ENS and EFNS Sign Historical Agreement to Merger the Two Societies

The first meeting between representatives of the European Federation of Neurological Societies (EFNS) and the ENS took place during the 13th Congress of the EFNS in Florence, Italy, September 12-15, 2009. Jacques De Reuck, President of the EFNS, and Richard Hughes, President-elect of the EFNS, met with ENS President José Ferro and ENS Secretary General Gustave Moonen, in order to discuss the basis for a cooperation in the future between these two major European neurological societies.

A Task Force involving six representatives, plus members of the administrative secretariats, of the EFNS and the ENS was subsequently created in order to work out a concept of cooperation between the two societies. Progress of the Task Force negotiations developed rapidly during the past two years, culminating in a historical moment which took place during the 15^th Congress of the EFNS in Budapest, Hungary, September 10-13, 2011.

In the course of this crucial event Zohar Argov (ENS President) Richard Hughes (EFNS President) Gustave Moonen (Secretary General ENS) Detlef Kömpf (Secretary General EFNS) signed an Agreement during the opening session of the Budapest Congress of the EFNS to merge the two societies to form a unique organisation designated as the European Academy of Neurology (EAN). From 2015 onwards all activities of the ENS and EFNS shall be accomplished exclusively by the EAN. Until then the ENS and EFNS will appoint members to the Transition Task Force of the EAN.

Important developments originating from the EAN Transition Task Force concerning the integration of the two societies will be reported in this newsletter.

From left to right: Gustave Moonen (Secretary General ENS); Zohar Argov (ENS President); Richard Hughes (EFNS President); Detlef Kömpf (Secretary General EFNS) sign the historical Agreement to merger the two societies.