1. The registered name

The association’s name is North Atlantic Hydrogen Association, Acronym: NAHA.

Founding stakeholders are from Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland and Norway.

2. The purpose

NAHA shall, with the participation of its members, undertake the following:   

·        Spread information between the members and international stakeholders about hydrogen technology for example by facilitating

                                              1) Public information, seminars, meetings, workshops etc.

                                              2) Publish a news letter, website etc

·        Undertake education, research projects and new developments concerning hydrogen technology, focusing on the development of the hydrogen technology  within  the North Atlantic region in general.

·        Be an active and constructive partner in supporting governance bodies, institutes and organisations in order to formulate an environmentally sound future policy for industry and services, based on hydrogen as an energy carrier, with specific emphasis on the ties between renewable energy resources and hydrogen.

3. Membership

Members can be the following:

·        Nordic and North Atlantic companies and non governmental organisations (NGO's), governmental bodies and institutes.

·        Nordic and North Atlantic universities and vocational schools

·        Nordic and North Atlantic Research institutes

Associated members can be:

·        Other organisations that deal with industry and energy or environmental issues and are based outside the Nordic or North Atlantic area

·        Private persons

Associated members do not enjoy the right of vote but enjoys otherwise the same rights as other members. The board of NAHA decides on membership in all cases separately.

Applications for membership as well as requests for termination of membership of the association shall be given in writing. The termination of membership from the association will not be effective until 6 months after receiving written notice.

The board can appoint private persons as honorary members of NAHA. An honorary member is a person who has a known reputation within the area that falls under the issues covered in the interest of the association. Only one person can become an honorary member each year. Honorary members do not pay the member fee and their appointment is life long. They can attend the General Assembly as observers but have no vote. Otherwise their rights are the same as that of other members. Only three honorary members are allowed at any period. Honorary members can only be appointed by unanimity within the board.

4. Membership fees

The amount of the annual fee shall be set on the general meeting. Membership and the right to vote are only effective if the NAHA annual fee has been paid. .

Both members and associated members shall have paid the annual fee a month after the General Assembly.

New members shall pay the proportional amount or 1/12 of the annual fee for each month that remains of the current year

Members that have not paid the annual fee 9 months after the General Assembly can be excluded by decision of the board. The board will warn the relevant member with a written statement one month before they are taken off the list of members.

5. Organisation

The most powerful part of the organisation is the general assembly. Each full member has one vote. The General Assembly elects the board.

The NAHA board consists of 4 persons: Chairman, his/her substitute, a secretary and one other board member.

Only full members of NAHA can nominate andidates for the board. Nominations shall be submitted in writing to the board 6 weeks prior to the General Assembly. Names of the nominated candidates will be distributed with the final agenda 4 weeks prior to the General Assembly.

The 4 nominees that get the most votes at the General Assembly will become board members. The following 2 nominees become substitutes to the board and can participate in board meetings without a vote. The board members and the substitutes are elected for a period of two years. Each board member can only serve 4 consecutive terms.

The Board will internally elect a Chairman, his/her substitute and the secretary.

If more than 2 members of the board step down then the board must call upon an extra General Assembly according to §7.

The board can pass decisions if two members from the board, one of them being the chairman, are at hand. Each member holds one vote. If votes fall equal then the chairman’s vote shall have a double weight.

The board holds the management power and shall hold regular board meetings. The board is responsible for an annual plan for the associations’ undertakings.

6. General Assembly

A General Assembly shall be held annually. The announcement for the General Assembly shall be sent to the members 12 weeks in advance of the general meeting. The announcement shall include the following draft agenda points. Final agenda including nominees for the board will be distributed 4 weeks in advance.

1.      Election of Chair and Secretary of the General Assembly

2.      Annual report

3.      Approval of Annual accounts

4.      Action plan for the upcoming term

5.      Approval of budget plans for the coming year

6.      Announced matters

7.      Election of board members and auditor

8.      Other matters.

9.      Approval of Minutes of Meeting.

Each member can ask for issues to be part of the agenda as long as they have been sent in 6 weeks before the meeting.

7. Additional General Assembly

An additional general assembly shall be called upon with 6 weeks notice if a majority of the board or 50% of the full members call for one.

8. Auditing

The General Assembly selects an auditor. The auditor gives his report in context with the annual report.

9. Member meetings

Meetings will be organised in order to address issues that are of common interest to the members. The member meetings can conclude and send suggestions to politicians if the issue touches on the environment and renewable energy and policy and public investments in the same area. In these cases it is essential to have the support from as many members as possible during the general meeting. This type of meeting shall be announced with 3 weeks notice.

10. Budget

NAHA’s budget shall be balanced. The budget is laid down in DKK.

11. Changes of these agreements

Changes of this agreement can only take place on a General Assembly and they need support from 2/3 of the votes present at the assembly.

12. Contacts with international organisations

The board can suggest collaboration with international organisations and such suggestions are handled at the General Assembly. Acceptance shall be supported by 2/3 of the votes present at the assembly.

13. Nihilation of NAHA

The association can only be shut down if 2/3 of the total votes of NAHA members support such a suggestion.

14. Self ownership

The association owns its own funds. Nobody can in the name of ownership dispose of the associations budget or demand parts of its revenues or demand interest rate for its debts.

15. Disagreements

 If major disagreements rise due to these articles, they shall be solved under the jurisdiction of Icelandic laws, under the court of Héraðsdómur Reykjavíkur.

Appendix 1