EFA's Annual General Meeting 2022
On 31st March 2022, EFA held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in an online format. The AGM was followed by two membership sessions. EFA is organising an in-person Member Re-Union for 26-27 May 2022 hosted by our two members in Iceland.
General Assembly takes care of business
During the business session, and after detailed presentation of all of the items, the AGM approved EFA’s 2021 Annual Report and accounts, and it adopted the 2022 Workplan and budget as well as a motion from the EFA Board to end coalition membership to EFA. Coalition membership allowed EFA Members from the same country to apply under a unique membership coalition, granting them with a unique vote. The AGM approved to maintain the membership at EUR 500 / year.
EFA welcomes three member organisations from Iceland, Slovakia and Turkey
After a warm welcome from EFA President Carla Jones, three applicant organisations were presented to the Annual General Meeting for consideration. EFA was pleased to welcome the Icelandic Lung Association, COPD Patients’ Society of Turkey and the Slovak Association of Allergic and Asthmatic Patients as full members after formal approval.
Their addition to the network brings EFA membership to 45 national member associations across 26 European countries.
Project and Patient Engagement Officer, Markaya Henderson also congratulated two Members Allergy and Me (Serbia) and Društvo AD (Slovenia), for their growth and accomplishments evidenced by their transition from Trial to Full Members in 2022.
EFA engages Members in a ‘Re-Imagining EFA Membership’ workshop
EFA led several brainstorming sessions to facilitate a re-imagining of what EFA membership brings at European and national levels. To set the stage for the workshop, Markaya Henderson presented preliminary results from the 2022 Membership survey including general demographic information of the network, Member priorities, and current and desired involvement in EFA activities.
Members were divided into three separate groups for the first brainstorming exercise: (1) Capacity Building and Training, (2) Patient Advocacy, and (3) Patient Evidence. Members were asked to evaluate each topic with consideration to current EFA activities, and to share perceived gaps and novel ideas.
For the second brainstorming exercise, Members were reassigned to new groups where each were asked to consider the function and their role in (1) EFA and EU Projects, (2) Events and (3) Working Groups.
EFA was delighted with the high level of attendance and engagement from Members and looks forward to presenting a summary evaluation of the exercises as part of the hybrid Member Re-Union in Iceland.
See you in Iceland for an in-person reunion!
To conclude the day, Events and Programme Officer Alessandra Percuoco presented the preliminary agenda for the upcoming hybrid Member Re-Union in Iceland from 26-27 May 2022.
She was complimented by an overview of pertinent information about Iceland from EFA Board Secretary and hosting Member representative, Fríða Þórðardóttir.
EFA members can register for the Member Re-Union here.