1. Introduction

UGI Surgery (UGIS) is a MJC from Working Groups within the Section of Surgery and Thoracic Surgery, which was formed in 2018 to prepare specific advice on issues relating to training, harmonisation, standardisation of training, and professional practice in Esophageal, cardia and stomach surgery within the UEMS countries for the benefit of training in UGIS and patient care.

The MJC of UGI Surgery is a non-profit organisation.

2. Title and Board

The section shall be known as the UGI Surgery MJC, associated with the Specialty Section of Surgery and Thoracic Surgery of the European Union of Medical Specialists and the EBS.

The UGI Surgery MJC, with its European Board of UGI Surgery, is especially responsible for the EBSQ UGI Surg examination.

3. Composition

• There shall be up to two representatives from each member state of the UEMS who shall be nominated by the competent national professional medical organisation in official communication with the UEMS and the EBS.
  
  
• In any voting process, each country is entitled to only one vote. If a country has two members and one of them is present at the time of a vote, this member is entitled to vote without consulting the second member. If both members are present and consensus cannot be achieved, the most senior (longer serving member) is entitled to vote.
  
  In the event of a full member being unable to attend a meeting, he/she may nominate a deputy previously nominated by the national medical organisation to attend in his place, subject to the prior approval of the Chairman.
  
  
• The UGI Surgery MJC may include non-voting delegates representing the major European scientific societies for general surgery, Thoracic Surgeons, surgeons in training, and the associated and observer countries within UEMS. 
  
  Official national organisations for general and thoracic surgeons in associated and observer countries within UEMS countries may be invited to nominate representatives to attend meetings at the discretion of the President. Representatives of these countries shall not have entitlement to vote.
  
  
• The tenure of each full member shall be for 4 years. The mandate shall be once renewable.
  
  Following completion of their term, the members of the Divisions are responsible for ensuring their succession following consultation and UEMS ROP with their professional organisations. This is to ensure proper representation of all countries at any given time.
  
  
• The President of the UEMS Section of Surgery; Section of Thoracic Surgery and the President of the European Board of Surgery and the President of the European Board of Thoracic Surgery shall be voting members of the MJC.
  
  
• The MJC shall elect an Executive Committee  from amongst its members, which will include the Chairman, Vice chair, a Secretary, chair of the examination Committee, and a Treasurer. The same person may hold the last two offices.
  
  
• The chairman and Vice chair shall have a tenure of 4 years and shall be eligible for one term re-election. The chairman and Vice chair shall not be elected at the same time (for a span of two years). The tenure of the Secretary will be for 4 years, renewable for up to two further terms of 4 years. If the chair is from one section, the vice chair should be from the corresponding section.
  
  The Vice chair and Secretary/Treasurer shall be eligible for election as chairman.
  A Founding and/or Honorary President can be full-voting member of the Executive Committee.
  
  
• Official representatives of full EU member states shall be eligible for election to office.
  
  For the election of Executive officersofficers, the Secretary will notify members of the Divisions of an impending vacancy one year in advance and ask for nominations at the same time.
  
  Any nomination should be proposed and seconded by two members of the Divisions. The Secretary will then arrange a postal ballot to all members of the Joint Divisions 6 months before the appointment becomes active.
  
  
• The chairman and Secretary of the Joint Division shall attend meetings of the Speciality Section of Surgery and Thoracic Surgery of the UEMS and the EBS and EBTS as ex-officio members and meetings of the UEMS Council. If the chairman or the Secretary cannot attend the meeting, the chairman can authorise any other member of the Executive Committee to represent the Joint Division.
  
  
• The MJC may appoint working groups within the sections and working parties or commissions to prepare draft documents or recommendations on specific topics for consideration by the full Division.
  
  

4. Objectives

• To prepare advice concerning all aspects of professional practice in UGI surgery in the context of the EU for the benefit of the EU political administration through the UEMS structure and ensuring that training in UGI surgery is maintained at the highest level.
  
  

5. Accountability

• The MJC of UGI Surgery shall report to the UEMS Management Council through the UEMS Section of Surgery and the EBS and the chairman including the secretary shall attend UEMS Council meetings.
  
  
• Relations with any organization or institution outside the UEMS shall be in accordance with the current UEMS rules of procedure.
  
  

6. Functioning

• The MJC shall meet at least once per year, and the minutes of the meeting shall be forwarded to the UEMS Section of Surgery/UEMS Section of Thoracic Surgery and the EBS. The date and place of every meeting are to be decided at the end of the previous meeting.
  
  The MJC meetings can be held in conjunction with the UEMS Section of Surgery/UEMS Section of Thoracic Surgery, or on the occasion of the ESDE meetings.
  
  The business meeting of the MJC can be linked to an EBS UGI Surg examination process and to the relevant location.
  
  Extraordinary meetings can be called by the Executive Committee or following the request of one or more members and approval by the Executive Committee.
  
  
• Meetings will be made known to the Sections of Surgery and Thoracic Surgery.
  
  
• Meetings shall be organised in such a way that will allow the maximum possible number of members to attend and entail the minimum of expense.
  
  
• Meetings may be attended by the General Secretary of the UEMS or a nominated deputy who shall be a member of the Management Council.
  
  Meetings may also be attended by the President of the UEMS Section of Surgery; Section of Thoracic Surgery or the President of the EBS , EBTS or a nominated deputy who is a member of the Management Council of the UEMS Section of Surgery.
  
  
• The agenda shall consist of subjects proposed by the members of the MJC and officers of the related UEMS Sections and Boards.
  
  
• The agenda shall be circulated to the members and the Secretary General of the UEMS, the UEMS Sections of Surgery and Thoracic Surgery, and the EBTS at least 1 month before the meeting.
  
  
• The minutes of the meetings shall be circulated to all members, the President and Secretary of the UEMS Section of Surgery, the Section of Thoracic Surgery, the Presidents of the EBS and EBTS , the General Secretary of the UEMS and the Management Council of the UEMS, within 1 month of the meeting.
  
  

7. Financing

• The MJC is a non-profit organisation and is financed by the fees of the applicants for the two parts of the EB UGIS Eligibility I and II accreditation process.
  
  The MJC is also financed by any legal financial benefits for its contribution to various professional and scientific activities (i.e. meetings and publications).
  
  The MJC can accept legal public (i.e., EU bodies, national government bodies, professional/scientific organisations) or private (i.e., gifts, contributions by the commercial sector) contributions and donations.
  
  A financial contribution/donation to the MJC can only be accepted under the strict rule that is offered in order to help the Divisions achieve their objectives and without any obligation of the Joint Divisions towards the body(ies)/organisation(s)/person(s) offering the contribution/donation.
  
  
• The MJC shall hold a bank account in Euros in a well-established bank in a European country which is a member of the UEMS.
  
  The Treasurer and one more person nominated by the Executive Committee are the authorised users of the account.
  
  In order to facilitate international transactions, the account must have an International Bank Account Number.
  
  The Treasurer and the second nominated user of the account have to present at the annual meeting of the Divisions a signed report of the account as well as copies of the bank statements of the account.
  
  The Treasurer and the second nominated user must also forward each annual report to the Treasurer of the Section of Surgery of the UEMS and the EBS and EBTS.
  
  

8. Funds

The national scientific societies and/or the official national organisations and/or professional organisations shall be responsible for the travel and accommodation expenses to enable their representatives to attend the meetings.

9. Board

The MJC shall create a European Board of UGI Surgery that will be entrusted with the problems of training, Continuing Medical Education and quality control for accreditation of UGI surgeons.

The Board will have the responsibility of organising an examination programme to be accredited as a UGI surgeon in cooperation with the EBS.

The Board will have the responsibility to substantially cooperate in the harmonisation and standardisation process of European surgical training.

10. Future Amendments

The Statutes as well as the EB UGIS Certification Process (Eligibility I and Eligibility II) can be amended following relevant suggestion by a member of the MJC and approval by 2/3 (two-thirds) of the countries members which were represented at the time of the discussion of the amendment. For that, 50% +1 of the countries members of the MJC should be represented.

Lars Bo Svendsen, DMSci

Chairman, MJC Upper GI Surgery

Toni Lerut, MD, PhD

Co-chairman, MJC Upper GI Surgery (thorax)

Philippe Nafteux,MD,PhD

Chairman of  the UEMS Board of  Upper GI Surgery