Minutes of the Eusja General Assembly,
Trieste, March 14, 2009

Present:
Hanns-Joachim Neubert - Germany (president), Barbara Drillsma - UK (vice-president), Viola Egikova - Russia (Honorary Secretary), Vesa Niinikangas - Finland (Honorary Treasure), Kaianders Sempler - Sweden, Paola de Paoli - Italy, Elisabeth Noestlinger – Austria, Anna Martinkova -Czhech Republic, Marina Huzvarova – Czhech Republic, Mogens Bisgaard – Denmark, Priit Ennet – Estonia, Raili Leino – Finland, Wolfgang Goede – Germany (TELI), Martin Schneider – Germany (WPK),  Sakis Koutsouridis – Greece, Istvan Palugyia – Hungary, Anna Nolan – Ireland, Elmar Veerman – Netherlands, Ricardo Garcia – Portugal, Alexandru Mironov – Romania, Goran Tenze – Slovenia, Merce Piqueras – Spain ACCC, Catalonia), Pierre Lefevre – France, Janna Wellander – EUSJA Secretariat.
The second (open) part of the GA participated also the guests: Prof. Mauro Messerotti – Italy, Dr. Camillo Marchetti – Italy, Dr. Lionell Milgrom – UK.

Apologies and absent:
Albania, Belgium, Croatia, Poland, Spain (AECC), Switzerland.

Introduction:
- Hajo Neubert welcomed a new secretary of EUSJA – Janna Wellander.
- The president thanked Italian Association, which has organized the GA this year and study trip in Trieste. On behalf of Italian Association Paola de Paoli thanked everybody for the possibility to host the General Assembly.
- The president said that the Assembly would consist with 2 parts as it has been decided in Berlin (last GA in 2008) – usual agenda and the discussion for the future of EUSJA. Then members of the GA introduced themselves. Merce Piqueras (Spain) said, that she couldn’t explain the absence of Manuel Toharia, she promised to contact him.

Minutes from the last GA:
- The minutes were circulated and Hajo Neubert asked for the comments. There were a few comments about some mistakes has been done in the text: Anna Martinkova (Chezch Republic) asked to write Velek Leino instead Velek Leno and Elmar Veerman (Nethrlands) mentioned the correct date instead wrong regarding Norvey.
- Paola de Paoli (Italy) said that there was a little number of participants for ICT trip instead of competition for the astronomy trip last year. She mentioned that the organizers of ICT trip were ready to host participants once again. Hajo Neubert suggested the trips to be discussed later according the agenda.
- Anna Nolan (Ireland) asked about the membership in Euroscience. Hajo Neubert answered there were some difficulties with fees.
- Alexandru Mironov mentioned some mistakes in template.

President’s report and discussion:
- The President’s report was given by Hajo Neubert (the text was circulated in mid-February).
- During the discussion Ricardo Garcia asked to organize the trips with some intervals: ICT trip was too close to astronomy trip, possible it was a reason to have less participants.  He complained that there was no air condition on ESOF, thus some people left the auditorium nevertheless the seminar of EUSJA was very interesting.
- Regarding EU projects Istvan Palugyai and Paola de Paoli asked who was expecting to be a coordinator for the projects. Hajo Neubert answered: for EuroHealthNews will be Jens Degens and for the project PLACES – Ecsite. Istvan said it would be difficult to get funds having a lot of partners, better to have maximum 3 partners. Alexandru Mironov suggested EUSJA could apply for money to Brussels. There were also questions how to get some money from industry. Hajo Neubert said: no money from industry, EUSJA has to stay independent. He promised the Assembly to arrange things with membership in Euroscience.
- There was a big discussion regarding International Media Awards: how to arrange the competition with different languages (Paola de Paoli), how to keep independent position, how to avoid the company of PR groups (Ricardo Garcia, Martin Schneider, Sajis Koutsouridis, Istvan Palugiai). The Assembly decided to distance from PR managers and press officers and to look for nominations in order EUSJA could present only science journalism.
- Barbie Drillsma said the Board after election promised to look for some new projects. She reported that stand of EUSJA has been organized at AAAS meeting in Chicago. That may to help with some new partners and trips outside Europe. There are agreements with Qatar (Barbie Drillsma) and Singapore (Viola Egikova) in the process. Vesa Niinikangas is looking for possibility to find some more money for EUSJA. And Kaianders Sempler tries to change the website and EUSJA blogs, that will help EUSJA become more popular and interesting for partnership.
- Hajo Neubert asked if the Assembly accepted the report and got a positive response.

Treasurer’s report:
The report was given by Vesa Niinikangas and was circulated in mid-February.
Vesa Niinikangas said that he had to close the EUSJA account in French Bank as there was no Internet access for the Treasurer. The new account has been opened in another Bank. We tried to profit from deposit: it was from the beginning 16%, now it’s just 1,6%. The treasure has arranged from the Bank a cash box, it will be easier now to cover the needed EUSJA charges ASAP. The treasure will have also a credit card according the decisions has been taken by the Board in Berlin last year.
Vesa has promised to send out the billings to national associations earlier, but couldn’t do it: not everybody answered the questions has been sent by EUSJA Secretariat. He explained that the capital of EUSJA in the books was EU 24.595.10. The expenses of EUSJA were less: we expected to charge EU 9000 for study trips, but unfortunately there were a few trips, so we used only EU 4.166.59 (with the grants for WCSJ). The treasure named the countries didn’t pay their fees yet, EUSJA still have receivable money from associations.
The money for WONDERS were paid to associations, the accounts are closed. EUSJA will get back the money from Norvey as Norvey didn’t organize the event.
Barbie Drillsma (UK) asked why we have sent the money to Norvey when that country did not pay its fees for EUSJA. Istvan Palugyai (Hungary) suggested: no travel grants and no support to associations and their members who do not pay their fees to EUSJA. Assembly agreed with his suggestion.
Sakis Koutsouridis (Greece) asked why EUSJA doesn’t charge the money for more professional Website. Hajo Neubert said that the topic has been discussed, the cost for any modern Website is too high, maybe about EU 10.000, EUSJA has not so much money for the Website. Merce Piqueras (Spain) said she liked the current EUSJA Website, it was giving her content, that was enough. Kaianders Sempler (Sweden) asked the members to send the information for Website: it’s not easy to organize the pages having no materials. Wolfgang Goede (Germany, TELI) suggested EUSJA to cover more topics in its blogs.
Anna Nolan (Ireland) thanked Vesa Niininkangas for his report, she said it was first time when she understood about the budjet. She asked about the fees for Euroscience. Istvan Paligyai said it was already decided to pay EU 1500, he didn’t understand why that question has to be discussed again. Vesa Niinkangas agreed that the fees had to be included in EUSJA budget. He said, the fees with Bank comissin would be EU 1520.
Elmar Veerman (Netherlands) reported about the audit after treasures report: he said that the treasure answered the questions, and auditor accepted the report.
Hajo Neubert asked if the Assembly accept the report and got positive response.

Any Other Busyness:
- The GA discussed situation with Norvey and voted to expend Norvey from EUSJA. Against: Hungary, Russia, Denmark, Chzech Republic. NB: it’s second time Norvey has been expended.
- The GA discussed the situation with weak associations. Anna Nolan (Ireland) suggested that strong associations would help the weak ones. Marina Huzvarova (Czchech Republic) said there were problems in her association and asked if it was possible the individuals to join any foreign association. Vesa Niinikangas said: depends on rules of the current association. Paola de Paoli said: Italian association cannot accept foreign membership. Elisabeth Noestlinger (Austria) asked if it was reasonable in EU. Anna Nolan (Ireland) suggested the idea of associated membership. Vesa Niininkangas (Finland) said that better to help sleeping associations, Estonia for example was sleeping association, and Finland helped to awake. Istvan Palugyai (Hungary) agreed with Vesa: we must help the associations in a trouble and think about sick associations.

Study trips:
- Anna Martinkova (Czchech Republic) spoke about possible trip in June for 12 persons. The topic is physics. The decision will be taken by the end of April.
- Mogens Bisgaard (Denmark) promised to inform before summer holidays about the possible trip in collaboration with Sweden. The topic: health and food.
- Viola Egikova informed about 2 trips organized by the Board: Lindau meeting with Nobel Prize Winners (June, 12 persons, the topic - chemistry) and the trip in collaboration with Helmholtz Association (September, 13 persons, the topic – energy).

Second part of the GA:
- Prof. Mauro Messerotti reported about solar researches.
- President Hajo Neubert informed about 10 winners for WCSJ selected the Board.
- The Assembly discussed the vision for 2015:
Wolfgang Goede said EUSJA has to race the profile of science journalism, to handle with Brussels and think how to do new stories. Istvan Palugyai (Hungary) said again about the danger of sick associations. Elmar Veerman (Netherlands) said: science journalism is in a danger because it has to get money or stay independent. The discussion was continued by Alexandru Mironov (Romania), Piere Lefevre (France), Hajo Neubert (Germany), Goran Tenze (Slovenia), Barbie Drillsma (UK), Elisabeth Noestlinfer (Austria), Mogens Bisgaard (Denmark), Vesa Niinikangas (Finland) and others. It was decided to continue that topic on EUSJA blogs in order to have some more opinions.
- President Hajo Neubert reminded the general rules for organizing EUSJA study trips and asked associations to be more active.

Next General Assembly:
- Ricardo Garcia (Portugal) suggested next GA to be in Lisbon.
- Elmar Veerman (Netherlands) suggested Amsterdam.
- There were suggestions also about Kopenhagen, Prague, Strasbourg.
- Piere Lefevre (France) said would be useful to organize with the GA any civil event for the delegates. Paola de Paoli (Italy) said it would take extra day and extra money from delegates.
The last decision about the place for GA will be taken by September.

Eusja board 2009: Barbara Drillsma, vice president, Vesa Niinikangas, treasurer, Viola Egikova, secretary, Hajo Neubert, president, Janna Wellander, Eusja secretariat and Kaianders Sempler, head of communications.