Britta Siegmund © ECCO

Dear ECCO Friends,

Spring is here and I am reflecting on the wonderful Congress that we had in Stockholm!

The new ECCO Strategy – REACH – has not only been fully introduced but has already been fully addressed in all our committees. The focus of this year’s Congress was the “E” – Equal access to care, emphasising the global impact of ECCO. With 99 different countries represented at the Congress and many multinational exchanges throughout the programme, it is evident that the number of networks is growing and that there are many plans to come. We, as the Governing Board, are very excited that the ECCO Family shares our enthusiasm for REACH!

Britta Siegmund © ECCO

Dear ECCO Friends,

This is the final edition of ECCO News for 2023. It is an appropriate time to reflect on past activities and look forward to ECCO 2024 “Crossing Boarders” in Stockholm. It is worth noting that at the end of 2023, ECCO has reached a new record number of 4596 members!

The theme of the 2024 congress is “Crossing Boarders”, indicating that ECCO aims to expand its global IBD network. This issue emphasizes two initiatives: the new ECCO Global grant and the recently initiated ECCO Consensus on IBD in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The 2024 congress will discuss and highlight IBD around the world, facilitating network building. The preview of the programme is available here.

Britta Siegmund © ECCO

Dear ECCO Friends,

It is autumn already, many us have attended the UEG Week in Copenhagen and we are already preparing for the next ECCO Congress 2024 in Stockholm!

The theme of the Stockholm Congress is “Crossing Borders in IBD”, which underlines the global community that ECCO embraces, working together to improve patient care and quality of life worldwide. In view of the last few weeks, we would like to emphasise that ECCO stands for peaceful coexistence and sympathy for all the innocent people who are suffering. We as ECCO demand the immediate release of all hostages. We sincerely hope that the situation will calm down soon and that we will be able to see each other in Stockholm!

Britta Siegmund © ECCO

Dear ECCO Friends,

As winter has turned first into spring and then into summer, a lot of activities have been taking place within ECCO and it is therefore good to have a new issue of ECCO News to keep ECCO Members up to date with the latest developments.

We have all been waiting for the update of the Guideline on Extraintestinal Manifestations in IBD. In this issue of ECCO News, Torsten Kucharzik, as GuiCom Chair, provides an executive summary that will potentially stimulate all readers to go immediately to the recently published guideline. Another highlight relating to ECCO Publications is the summary of the Topical Review on Multidisciplinary Perinatal Care in IBD, presented by Lihi Godny, who coordinated this together with Catherine Wall as a D-ECCO Initiative. Thanks to all the authors for filling this important gap!

Britta Siegmund © ECCO

Dear ECCO Friends,

It was not only wonderful to meet all members of the ECCO family in Copenhagen, but also to have a personal exchange again. Without a doubt, all the committees and workshops have also benefited from this "traditional – in person" format, as we will see in a moment from the summary of the many activities of the Congress in this issue. First of all, however, I am delighted to have taken over the presidency from Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet and to be able to lead, strengthen and develop the ECCO family with all its activities over the next two years!

Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet © ECCO

Dear ECCO Friends,

Welcome to the last issue of ECCO News for 2022!

In ECCO News Issue 4 our Associate Editors have continued with the second episode of a new interesting series Meet the JCC Authors where Maria Chaparro and Mette Julsgaard are discussing their recent paper in the Journal of Crohn’s and Colitis titled: "Surgery due to Inflammatory Bowel Disease During Pregnancy: Mothers and Offspring Outcomes From an ECCO CONFER Multicentre Case Series [Scar Study]".

Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet © ECCO

Dear ECCO Friends,

Research and education are priorities in the ECCO Community. Autumn is a great time for exciting new ECCO events and is the perfect time to start planning your attendance at the ECCO’23 Congress in Copenhagen – where we finally meet again in person. After two years of online Congress meetings, ECCO’23 will be hopefully again face to face, providing great opportunities for networking with ‘old’ friends and establishing new links and collaborations.

Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet © ECCO

Dear ECCO Friends,

With the summer approaching we hope you enjoy the second Issue of ECCO NEWS where you will find the preliminary scientific programme and our educational Activities at ECCO’23. As usual we offer a wide range of Workshops and Courses for IBD Nurses, surgeons, young gastroenterologists, paediatricians, scientists and allied healthcare professionals.

Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet © ECCO

Dear ECCO Family,

We missed you! Believe me, we did our best. The ECCO Office, the ECCO Governing Board and the Organising Committee had to adapt to this virus and this last minute change in the format of our congress was not easy to deal with. The educational programme was held virtually and was very successful! In the last two years, we learned that education can be done virtually and all speakers were well trained to teach using these new tools.

Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet © ECCO

Dear ECCO Family,

As you know, we are aiming that the ECCO Congress will be a physical one and that it will take place on February 16–19, 2022 in Vienna. This will be the first physical international IBD conference since ECCO 2020! We felt that we could not take the risk of losing the ECCO Spirit. ECCO is in great shape, as you will see in this issue of ECCO News.