1.

The name of the society is Scandinavian Association for Gastrointestinal Motility (SAGIM).

2.

   The objects of the society is:

A. To increase knowledge in gastrointestinal motility.

B. To promote knowledge and use of methods to investigate gastrointestinal motility.

C. To increase knowledge of diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal disturbances.

D. To support contacts between centres within and outside the Scandinavian countries dealing with gastrointestinal motility.

E. To encourage members to publish their scientific papers in "Neurogastroenterology and motility," the official journal of European Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility.

3.

Anyone living in a Scandinavian country with a special interest in gastrointestinal motility can apply for membership in the society. Application for membership should be sent as a written request to a member of the committee board. Membership is cancelled on written resignation or when the annual fee has not been paid for two consecutive years. The committee board has the right to appoint honorary members. The committee board can appoint corresponding members. Medical institutions or trade companies can be accepted as associate members (group membership). They will receive newsletters and may attend the meetings, but have no right to vote.

4.

Membership fee is decided at the annual general assembly. Honorary members, corresponding members, retired members and students are exempted from membership fee.

5.

The committee board consists of five members, of whom one is president. No country can have more than two members of the committee board. Furthermore, two accountants shall be elected.

Elections take place every second annual general assembly.

The president is selected separately. Reelection of the president is possible once. Ordinary members of the committee board may be reelected twice. The maximal change of members of the committee board must not exceed three members. Former members of the committee board may be reelected to the committee board after a two years intermission. The committee board elects a secretary and a treasurer within its members.

An election committee for proposal of members for election to the committee board is designated at the general assembly, it consists of three members from different countries. Reelection to the election committee is possible without limitation.

Substitutes for members of the committee board are elected according to the same rules as ordinary members of the committee board.

The commission of the committee board is:

A. To attend to current matters.

B. To produce an annual report containing:

1. Report on the activity of SAGIM

2. A list of motility meetings the forthcoming year

3. A list of Scandinavian dissertations for the year.

C. To present the financial accounts. The accounts shall be closed on the first of the month before the general assembly.

D. Appointing committees for courses, congress committees and coordination of multicenter investigations.

E. Establish and keep contacts with other societies with related interests.

Committee board meetings are held when the president or three members of the committee board decide. The committee board has a quorum when three members are present. If four members (including the president) are present at a committee board meeting, the president has casting vote. At least one committee board meeting is held yearly. The secretary keeps written reports from committee board meetings and from general assemblies.

6.

The society has one yearly general assembly either at the Scandinavian Gastrocnterology Meeting or at a specific SAGIM Meeting. In years with no Scandinavian Gastrocnterology Meeting the general assembly may be omitted.

The agenda for the ordinary general assembly is:

A. Yearly report and reports from committees.

B. Accounts and membership fee.

C. Election of committee board and two accountants, according to the above given rules.

D. Proposals of subjects for congresses, courses and other meeting activities.

E. Eventual other proposals or suggestions.

Proposals which have to be decided by voting, shall be sent in written request to the committee board (president with copy to the secretary) at the latest three months before the general assembly. Such written request should be enclosed with the call to the general assembly. The call is to be sent at the latest two months before the general assembly. The general assembly have the authority to decide, when it has been correctly announced. Only members present have the right to vote.

7.

An extraordinary general assembly can be held when the committee board or one quarter of the members so wish. Written request should be forwarded to the committee board (president with copy to the secretary).

The call for an extraordinary general assembly should be sent at least six weeks before the meeting and not later than four weeks after receival of the written request.

8.

Proposals to change these rules must be forwarded in written form at the latest three months before the general assembly and should be enclosed with the call to the general assembly. Changes of the rules can be decided by the general assembly with ordinary majority when at least one tenth of the members are present. Decisions of the general assembly, which do not fulfil these conditions should be submitted to written voting, in which case the decision is by ordinary majority.

9.

Scientific meetings are held in connection with the Scandinavian Gastroenterology Meetings. In addition, the committee board can arrange other meetings, courses etc. Abstracts, slides etc. shall be in English. Papers and lectures shall in principle be given in English, in special cases a Scandinavian language may be accepted.

10.