The organizers of the European Congress of Radiology have postponed a planned move from Vienna, deciding to hold the 2002 ECR meeting in the Austrian capital.
The ECR's executive committee met on July 1 and decided that Vienna would host the conference for an additional year, according to an ECR spokesperson. The executive committee made the decision for economic, practical, and organizational reasons, he said.
The future home of the ECR became an issue at this year's meeting in March. The conference was held under a cloud of controversy due to the participation of the far-right Freedom Party in Austria's federal government.
Some attendees reportedly boycotted the meeting, and perhaps as a result, attendance was down compared with prior years. The final count for ECR 2000 was 10,242 attendees, compared with 11,200 in 1999 and 14,500 in 1997.
In an address at this year's congress, ECR 2000 president Dr. Rolf Günther said the society had been considering a move for some time, and was examining Barcelona or Brussels as possible alternatives. While the ECR was contractually bound to meet in Vienna in 2001, a new home might be found for the show as early as 2002, he said in his address. But the requirements of moving such a large meeting on such short notice may have proved too great.
The ECR has not yet decided where the meeting will be held in 2003, according to the spokesperson. It's possible the meeting could be held again in Vienna, but no decision has been made, he said.
The 2001 ECR conference dates have been set for March 2-6.
By Brian CaseyAuntMinnie.com staff writer
July 12, 2000
Related Reading
ECR confirms 2001 show will be held in Vienna, March 9, 2000
ECR may bid auf wiedersehen to Wien for future meetings, March 5, 2000
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