The General Assembly of members of the society is the deliberative organ thereof. Decisions of the Assembly are taken by majority vote. The Assembly deliberates on matters concerning the activities of the society, on budget estimates, on the admission, association and aggregation subscriptions, it gives mandates to the General Council for the administration of funds and assets, it gives the Council directives on the activities of the Society and whatever else is covered by the Statute and Regulations . The Assembly elects from its members, by secret vote, the members of the General Council.
The General Council (Consiglio Direttivo Generale - CDG)consists of a president and 27 councillors elected from Sections of vegetable crops, floriculture and ornamental plants, and fruit culture (9 per section). The Council elects from its members, the General Secretary-Treasurer, it administers the assets and funds of the Society and it takes decisions about the development and activities of the Society. The Council is presided over by a President who nominates a Vice President from among the presidents of the sections.
The President of the General Council is the legal representative of the society in all its effect. The President convenes the Council of Presidents, the General Council, the ordinary and extraordinary assemblies of members and he ensures that the motions coming from these organs of the Society are rendered executive by the General Secretary-Treasurer. He communicates to the Presidents of the Sections,the generalities of the Society to maintain harmonious, homogenous and balanced activities within all the sections. He nominates a Vice President of the Council from among the Presidents of the Sections.
The General Secretary-Treasurer carries out the directives of the General Assembly, of the President, of the General Council, of the Council of Presidents and of the College of Auditors. He is charged with the Society’s accounting and treasury, with the collection of subscriptions and contributions, to give notice of meetings of the organs of Society, with the recording of minutes of meetings and their conservation, and with the activities and procedures connected with the elections to the offices of the Society. He is elected by the General Council.
The Council of Presidents is formed of the President of the General Council, the General Secretary-Treasurer and the Presidents of the three sections. The Council of Presidents renders executive the deliberations of the General Council. In situations of urgency it can make binding resolutions which however must be ratified at the next meeting of the General Council.
There are three section councils: Vegetable Crops, Floriculture and Ornamental Plants, Fruit Culture. The Council of a section is formed from the 9 members of the General Council elected from a specific section. The councillors of each section nominate amongst themselves a president, a vice president and a secretary who may be a section member who is not on the General Council. A section council is allocated funds from the General Council and must produce an annual budget and estimate to deliver to the General Secretary at the time and in the way established by the Regulations.
The College of Auditors is composed of three active members and two substitutes, elected by the General Assembly. The College nominates its own president, from among its members. The auditors must be invited to the General Assemblies and meetings of the General Council. The College of Auditors supervises observance of the statutes, administration of the patrimony, the activities of the Society and the realisation of the deliberations of the General Assembly.
The College of Arbitrators is composed of three active members and two substitutes, elected by the General Assembly of members. The active members of the College of Arbitrators elect from amongst themselves a president. It is up to the College of Arbitrators, to facilitate, with the powers of friendly arbitration, any disputes which arise berween members or between members and any of the bodies of the Society. At the request of the General President, the College of Arbitrators will examine the position of any member whose behaviour is considered incompatible with the statutory ends of the society or who may have committed some serious professional indiscretion. In such cases, the College will present a consultative opinion to the General Council for its examination.
The Regional Delegates represent a section in its relations with associates in the region, identifying regional activities and proposing initiatives to the section council. On the delegation of the President of the section, the delegate can have dealings with local public and private agencies in pursuing any statutory aims of the Society.
The General Assembly of members, on the proposal of the General Council, can nominate an Honorary Life President from among the former General Presidents. He shall have the same rights as those of an honorary member. The Honorary President is invited to meetings of the General Council and of the Council of Presidents, in a consultative role and without the right to vote.
The Society can constitute Commissions and Working Groups with the task of examining relevant questions of interest within the statutory scope of the Society.
The day to day running of the society is managed by the Segretariat which has its office at Sesto Fiorentino.
