Congress & Meetings > Meeting
XXXIV Congress and 18th Advanced Course
17 - 20 September 2009, Athens - Greece
Minutes of the ESNR General Assembly
1. Report of the President
Leonardi opens the General Assembly with his extensive report. The main news is about the official position of the ESNR: the old Society founded in 1969 in Colmar was dissolved at the extraordinary business meeting held in Zurich in December 2008 while, immediately after that, a new ESNR - European Society of Neuroradiology Diagnostic and Interventional – was established in Switzerland where the official seat of the Society now is. Since the treasury was already there, the official position of the ESNR is now clear.
The second important piece of information is about the establishment of the ESONR, the European School of Neuroradiology, which is the most important and complete training programme in Neuroradiology; it is organized by the ESNR within the main frame of the ESOR – European School of Radiology. The purpose of this education programme is to reach what the ESNR considers the range of competences and skills that are the basis of a highly qualified neuroradiological activity; the programme is designed to offer a pathway to reach such professional and cultural levels. The final aim is to have examinations certifying different levels of competence in different branches of neuroradiology.
The last main point covered by the President is the relationship with the European National Societies of Neuroradiology, that he contacted in order to participate in national meetings and reach the highest possible number of neuroradiologists who are not members of the ESNR yet. He has already been invited to many national meetings and will go further with this project in the next months. Relationship with others – not European – Societies is also important: a joint meeting was organized in July with the ASSR and another meeting will be organized next Spring with the Israeli Society of NR. Last but nor least, Leonardi wishes to have more contacts with the junior members, inviting a representative of this category to the Executive Committee meetings.
2. Report of the Secretary General
Wilms has nothing to add to the previous report; he will speak later when the amendments to the constitution will have to be approved.
3. Report of the Treasurer
Van Goethem informs the General Assembly in detail about the financial situation of the ESNR; expenses and incomes are presented and the balance is good. 36 members have not paid their 2008 fees yet, but the possibility to pay online has increased the number of members who paid the fees for the current year in good time.
There is only one question, that is about the cost of the website maintenance; the treasurer points out that the start up phase cost about € 12.000 and since the work has not been completed yet more expenses are foreseen, but then there will only be the hosting cost which is not high.
4. Report of the Chairman of the Council of the National Delegates
Tali reports on the meeting held on the previous day: he asked the delegates for a short survey about the situation of neuroradiology in the single European countries and it was evident that nearly anywhere it needs improving. The education programme with the final certifications of the ESONR might help a lot; the way to go in order to be recognised still lays ahead.
5. Reports of the Committees Chairs
Wilmink, Chair of the Scientific Awards Committee, reports on the two new scientific awards entitled to the Founders of European Neuroradiology that were added to the already existing Appel Prize of the ESNR, which will be devoted to the best research paper, while the two new awards will be given to the best papers, one in diagnostic and the other in interventional neuroradiology. All the awards correspond to a sum of € 4000 and also entitle the winners to free registration to the congress. The applicants are invited to send only one paper and decide themselves which category they are applying for. Wilmink also thanks the members who have served in the previous committee, Houhrian and Nakstad, as well as the new Scientific Awards Committee members: his co-chair Appel, Fiehler and Rovira, with the addition of the international jury: Krings, Romanowski, Sasiadek and Sundgren. All the present are invited to encourage their young co-workers (applicants should be under 40 years of age) to send their work (in time!).
Sasiadek, Chair of the Audit Committee, remarks with a few words that the treasurer’s report was approved.
6. Report of UEMS Division Chair
Since Flodmark will give a talk about this issue immediately after the General Assembly, this point is not presented.
7. Next Annual Congresses
Leonardi updated the participants with the latest news about the Symposium already on the previous day; Parizel remarks that in 2010, even if the official ESNR meeting will not take place, there will be a General Assembly and elections during the Symposium.
The congress in 2011 will be held in Antwerp, Belgium and in 2012 in Edinburgh, Scotland.
8. ECNR Xth cycle
Rovira reports on the first two courses of the ECNR: the number of participants (which has increased) and speakers are given, also divided by countries. In general the ECNR is becoming more and more successful: the registrations to the next course to be held in Tarragona have already been closed, as the highest possible number of participants has been reached.
9. New Members
Vilela, Chair of the Membership Committee, presents the names of the people who have applied for membership divided in different categories and countries. The number of applications received this year is high thanks also to the new procedure, recently implemented, to apply via website.
10. New Website
Luc van den Hauwe, the new webmaster, quickly introduces himself: he knows that the work which lays ahead is important and promises to do his best.
11. Amendments to the constitution
Wilms reads the proposed amendments one by one: all are accepted unanimously.
There is only one question, asked by Byrne, about the constitution of the EBNR; Wilms explains that, having the EBNR been dissolved, also its constitution does not exist any more.
Leonardi remarks that the work previously carried out by the EBNR will be handed over to the UEMS Division of Neuroradiology. Flodmark points out that the Division was created within the UEMS Section of Radiology and represents all neuroradiologists in Europe. The national delegates to the Division have to be nominated by the medical associations in the single countries. He informs the General Assembly that only less than half of the nations having a right to participate were present at the UEMS meeting held a few hours before, but it would be of the greatest importance to complete the representation as soon as possible.
12. Any other business
Before closing the Assembly Leonardi reminds in a few words Giovanni Ruggiero, one of the founders of European Neuroradiology, whose work was extremely important in Italy and France; he died in June 2009 and he is now remembered with a minute of silence.
The General Assembly is closed at 14.15. P