EMS has designed several ways in which the society supports the organisation of microscopy related events in Europe. Next to the involvement in the organisation of the quadrennial European Microscopy Congresses (EMC series, successor of EUREM) EMS also explicitly supports extended regional meetings organised by at least two national or one regional European society (in those years when no EMC is organized). At present this support includes financial sponsoring to cover the costs of two invited lecturers, assistance in electronic distribution of information about the meeting to the extended EMS membership, support in arranging contacts and contracts with the ECMA (EMS corporate members), use of a road-map for organising international microscopy meetings, etc.. In the near future EMS expects to be able to offer more extended services including on-line abstract submission, proceedings printing, insurance, … Meetings receiving the latter type of support agree to be referred to as “EMS extension“, a term which indicates the strong involvement of and support from EMS. In principle, EMS expects to be involved in a single EMS extension per year, but on exceptional cases more than one extension can be supported in a given year providing the societies involved do not cover overlapping geographical areas. In principle, no extension will be organized in the year of an EMC congress.

Eligibility criteria, the procedure for requesting the status of EMS extension as well as some extra information are given below.

Eligibility criteria

1. scientifically sound event on microscopy and/or its applications with solid organization background
2. officially organized by more than one national society or by one regional society that covers more than one country
3. at least one of the organising societies should adhere to the full or en-bloc membership concept of EMS in the year of submitting the proposal
4. the minimum number of anticipated participants should be stated. Meetings with high number of participants will be prioritised
5. an internationally recognised scientific advisory board (ISAB) will be established
6. the invited speakers cover an international spectrum
7. the official event language is English (no other languages are permitted in any of the official scientific or technical presentations)
8. the event must be advertised internationally at least one year before the event starting date
9. the event will have its own website
10. the event covers a broad spectrum of topics on Instrumentation & Methodology, Materials Sciences and Life Sciences
11. a commercial trade exhibition is an integral part of the event: this implies that the location of the event and local infrastructure are suitable for trade exhibition (transportation, installation requirements, …)
12. the organizers provide a discounted registration fee for students
13. the organizers provide student fellowships that will be granted based on reviewing the submitted abstracts by the scientific board

Next to meeting the eligibility criteria the organizers agree to

• provide appropriate links between their website and the EMS website
• acknowledge the EMS extension on the event website and in all printed or otherwise published documentation
• add the EMS logo at all appropriate places (covers, lists of co-organizers and sponsors, …)
• provide appropriate time slots in the programme and meeting rooms at the venue for EMS board, General Assembly and General Council meetings free of charge, if so requested by EMS
• offer the same registration fees to EMS members as to members of one of the organizing societies
• offer a reduction on the exhibition fee for companies member of ECMA
• use the standardized EMS internet facility for on-line registration and abstract submission (if appropriate)
• use the standardized EMS abstract proceedings (if appropriate)
• take an insurance against force majeure (EMS can assist with an existing agreement)
• provide EMS with the final financial balance of the meeting and the original documents proving the reimbursement of or costs incurred for the selected invited speakers within a year after the end of the event
• sign an agreement with EMS that includes the general and financial rules for EMS extensions

EMS support

• EMS will provide support equivalent for two international invited speakers (currently, maximum Euro 750 per speaker)
• EMS can provide technical assistance in the distribution of information to all EMS members
• EMS may provide scholarships separate from those offered by the organizers

Applications

Written applications are accepted until June 30 each year for events to be organized the next calendar year (e.g., events in 2019, deadline June 30, 2018) and should be sent by e-mail to the EMS secretary.

The application must contain

• event name and dates
• information on organizing body
• www address of the event home page
• information on fulfilling the criteria of an EMS Extension
• anticipated number of participants (total, from the country where the event is organized, and from abroad)
• anticipated number of students & scholarships
• anticipated financial plan

Decision

• the EMS board decision is announced three months after the closing date
• the EMS reserves the right not to grant any EMS extension in a given year