EuroNet MRPH // Statutes and Policies

DEFINITION

Subscribers to these statutes establish an association in accordance with the law of the July 1st, 1901 and the decree of August 16th, 1901 of the French Republic. The name of the association is EuroNet MRPH, European Network of Medical Residents in Public Health.
EuroNet MRPH constitutes a network of European National associations of Public Health training program, including medical and non-medical residents. It is a non-profit, international, independent and non-governmental association.

CONTEXT

The idea of a network of European associations first emerged in 2008 when French and Italian residents started a collaboration on a qualitative project exploring the satisfaction of residency programs in the two countries by self-administered questionnaire.
The success of this initiative encouraged the residents to pursue the collaboration and to extend it to other European residents. Spanish residents in Public Health joined the working group in 2009.
EuroNet MRPH was founded on June 30th, 2011 in Paris by the CliSP (College de Liaison des Internes en Santé Publique) for France, SItI (Società Italiana di Igiene e Medicina Preventiva e Sanità Pubblica) for Italy and ARES (Asociación Española de residentes de medicina preventiva y salud pública) for Spain.
SRC (Specialty Registrar’s Committee) of the Faculty of Public Health for the United Kingdom joined the network on November 12th, 2011 in Zaragoza (Spain).
Portuguese Public Health Residents Committees joined the network in April 2012. It was followed by the APHRI (Association of Public Health Medicine Registrars of Ireland) for Ireland on March 1st, 2014, in London, and HDJZ (Hrvatsko drustvo za javno zdravstvo) for Croatia on March 21st, 2015 in Milan (Italy). Losgio (Landelijk Overleg Sociaal-Geneeskundigen in Opleiding) for The Netherlands joined the network on November 20-21st 2015, during the Barcelona meeting.

GENERAL MISSION

EuroNet MRPH stands for the European Network of Medical Residents in Public Health. It constitutes the network of European National associations of Public Health training programs, including medical and non-medical residents. It is a non-profit, international, independent and non-governmental association.
EuroNet MRPH aims to create a professional network among European residents in Public Health in order to share information on educational programs, to facilitate exchanges and common activities, as well as to develop a body of scientific research.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

  1. To encourage initiatives by national associations of residents in Public Health taking part in the network;
  2. To collaborate in shared projects of high scientific value, aimed at publication where applicable;
  3. To promote the development of full professional skills for Public Health professionals;
  4. To promote the education of residents in Public Health by organizing – or co-organizing meetings, conferences, workshops, etc.;
  5. To facilitate internship for residents and trainees in Europe in the countries represented in the network;
  6. To strengthen the role of Public Health professionals in Europe.

ETHICAL STATEMENT

EuroNet MRPH encourages collaboration and exchanges between medical and non-medical residents in Public Health in Europe. EuroNet MRPH has no political engagement. The association fight any discrimination and hate speech based on gender, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation.

HEAD OFFICE

The permanent address of the head office is decided by the National Commissions reunited in a General Assembly and it can be relocated by a mere decision of the same. Head office changes must be communicated to the head office hosts and to the Prefecture de Police (Paris) by filling the online form available at service-public.gouv.fr/associations.
French National Commission (and legal administrator) is in charge of these legal procedures.
EuroNet MRPH Head Office is fixed in 17, Rue du Fer à Moulin, 75005 Paris, France.

CONDITIONS OF ACCESS AND WITHDRAWAL

To become a member of EuroNet MRPH, an association must represent resident physicians and trainees in a structured Public Health programme.
To be eligible for membership, the associations must belong to a country signatory to the CoE Cultural convention. Non-European associations representing resident physicians and trainees in Public Health are eligible for special partnerships with the network.
In case, where, multiple associations representing resident physicians and trainees in Public Health exist within one country, any such association that fulfills the entry requirements as stated in policies and procedures document may become a member of EuroNet. However, only one vote per country will be kept in consideration in every decision-making process.
Residents whose national associations are not eligible to join the network can apply for individual membership. These applications should be discussed by the board and the National Commissions, on a case by case basis.

GOVERNANCE

Governance: Board and National Commissions
The network is run by the National Commissions (NCs) and the Board.
NCs are made up of a maximum of six members, representing their own national associations. Members of the NC are chosen according to the rules of their national association. The NCs have full decisional power and are asked to vote on specific issues (see the Policies and Procedures documents) where each NC will count for one single vote.
The Board is made up of four EuroNet MRPH members who assume the roles of President, Vice-president, General Secretary and Treasurer. Board members are chosen by election within EuroNet MRPH. The Board is in charge of the administrative and representative function of the network.
The board does not represent the countries or the associations taking part in EuroNet MRPH and thus the nationality of its members is irrelevant. Board members can be National Commission members, though it is not mandatory.

NCs can be asked to vote on a specific issue by:

  • any member of the Board,
  • any member of a National Commission,
  • any individual member.

Active members can only elicit a vote through their respective NCs.
If a vote is solicited by a NC, the Executive Board must be informed to allow the Board to express its opinion and response prior to such vote.
The Board must act in accordance with the result of the NC voting outcome.
Proposals are accepted by a majority of completed vote. In the case of proposed changes to the statute a three quarter majority is required. For all other matters, a 50% + 1 majority only will be required.
Any NC not present at the time of the original vote will be given an additional time period to complete an online vote as described in full in the policies and procedures document.
Once the deadline has expired, the absence of vote from a National Commission is considered as absence (and not abstention) and it is not counted in the voting procedure. Any abstention is also not counted in the voting procedure.
Though a vote is carried through by majority within EuroNet MRPH, NCs are free to adopt their own voting model. Regardless of whatever model is adopted within individual NCs, each NC will only have one vote within EuroNet MRPH.

Governance: General Assembly
The general assembly, taking place at least during one of the annual meeting of the network, constitutes the central decision power of the association. It reunites the Board and all the National Commissions.

Governance: Leads
The present statute expressly recognizes the role of lead figures. Leads are responsible for the coordination of the work of the network in a specific field. The purpose of their work is to enhance the development of the network in scientific, communication, social and cultural domain. Leads are members of the National Commission and they are elected by the general assembly. Nationality is not a criterion for the election.
Leads hold decisional power in their domains of competence. However, decisions must be aligned to EuroNet values and principles and must be discussed with a member of the board prior to enactment.
See the Policies and Procedures document for a deeper description of their function.

Governance: Legal Administration
Legal administrator is a member of the network must live in France. The legal administrator is in charge only of those administrative functions that have to be carried out in France.

Governance: Membership
Residents in Public Health from the countries taking part to EuroNet MRPH with their National Association are automatically considered as members.
Members have the right to attend the annuals meetings, participate in working groups, apply for internships proposed by EuroNet.
Members taking part in the activity of the association will be registered as ‘Active members’ on a specific mailing list in order to keep them up to date with news concerning the association and its work.

Requirements to become an ‘Active member’ include:

  • attendance to at least one meeting
  • active participation in network activities either through newsletter contributions, working group participation or promoting EuroNet MRPH activities on a national and international level

Governance: Post-residency
Post-residency participation is limited to one year and they will be allowed to take part to EuroNet MRPH as National Commission member, board member and leader. An alumni section may be developed in the future.

Governance: Honorary members
Honorary members title applies to those resident physicians, trainees or physicians in Public Health who distinguished themselves for their work in the association and for their career. Honorary membership can be proposed by a National Commission or by a Board member and voted by the National Commissions.

FUNDING

Members cannot be remunerated for their network related activities, but reasonable expenses for the association can be reimbursed.

UPDATES OR CHANGES OF THE STATUTES

Changes of the statutes should be adopted by all the National Commissions. They need to be approved during one of the network meetings or during one of the network video-call meeting.
Statute changes as well as the change in the composition of Board have to be communicated to the head office hosts as well as to the Prefecture de Police (Paris) by using the online form available at service-public site. Legal administrator of the association is in charge of these legal procedures.

LANGUAGE

The official language of EuroNet MRPH is English.

DISSOLUTION

The dissolution of the European Network of Medical Residents in Public Health can be decided by at least three quarters of the countries during an EuroNet MRPH assembly.

All conditions are exhaustively described in the Policies and Procedures document, that you can download here.