General terms and conditions of the Royal Netherlands Historical Society (KNHG)
Article 1 General
These general terms and conditions shall have the following meanings:
Royal Netherlands Historical Society (KNHG): association registered at the Chamber of Commerce, Number 40478363, represented by the entire board or by two board members operating jointly. The Royal Netherlands Historical Society is not liable to pay VAT and has public benefit organization status.
The association consists of regular members and honorary members.
Regular members: natural persons from age 18, who have been admitted as such after they register. Minors may become members only with permission from their statutory representatives. Regular members are divided into different categories:
- Regular members who receive the print journal
- Regular members who do not receive the print journal
- Senior members (70+) who receive the print journal
- Senior members (70+) who do not receive the print journal
- Student members who receive the print journal
- Student members who do not receive the print journal
Honorary members: natural persons who by virtue of their special merits in practising historical scholarship have been appointed as such by the general meeting at the nomination of the board.
These general terms and conditions shall apply to services and activities rendered and organized by the Royal Netherlands Historical Society for its members.
Article 2 Objective of the Royal Netherlands Historical Society
The Royal Netherlands Historical Society, the professional organization of historians, defends the interests of the profession and brings historians together by convening meetings, publishing (and arranging for publication of) contributions relating to history and working with other similar organizations. The Royal Netherlands Historical Society has no political, ideological or religious foundation. All those interested over the age of 18 are eligible to become members.
Article 3 Becoming a member
- Membership is arranged by ‘registration’. Registration shall happen in writing, by completing the registration form posted on the website of the Royal Netherlands Historical Society.
- The registration form is to be completed in full and truthfully.
- The registrant shall receive written confirmation of the registration.
Article 4 Conditions for membership
Those who are admitted as (full) members of the association shall:
- have reached the minimum age for admission
- have permission from their statutory representatives, if they are under 18.
Article 5 Obligations of the Royal Netherlands Historical Society
The Royal Netherlands Historical Society is required to:
- Issue BMGN – Low Countries Historical Review four times a year.
- Issue an electronic newsletter at least four times a year.
- Organize and facilitate gatherings for members and non-members.
- Convene a General Meeting (at least once a year).
- Account to the General Meeting regarding the annual financial statements.
- Convene a board meeting at least three times a year.
Article 6 KNHG Congresses and events
The Royal Netherlands Historical Society organizes at least one congress every year and the Historians Days every other year. The following conditions apply for this:
- Congresses and events are open to members and non-members.
- Registrations are made via a registration form or by e-mail.
- Registration is final after receipt of the participation fee.
- A participant can revoke the registration at any time.
- If a participant decides to revoke and thus not to participate, he or she must unsubscribe in writing.
- In the event of a written cancellation no later than one week before the start of the congress or event, the participation costs already paid will be fully refunded within 30 days of cancellation.
- Cancellations within a week before the start of the conference or event are subject to a 50% refund of the participation costs (in the event of force majeure, the full amount will be refunded after consultation by the Royal Netherlands Historical Society).
Article 7 Member obligations
Members are required:
- To comply with the present general terms and conditions.
- To pay dues on time, as well as any other additional costs associated with attending meetings.
Article 8 Dues and payment
- The Royal Netherlands Historical Society shall charge annual membership dues. These dues cover the association year (from one January through thirty-one December). The annual dues shall be determined by the General Meeting at the recommendation of the board. There are different categories of members, who each pay different dues amounts. Members are required to pay the dues in the first quarter of the association year. They shall receive advance notification of such.
- Payment shall be made either by personal transfer by the member or via automatic direct debit by the Royal Netherlands Historical Society.
- The term of payment is 30 days. If payment is made by personal transfer, the dues payable should be deposited to IBAN NL18INGB0000254321, account holder Koninklijk Nederlands Historisch Genootschap, listing the member name and dues year.
- If a member fails to pay the dues within the aforementioned term of payment, or if the dues cannot be debited, this member shall receive at most two reminders and shall still be given the opportunity to comply with the payment obligation.
- If the member remains in default, he/she shall be suspended and shall no longer benefit from the discounts and services applicable to members. If applicable, the journal will stop being sent.
- If members join in the course of the association year, their dues shall be payable retroactively, and any previously published issues of the journal shall be sent to them, if applicable.
- In special cases, the board may grant full or partial dispensation from the obligation to pay annual dues.
- Honorary members shall not be required to pay annual dues.
Article 9 Cancellation of membership by a member
- Cancellation of membership by a member should take place in writing at the end of an association year, subject to notice of at least one calendar month. Cancellations for the association year 2021 should therefore be communicated to the Royal Netherlands Historical Society before 1 December 2020.
- Authorization of automatic direct debit of the dues is to be revoked separately after cancellation of the membership.
- Previously paid dues shall not ordinarily be refunded.
- Cancellation shall not affect any overdue financial obligations of the member.
- In the event of the death of a member, membership shall end automatically. Any surplus dues payments shall be refunded.
Article 10 Cancellation by the Royal Netherlands Historical Society
- The Royal Netherlands Historical Society shall be entitled to terminate membership, if a member fails to meet his/her obligations – as formulated in the present general terms and conditions – to the Royal Netherlands Historical Society.
- Termination by the Royal Netherlands Historical Society shall take place in writing, subject to notice of one calendar month, unless urgent circumstances and/or compelling reasons justify immediate termination of membership.
- The Royal Netherlands Historical Society shall determine whether aforementioned urgent circumstances/compelling reasons apply. Urgent circumstances exist in any case in the event of theft, destruction, offending and/or threatening the board or other members.
- Termination shall not affect any overdue financial obligations of the member.
Article 11 Other provisions
- If a dispute arises between a member and the Royal Netherlands Historical Society, parties shall consult one another to resolve the dispute.
- If a situation occurs for which the present general terms and conditions do not provide, an – individual – arrangement may be made that aligns with and does justice to the spirit of these general terms and conditions.
- If a provision in these general terms and conditions is to be qualified as non-binding, such shall not detract from the validity of the other provisions in these general terms and conditions.
- All services rendered by the Royal Netherlands Historical Society, as well as the present general terms and conditions and other regulations, are subject to Dutch law.
- The Royal Netherlands Historical Society reserves the right to amend the present general terms and conditions.
Last modified on March, 2, 2022
