Introduction

The EHC exists more than 20 years but didn’t have a legal structure. Thanks to the energetic engagement of Dr. Hubert Hartl († 2008) and the founding steering Committee members, the EHC became in 2007, at the EHC-conference in Parma, an official ‘International not-for-profit Organisation’ with its legal statutes.

Due to the history of Europe with its different nationalities it was important that patient associations found themselves into one group. Although the World Hemophilia Federation existed, there was still a need to form an entity of European patient groups. Linked to the history of European movement, the EHC grew in number and counts today 43 NMO’s. The EHC shares the same mission as the WFH: treatment for all; equal treatment for all. In a region where healthcare is organized by the national governments, patients have to assure that treatment is available everywhere they go and that in solidarity with other nationalities equal treatment is available. Hence the EHC, in cooperation with the EAHAD, promulgates the ‘European principles of Haemophilia care”. The realisation of these principles forms the basic of our mission and is as a charter for every action it undertakes.

The structure of the EHC is written in its statutes. Each year, during the EHC-Conference the General Assembly meets in the Business-meeting. It elects the Steering Committee members and discusses and approves the Strategic plan, the annual reports, the financial report.