1.States and intergovernmental organisations that are willing to contribute to JIV-ERIC and have the intention to become Member, may apply for Observer status.
2.The terms for admission of Observers are the following:
(a)observers shall be admitted for an initial term of three years;
(b)the admission of Observers shall require the approval of the Council; and
(c)applications shall be made in writing to the Chair of the Council, and shall describe how the applicant shall collaborate towards the JIV-ERIC objectives and activities and nominate an empowered legally entitled entity as representative.
3.The Observer may apply for membership at any time.
1.The initial term for Observer status is three years.
2.The withdrawal of an Observer shall become effective at the end of the financial year on the condition that the withdrawing Observer has fulfilled its obligations.
3.The Council shall have the power to terminate the Observer status of an Observer if the following conditions are met:
(a)the Observer is in serious breach of one or more of its obligations under these Statutes; and
(b)the Observer has failed to rectify such breach within a period of six months after notification.
The Observer shall be given the opportunity to contest the decision of termination and to present its position to the Council.
1.JIV-ERIC may enter into a Collaboration Agreement with research institutes which operate a VLBI element or represent the national interest in the VLBI collaboration and are not in countries that are a Member or an Observer. The Collaboration Agreement shall establish the terms and conditions under which the national research institutes may join the JIV-ERIC infrastructure and commit to the tasks and activities set out in Article 2.
2.The Collaboration Agreement shall include the agreed contribution, the right to contribute data for processing at the central facilities of JIV-ERIC and the right to attend the Council meetings, the right to receive the agenda and attached documents and to express an opinion on the operational activities of JIV-ERIC in the Council meetings.
3.The Collaboration Agreement shall be concluded by the Executive Director of JIV-ERIC.
4.To settle the amount of the annual contribution of the research institutes the same principles as outlined in Annex 2 shall be taken as a guiding principle. Specifically this takes into account the annual operational effort towards the local element that participates in the VLBI infrastructure.