

The raised financial resource shall be used for VACNE activities in accordance with provisions of the laws.

Article 20: VACNE’s assets comprising of real estates (if available), movables and currency belong to the property of VACNE.

The assets shall be administered and used for activities of VACNE according to provisions stipulated by the Central Executive Committee.

After VACNE is dissolved, all the remained assets of it shall be treated according to the provisions of the laws.

Chapter VI. REWARDS AND DISCIPLINES

Article 21: Those Subsidiary Bodies and Members of VACNE who make outstanding achievements shall be rewarded by the Central Executive Committee or recommended to be rewarded by the Government.

Article 22: The Award "For the cause of environmental protection" is hereby established by VACNE in order to promote those individuals and collectives having outstanding contributions to the movement of environmental protection.

Article 23: Those Subsidiary Bodies and Members of VACNE who violate the Statute, cause losses to the prestige and interests of VACNE, and violate the State laws shall be, depending on the seriousness of their offence, reproved, warned, or dismissed from VACNE (in the case of its Member) or dissolved (in the case of its Subsidiary Body).

Chapter VII. VALIDITY AND REVISION OF THE STATUTE

Article 24: This Statute comprising seven chapters, 25 articles, approved by the 4th National Congress of Representatives of VACNE on 6 November 2003, shall come into effect from the date of approval by the Ministry of Interior and shall be permitted to circulate in accordance with the provisions of the laws.

Article 25: Any amendments and additions to the Statute shall be subject to the authority of the National Congress of Representatives of VACNE only. All amendments and additions shall be approved by the State competent agency and permitted to circulate in accordance with the provisions of the laws.

Done in Hanoi on the 6^th of November 2003

Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment