Incorporated in The Hague, The Netherlands
(1 July 1987; Number V 411 496)
Adopted Originally - 1957 - Brussels
Amended - 1961 - Washington D.C.
Amended - 1965 - Copenhagen
Amended - 1971 - Prague
Amended - 1973 - Tokyo
Amended - 1975 - Oxford
Amended - 1977 - Sao Paulo
Amended - 1981 - Munich
Amended - 1985 - Toronto
Amended - 1989 - New Delhi

ARTICLE I – NAME

This organization shall be known as the
WORLD FEDERATION OF NEUROSURGICAL SOCIETIES,
(Hereinafter designated as ''Federation'')

ARTICLE II – PURPOSE

Section 1 .
The purpose of this Federation shall be the advancement of neurological surgery in all of its
aspects by:
A. Facilitating the personal association of neurological surgeons throughout the world,
B. Aiding In the exchange and dissemination of knowledge and ideas in the field of neurological
surgery and
C. Encouraging research in neurological surgery and in allied sciences.
Section 2.
A primary means of achieving these purposes shall be the holding of an International Congress of
Neurological Surgery (hereinafter designated as "Congress"), at times determined by the Executive
Committee. Arrangements may be made for related scientific groups to participate in these meetings
whenever the Federation deems that such participation may contribute to the purposes stated in the
Constitution.
Section 3.
The Federation may engage in such other activities as are appropriate to its purpose at the
discretion of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERS; APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP OR AFFILIATION.

Section 1.
The Federation shall be composed of the following types of member and affiliate member
organizations (each of which shall be represented by delegates or observers as provided in the
Federation Bylaws):
A. Continental associations of neurosurgical societies from Africa, Asia and Australasia,
Europe, North America, and from South America.
B. National, regional, and multinational general neurosurgical societies, or neurosurgical
sections of national neurological societies, and
C. Affiliate organizations that are small neurosurgical societies of a size described in the
Federation By-laws or are societies that are unable to fulfill other requirements of a regular
membership.
Section 2.
Neurosurgical, neuroscience, and other organizations may become members or affiliate member
organizations of the Federation as provided in the Bylaws of the Federation.

ARTICLE IV - INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE CONGRESS.

Individual Membership in the Congress shall be available to neurological surgeons and other
interested persons throughout the world as provided in the Federation Bylaws.

ARTICLE V - OFFICERS; ELECTIONS, TERMS, DUTIES

Section 1. Officers
A. There shall be the following officers of the Federation:
1) Honorary Presidents.
2) President
3) First Vice-President.
4) Second Vice-Presidents to represent each of the continental organizations and second
Vice-Presidents at-large to represent geographical areas without appropriate
representation or societies as provided in the Federation Bylaws.
5) Secretary.
6) Assistant Secretary.
7) Treasurer.
8) Assistant Treasurer.
9) Editor of Federation and Congress Publications.
10) Historian.
B. There shall be the following officers of the Congress:
1) President.
2) Vice-President.
3) Secretary.
4) Assistant Secretary.
5) Treasurer.
6) Assistant Treasurer.
7) Scientific Program Director.
C. The number of offices and/or officers may be changed as provided in the Federation Bylaws.
 

Section 2. Qualifications, Elections, Duties of Officers.
All officers of the Federation and of the Congress shall be active neurological surgeons or as may
be otherwise provided in the Federation Bylaws.
The election or appointment of all and any other officers and their terms of office, duties,
functions, authorities, and responsibilities as officers shall be as provided in the Federation Bylaws.

ARTICLE VI - COMMITTEES; COMPOSITION, ELECTIONS, APPOINTMENTS, MEETINGS, DUTIES.

There shall be an Executive Committee and an Administrative Council. Standing, Scientific,
Special and other Committees of the Federation and Congress may be established. The type,
number, composition, method of election or appointment of committee members, terms of service,
authority, responsibility, and duties of all Committees, of the Administrative Council and of the
Executive Committee shall be as provided in, or as may be changed by, the Federation Bylaws.
Section 1. Executive Committee - Composition, Meetings, Duties.
A. Composition
1) The Executive Committee shall be composed of all of the officers of the Federation and
of the Congress and of all the delegates.
2) Each continental. national, regional, and multinational member organization shall be
represented on the Executive Committee by delegates.
3) Each delegate must be a neurological surgeon and an active member of the society or
organization which the delegate represents.
4) No delegate may represent more than one continental member organization or member
society. A delegate may not also be an officer of the Federation or the Congress.
5) Only officers and delegates may vote.

B. A continental member organization or member society may appoint or elect alternate
delegates.

C. Each affiliate member organization shall be represented on the Executive Committee by
observers.

D. The delegates and observers shall be designated by their respective organizations and
societies.

E. The Executive Committee shall meet just prior to and during each Congress, and at such
other times as the Federation Bylaws shall designate.

F. The Executive Committee shall:
1) Serve as the governing body of the Federation and the Congress,
2) Elect all officers of the Federation and the Congress and the members of standing
committees and scientific committees of the Federation as provided in the Federation
Bylaws,
3) Determine the place and date of meetings of the next Congress in advance,
4) Determine the dues to be charged
5) Propose consider and elect organizations and societies as members or as affiliates of
the Federation, and
6) Have other powers as may be defined in the Federation By-laws.

Section 2. Administrative Council.
A. The Administrative Council of the Federation shall be composed of the following officers of
the Federation and the Congress but may be changed as provided in the Federation Bylaws:
1) President of the Federation.
2) Past-President of the Federation
3) First Vice-President of the Federation.
4) Secretary of the Federation.
5) Assistant-Secretary of the Federation.
6) Treasurer of the Federation.
7) Assistant Treasurer of the Federation.
8) President of the Congress.
B. The Administrative Council shall be empowered to act for the Federation and its Executive
Committee in all matters in the interim between meetings of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VII - RULES OF ORDER

Section 1 .
The meetings of the Executive Committee of the Federation shall be conducted in accordance
with the rules of order and the procedures, which commonly govern deliberative bodies. All issues
concerning rules of order or procedure that are not specifically stated or covered and written in this
Constitution, or in the Federation Bylaws, shall be resolved in accordance with rules of order as
provided in the Federation Bylaws.
Section 2.
The language of the Federation and the Congress shall be English.

ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENTS, BYLAWS

Section 1 .
Amendments to and changes of this Constitution may be made at any meeting of the Executive
Committee on the affirmative vote of three-fourths (3/4) of the members present and voting provided
that written notice of the proposed changes is submitted to all members of the Executive Committee at
least twelve (12) months prior to that meeting.
Section 2.
There shall be a separate, written set of Bylaws for the Federation to supplement this Constitution
and to facilitate the operations, goals, and mission of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies
and of the International Neurosurgical Congresses.
Section 3.
Amendments to and changes of the Federation Bylaws may be made at any meeting of the
Executive Committee on the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present and voting
provided that written notice of the proposed changes is submitted to every member of the Executive
Committee at least twelve (12) months prior to the meeting at which they are to be considered. The
member proposing the amendments shall be responsible for providing copies of the proposed
changes in the Constitution or Bylaws, written in English. for each member of the Executive
Committee.