Dear Colleague, this way I am informing you that on February 23, 2001, headquarter of the Association for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of Southeast European Countries (AMAPSEEC) has been registered in Belgrade. According to our mutual agreements, co-ordinator of all these activities was Institute for Medicinal Plant Research "Dr. Josif Pančić", Belgrade (IMPR), which made remarkable effort to accomplish all these activities successfully.

Managing body of AMAPSEEC was formed ad hoc, as temporary solution, whose primary task is.comanisation of Member's meeting, where the election of representatives for Executive Council, Advisory Board and Board of Directors will took place. At the end of that meeting, old managing body (whose existence in fact presents unavoidable modus vivendi) will be dismissed. Simultaneously, complete management will be transferred to newly elected managing bodies, as well as AMAPSEEC's archive and seals.

Call for Member's meeting will be distributed only to those being the members of the Association. From that reason, it would be necessary to put aside at least 30 days needed for membership fee payment. Thus, we are expecting that first Member's meeting to be kept in next 40 to 50 days, the most probably in Belgrade. Beside questions mentioned before, during this meeting we will surely discuss about other questions of our mutual interests, for example, about the formation of common projects and regional databases, strengthening of AMAPSEEC's funds for our further activities and our next Conference (that will be held in Greece). Moreover, I am quite certain that we have to think about even now how to create our own scientific journal. In that sense, mentioned Conference would be the great opportunity for the promotion of that journal.

This way, we are calling you to join to the membership of the Association for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of Southeast European Countries (AMAPSEEC), and to participate actively in its further activities together with all those being interested in fulfilment of set goals. Find enclosed (attached) information for our potential members, as well as the actual Bylaws of the AMAPSEEC.

We are very thankful for your efforts in supporting foundation of the Association for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of Southeast European Countries. We are staying completely opened for all yours further suggestions.

Bylaw of the Association contains general information about profile, goals,.comanisation and membership of the AMAPSEEC. In the part dealing with the membership, Bylaws makes difference between regular members, supporting members and honorary members, which all have clearly defined status, regarding their rights in using resources of the Association, participation in their managing bodies, and regarding the obligation of annual membership fee payment.

List of benefits belonging to supporting and regular members (which are not mentioned in the Bylaws, but come out from the consultations conducted during the previous year on the international level) contains following items. Participation in all the meetings.comanised by AMAPSEEC under most favourable conditions (1); possibility of drawing funds from the AMAPSEEC, necessary for additional financing of the.comanisation of national and other meetings, as well as own promotional activities, being in the scope of the work of AMAPSEEC (for supporting members only) (2); drawing of the written materials from all the meetings supported by AMAPSEEC under the most favourable conditions (3); free access to electronic and other databases of the AMAPSEEC (4); obtaining of consultative (scientific and professional) support, processing, analytical and other services from the side of other members of AMAPSEEC under the most favourable conditions (5); receiving of informative bulletin of the AMAPSEEC free of charge (6); purchase of electronic and other publications of the AMAPSEEC under the most favourable conditions (7); advertising of supplies and demands (of raw materials, products and services) of members on the AMAPSEEC's Internet site, and/or setting up of appropriate links toward local Internet sites of the members of Association free of charge (for supporting members only) (8).

Annual membership fees are 20 DEM for regular members and 300 DEM for supporting members. Payment should be accomplished to the current account of the Association (instruction: intermediary, field 56A: COBADEFF, COMMERZBANK AG F/M; account with bank, field 57A: /400/8768913/00 AGRLYUBG POLJOPRIVREDNA BANKA AD, AGROBANKA BEOGRAD (or /400/8768913/01, in the case of Euro); beneficiary, field 59: /12-48-56647-5; AMAPSEEC). Membership fees could be paid on site (personally) at the address of the Association too. On payment, appropriate receipt and membership card will be issued.