Preamble
Non-human primates are an indispensable resource for biological, medical and biomedical research. The availability of primates will considerably decrease in the coming years.
A number of primate research centers and primate breeding centers in several European countries have realized major facilities for the captive breeding and housing of non-human primates, sometimes combined with experimental laboratories. They fulfill their duties on a national level.
To secure the middle and longterm availability of primates of high quality, to improve the efficiency of research with primates and to develop ethical standards for the use of primates in research on a European level the signing institutes have agreed to found a European network with the following contract by observance the principles of subsidiarity to cause a synergy within the European Union.
§ 1 Legal name
The signing institutes will pursue and support a European network. They therefore join together to an association with the legal name "European Primate Resources Network - EUPREN".
§ 2 Purpose of EUPREN
(1) EUPREN will promote the availability of primates of high quality for European research, improve the efficiency of research with primates and develop ethical standards for the use of primates in experimental and other scientific research.
(2) The aims of EUPREN are defined in detail in the document "Initiative of Institutes Performing Research with Non-Human Primates in Europe" which is as an annex part of this contract.
§ 3 Membership
(1) All European Institutes which are working on primate related research or primate breeding can participate with EUPREN as a member. Preconditions for membership are
(2) The membership must be applied for in writing to EUPREN. EUPREN can invite institutes to become a new member.
§ 4 Managing Board
(1) The executive organ of EUPREN is the Managing Board.
(2) The Managing Board consists of one representative of the following centers:
(3) The Managing Board decides all affairs of EUPREN, in particular
a) the objectives of EUPREN and their modification,
b) any alterations of this contract,
c) the admission of new members, the exclusion of members,
d) the admission of new members of the Managing Board,
e) the appointment of members of the Scientific Advisory Board and the Animal Ethics
Committee,
f) the contributions of the members to finance EUPREN,
g) the dissolution of EUPREN.
The members have to be heard before the decisions to a), b), d), f) and g) are made.
(4) The decisions of the board must be taken unanimously.
(5) For a period of two years the Managing Board elects a chairperson, who is speaker and representativ of EUPREN. The chairperson convenes the meetings of the Managing Board and chairs.
(6) Meetings of the Managing Board have to be convened with a minimum of three-week's notice. The agenda and all relevant documents must be enclosed. The Managing Board has a quorum when at least majority of members of the board are present. The essential course of the meeting and the decisions of the board have to be taken in the minutes which have to be signed by the chairperson.
(7) The chairperson can lead to decisions in a written procedure. Decisions of the Board have to be announced to the members immediately.
§ 5 Secretary
(1) In a rotating system one of the members of the Managing Board undertakes the function of the secretary of EUPREN for a period of one year.
(2) Chairmanship and secretary should not be in the same institute.
§ 6 Scientific Advisory Board
(1) The Managing Board will appoint a Scientific Advisory Board which advises EUPREN in scientific questions, in particular in questions of the requirements of the users of EUPREN.
(2) The Scientific Advisory Board consists of up to ten scientists. The term of the members of the board is four years, one reappointment is possible.
(3) The board elects from its members a chairperson, who takes part in the meetings of the Managing Board with advisory vote. The board can invite guests to its meetings.
(4) The board functions independently in an honorary capacity.
§ 7 Animal Ethics Committee
The Managing Board will appoint an Animal Ethics Committee to advise EUPREN in questions of the ethical use of primates in research.
§ 8 Users of EUPREN
(1) The services of EUPREN are available for all institutes whatever their legal status (enterprises, universities, public research centers). EUPREN will cooperate only with those institutes which accept the quality standards of EUPREN.
(2) The Managing Board can invite other institutes to participate with EUPREN without being a member.
§ 9 Duties of Members
The members commit to support the work of EUPREN. They are obliged to give all information to EUPREN which is necessary to reach the aims of EUPREN. Details will be decided by the Managing Board.
§ 10 Costs
On principal each member of EUPREN will bear its own costs. Exceptionally a distribution of costs amongst its members can be agreed on. In addition to this EUPREN will apply for grants to finance its activities.
§ 11 Termination
(1) Each member can terminate its membership within a 6 month period to the end of a year. The termination will be agreed by EUPREN when the member has fulfilled all its committments against EUPREN.
(2) A member which seriously fails in his obligations can be excluded by the joint petition of the other members.
§ 12 Coming into Force
(1) This contract will come into force when two members from different EU-memberstates have signed the contract.
(2)Alterations of this contract are only effective when they are laid down in written form.
Strasbourg,
Prof. A. Schmitt
Président de l'Université Louis Pasteur de Strasbourg
Rijswijk,
J. Nolten
Director of Biomedical President of CNR Primate Research Centre
Rome,
Prof. Enrico Garaci
Salisbury,
__________________
Göttingen,
Prof. Dr. H.-J. Kuhn
Scientific Director of DPZ
Ass. jur. M. Lankeit
Administrative Director of DPZ