EFS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING

10th March 2003

Present: Robert Porto, Antonio Palha, Kevan Wylie, Marc Ganem, Moshe Mock, Chiara Simonelli, Ondrej Trojan

  1. Robert Porto gave a brief welcome to everybody
  1. Apologies: Piet Nijs, Ursula Pasini, Willy Pasini, Salvatore Caruso, Mireille Bonierbale
  1. Amendments to minutes of 16th June 2002:

Point 8: Moshe Mock was also tabled as a candidate for election

Point 10: Moshe Mock suggested new members as associations have their names outlined in full rather than abbreviated. It was thought that VVS was an organisation whose details were missing. Action: Jill to contact other members of society and Oswaldo Rodriguez to see if anyone knows who VVS is.

Point 2: The past President sits on the Executive Committee for ever. This was proposed by Antonio Palha and seconded by Marc Ganem. It was agreed that this could occur but that this position is without voting rights (ex-officio).

Point 9: It was agreed that the email and postal addresses for the last European meeting be sent from ORTRA to Kevan Wylie. Action: Moshe Mock

For the WAS mailing list. from Oswaldo Rodriguez. Action: Jill to request

Point 11: It was observed that the First Announcement did not specify the Executive committee separate from the Scientific Committee. To avoid considerable duplication it was suggested that in the Second Announcement the Executive Members would have their names highlighted with an asterisk (*).

  1. Report by the Secretary General

(a) Secretariat

The job description for the Personal Assistant to the General Secretary of EFS (dated January 2003) was accepted by the Executive Council. It was agreed that the rate of pay could be increased to £8 per hour gross. It was accepted that the monthly workload would be in the region of 2 hours. If additional hours were to be worked, this is to be authorised by the President.

(b) Stationery & Logo

There was some concern over the overall design of the EFS logo. It was accepted that this logo was developed for the Brighton 2004 meeting. It was accepted that a design company with image consultancy had been involved in this logo design and that a consistency was required for future meetings. It was suggested that modifications to the tabled logo be commissioned and circulated to the Executive. The preferred design would have the current intimate objects surrounded by the words “European Federation of Sexology” and that this would be further surrounded by the 15 stars of Europe. Action: Jill to contact Trilogy

Robert Porto informed the Executive that independently he had secured money from Pfizer for the development of a logo for EFS. It was the majority decision that the logo developed for Brighton should be modified if possible rather than a new design established. It was suggested that the money obtained from Pfizer be used to develop the logo although Robert Porto said that the EFS should fund the further development costs as Pfizer would be disappointed to be involved in modification of the suggested logo. Kevan Wylie suggested that this was unlikely to be the case but conceded that Robert was anxious about using monies from Pfizer. However, it was indicated that any monies obtained from pharmaceutical companies should be independent of influence by companies over such spending. Kevan Wylie suggested that this be discussed more fully at the next Executive meeting as many sexologists did not like undue influence or pressure from pharmaceutical companies.

(c) Web Site

It was agreed that the web site should be developed at an overall cost of £500. Initially this would be completely in English but that members of the Executive would be invited to translate web pages for consideration. Further budget monies may be required in 2004 to provide multi-lingual web pages.

It was agreed that the following should be on the web page.

  • The AGM minutes for Limassol
  • The statutes and by-laws of EFS
  • A members list indicating those members who have paid and those who have payments outstanding
  • Details of the 2004 meeting
  • Call for dues
  • Requirements for the endorsement of EFS at clinical meetings other than the main bi-annual Congress – this should state that providing a letter to the 3 officers is sent 3 months before the meeting with a detailed scientific programme – that this would then be disseminated to the whole Executive and the President respond.
  • Bids for 2006/2008 which must be accepted by email by the 12th April 2004
  • The newsletters when produced with past copies available

Action: Jill to confirm costs

(d) Current membership list

It was agreed that all members of the Executive would review this and inform Jill within 14 days of any amendments. Action: All

(e) Treasurers Report

  1. French Account

- current balance €16793.57 (equivalent to FF110158.60)

  1. UK Account

- it was agreed that with each call for dues, the member society must pay to the HSBC UK account sufficient funds to cover the net amount of the annual fee plus any bank transfer costs. Action: Jill to identify with the HSBC bank, a central clearing account number to accept monies in Euros and /or sterling

(f) Problem of fees recovery

The web site would contain 2 lists which would identify which societies currently have their subscriptions in order and paid and those with monies outstanding. With the call for dues for this financial year, all societies would be informed that if monies were not received by the 1st of June 2003, that they would be identified on the web site as outstanding and overdue.

(g) Annual Subscription fee for 2003

It was agreed that this year’s subscription would be €110 net payable on the 1st March 2003

(h) Budget for 2003/2004

No specific costs were identified other than perhaps the transportation of Robert Porto and Marc Ganem to the Brighton site meeting. It was confirmed by Kevan Wylie that the EFS 004 budget would be responsible for the rail costs from London to Brighton and that complimentary rooms were being secured for the night of April 15th.

(i)Appointment of an accountant

It was agreed that an accountant should be appointed to audit the UK and French bank accounts of EFS. It was suggested that 2 proposals be obtained from appropriately qualified accountants to prepare these audited reports. Action: Jill Memmott

  1. Other budget issues

(a) Rules of good practice for asking for sponsorship monies to EFS

It was agreed that for endorsement of clinical meetings affiliated to EFS, that the details outlined above (under web site contents) be followed.

(b) How to get financial resources for more prominent activity

Robert Porto is to send a letter to Romano Prodi to secure European funds. If necessary, EFS would allocate a budget to allow the 3 officers to travel to Brussels for such a meeting.

Robert Porto to send a letter to Dimitrios Hatzichristou, President of ESSM, to look at further collaboration regarding the European School of Sexual Medicine.

  1. Congresses

(a)The report from Limassol was accepted.

(b)Suggestions and changes to the First Announcement to be incorporated into the Second Announcement were recorded by Kevan Wylie. These and other measures will be taken at the site meeting in April.

(c)Bid for 2006 should be sent by post and email to all 3 officers to reach them by the 12th April. Copies will then be sent to all member societies of the Federation who have paid their dues. Bids would be accepted for 2006 and 2008

  1. Progress Report: The teaching of sexology in Europe

Piet Nijs wrote to members on the 13th February 2003 regarding the teaching of sexology in Europe. Robert Porto is to ask Mireille Bonierbale to work directly with Piet Nijs and Salvatore Caruso and to complete this work in advance of the Brighton Executive Meeting.

8.Progress Report: Data Bank of Epidemiology of Sexual Dysfunctions

Salvatore Caruso and Chiara Simonelli are currently working on the matter of the Data Bank of Epidemiology of Sexual Dysfunctions in Europe. Again, these members were asked to complete these before the Brighton Conference. Action: Salavatore Caruso and Chiara Simonelli

9.Discussion: European Certificate of Sexology

The results of the reports from 7 and 8 may argue the case for whether a European Certificate of Sexology should be considered or not. These should be considered as minimum standards and if organisations agree to participate if they accept these standards rather than an enforcement of these across Federation members.

  1. EFS Bulletin or newsletter

Pfizer (France) have agreed to support the printing of 3 newsletters before Brighton. Antonio Palha and Robert Porto to arrange for content and circulation to Societies. The deadline for the first newsletter is the 1st of May

  1. The role of EFS within WAS

The role of EFS within WASwas discussed. Robert Porto was asked to send

aletter to Pierre Ashman regarding the suggestion of a symposium at the Montreal WAS meeting in 2005. Ideas would be circulated to the Executive in advance of this letter and it was felt this was an important way to improve influence of the Federation within the World Association. Robert Porto is also to send a proposal to the ESSM Board regarding the Istanbul meeting. It was also suggested that reports be sent regularly to the ISSIR Bulletin.

Actions: Robert Porto

At this stage, Marc Ganem retired in preparation for his Presidential speech to the WAS opening ceremony.

12.Other business matters

(a)

The issue of the letter from Jean Koehler regarding voting within the Federation was dealt with by Beverley Whipple attending the meeting with a colleague who will contact Kevan Wylie by email.

(b) The date of the next meeting was suggested within the ESSM meeting in Istanbul in November. A full board meeting will take place on the 12th May 2004 immediately before the opening ceremony of EFS 2004.

(c)

It was suggested that poor countries may be encouraged to attend the EFS meetings using some of the funds collected within the EFS (French) accounts.