The Federation of the European Societies of Neuropsychology (ESN) was officially launched in Edinburgh, UK, in September 2008. However, preparatory meetings had been held in Modena, Italy, (2004) and Toulouse, France, (2006). The logo of the Federation is based on the European Flag. It consists of a circle of twelve golden stars on a blue background encircling the acronym of the Federation “ESN”.  The European flag was designed by Arsène Heitz and Paul Lévy in 1955 and is currently used as the emblem of the European Union. The number of stars does not indicate numbers of members, rather number twelve is used to represents completeness whereas the circle represents unity. Therefore, the number of stars, also for our federation will not vary according to the number of parteking national societies.

At odds with other societies or federations, ESN membership is automatically open to any person who is a member of European Societies of Neuropsychology which partakes in the Federation. That is members of each national society of neuropsychology is by deafault a member of ESN. Since ESN currently encopasses 15 partaking national societies (and several others are pending), ESN is a body with several thousands members.

The 15 national societies, fouding members of the ESN are:

• British Neuropsychological Society (BNS)
• Danish Neuropsychological Society
• Gesellschaft für NeuroPsychologie Österreich - GNPÖ (Austrian Society for Neuropsychology)
• Gesellschaft für Neuropsychologie, GNP (German Neuropsychological Society)
• Nederlandse Vereniging voor Neuropsychologie - NVN (Dutch Neuropsychological Society)
• Neuropsychology Special Interest Group of the Psychological Society of Ireland
• Norwegian Neuropsychological Society
• Seccão de Neurologia do Comportamento da Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurologia (Behavioral Neurology Section of the Portuguese Society of Neurology)
• Societa’ Italiana di Neuropsicologia - SINP (Italian Society of Neuropsychology)
• Société de Neuropsychologie de Langue Française
• Spanish Federation of Neuropsychological Societies
• Suomen Neuropsykologinen Yhdistys (Finnish Neuropsychological Society)
• Swedish Neuropsychological Society
• Swiss Society of Neuropsychologists
• Vlaamse Vereniging voor Neuropsychologie (VVNP) - Flemish Society for Neuropsychology.

The ESN Federation sprung from the need of fighting parochialism in neuropsychology. Historically, most European countries have set their own national society of neuropsychology, indeed in several instances more than one society of neuropsychology exists in individual countries. These societies typically encompass a few hundred members. Although these national societies are instrumental in fostering the topic locally, and serve the purpose of creating a sense of belonging, the need was felt for a larger forum, which would allow to frame scientific discussions within a wider congregation and a whose critical mass would be more notable by other bodies and by policy makers. Indeed among its founding aims, ESN will try to encourage and foster the development of European programmes of clinical and experimental research along with pre- and post-graduate training; to present instances related to neuropsychology to the relevant political and bureaucratic bodies, and to spread neuropsychology findings through various media to the interested laypeople.

Sergio Della Sala, Professor of Human Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Edinburgh has been the driving force behind the foundation of F-ESN and was its first elected President. The managing bodies of the F-ESN are: a smaller Managing Committee and a larger Council, moreover ad hoc task forces can be recruited aimed at particulars needs.

MANAGING COMMITTEE

• President: Sergio Della Sala, UK
• Vice-President: J-F Demonet, France
• Treasurer: Jane Riddoch, UK
• Secretary: Anna Berti, Italy
• Committee members: Hendrik Niemann, Germany (future meetings)
• Erik Essen, Norway (relationship with INS)

OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS

• Christophe Lafosse, Belgium
• Randi Starrfelt, Denmark
• Laura Hokkanen, Finnland
• Francis Eustache, France
• Elia Beta, Portugal
• Radek Ptak, Switzerland
• Narinder Kapur, UK
• Sarah MacPherson (last conference organiser)
• Elizabeth Warrington (co-opted member)

AD HOC TASK FORCES

• New membership appraisal: Tim Shallice, UK and Italy; Elisabetta Ladavas, Italy
• Relationship with European bodies (e.g. EBC, FENS): Guy Vingerhoets, Netherlands
• Web page: Wilhelm Strubreither, Austria
• Funding Search: Niall Pender, Ireland; Goran Horneman, Sweden; Maite Garolera, Spain

MANAGING COMMITTEE

• President: Guy Vingerhoets, Netherlands
• Vice-President: Hendrik Niemann, Germany
• Treasurer: Jane Riddoch, UK
• Secretary: Annelien Duits, Netherlands
• Past-President: Sergio Della Sala, UK
• Committee members: Erik Essen, Norway and Jean-François Demonet, France

OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS

• Christophe Lafosse, Belgium
• Sara Holm, Line Hauptmann, Denmark
• Laura Hokkanen, Finland
• Simone Carton, Ireland
• Stefano Cappa, Italy
• Martin Lauterbach, Portugal
• Radek Ptak, Switzerland
• Matt Lambon-Ralph, UK
• Elizabeth Warrington (co-opted member)

AD HOC TASK FORCES

• New membership appraisal: Tim Shallice, UK and Elisabetta Ladavas, Italy
• Relationship with European bodies (e.g. EBC, FENS): Guy Vingerhoets, Netherlands
• Web page: Sandra Lettner, Austria
• Funding Search: Goran Horneman, Sweden and Maite Garolera, Spain

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

• Glyn Humphreys
• Hans-Otto Karnath
• Roy Kessels
• Xavier Seron
• Carlo Umiltà