Letters from the ECCO President

Dear ECCO family, As we approach the end of 2026, I am pleased to welcome you to another issue of ECCO News. This edition brings together updates on our educational and research activities, interviews with colleagues who have contributed to ECCO over the years, and reports highlighting the work being carried out across our community.

Dear ECCO family, It was a true pleasure to reconnect with so many familiar faces at the recent 21st ECCO Congress in Stockholm, which offered an inspiring programme of outstanding presentations.

Behind the scenes, the Governing Board has been fine-tuning the Scientific Programme for the ECCO Congress, to optimise the use of time and space and to give extra focus to popular formats. So, before you finalise your travel arrangements for ECCO’27 in Copenhagen, please note the following key changes.

Dear ECCO family, As the final weeks of 2025 unfold, it is a pleasure to welcome you to this last issue of the year on the ECCO website. This time of year naturally invites reflection: on what we have accomplished together and on the shared commitment that continues to drive our community forward.

Dear ECCO Family, It was such a pleasure to see so many of you during the UEG Week, a fantastic opportunity to reconnect, share ideas, and celebrate the ongoing advances in IBD research and care. As we step into a new season, we are delighted to share with you the latest issue of ECCO News, featuring inspiring contributions, updates, and interviews from across the ECCO network.

Dear ECCO Family, Now that we have settled into the rhythm of the year, excitement is already mounting over the 21st Congress of ECCO, which will take place in Stockholm from 18 to 21 February 2026.

Dear Colleagues, Dear ECCO Family, As we look back on the 20th Congress of the European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation (ECCO), held in Berlin from February 19 to 22, 2025, I am deeply grateful and proud for all that we have accomplished together. Centred around the theme "Sustainability in IBD and beyond", the Congress underscored our shared commitment to fostering long-term strategies in IBD care.

As the year 2024 draws to a close, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the final edition of ECCO News for this year—marking not just a reflection on an exciting year, but also my last foreword as President of ECCO. How time flies!

It was truly a pleasure to meet so many of you at UEG Week in Vienna, and now the excitement is building as we prepare for the next ECCO Congress 2025 in Berlin!

Summer is coming and Berlin is getting ready – not yet for the next ECCO Congress, but for the European Soccer Championship! Leading up to the summer break, everyone has been very active, which is reflected in this issue of ECCO News...

Dear ECCO Friends, Spring is here and I am reflecting on the wonderful congress we had in Stockholm! The new ECCO strategy – “E” element of REACH strategy – was not only fully launched but also already addressed in all our committee meetings. The focus of this year’s congress was the letter “E” – Equitable access to IBD to care”, – expanding the outreach and inclusivity of ECCO initiatives across the globe. With 99 different countries represented at the congress and many multi-national exchanges throughout the programme, such as the Global Forum, it shows the growing network, with more plan