The IBE European Regional Executive Committee met for the first time since its election at the International Congress in Paris 2005. A second meeting was held in Copenhagen on 20 – 21 January 2006. Even though the weather was really rough with a snowstorm and temperatures below zero, the atmosphere of the meeting was pleasant and warm.

After introductions, we discussed the plans and future work of the Regional Executive Committee as well as an update on the previous Executive Committee’s work. As we believe it is important to encourage contact between the Executive Committee and the European Full Members and Associate Members, we decided to continue the work of the past Executive Committee and to act as contact persons for different member countries. Please do not hesitate to communicate with your contact person if you have any questions or ideas. Each contact person will also in the near future send letters to IBE members. The following is the liaison list:

Peter Dahlqvist: Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Sweden
Thanos Covanis: Greece, Malta, Romania, Spain, Serbia – Montenegro, Turkey, Cyprus, Bulgaria
Andreas Habberstad: Denmark, Germany, Norway, Slovakia, Switzerland, UK, Scotland
Jónína Björg Gudmundsdottir: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Iceland, Ireland
Seppo Sarkkula: Finland, Georgia, Lithuania, Israel, Italy, Slovenia, Russia.
One important issue that we will try to work on is to establish contact with those European countries where no epilepsy association or organisation currently exists. Our idea is to encourage persons or institutions to take action in order to develop such associations.

Best wishes
Peter Dahlqvist
Chair
IBE European Regional Executive Committee