Hervé Bazin, Marc Daëron, Israel Pecht, Sergio Romagnani and Reinhold Schmidt
EFIS Members' Delegates:
| Society | nb of members / votes | GA Delegates |
| Austria | 430 / 1 | H. Stockinger |
| Baltic Countries | 250 /1 | V. Tamosiunas |
| Belarus | ? | M. Potapnov |
| Belgium | 150 / 1 | O. Denis |
| Bulgaria | 63 / 1 | R. Markova |
| CIS | 500 / 1 | No delegate |
| Croatia | 143 / 1 | No delegate |
| Czech Republic | 405 / 1 | H. Tlaskalova |
| France | 1100 / 3 | M.-C. Béné
P. Guglielmi C. Sautès-Fridman |
| Germany | 1700 / 3 | K. Heeg
G. Hämmerling H. Peter |
| Greece | 300 / 1 | M. Varla-Leftherioti |
| Hungary | 397 / 1 | A. Erdei |
| Ireland | 75 / 1 | No delegate |
| Israel | 220 / 1 | L. Eisenbach |
| Italy | 1300 / 3 | J. Guardiola
E. Maggi A. Mantovani |
| Netherlands | 1300 / 3 | R. Benner
M. Daha F. H. J. Claas |
| Poland | 300 / 1 | M. Kurpisz |
| Portugal | 350 / 1 | D. Braun |
| Romania | 150 / 1 | A. Calugaru |
| Scandinavian Countries | 1216 / 3 | H. Erlandsson-Harris
A. Örn H. Valdimarsson |
| Slovakia | 180 / 1 | M. Buc |
| Slovenia | ? / 1 | no delegate |
| Spain | 724 / 2 | no delegate |
| Switzerland | 450 / 1 | P. Kisielow |
| UK | 3343 / 3 | M. Moore
R. Jefferis P. Delves |
Agenda
1. Adoption of the agenda and1. Adoption of the Agenda
2. Approval of the Minutes of the 1998 General Assembly held in New Delhi
3. President's report
4. . Secretary's report
5. Treasurer's report
6. Immunology Letters Editor-in-Chief's Report
7. EFIS Conferences and John Humphrey Courses
8. Report of the European Communities' Laison Officer
9. EFIS and Clinical Immunology
10. European Immunology Congress-EFIS 2003, Rhodes
11. Presentations by candidates to host the EIC-EFIS 2006 and vote on the projects
12. Elections of new Board Members
13. Matters arising
14. Address by the incoming President
2. The minutes of the EFIS General Assembly held in November 1998 in New Delhi were adopted.
3. President's Report (see enclosure #1)
Sergio Romagnani recalled that he was acting as the EFIS President
since the resignation of Walter Knapp. He regretted this resignation. The
President of EFIS read next the three following recommendations adopted
by the IUIS Council that the IUIS President had asked the EFIS Board to
endorse:
- "The IUIS Council strongly expresses its view that general political
issues should not influence the work and activities of the Regional Federations
and National Societies.
- The IUIS Council reminds the Federations and National Societies
that their constitutions or by-laws must not be discriminatory.
- The IUIS Council believes that it is in the best interest of the
Federations and National Societies that the membership in Executive Committees
should rotate with some frequency."
The President read the response of the EFIS Board to IUIS:
"The Board of EFIS fully endorses the recommendations of the IUIS
Council and stresses that it has complied and will comply with these recommendations".
Finally, the President reported on EFIS activities since the last General Assembly. Following the report of the EFIS President, G. Hämmerling (German Society for Immunology) questioned the President on the Austrian issue. The President replied that the question should now be closed. The Past-President proposed this discussion to take place after the elections, if EFIS Members wished it.
4. Secretary's Report (see enclosure #2)
No comment was made following the Secretary's report.
5. Treasurer's Report (see enclosure #3)
Following the Treasurer's report, M. Daha (the Netherland Society for
Immunology) asked for a comprehensive budget covering more than one year,
as well as a provisional budget. It was agreed that a completed budget
will be written down and sent to EFIS Members. The Treasurer's report was
unanimously adopted by the Assembly.
6. Election of new Board Members
The positions of the Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary General
were to be renewed. EFIS Members had been informed by mail 3 months before
the elections of the names of candidates selected by the EFIS Nomination
Committee. F. Y Liew (presented by the British Society for Immunology)
and Marc Daëron (presented by the French Society of Immunology and
the Hungarian Society for Immunology) were candidates for the position
of Vice President. Reinhold Schmidt was a candidate for the position of
Treasurer. Anna Erdei (presented by the Hungarian Society of Immunology)
and Vaclav Horejsi (presented by the Czech Society for Immunology) were
candidates for the position of Secretary General.
Before the vote, A. Örn (Scandinavian Society for Immunology) recalled
the 3rd IUIS recommendation, asking for the rotation of Board Members.
Delegates of EFIS Members and Board Members voted next.
Total number of delegates: 32
Number of Board Members: 5
Total number of votes:
37
The results were as follows:
- F. Y. Liew was elected as Vice-President,
- Reinhold Schmidt was reelected as Treasurer
- Anna Erdei was elected as Secretary General
7. Decision on the European Immunology Congress — EFIS 2006
Three projects had been submitted for the organization of the European
Immunology Congress — EFIS 2006, by the French Society of Immunology, by
the Hungarian Society for Immunology and by the Israeli Society for Immunology.
The Project of the French Society was defended by Catherine Sautès-Fridman,
the Project of the Hungarian Society by Imre Kacskovics, and the project
of the Israeli Society by Lea Eisenbach.
The three projects were discussed, after what M. Varla-Leftherioti (Hellenic Society for Immunology), arguing that the projects had not been submitted to EFIS Members before the Assembly, asked to postpone the decision. G. Hämmerling (German Society for Immunology) replied that the Assembly should be able to take a decision, since the three candidate countries were well known by the delegates. A vote was held on the question whether the decision should be postponed until the International Congress of Immunology, to be held in Stockholm, in July 2001. 29 delegates were in favor of deciding in Poznan, 3 were against, and there were 5 abstentions. It was therefore decided to vote immediately.The results were:
- Project presented by the French Society of Immunology: 20 votes
- Project presented by the Israeli Society for Immunology: 11 votes
- Project presented by the Hungarian Society of Immunology: 6 votes
The 16th European Immunology Congress -will therefore be held in
Paris, in July 2006.
8. Report of the Editor-in-Chief of Immunology Letters
Israel Pecht, the Editor-in-Chief of Immunology Letters (IL), recalled
that IL is the only source of income of EFIS. He asked the delegates of
EFIS Members to submit papers to IL. G. Hämmerling (German Society
for Immunology) proposed an online subscription to the European Journal
of Immunology to members of all societies which are Members of EFIS. Israel
Pecht replied that this would bring no benefit to EFIS. R. Jefferis (British
Society for Immunology), A. Örn (Scandinavian Society for Immunology)
and H. Peter (German Society for Immunology) described the experiences
of their societies with their respective journals.
9. EFIS Conferences and John Humphrey Courses
EFIS financially supported the 4th Tatra Conference in September 2000
and will financially support the 11th Signal Meeting in September 2001.
One John Humphrey Course was organized by the Romanian Society of Immunology
in Sinaia in may 2000. No new application was received.
10. Report of the EC Liaison Officier
Hervé Bazin, the EC Liaison Officier, informed the Assembly
that EFIS applied for fellowships of the European Communities and was granted
20,000 Euros. He stressed the difficulty he experienced for the information
to be disseminated and for applications to be received. He recalled the
requirement applicants must fulfill in order to receive these fellowships.
He stressed that it was still possible to apply.
In conclusion, Hervé Bazin expressed his disappointment that
money that became available after substantial efforts were spent is not
solicited for by young European immunologists.
During the discussion, G. Hämmerling (German Society for Immunology)
and A. Örn (Scandinavian Society for Immunology) brought the point
that EFIS should be among decision-taking people in Bussels. Sergio Romagnani
said that he would work at it.
11. Clinical Immunology
Marie-Christine Béné, the Liaison Officer for Clinical
Immunology, briefly reported on the activities of the EFIS Clinical Immunology
Group (EFIS-CIG). She recalled:
- that two position papers were published in IL and in Immunol. Today,
- that an internet page was created within the EFIS homepage with case
reports,
- that an educational session was held in Poznan,
- that proposals were made for an access to the Immunology Course of
the Pasteur Institute,
- that the annual general assembly of the EFIS-CIG was held on September
25 in Poznan.
12. EFIS 2003
Maria Varla-Leftherioti (Hellenic Society for Immunology) reported
on the progress in the organization of the 15th European Immunology Congress
— EFIS 2003, in Rhodes. She informed the assembly that an Organizing Committee
had been set up, John Volonakis being the President. She presented a general
scheme of sessions planned, the two conference centers that will be used
and two hotels located at a walking distance from each other. She stressed
the good accessibility of the congress site. She said that an organizing
company that has a good experience had been picked up. The expected budget
is expected to be 1.8 million Euros. Registration fees are planned to be
350 Euros.
Maria Varla-Leftherioti wished that closer contacts be established
with the EFIS Board. She mentionned that electronic communication will
be used as much as possible and informed the assembly that an internet
page had been created at "wwwefis2003.net". Marc Daëron will make
a link with this URL in the EFIS homepage.
Sergio Romagnani and Israel Pecht recalled that the scientific program
should focus on European Immunologists and that the number of non-European
speakers should remain less than 20% of the total number of spaekers. They
required that EFIS representatives could come to visit the venue ahead
of time, ideally at a time when a scientific meeting is being organized
by the same company in the same venue.
13. Matters arising
Hannes Stockinger (Austrian Society for Immunology) requested that
a CV and program of candidates to become EFIS Board Members be sent to
EFIS Members before future General Assemblies. He wished also to receive
projects of societies that will be candidates for organizing future European
Immunology Congresses before the General Assembly.
14. Address of the Incoming President
Sergio Romagnani said that he had already presented his activities
and declared the General Assembly closed.
Enclosure #1
President's Report
Not Received
Since that last General Assembly, held in November 1998 in New Delhi, the activities of the EFIS Secretary General comprised mostly "house keeping" activities and a few specific activities.
"House keeping" activities.
A primary task of the Secretary General has been to assist the Presidents.
Another task has been to organize Board Meetings, to prepare agendas,
to write minutes and to take care of their diffusion to all EFIS Members.
Five Board Meetings were held since the New Delhi Congress:
- on February 20, 1999, in Vienna
- on June 5, 1999, in Paris
- on Januray 8, 2000, in Florence,
- on April 29, 2000, in Florence and
- on September 25, in Poznan.
The Secretary also organized the General Assembly of EFIS, to be held in Poznan on September 26, 2000. During this Assembly, new EFIS Board Members will be elected and the Host Society of the European Immunology Congress — EFIS 2006 will be chosen by delegates of EFIS Members.
The Secretary took special care to communicate with EFIS Members. For this communication to be efficient, he tried to promote the use electronic mail as much as possible. He also ensured communication with IUIS and with other IUIS Federations. The Secretary General represented EFIS at the meeting of the FAIS, held in Yaounde, Cameroon, in February 2000.
Specific activities.
1. EFIS Homepage.
As announced in New Delhi, a special effort of the Secretary was to
create the EFIS website whose address is: www.efis.org. This site is hosted
by the Research section of the Institut Curie in Paris. It is deliberately
free of fancy mooving pictures in order to facilitate its access and use
by all individuals who may not be equipped with powerful computers and
high-flow connections. The EFIS homepage has been meant to be used as much
as possible by European Immunologists and European Societies for Immunology.
Individuals can have job announcements as well as other announcements posted
in the Market Place section. EFIS Members can announce their meetings and
all other information in the Bulletin Board section. Information to be
put on the homepage must be sent as a Word document to the Secretary who
will personally publish it within 1 or 2 days. The EFIS homepage also contains
the addresses of all European Immunology Societies that are members of
EFIS. These are updated as soon as the Secretary receives the information.
2. EFIS 25th Anniversary Booklet.
All registered participants of the congress have in their congress
bag the booklet celebrating the 25th Anniversary of EFIS. It contains texts
by former EFIS Presidents and texts by all EFIS Members. The Secretary
wishes to thank all societies for their willingness to contribute and he
hopes that he will be forgiven for having sometimes been hard on slow writers.
He wants to apologize for the poor quality of the final product released
by the printer, without proofs having been submitted. The Secretary expresses
here to the Publishing Editor responsible for this Supplement of Immunology
Letters his strong dissatisfaction, particularly in view of the efforts
made by all EFIS Members.
3. EFIS Symposium on Cancer Vaccines.
A special symposium organized and supported by EFIS will be held in
Poznan on September 27, 2000. This symposium is coupled with a special
issue of Immunology Letters which contains original reviews written by
all invited speakers of the symposium and abstracts submitted to the congress
on the same subject. The theme chosen for this first edition was Cancer
Vaccines and the Guest Editor was Dr. Eric Tartour from the Institut Curie
in Paris. If successful, this first experiment is meant to be reproduced.
The idea is to have EFIS Symposia organized during annual meetings of European
Immunology Societies, again coupled with a special issue of Immunology
Letters. This project, was submitted by the Secretary and approved by the
EFIS Board and the Editor-in-Chief of Immunology Letters. It is hoped to
make EFIS better known by European Immunologists and, possibly, to help
some societies to invite foreign speakers to their meetings.
Finally, a new EFIS Secretary will be elected by delegates of EFIS Members
at the General Assembly. At this occasion, the Secretary General wants:
- to thank past and current EFIS Board Members with whom he has been
working with pleasure for 5 years;
- to thank all EFIS Members for having collaborated friendly with EFIS
over these years;
- to express his best wishes to the new Secretary General of EFIS.