AIAM Statute

AIAM STATUTES

Article 1 – Name and Headquarters

The Association, known as the ” Association of Agrometeorology” (Associazione italiana di agrometeorologia” in Italian) and abbreviated to “AIAM” (hereinafter also referred to as the “Association”), is governed by the provisions of the Italian Civil Code regarding associations.
Agrometeorology is the science that studies the interactions of meteorological and hydrological factors with agroecosystems and with agriculture in its broadest sense, including livestock farming and forestry.
The Association has its registered office in the Municipality of Florence. Any change of registered office within the Municipality of Florence does not entail any amendment to the statutes, unless specifically approved by the Board of Directors and subsequently notified to the relevant offices. The transfer of the registered office to another city must be approved by a resolution of the Assembly amending the statutes.
The Association operates nationally and internationally.
The Association may establish branches or secondary offices in Italy and abroad.
AIAM is an association for social, cultural, and scientific promotion, and bases its institutional and associative activities on the constitutional principles of democracy, social participation, and volunteer work.

Article 2 – Activities and Objectives of the Association

The Association works to pursue, on a non-profit basis, civic and socially beneficial goals, primarily for the benefit of its members, their networks, or third parties.
The Association pursues the following objectives:

  • to promote, for the benefit of society as a whole, the development of agrometeorology in all possible fields in Italy, creating and offering opportunities and tools for meeting, mutual understanding, collaboration, and the cultural, scientific, educational, technological, professional, and entrepreneurial promotion of all those interested in agrometeorology;
  • to enhance, promote, and protect the role of the agrometeorologist;
  • fostering contacts among agrometeorologists, and disseminating information on national and international initiatives in the field;
  • promoting and supporting education, training, and refresher courses in agrometeorology;
  • promoting and supporting dissemination initiatives aimed at increasing knowledge of agrometeorology and agroclimatology, both within and beyond the agricultural sector;
  • promoting and supporting the development and dissemination of clear and unambiguous technical regulations in the agrometeorological sector;
  • encouraging the development of operational agrometeorological activities at the regional and national levels;
  • fostering the connection between service activities and research and development, including through the promotion of research on relevant agrometeorological topics, both at the farm and regional level;
  • promoting statistical surveys aimed at achieving an ever-increasing understanding of the needs of agrometeorological users;
  • ensure the development of a network of relationships with other associations and professional groups operating in the fields of applied meteorology and climatology, and more generally in the environment and agriculture, including by offering them theoretical and material contributions;
  • promote the active participation of members in projects, events, training courses, and any other activities the association undertakes;
  • promote volunteering, participation, and active citizenship.

The Association achieves its goals through the following activities:

  • technical and scientific conferences;
  • seminars and workshops;
  • participation in technical discussions;
  • promotional committees for the study, development, and implementation of specific initiatives;
  • protocols and collaboration agreements;
  • training and professional development courses;
  • demonstration days;
  • technical and scientific publications;
  • dissemination (e.g., website, newsletter, social media);
  • awards and scholarships;
  • relationships with businesses.


Article 3 – Duration

The duration of the Association is permanent.

Article 4 – Members

The Association is composed of the following categories of Members:

  1. Ordinary
  2. Supporting
  3. Honorary
  4. Senior

a) Ordinary members are natural persons whose application for membership has been accepted by the Board of Directors.
b) Supporting members are associations, local public bodies, and other public or private entities and institutions, with or without legal personality, however named, whose application for membership, submitted by their legal representative, has been accepted by the Board of Directors.
c) Honorary members are natural persons to whom the Association owes particular gratitude. Honorary members are appointed by the Assembly, upon recommendation of the Board of Directors. Honorary members are exempt from paying any membership fees, while enjoying all the rights of other types of members. Honorary members are exempt from the requirement to submit an application.
d) Senior members are those who are over 70 years of age. Senior members are exempt from paying any fees, while enjoying all the rights of other types of members.
Membership in the Association is permanent and cannot be granted for a temporary period, without prejudice to the right of withdrawal.

Art. 5 – Members: Admission and Loss of Membership

The admission of a new member is decided by the Board of Directors, at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors, following a written request from the interested party and according to the criteria established in the Association’s Internal Regulations.
The written request must provide all the information necessary for the Board of Directors to evaluate eligibility.
Membership is lost due to:

  • death of the member;
  • voluntary withdrawal of the member, which must be communicated in writing to the President of the Association, by a means, including electronically, that guarantees receipt. Withdrawal is effective upon receipt of the communication;
  • failure to pay the annual membership fee for two consecutive years;
  • for supporting members who are subject to liquidation or dissolution proceedings or to insolvency proceedings of any kind;
  • by reasoned decision of the Board of Directors, if the individual or supporting member causes material and/or moral harm to the Association or otherwise engages in conduct that is inconsistent with the Association’s Code of Ethics. In this case, the affected member must be given the opportunity to submit counterarguments to the Board of Directors regarding the proposed exclusion within 15 days of notification of exclusion.

The reasoned loss of membership decided by the Board of Directors must be communicated in writing to the member by a means, including electronically, that guarantees receipt.
Withdrawal is permitted to any member at any time.

Article 6 – Members: Rights and Duties

All members have the right to:

  • participate in the Assembly with voting rights, including the right to vote and stand for election. The right to stand for election to corporate offices is reserved for ordinary members;
  • supporting members may designate, through their legal bodies, a delegate to represent them at the Assembly with voting rights;
  • be informed of all the Association’s activities and initiatives, and participate in them;
  • examine the Association’s books. To exercise this right, a member must submit a specific request.

Members may exercise their membership rights from the moment they are registered in the membership register, provided they have paid their annual membership fee.
Members have the duty to:

  • adopt behaviour consistent with the spirit and purposes of the Association, protecting its name, as well as in relationships among members and between them and the corporate bodies;
  • comply with the Statute, any internal regulations and codes, and resolutions adopted by the governing bodies;
  • pay the membership fee in the amount established annually by the Board of Directors and within the terms set forth in these Statute.

Membership fees and contributions are non-transferable and not subject to re-evaluation.

Article 7 – Association Assets and Financial Resources

The Association obtains the funds to finance its activities:

  • from the annual fees paid by members;
  • from donations, gifts, bequests, and contributions from individuals, companies, and national and international public and private entities;
  • from proceeds from initiatives implemented or promoted by the Association;
  • from fundraising activities;
  • from any other permitted income.

The amount of membership fees is established annually by the Board of Directors.
Payments made for any reason by deceased, resigned, or expelled members will not be refunded.

Article 8 – Corporate Bodies

The Association’s governing bodies are:

  1. the Members’ Assembly;
  2. the Board of Directors;
  3. the President of the Board of Directors;
  4. the Vice President of the Board of Directors;
  5. the Board of Auditors.

Article 9 – Members’ Assembly: Convocation

The Assembly is the supreme body of the Association and is composed of all members. Each member has the right to one vote if their membership fee is up to date.
The Assembly is convened by the President of the Board of Directors at least once a year for the approval of the financial statements.
The Assembly may also be convened:

  • upon a reasoned request from at least one third of the members of the Board of Directors;
  • upon a reasoned request addressed to the Board of Directors by at least one fifth of the members.

The notice must be sent in writing to members by letter, email, or other electronic means at least fifteen days prior to the meeting date. The notice must indicate the location, date, and time of both the first and second call, as well as the agenda items. The second call meeting must be scheduled at least twenty-four hours after the first call.
The Assembly may also meet via videoconference, or in mixed mode, provided that all participants are identified and are able to follow the discussion simultaneously, participate in real-time in the discussion of the items on the agenda, and participate in the vote.

Article 10 – Members’ Assembly: Powers

The Ordinary Assembly shall:

  • establish the Association’s general guidelines;
  • approve the budget;
  • elect and dismiss the members of the Board of Directors;
  • elect and dismiss the members of the Board of Auditors;
  • elect and dismiss the President;
  • elect and dismiss the Vice President;
  • approve and amend the Association’s Internal Regulations;
  • resolve on any other item on the agenda or submitted for consideration by the Board of Directors or another corporate body.

The Ordinary Assembly, at its first call, is validly constituted with the presence (in person or by proxy) of half plus one of the members entitled to vote; at its second call, it is valid regardless of the number of members present (in person or by proxy).
Resolutions of the Ordinary Assembly are adopted by a majority of the votes of the members present, both at the first and second call.
The Extraordinary Assembly is responsible for:

  • deciding on proposed amendments to the Statute;
  • deciding on the dissolution, transformation, merger, or spin-off of the Association.

For amendments to the Statute, transformation, merger, or spin-off of the Association, the Extraordinary Assembly at its first call is validly constituted with the presence (in person or by proxy) of at least three-quarters of the members entitled to vote and passes resolutions with the favourable vote of the majority of those present; at its second call, it is validly constituted with the presence (in person or by proxy) of at least half plus one of the members entitled to vote and passes resolutions with the favourable vote of the majority of those present.
For the dissolution of the Association and the devolution of its assets, the Extraordinary Assembly resolves, at both its first and second call, with the favourable vote of at least three-quarters of the members entitled to vote (present in person or by proxy).

Article 11 – Members’ Meeting: Procedure

The Meeting is chaired by the President of the Association or, in their absence or in the event of their resignation, by the Vice President or another member elected at the meeting.
Each member, in good standing with the annual membership fee, may attend the Meeting in person or be represented by another member by proxy, which must be in writing and signed and must include the names of the person delegating and the person to be delegated. A maximum of two proxies is permitted per member. Proxies may not be granted to members of the governing bodies or any employees of the Association.
The President verifies the regularity of the convocation and constitution of the Meeting, the right to attend, and the validity of the proxies.
The discussion is minuted by the Secretary of the Association. The minutes are signed by the President and the Secretary.

Article 12 – Board of Directors

The Association is governed by a Board of Directors, consisting of the President, the Vice-President, and five Directors, elected by the Assembly.
Board members may not be elected for more than two consecutive terms, regardless of their role.
The Directors, the President, the Vice-President, and the Auditors hold office for three financial years, starting January 1st of the year following the conclusion of the events associated with the ordinary meeting of the Assembly in which they were elected and until December 31st of the third year thereafter.

Art. 13 – Board of Directors: convocation

The Board of Directors is convened by the President whenever he deems it appropriate or when requested by at least one third of the Directors.
The notice must be sent to the Directors in writing by letter or email or other electronic means at least five days before the date of the meeting, and must indicate the place, date, time and topics on the agenda.
The Board of Directors can also meet via videoconference or in mixed mode, according to the same methods provided for the Assembly.
The Board of Directors is chaired by the President or, in their absence, by the Vice-President; in the absence of both, it is chaired by another councillor identified among those present.
The meetings of the Board of Directors are legally constituted when the majority of its members are present, and resolutions are taken by a majority of those present. Proxies are not permitted.
Voting is carried out by open vote.
Minutes are drawn up for each board meeting, signed by the President and the Secretary of the Association. The minutes are kept in the physical or electronic archives of the Association.

Art. 14 – Board of Directors: duties

The Board of Directors provides for the ordinary and extraordinary management of the Association. At their first meeting, the President appoints a Treasurer and a Secretary from among the elected councillors.
If a director resigns, the first of the non-elected members is appointed in their place and will remain in office until the expiry of the Board of Directors.
The position of councillor is lost due to:

  • resignation, submitted by written communication to the President and for information to the entire Board of Directors;
  • revocation by the ordinary Assembly, following behaviour contrary to the aims of the Association, persistent violations of statutory obligations or for any other behaviour detrimental to the interests of the Association;

in the event that the conditions referred to in art. 2382 of the Civil Code and subsequent amendments and/or additions arise.
The Board of Directors is responsible for:

  • deciding on the admission of Members;
  • determining membership fees;
  • presenting the budget outline and work programmes;
  • promoting the activities and pursue the aims of the Association as established in art. 2 of this Statute;
  • deciding on any matter of significant interest to the Association;
  • assigning paid external tasks to support the management of the Association;
  • raising funds to achieve the Association’s goals.

The Board of Directors may grant one or more of its members the power to carry out certain acts or categories of acts in the name and on behalf of the Association.
The Secretary is generally responsible for the management of the Association’s books and carries out the tasks delegated to them by the Board of Directors or the President.
The Treasurer is responsible for the administrative and financial management of the Association and in particular for keeping the accounting books.
Secretary and Treasurer can make use of external professional support to carry out their role.

Art. 15 – President of the Board of Directors

The President of the Association is the President of the Board of Directors.
The President has general responsibility for the management and good performance of the Association and legally represents the Association towards third parties and in court and has the corporate signature.
In particular, the President has the task of:

  • sign the deeds and documents that bind the Association both towards members and third parties;
  • ensure the implementation of the resolutions of the Assembly and the Board of Directors;
  • adopt, if necessary, emergency measures, subject to ratification at the first meeting of the Board of Directors;
  • convene and preside over the Members’ Assembly and the Board of Directors.

The office of President is lost due to:

  • resignation, submitted by written communication to the Board of Directors;
  • revocation by the ordinary Assembly, following behaviour contrary to the aims of the Association, persistent violations of statutory obligations or for any other behaviour detrimental to the interests of the Association;
  • in the event that the conditions referred to in art. 2382 of the Civil Code and subsequent amendments and/or additions arise.

Article 16 – Vice President of the Board of Directors

The Vice President replaces the President in the event of absence or impediment.
The office of Vice President is terminated by:

  • resignation, submitted in writing to the President and forwarded to the Board of Directors;
  • removal by the Ordinary Assembly, following conduct contrary to the Association’s purposes, persistent violations of statutory obligations, or any other conduct detrimental to the Association’s interests;
  • in the event that the conditions set forth in Article 2382 of the Italian Civil Code, as amended, are met.

Article 17 – Board of Auditors

The Board of Auditors is composed of three members elected by the Assembly and oversees the resolutions of the Board of Directors, the economic and financial management of the Association, and reviews and countersigns the annual financial statements. Members hold office for three financial years and may be re-elected.

Article 18 – Financial Year – Balance Sheet

The financial year ends on December 31st of each year. The Board of Directors must submit the final financial statement to the Members’ Assembly within the deadlines established by current legislation, so that it can pass a resolution.

Article 19 – Dissolution and Transfer of Assets

The dissolution of the Association is decided by the Extraordinary Assembly, in accordance with the quorums established in these Statute.
The Assembly that resolves on dissolution also decides on the allocation of the residual assets, which must be transferred, unless otherwise required by law, to other entities with similar or related purposes.
Under no circumstances may assets, profits, or reserves be distributed to members.

Article 20 – Books and Registers

The Association must maintain the following books:

  • the Members’ Register;
  • the Book of Meetings and Resolutions of the Assembly;
  • The Register of Meetings and Resolutions of the Board of Directors.

Article 21 – Transitional Provisions

The members of the association bodies in office at the time of approval of this Statute remain in office until the natural expiration of their term and are deemed confirmed in the functions provided for by the new Statute.

Article 22 – Referral Provisions

For anything not expressly provided for in this Statute, the Civil Code and its implementing provisions shall apply, where compatible.

(The previous Statute approved by the members at the Constituent Assembly of January 16, 1997, were revised in June 2026.)