Minutes for the 6th General Assembly in Milan, ITALY
Saturday 17th May 1998

Present:
Chairman: Rene Dauman - France (V)
K Welzl-Müller - Austria (V)
P Govaerts - Belgium (V)
G de Ceolaer - Belgium (NV)
B Walter - Denmark (V)
A-M Jensen - Denmark (NV)
E Kjaerbol - Denmark (NV)
K Uus - Estonia (V)
M Sorri - Finland (V)
T Lenarz - Germany (V)
J Kiessling - Germany (NV)
J Pytel - Hungary (V)
G Grisanti - Italy (V)
L Kise - Latvia (V)
S Ku&154;ke - Latvia (NV)
I Ulzione - Lithuania (V)
B van Zanten - Netherlands (V proxy)
E Laukli - Norway (V)
A Pascu - Romania (V)
G Tavartkiladze - Russia (V)
J Vatovec - Slovenia (V)
J Barajas - Spain (V)
E Salesa - Spain (NV)
S Arlinger - Sweden (V)
T Spillmann - Switzerland (V)
A Fisiloglu - Turkey (V)
S Ozgubar - Turkey (NV)
J Hazell - UK (V)
T Kulakova - Ukraine (V)

Apologies received from Moe Bergman, Hans Verschuure, Lionel Collet, Jarka
Prihodova,

1. Welcome from the Chairman
Rene Dauman welcomed delegates to the meeting and thanked Ferdinando Grandori for providing excellent facilities for our meeting. During the course of the meeting we welcomed the Ukraine as 31st member country of EFAS, represented by Dr Kulakova.

2. Minutes of 5th General Assembly
The minutes of the 5th General Assembly in Prague were accepted.

3. Alteration to the Bylaws
A check was made to discover that the meeting was properly quorate before discussion of the bylaws began. The previously distributed amendments to the Bylaws of EFAS were discussed, and the proposed changes were accepted with the following additional alterations:
Item 5, Council: the council may co-opt additional members without voting rights, for specific purposes.

Item 10 - Elections, Nominations Names prepared by nomination committee would be submitted at least two months before the final ballot and the list presented to voting and non-voting representatives at least one month prior to the General Assembly for election every odd year.

The final amended version of the EFAS bylaws is attached to the end of these minutes, and will shortly replace the current bylaws on the EFAS Internet site.

4. Activities of Working Parties
Dauman summarized the activities of the working parties. Working party 1 and 2 concerning the activities of medically qualified and non-medically qualified audiologists in various countries had been concluded. Work would now focus on working group 3 (contact with other organizations) and working group 4 (education).
Working Group 3.

The convener of this group is Thomas Lenarz who reported that he had contacted several organizations. His aim was to notify our existence and purpose. In particular contact with UEMS had been important, as this sets common guidelines for residency and training in ENT throughout Europe. Audiology had been included as a sub speciality of ENT without reference to EFAS and its activities. Rene Dauman commented on his early relationships with UEMS and it was agreed that contact was important at a European and a national level through country representatives to ensure that UEMS understood that audiology was a multi-disciplinary activity and that EFAS was concerned about training and standards in the same way. Dauman indicated that Professor Mair (Norway) was keen to establish links with EFAS. It was noted that other groups were "claiming" audiology e.g. phoniatricians. Lenarz also mentioned the recently formed European Academy of Otology, Neuro-otology and said that it would be helpful for both organizations to have cross membership. Other organizations that had been contacted were IAPA, BIAP, AAA and ISA. Several EFAS members had been in contact with the standardization organizations (e.g. ISO) and they would keep us informed about their activities. Arlinger indicated that although there were several organizations involved in audiology, their functions were frequently quite different, so our relationship with these organizations would not always be the same. He added that it was important to avoid conflict of conference times with other organizations. Grandori noted the division of audiology in Italy, previously a speciality within ENT, but now divided between ENT and Phoniatrics. Barajas agreed that these organizations could be a source of conflict but that scientific meetings raised awareness. It was important not to try and make changes too fast.

5. Bids for European Conference 2003
Provisional bids were received from Germany, Hungary, Italy (not been ratified by the Executive Committee of the Italian Society of Audiology) and Spain. The final decision will be made at the General Assembly next year in Oulu. All those proposing to submit bids should prepare a short presentation for Oulu before voting takes place.

6. NATASHA
Arlinger reported on behalf of Verschuure that the application had been rewritten, and that a statement had been sent which would result in the signing of contracts. The period of the study would begin on the first day of the month after all signatures had been received, and would last eighteen months. The study is aimed at co-ordinating test methods and EFAS itself is one of the partners in the study, together with a number of other Universities.

7. Election of Officers
There was nothing to report from the committee concerned with the election of officers, except that this would take place at the meeting at Oulu next year. The following posts need to be filled, Vice Chairman, Chairman, General Secretary, two auditors, Member at Large and Treasurer. The post of Treasurer has previously been shared with that of Secretary, but it was agreed that it was better for these posts to be separately held.

8. The Prague Meeting: 3rd European Conference on Audiology
It was reported that some 450 delegates had attended and that the conference was financially successful. Profits had been distributed between the Czech Republic National Society, and a smaller sum to EFAS together with a 'float' for the Oulu conference.

9. Oulu 4th Conference on Audilogy in Europe. June 6th - 11th 1999
Sorri reported on the arrangements for the conference next year. First class hotels would cost about 50 pounds sterling a night but student style accommodation was also available. Registration would cost about 250 pounds and the Baltic countries would be allowed register at a reduced fee. The budget is based on 350 people attending. It was noted that there would be no mosquitoes! Sorri is trying to arrange transport between Tromsö and Oulu to connect with the IERASG meeting, which takes place the week beforehand. A first announcement to national societies would be made shortly. Two satellite meetings will take place.
1. June 5-6 "Workshop on individual hearing conservation against noise", arranged by the National Institute for Occupational Health
2. June 11 "The Activce Ear", arranged by Orbis Sensorius Oulu.

10. Bordeaux Meeting: 5th European Conference on Audiology
Dauman reported that the University location had proved a problem because of lack of exhibition space. An alternative conference facility outside Bordeaux was being considered which would accommodate 1000 delegates.

11. Logos
These are now available on the website, or through the General Secretary. Everyone was encouraged to use the EFAS logo on national society publications (e.g. notepaper and journals etc) to indicate their involvement in EFAS.

12. Accounts
The accounts had been audited by the appointed EFAS auditors. They were approved and accepted. It was noted that all monies passing through the society need to be identified on the EFAS statement (e.g. floats for conferences etc). Govaerts said that those not presently paying their annual dues to EFAS should be appropriately motivated. It was noted that while poorer countries might have difficulty in finding money for their subscription, there were a number of EEC countries who had not paid. Pytel indicated that if Hungary was able to pay then everyone should be able to do so.

The meeting was closed by the Chairman with a comment about the importance of our role in education, and a further vote of thanks to Ferdinando Grandori.
Date of Next Meeting:

The next EFAS general assembly will be held in Oulu, Finland at 1.00 p.m. Sunday June 6th, 1999.