The visit to Prague offered plenty of opportunity for members to spend time together, catching up and making new contacts. On the evening of 27 April, all participants were invited to an evening’s entertainment – a tour of the city of Prague, first by coach and then on foot, finishing with a meal on the banks of the Vltava river.

The 28 April was dedicated to ECHAMP’s annual Membership Assembly.  Corresponding, associated and full members heard reports from the Board of Management and from the different ECHAMP working parties, and the reporting on the activities in 2008. In the afternoon the full members voted on the annual accounts for the year and discussed the association’s work programme for the mid- and long-term, the latter coinciding with the next term of both the European Parliament and the European Commission.

This year’s Membership Assembly was expertly chaired by Christa Hebisch, founding member and long time Board member of ECHAMP. Although she steps back from her official duties at ECHAMP, she is nevertheless invited as a special guest to next year’s Assembly in Madrid.

ECHAMP was also sad to say a first good-bye to its President of four years, Max Daege . Max is standing down from the Board of Management; however he will continue to be involved in ECHAMP’s work next year, and has been elected chair of the next Membership Assembly.

ECHAMP is pleased to announce the appointment of a new President, Nand De Herdt , who retires from his post as General Secretary to take up his new responsibilities. His many years of experience, in particular in the pharmaregulatory and pharmapolitical work of the association, and his long-standing and untiring commitment to ECHAMP make him an ideal successor in this role.

ECHAMP is appointing a new full-time General Secretary, who is expected to start in September this year.

Karen Chapman
ECHAMP PR and Communications Consultant