Minutes for the 10th General Assembly,
Saturday 1st June, 2002, 2.30-5.30
Venue, Congress Centre, Villa Erba, Como. Meeting Room C.

AGENDA
ATTENDERS: Frida Korenbrut (Obs) & Talma Hertzamu (NV) (Israel) & Lily Tell (NV) (Israel), Jose Barajas, New Israeli voting representative = Joseph Attias, D. Sc.,
J. Hegarty (Irl. NV), Einar Laukli (Nor. V), Rene Dauman (Fr. V), T. Spillmann (Sw. V), K. Welzl-Mueller (Aus, V), Alexander Pascu (Rom, V), Josef Pytel (Hun, V), Borut Marn (Croatia V), Thomas Lenarz (Ger, V).
APOLOGIES: George Gavalas (Gr, VR), Jurgen Kie?ling (D, NV), Govaerts (Bel, VR), Hazell (Non-VR), Sorri (Fi, VR), Mia-Holgers (Sw, VR), Verschuure (Neth, VR)

1. Welcome from Chairman
suggested that this be an informal meeting because of the small number of attenders.

2.
Minutes of the last meeting in Bordeaux were approved without a vote (see below).

3. Links with Other Audiology-Related European bodies:
a) Thomas Lenarz talked about the links to other bodies which he has been trying to develop (as per council meeting). He has contacted many groupings since 2001, inc.
b) UEMS (= European Union of Medical Specialists) - special role in Europe and an important medical body. Problem with establishing EFAS/Audiology within this grouping, because not all Audiologists are medics. DAUMAN gave a report on links with UEMS - things have not changed since Sept. As group has not met. Barcelona in December will be next meeting. Suggested that at least 2 people with different backgrounds (medical and non-medical doctors) should attend as 'observers'. Non-medical audiologist would be useful.
LENARZ - UEMS did reply to EFAS contact but just wished EFAS to be part of ENT; so it is important. Einar Laukli would be a good representative. Was proposed and seconded/accepted.
c) Grandori planned to attend when finished in the other meeting (note that he will send
addendum on European funding issues and an update on AHEAD as he did not make
it; this will be forwarded at a later date when it arrives).

LENARZ noted that there has been a change of EU funding for research which will affect the procedures for application and the amount of funding. 6th call for papers not yet closed - and only 5 page submission needed within one week; final proposals towards end of year. EFAS would be a good background for a cross-country study; genetics a good topic for funding. Possibly hearing loss and ageing - genetic background. AHEAD type projects will in future go to Social Policy funding. (1 million funding for Social Policy/Disability compared to 10 million for genetics research). GENO project = genetics project which will be priority no. 1 for EU. That would be the best option for EFAS to try and apply to. Please send ideas to Thomas Lenarz within one week.
• Rene Dauman asked how many people per country? Lenarz suggested that more will be better but they must be reasonably expert.
• Joseph Attias asked if they can be animal studies? Lenarz replied that they will be possible in the proposals. Give some applications of the proposed research studies.

4. May 28th - June 1st 2003. European EFAS Conference 2003, Crete
George Gavalas was unable to attend, but he asked if a scientific committee would be available to help decide topics (as the organisational side is well established).
a) Pytel suggested Genetics and Hearing Loss (Congenital and ageing) as it can be involved in the European proposals.
b) Joseph Attias suggested that we follow on from previous meetings to see what progress is being made in those areas. Also suggested noise as a senior topic (Deepak Prasher) particularly with reference to children. Tinnitus. (Now an important topic in NOPHER). NOPHER might be willing to organise a session; Joseph will contact. T. Pitt agreed; thought adult NIHL would fit in well with the adult rehab. topics.
d) DAUMAN suggested trying to identify keynote speakers who could arrange the rest
of the session.
e) LAUKLI suggested hearing aid and rehabilitation/outcomes (Dai Stephens as keynote).
f) Jose Barajas suggested CAPD; this was agreed. He will consider possible names.
g) Spillmann suggested Imaging - new techniques. Lenarz agreed that new developments are most interesting, because you can check functionality of auditory pathways. Now almost mandatory for developmental delays and Cochlear Implant assessment. Bringing together of morphology and function. Asked for a list of possible names. Joseph suggested also higher temporal regions. Barajas suggested Fast Function Imaging. Temporal resolution has improved so much. Lenarz thought a variety of techniques would be valuable.
h) *Assessment of hearing - rather than neonatal screening. Methods of follow-up. Kunigunde Welzl-Mueller will consider this. (See attached letter from Kunigunde).

Lenarz suggested that those who made the suggestions for topics form the Scientific Committee. These would be communicated to the EFAS council and also to George Gavalas to try and arrange the programme. George is also having to weigh the political elements in Greece so would welcome international support. This is now urgent!

5.
Goteborg; Lenarz mentioned that the local organisation is being done. They take financial responsibility and asked if they could take a profit. It would seem that they could. *Proposed site visit now 2nd weekend in September (14th -15th).

6. Suggestions for 2007.
Lenarz suggested waiting until Crete as there were too few at this meeting.

7.
Nomination committee for the General Assembly 2003; will be done then. If anyone is interested parties should contact Paul Govaerts.

8. EFAS accounts and Treasurer's Report – Spillmann & Barajas.
Barajas: showed the overhead of the balance in 2001 (€11246), but by the time this was transferred to T. Spillmann it had increased to €11344) but after bank commission this was down to €11276. The current balance is this. Barajas has a list of all the countries and can provide this to any members if they wish; different countries pay different amounts.

Spillmann: thanked his predecessor; gave the current balance. Asked for an update for the current contacts to send out the request for funding. This form will be sent out before the beginning of July; Euro account. Zurcher Kantonalbank, account 1330-00016.543. EFAS European Federation of Audiology Societies, Freiestr. 2, CH.

9. EFAS Website development
still with Jonathan Hazell. Meetings etc. can be advertised there.

10. Any other business
Lenarz thanked Dauman for the work in Bordeaux and a round of applause. Moe Bergman has now totally retired and Joseph Attias has taken over as
Israeli VR.

UNHS programme/Audiology and phoniatrics Society Croatia (Marn) - 5 minutes. Small society (20 people) and so has had trouble raising funding for the EFAS charge. Croatia has only 5 million people and thus expected about 50 h.i. babies per year.
6/2/02: UNHS started with one screener, 2-stage, bilocal programme. 1st stage in maternity and 2nd in ENT Zagreb Children's Hospital. Dec. 2001. Let them hear started. Got some equipment and is hoping to start a general programme throughout country at 34 Newborn units. Also quite a number of ENT units will be adopting the programme. So within one year the country has more or less developed a full programme of UNHS. Some rehabilitation services already exist, (but extra services will be required to support this fantastic achievement).

Letter of support was mentioned. If anyone requires a letter of support for their attendance at EFAS meetings, contact the Secretary where a standard format letter is now available to support your funding application. Unfortunately no cheque!

11. Other meetings
Nordic Aud. Society, going every 2 years. Just had a meeting on language and in 2004 will be a meeting on Geriatric Hearing Loss.

J. Pytel suggested using ENT news to check dates and use the free short notes service.

12. Closing
F. Grandori had not reached the meeting to report on AHEAD funding.
So he will have to send us a report and we can circulate it (still awaiting).

Meeting was concluded.

*Note that the next GA will be held in Crete in 2003.

Sent by: Theresa Pitt, Secretary, EFAS (theresapitt@eircom.net)