German DX Foundation - GDXF
Statutes of the German DX Foundation

Statutes of the German DX Foundation (GDXF)

Version of 28 June 2025

$ 1 Name and Registered Office of the Association

  1. The association bears the name German DX Foundation (GDXF).
  2. The registered office of the GDXF is located at the current principal residence of the Secretary.

$ 2 Purpose of the Association

  1. The GDXF supports activities in the field of amateur radio that particularly relate to the area of interest known as DX. This includes, in particular, DXCC and IOTA amateur radio expeditions, the support of radio amateurs in rare DXCC entities, and other projects that promote the DX concept according to defined criteria.
  2. Support is provided through financial means as well as personal, instrumental, or logistical assistance.
  3. The GDXF pursues exclusively and directly charitable purposes within the meaning of the section $tax-privileged purposes$ of the German Fiscal Code (Abgabenordnung).
  4. The association acts selflessly; it does not primarily pursue its own economic purposes.
  5. The association's funds may only be used for purposes in accordance with these statutes.
  6. No person may be favored by expenditures that are unrelated to the purpose of the association or by disproportionately high remuneration.

$ 3 Membership

  1. Members of the GDXF may be:
    1. regular members
    2. corporate members
    3. life members
    4. honorary members
  2. Regular members are individuals who have been admitted by the Executive Board upon application. For minors, the application must be submitted by their legal representative.
  3. Corporate members are legal entities under private or public law. They are admitted by the Executive Board upon application.
  4. Life members are regular members who support the goals of the GDXF through a one-time contribution or donation. Details are regulated in the Rules of Procedure. Admission is decided by the Executive Board.
  5. Individuals who have rendered outstanding services to the goals of the GDXF may be appointed honorary members. They are proposed by the Executive Board and elected by the General Assembly.

$ 4 Membership Fees

  1. Membership requires the annual payment of a membership fee. The amount of the fee is determined by the General Assembly upon proposal of the Executive Board.
  2. The contributions or material services of corporate members and life members are determined by the Executive Board.
  3. Fees must be paid no later than the end of the first half of each calendar year.
  4. Honorary members are exempt from paying membership fees.

$ 5 Termination of Membership

  1. Membership ends through resignation, expulsion, or death. Upon termination, all rights cease. The obligation to pay outstanding fees for members under $ 3.1 a)-b) remains. Refunds of already paid fees are excluded.
  2. Resignation is only possible at the end of a calendar year and must be declared in writing or online no later than during the third quarter.
  3. In cases of serious violations against the goals or reputation of the GDXF, the Executive Board may decide to expel members under $ 3.1 a)-c). The member has the right to appeal. In such cases, the General Assembly makes the final decision. Details are regulated in the Rules of Procedure.

$ 6 Bodies of the Association

  1. The bodies of the GDXF are:
    1. the Executive Board
    2. the Advisory Board (AB)
    3. the General Assembly
  2. All activities within the GDXF are honorary. No person may be favored through administrative tasks that do not correspond to the purpose of the GDXF or through any form of remuneration.

$ 7 Executive Board

  1. The Executive Board consists of the President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Membership Accountant, and three Directors. The Board is elected by the General Assembly for a term of four years, but no longer than until the next ordinary General Assembly in the final year of the term. Incumbent Board members remain in office until successors are elected. For Board members who resign, another Board member may assume their duties until the next election. The Board may also assign the task to another regular member. Details are regulated in the Rules of Procedure. Since the GDXF primarily supports international activities, the terms President, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Accountant, and Director are used for the Executive Board.
  2. Long-serving Board members may be appointed Honorary President by the General Assembly upon request if they have rendered exceptional service to the goals of the GDXF. Requirements include honorary membership and at least ten years of service as a Board member. Applications for Honorary President and Honorary Membership may be submitted simultaneously. Honorary Presidents are invited to Board meetings but have no voting or representation rights.
  3. The GDXF is represented externally by its President. In the event of his or other Board members' incapacity, the remaining officers assume representation in the order listed in paragraph 1.
  4. The Executive Board manages all administrative work of the association and oversees ongoing operations. It is capable of acting as long as more than half of the Board positions listed in paragraph 1 are filled. The Board meets several times a year, including online meetings.
  5. The Executive Board appoints the Advisory Board from among the members under $ 3.1 a)-c).

$ 8 Advisory Board

  1. The Advisory Board consists of at least five members under $ 3.1 a)-c). These advisors are appointed by the Executive Board for a term of four years. Extensions are possible. Preferably, experienced and active DXers should be selected.
  2. The advisors review applications for financial or other support, recommend the amount of support, and submit their decision to the Executive Board for approval.
  3. Loans may not be taken out for the purpose of granting support funds.

$ 9 General Assembly

  1. The General Assembly consists of all members under $ 3.1 a), c), d) of the statutes. It is the supreme decision-making body of the association.
  2. The General Assembly is held once a year upon invitation by the Executive Board. It should preferably take place during the Ham Radio fair in Friedrichshafen; alternatively, an online virtual assembly is permissible.
  3. The General Assembly has the following duties:
    1. election of the Executive Board
    2. supervision of the Board's work and compliance with the statutes
    3. determination of membership fees
    4. election of two auditors and two substitute auditors
    5. receipt of the Board's reports and the auditors' findings
    6. amendment of the statutes, approval of the Rules of Procedure
    7. dissolution of the association
  4. Any duly convened General Assembly has quorum.
  5. An extraordinary General Assembly may be convened by the Executive Board or requested in writing by at least one quarter of the regular members.

$ 10 Liability

  1. Members are liable only up to the amount of their contributions. The GDXF and its members are not liable for unlawful actions of the Executive Board or its members.
  2. The Board's authority to represent the association is limited to the amount of the association's assets.
  3. The Board is not authorized to conduct transactions outside the association's purpose or transactions with Board members.

$ 11 Amendments to the Statutes, Dissolution of the Association

  1. Amendments to the statutes require a two-thirds majority of the General Assembly.
  2. The dissolution of the association may be decided by a three-quarters majority of the General Assembly. Upon dissolution, the association's assets shall be transferred to an institution promoting the DX concept in amateur radio. The decision is made by simple majority. The Board must inform all members in writing or online about the execution.
  3. Motions to amend the statutes or dissolve the association are only admissible if they have been communicated to all members in writing or digitally at least 14 days prior to the General Assembly. Details are regulated in the Rules of Procedure.

$ 12 Final Provisions

  1. These statutes enter into force on 4 May 1996.
  2. The Rules of Procedure regulate details regarding the implementation of the statutes. They may be amended by the General Assembly with a simple majority.

Statutes of 4 May 1996 including amendments of:

19 September 1998,
25 June 2005,
24 June 2006,
28 June 2008,
15 July 2017,
21 November 2020,
11 December 2021, and
28 June 2025.