Terms of Reference for WONCA Europe Special Interest Groups (WESIG)

Policy document: Terms of Reference for WONCA Europe Special Interest Groups (WESIG) - 2025 

Updated version approved by the WONCA Europe Council, Lisbon, September 17th 2025, submitted by Aaron Poppleton, Chair of the WONCA Europe Bylaws Committee.
Original version approved by WONCA Europe Council, Paris, October 17th 2007, submitted by Maarten Klomp, Honorary Secretary.

WONCA Europe has a policy on organisations in collaboration with WONCA that is based on the Organisation’s Bylaws and on the report of a Constitutional Working Party, adopted in the 2003 Council in Ljubljana. The current classification of organisations working in collaboration with WONCA Europe comprises:  

  1. Six constitutional Networks: EURACT, EGPRN, EQUIP, EURIPA, EUROPREV and EYFDM.  
  2. Special Interest Groups: Primary care focused expert groups on clinical conditions or aspects of clinical practice. 
  3. Organisations in Collaborative Relation (WHO, UEMO)  
  4. Specific task focussed or organisational committees.  

The relationship between WONCA Europe and the six WONCA Europe Networks has been clarified and codified within the WONCA Europe Bylaws, including their funding based upon an agreed business plan.  

A policy document including Terms of Reference for the WONCA Europe Special Interest Groups (WESIGs) was approved by the WONCA Europe Council in Paris, October 17th 2007. This policy document aimed to create a closer relationship between WONCA Europe and the Special Interest Groups. In 2024, 9 WESIGs were operating in association with WONCA Europe: 

  • Doctor Health and Well-being Group;
  • European Primary Care Cardiovascular Society (EPCCS);
  • European Society for Primary Care Gastroenterology (ESPCG);
  • General Practice Research on Infections Network (GRIN);
  • International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG);
  • Lifestyle Medicine Group;
  • Primary Care Allergy and Immunology Group;
  • Primary Care Diabetes Group (PCDE); 
  • Social Prescribing and Community Orientation Group (SPCO).

Building on the Terms of Reference (2007) WONCA Europe wishes to continue formal and collaborative relations with the WONCA Europe Special Interest Groups by signing an agreement of collaboration. WONCA Europe recognises that some Special Interest Groups also have close collaboration with secondary care and community medical specialists and other international organisations.

Criteria for Special Interest Groups

In consultation with the Special Interest Groups WONCA Europe defined a set of criteria for a WONCA Europe Special Interest Group. These criteria are:  

  • The SIG operates on a European scale, and is visible and accessible to practitioners in Family Medicine from multiple countries and WONCA Europe national member organisations.
  • The SIG has complementary aims to WONCA Europe.
  • The SIG has a scope to be generalist, related to the discipline of Family  Medicine.  
  • The SIG activities seek to improve the quality of life of people living in Europe through fostering high standards of care in Family Medicine, within their area of interest.
  • The SIG collaborates with WONCA Europe Networks, Special Interest Groups and National Member Organisations as appropriate.
  • The SIG has a democratic constitution with leadership elections (see Supporting Documents for guidance).
  • The SIG has open and clear financial accountability.  

Agreement of collaboration with WONCA Europe

The appointment as a WONCA Europe Special Interest Group (WESIG) will be formalised by signing an agreement of collaboration. This agreement will address the following issues:  

  1. The WESIG operates under or in an agreed association with WONCA Europe and can use the organisation’s logo on their official announcements.  
  2. The WESIG has the formal status of observer in the WONCA Europe Council.
  3. The WESIG advises the WONCA Europe Executive and the WONCA Europe Council on the specific field of the WESIG as required. 
  4. The WESIG, on request of the EB of WONCA Europe, is prepared to represent WONCA Europe, for instance at formal meetings and conferences on their theme.
  5. The WESIG acts as a liaison between WONCA Europe and other specialist and community care clinical societies and - on request of the WONCA Europe Executive Board - may participate in future task focussed or organisational committees or interdisciplinary guideline procedures on  behalf of WONCA Europe.  
  6. The WESIG aims to be visible and accessible to members of WONCA Europe. 
  7. The WESIG is encouraged to organise activity relating to the SIG at the annual WONCA Europe Conference. The WESIG may also organise a satellite symposium according to the rules of WONCA Europe, outside the programme of the annual conference and with support of the HOC. The conference Host Organising Committee (HOC) may supply room for these WESIG meetings, not necessarily free of charge. 
  8. The WESIG contributes to the annual WONCA Europe Conference(s) on a structural basis. At the request of and in strong collaboration with the Scientific Committee, representatives of the WESIG may deliver key notes or state of the art lectures, lead workshops or other types of sessions or even run a whole track within the programme of the conference. The WESIG may also participate in the conference abstract review process.
  9. The WESIG and WONCA Europe will share announcements, activities and outputs, link to each other’s websites and consider mutual promotion of relevant topics or issues.  
  10. The WESIG practices full transparency in their sponsor policy and  underlines the WONCA Europe strategy on sponsorship (see Appendix 1).  
  11. The WESIG will not receive funding or remuneration from WONCA Europe on a regular basis. WONCA Europe may consider application(s) from the WESIG for financial or practical support for specific indications, such as for activities of newly established SIGs, on an adhoc basis.
  12. The WESIG will comply with the Organisational Equity criteria of WONCA Europe (see WONCA Europe Bylaws and associated documents).
  13. The WESIG will supply an annual report to the WONCA Europe Council.
  14. The agreement of collaboration will be renewed every three years based  upon an evaluation of the WESIG by WONCA Europe.  

Appendices

Supporting Documents

Last modified on 27/10/2025 16:17 Created on 27/10/2025 16:17

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