Executive Committee and Council News
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Member-Countries, Councillors or Proxies [] = not present p: = proxy, day(s) present
| At Austria: Herta Silvia Effenberger | |___26___ |
| Ekkehart Tillmanns | |_______27 |
| Be Belgium: Luc van Meervelt | |___26__27 |
| Bg Bulgaria: | |_________ |
| Hr Croatia: [ Boris Kamenar ] p: Dubravka Matcovic Calogovic | |___26__27 |
| Cz Czech+Slovakia: [ Jindrich Hasek ] p: Radek Kuzel | |___26__27 |
| Dk Denmark: [ Robert Feidenhans'l ] p: Jurg Erik Jorgensen | |___26__27 |
| Eg Egypt: Karimat El-Sayed & Mostafa M. Radwan | |___26__27 |
| Ee Estonia: | |_________ |
| Fi Finland: Timo Paakkari | |___26__27 |
| Fr France: Jean Louis Hodeau | |___26__27 |
| De Germany: [ Wolfgang Neumann ] p: Robert Dinnebier | |___26__27 |
| Gr Greece: [ Irene Mavridis ] p: Thanasis Hountas | |___26__27 |
| Hu Hungary: Alajos Kalman | |___26__27 |
| Il Israel: Joel Bernstein | |___26__27 |
| It Italy: [ Paola Paoli ] p: Annalisa Guerri | |___26__27 |
| Lv Latvia: [ Anatolij Mishnev ] | |_________ |
| Ma Morocco: Abdelmalek Thalal | |___26__27 |
| Nl Netherlands: [ Piet Gros ] p: Ton Spek | |___26__27 |
| No Norway: [ Berit Fjaertoft ] | |_________ |
| Pl Poland: [ Adam Pietraszko ] p: Marek Gl?ka | |___26__27 |
| Pt Portugal: Ana Margarida Damas | |___26__27 |
| Ru Russia: Svetlana Zheludeva | |___26__27 |
| Yu Serbia: [ Slobodanka Stankovic ] | |_________ |
| Si Slovenia: [ Ivan Leban ] | |_________ |
| Za South Africa: Demi Levendis | |___26__27 |
| Es Spain: Xavier Solans | |___26__27 |
| Se Sweden: [ Sven Lidin ] p: Anders Liljas | |___26__27 |
| Ch Switzerland: [ Helen Stoeckli-Evans ] p: Hans Grimmer | |___26____ |
| p: Gervais Chapuis | |_______27 |
| Tr Turkey: Yalcin Elerman | |___26__27 |
| Uk United Kingdom: C.C. Wilson | |___26__27 |
| Ua Ukraine: [ Oksana Ivanivna Bodak ] | |_________ |
| Elected: Giovanni Ferraris | |___26__27 |
| Elected: Elspeth Garman | |_______27 |
| Elected: Hans Grimmer | |___26__27 |
| Elected: Carlo Mealli | |___26__27 |
| Elected: Paola Spadon | |___26____ |
| Quorum count: Total: | ( 28 28) |
| Observers: IUCr: Davide Viterbo | |___26__27 |
| Tunisia: Mongi Debbabi | |___26__27 |
| SIG's representatives: | |
| SIG.1 Anders Liljas | |___26__27 |
| SIG.2 Pierre Becker | |___26__27 |
| SIG.3 Ted Janssen | |___26____ |
| SIG.4 Ute Kolb | |_______27 |
| SIG.5 Herta Silvia Effenberger | |___26__27 |
| SIG.6 Jacek Grochowski | |___26__27 |
| SIG.7 Gastone Gilli | |___26__27 |
| SIG.9 Ton Spek | |___26__27 |
| SIG.10 Mikail Kovalchuk | |___26__27 |
| SIG.12 Pamela Thomas | |___26__27 |
| SIG.13 Chick C. Wilson | |___26__27 |
| ECM's representatives: | |
| ECM-21 Andreas Roodt | |___26__27 |
| ECM-22 Alajos Kalman, Petra Mombicz, Laszlo Fabian | |___26__27 |
| ECM-23 Luc van Meervelt & Bernard Tinant | |___26__27 |
| Executive Committee: | |
| President: C. Lecomte | |___26__27 |
| Vice-President: P.T. Beurskens | |___26__27 |
| Secretary: G. Filippini | |___26__27 |
| Treasurer: T. Duarte | |___26__27 |
| Members: E. Dodson | |___26__27 |
| M. Jaskolski | |___26__27 |
| D. Viterbo | |___26__27 |
| Also present : H. Fuess |
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The proposed agenda, some reports, and additional information have been
distributed by e-mail circulars (April 29: Agenda; July 17: SIG-1, -5, -6, -10 reports; July 29: SIG-2, -3 reports). On August 26, at the opening of the Council meeting were handed over: Treasurer's, SIG-4, -7, -8, -9 reports).
Professor Claude Lecomte, the ECA President, was in the chair.
First session: 26 August.
1. Opening
1.1 Welcome to Council and Guests
The Chairman welcomed the Councillors, the observers and the guests.
1.2 Special welcome to new IM-Councillors
The Chairman expressed his best wishes to the new Councillors, who represent the Individual Members.
1.3 Application for membership
The Secretary informed the Councillors that application from Algeria hasn't been received yet, even if contacts are well ahead. The Council is looking forward to have Algeria among the ECA member Countries.
1.4 News and information from the Executive Committee.
1.4.1 ECA Prize
Professor Viterbo, chair of the selection Committee, reported briefly on the procedures.
The European Crystallographic Association is to award the third European Crystallography Prize to Prof. Carmelo Giacovazzo of the University of Bari, Italy. Prof. Giacovazzo is being recognised for his major theoretical and practical contributions to the solution of the phase problem in a wide spectrum of applications.
1.4.2 ECANEWS
The President thanked Dr D.M. Proserpio, the ECANEWS webmaster and pointed out some possibility of improvement. The Secretary stressed that every Country should have a responsible liaison in order to speed up the flow of information. As a start the Councillors themselves will act in this office.
2. Former e-mail decisions
The Secretary reminded the Councillors of the decision taken by e-mail after the Council meeting in Geneva:
- final approval of SIG-13 "Molecular Structures and Chemical Properties" [e-mailed on March 17, 2003],
- approval of the procedures for the election of the Councillors representing the IM's [e-mailed on March 25, 2003],
- approval of the Agenda of the present Council meeting [e-mailed on April 29, 2003],
- call for proposal of candidates for the Councillors representing the IM's [e-mailed on May 5, 2003],
- results of the election of 5 Councillors representing to IM's [e-mailed on June 6, 2003].
3. Annual Reports by the Executive Committee (Aug. 2002 - 31 Dec. 2002)and preliminary progress reports (up to Aug. 2003)
3.1 Report by the President
Professor Lecomte emphasised the role of ECA in helping co-operation among African Countries. He informed of the close collaboration with the IUCr in arranging for support in favour of the young scientists, in the form of bursaries for PhD students, funded also by South African Universities.
He continued informing the Council that the first Algerian meeting had taken place at the beginning of November 2002 in Algiers and the Algerian Crystallographic Association has been installed. Contacts are in progress with Tunisia and other African countries. The Association Marocaine de Cristallographie has organised the first school, published the first issue of its Bulletin and has already a website (www.ucam.ac.ma/fssm/amc).
He also pointed out that it is time to think of the possibility of organising European schools.
3.2 Report by the Secretary
Dr Filippini thanked the Councillors for many fruitful contacts during the previous year and remembered that the Executive Committee has only the task of carrying out the proposals put forward by the Council, and by the crystallographic community at large, through the Councillors.
3.3 Report(s) by the Treasurer
The Treasurer, Professor Duarte, reported on the budget, countersigned by the auditors - Professors M.A. Carrondo and S. Garcia-Granda. The President commented on the Countries which haven't paid the national fees and the Councillors were invited to take the necessary steps to solve the situation. It has been asked (El-Sayed) to send on time annual invoices to the Councillors. It has been suggested to sponsor a five-year fee for the IM's and to introduce a National collector in order to simplify the procedure and save money. The situation of the budget is fine, even if the money received from ECM19 (Nancy 2000), lent to ECM20 (Krakow 2001), was given to ECM21 (Durban 2003), which may not be able to give back the loan (see point 6.1).
4. Approval by the Council of the submitted accounts (re 3.3)
4.1 Auditors for 2003
The Councillors approved the audited accounts and, deciding to continue with the internal auditing, confirmed Professors Maria Armenia Carrondo and Santiago Garcia-Granda as auditors for the year 2003.
5. Reports regarding SIG's
5.1 SIG.1 Macromolecular Crystallography
The report has been e-mailed. No comments were put forward by the Councillors.
5.2 SIG.2 Charge, Spin & Momentum Density
The report has been e-mailed. No comments were put forward by the Councillors.
5.3 SIG.3 Aperiodic Crystallography
The report has been e-mailed. No comments were put forward by the Councillors.
5.4 SIG.4 Electron Crystallography
The report has been distributed to-day. The SIG has its website.
5.5 SIG.5 Mineralogical Crystallography
The report has been e-mailed. No comments were put forward by the Councillors.
5.6 SIG.6 Instrumentation and Experimental Techniques (IET)
The report has been e-mailed. No comments were put forward by the Councillors.
5.7 SIG.7 Molecular Interaction and Recognition (MIR)
The report has been distributed to-day.
5.8 SIG.8 Powder Diffraction ( SIGPD )
The report has been distributed to-day.
5.9 SIG.9 Crystallographic Computing ( CCSIG )
The report has been distributed to-day.
5.10 SIG.10 Diffraction physics and optics
The report has been e-mailed. No comments were put forward by the Councillors.
5.11 SIG.11 Extreme Conditions.
No report has been received.
5.12 SIG.12 Material Science.
Professor Thomas made a brief report, pointing out the contributions to ECM21. The full report will be sent as soon as possible.
5.13 SIG.13 Molecular Structures and Chemical Properties
Professor Wilson made a brief report, pointing out the contributions to ECM21. The full report will be sent as soon as possible.
5.x Further developments re SIG's
It has been suggested to increase the level of overlap and harmonisation among the SIGs (Grochowski, Ferraris), which is actually done by the Programme Committee of the ECMs (Wilson) in many cases in an efficient way (Lecomte), notwithstanding some misunderstandings (Gilli). Some degrees of freedom have to be left to the PC (Mealli), which has however a majority of SIGs' representatives (Jaskolski).
6. Reports regarding ECM's
6.0 Relationship between ECA and the ECM's
It seems to the Council that the relationships between the ECA and the ECM work properly: the presence of two members of the Executive Committee and of the SIGs' representatives in the ECM Programme Committee ensure both the scientific level and the continuity.
6.1 ECM-21 (2003) Durban
Professor Roodt gave some introductory information on the meeting. The main problem was the revaluation of the Rand over the euro and the US dollar by some 20%, which devaluated the contributions made by the IUCr and the ECA. He still hoped that the budget could eventually be balanced.
The goal of some 550 participants has been missed by 10%. Some 100 students were however helped in different ways, from waiving of the registration fee to free accommodation to bursaries for travel and accommodation. Further details will be given as soon as possible.
6.2 ECM-22 (2004) Budapest
The Council decided to postpone this item to August 27.
6.3 ECM-23 (2006) Leuven
Professor Van Meervelt gave more details on ECM-23 (2006) in Leuven.
The meeting will take place in
the first decade of August from Sunday 6 to Friday 11 August.
Before adjourning the meeting, Professor Lecomte informed the Councillors that so far there were five candidates for three ordinary members of the Executive Committee, namely Anders Liljas, Andreas Roodt, Santiago Garcia-Granda, Luc van Meervelt and Chick C. Wilson. Other candidatures for any position of the Executive Committee may be submitted to the Secretary with a letter undersigned by five Councillors, before the start of the next session.
Second session: 27 August.
6.2 ECM-22 (2004) Budapest
Dr Fabian made a detailed
description of the arrangements provided in Budapest for the best
success of the meeting. Dates are 25 to 31 August 2004, with excursion
on Sunday 29 (not included in the registration fee of 400 ?). The
Conference and its connected Exhibition will be held at the ELTE
Convention Centre (E?v?
Lor?d University, Institute of Chemistry). The venue is equipped
with complete range of conference facilities and there are many
comfortable accommodations nearby.
The conference site can be reached easily by public transportation and
it is fully accessible by disabled people. It is situated in a nice
and peaceful park on the Danube embankment, enriched by the pleasant
atmosphere of the Buda side.
Conference Timetable
arrival, registration, opening ceremony, welcome reception,
exhibition
Conference day, exhibition day, student mixer
Conference day, exhibition day, concert
Conference day, exhibition day, social evening
Excursion day
30.08 8Conference day, conference dinner
31.08 8Conference half day, closing ceremony
More details : www.ecm22.mtesz.hu
The discussion was very lively. It was commented that 400 ? without excursion and conference dinner was somehow high (Filippini), that 6.5 days against the 4 + 1 final day for excursion was too long for ECM standards (Fuess), that end of February for submission of abstracts was inappropriate (Ferraris). Other comments pertained the EPDIC meeting (Kuzel). The Council recommended a four-day meeting with excursion at the end and a substantial reduction of the registration fee.
7. Proposals and decisions regarding ECM-24
The proposal of Darmstadt has been postponed to a later date.
Professor Thalal renewed his presentation of Marrakech (Morocco).
A proposal to hold ECM-24 in Valencia (Spain) was illustrated by Professor Solans.
Professor Lecomte remembered that the decision for ECM-24 has already been taken last year in Geneva, namely " The Council decided that, if Darmstadt proposal is not renewed at the Council meeting in Durban, the site for ECM-24 in 2007 will be Marrakech".
With thanks and excuses to Professor Solans, the point was closed.
8. Proposal of amendments to Statutes and By-Laws
The Secretary read the proposal of amendment, which was sent on time according to Statutes 17.2 ("The proposal including the verbatim amendments shall be open to inspection at least three months before and until the close of the Council meeting at which the vote on the proposal is to be taken"):
| Present: | Proposal: |
| "The Officers of the Association constituting the Executive Committee are | "The Officers of the Association constituting the Executive Committee are |
| a. the President, | a. the President, |
| b. the Vice-President, | b. the Vice-President, |
| c. the Secretary, | c. the Secretary, |
| d. the Treasurer, | d. the Treasurer, |
| e. three Additional Members." | e. the Past-President, |
| f. three Additional Members." |
and opened the discussion by saying that this proposal was founded on the necessity of a minimum of continuity between two Executive Committees.
The Chairman put under vote the proposal, which was approved with one abstention. The Council agreed that this vote implies also repeal of the next but one sentence "- The President is not eligible for re-election to any other office in the Executive Committee".
9. Elections for President and other Officers
9.1 Elections for President
No other proposals being received, Professor Fuess has been declared the new President.
Professor Fuess thanked the Councillors and said he would carry on the collaboration with the crystallographic communities in Africa without letting aside the improvement of the relationships with the Eastern European Countries. Some efforts will be devoted towards finding an arrangement with EPDIC, which is a brilliant community of crystallographers. Consideration will be given to the Corporate Affiliate Members (CAM's) and solutions are to be found for the collection of fees from our National and Individual Members, a way to find more money for organising schools. He is looking forward to close collaboration with the other members of the Executive Committee, who will have precise responsibilities to fulfil.
9.2 Elections for Vice-President
No other proposals being received, Professor Jaskolski has been declared the new Vice-President.
9.3 Elections for Secretary
No other proposals being received, Dr Filippini has been confirmed as Secretary.
9.4 Elections for Treasurer
No other proposals being received, Professor Duarte has been confirmed as Treasurer.
9.5 Elections for other members of the Executive Committee
The five candidates were put under secret ballot. Professor Beurskens acted as teller. The elected were: Liljas, Roodt and Wilson.
10. The ECA : what to do - where to go
Professor Fuess, the new president, summarised this point by saying that the discussion has given rise to many useful suggestions, which will be exploited by the new Executive Committee.
11. Any other business
Dr Dodson submitted to the Council a motion against the patenting of crystallographic software, which is under discussion at the European Parliament.
It was suggested to record the Keynote Lectures at the ECM as to prepare a database to be put on the web (Chapuis). It was commented that it is not legal (Dodson), unless the speakers sign a form in advance (Garman).
Other comments concerned the ECMs. It was suggested to assign them only to places where expenses are reduced and fees are low (Tillmanns), which implies the presentation of a detailed budget together with the proposal (El-Sayed & Bernstein).
Dr Thomas proposed a vote for thanks for the retiring members of the Executive Committee. This was carried on with applause.
12. Close
Minutes of the ECA
Council , Marrakech 2007
Minutes of the ECA
Council , Leuven 2006
Minutes of the ECA
Council , Florence 2005
Minutes of the ECA
Council , Budapest 2004
Minutes of the ECA
Council , Geneva 2002
Minutes of the ECA
Council , Krakow 2001
