Transactions 29th European Strabismological Association Meeting – de Faber (ed) © 2005 European Strabismological Association, ISBN 04 1537 211 9

Minutes of the general business meeting

Izmir – June 4, 2004

1OPENING REMARKS FROM THE PRESIDENT

The President of the ESA, Professor Micheline Spiritus, opened the General Business Meeting at 13:30 and thanked all participants for their attendance of the ESA Congress. She informs the audience that her term of office ends in 2004 and no re-election is possible. She apologizes for not having the Editor included the Minutes of the General Business Meeting in Bergen and the Membership Roster in the Proceedings Volume.

2SECRETARY/TREASURER’S REPORT

The minutes of the General Business Meeting in Bergen have been included in the letter/call for membership that has been sent to all members. No objections were received. The minutes are therefore approved.

The financial report was checked and approved by the account auditors, Prof. V. Herzau and Prof. E. Campos. The report was circulated among the members of the Executive Committee and was explained at the General Business Meeting. It was approved without objections.

The balance of the ESA account in Bologna in may 2004 was 38.523,12 EURO.

Prof. V. Herzau and Prof. E. Campos were confirmed as account auditors of the next period by acclamation of the audience. The membership fee for the next year will be unchanged (50 EURO for Ordinary and Associate Members).

The following applicants were accepted as new members of the ESA by the Executive Committee:

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3ELECTION OF NEW HONORARY MEMBERS

The Executive Committee proposes four new Honorary Members: Dr Annette Spielmann (France), Prof. Gunnar Lennestrand (Sweden), Prof. Guntram Kommerell (Germany), and Prof. Wilfried de Decker (Germany). The Assembly agreed unanimously to this proposal by acclamation. No objection was made.

4ESA WEB-SITE

The responsibility of the ESA web-site will stay in the hands of the Secretary/Treasurer who proposes a new installing person. The audience approves.

5ESA FELLOWSHIP

The President proposes that the requirements for application of the candidate will include his/her clinical and research qualifications, a curriculum vitae and list of publications, evidence of completion of training in ophthalmology such as the certificate of the European Board in Ophthalmology (EUBO) (Goldstandard) or equivalent qualification. The trainer will also be invited to deliver a report in connection with his/her work and/or research during his/her fellowship. A Fellowship Committee consisting of 3 ESA members, including the Secretary/Treasurer, will be established. After a brief discussion, the audience approves.

6TRANSACTIONS ESA MEETING 2004

The President announces that Dr. J.-T. de Faber will be the Editor of the transaction book of the ESA Meeting 2004. The President underlines that the ESA by-laws updated, the Minutes of the General Business Meeting in Izmir and the Membership roster updated have to be included in the transaction book. The audience approves.

7ELECTION OF NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS

The President announces that the term of office of the actual members of the Executive Committee ends this year for three Council members. Re-election is possible in two cases. Prof. Spiritus is not re-eligible. Prof. Pechereau is re-eligible for two years. Prof. Haugen is re-eligible for a second term of four years. The President gives the following proposals and asks for further candidates:

Seyan Ozkan as President,

Alain Pechereau and Olav Haugen as Vice-Presidents,

Alexandros G. Damanakis as new Councillor. Dr. Damanakis should be co-opted because he will organize the ESA Meeting 2007. According to the actual by-laws, the Secretary asks the audience if a secret election with a written ballot is wished. Because no vote for a secret election was obtained and no further candidates were received from the audience, the proposals of the Council

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were voted by show of hands. They were approved without contrary votes. The actual Executive Committee is therefore:

Since the term of office of six Council Members will end in 2006 and since in that year the ESA Meeting will not be held, the President proposes to anticipate elections in 2005. To do this, an amendment of the by-laws should be done. According to the by-laws, the proposal of amendment must be sent to the Secretary/Treasurer six months before the next ESA Meeting.

8FUTURE ESA MEETINGS

9ESA LECTURER

The President proposes Prof. V. Herzau as the next ESA Lecturer. The assembly approves unanimously.

10 VARIA

No other matters were brought to attention. The President closed the General Business Meeting at 14.30. The Assembly appreciated with a standing ovation the great care and ability in holding her office.

Respectfully submitted

Dr. Costantino Schiavi

(Secretary/Treasurer)

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