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ECSO

EUROPEAN COUNCIL OF SKEPTICAL ORGANISATIONS

The European Council of Skeptical Organisations (ECSO) was founded on September 25, 1994 in Oostende, Belgium, during the 6th annual congress of European skeptical organisations. It started functioning on January 1, 1995. At the end of 1998, the following twelve European organisations were Full Members of ECSO:

Country Organisation Web Abbreviation
Belgium Studiekring voor Kritische Evaluatie van Pseudo-wetenschap en het Paranormale v.z.w. SKEPP
Bulgaria     SRSB
Czech Republic Ceský klub skeptiku SISYFOS SYSIPHOS
Finland Skepsis Skepsis
Germany Gesellschaft zur wissenschaftlichen Untersuchung von Parawissenschaften e.V. GWUP
Hungary Tényeket Tisztelôk Társasága   TTT
Italy Comitato Italiano per il Controllo delle Affermazioni sul Paranormale CICAP
The Netherlands Stichting Skepsis SKEPSIS
Norway Skepsis Skepsis
Spain Sociedad para el Avance del Pensamiento Crítico ARP
Sweden Vetenskap och Folkbildning   V&F
United Kingdom The Association for Skeptical Enquiry ASKE

Organisations with their seat outside Europe can apply for Affiliated Membership. At the end of 1995, there were two affiliated organisations:

Country Organisation Web Abbreviation
Israel Israel Skeptical Society   ISS
USA Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal CSICOP

ECSO’s aims, as formulated in its Charter (accepted September 25, 1994) are:

  1. To protect the public from the promulgation of claims and therapies which have not been subjected to critical testing and thus might pose a danger to them.
  2. To investigate by means of controlled tests and experiments such extraordinary claims which are on the fringe of, or contradict current scientific knowledge. In particular this applies to phenomena, commonly identified as ‘paranormal’ or ‘pseudo-scientific’. However, no claims, explanations or theories will be rejected in advance of objective evaluation.
  3. To promote public policy based on good practice in science and medicine.

ECSO co-ordinates activities of European organisations and individuals that aim at critically investigating pseudo-scientific statements and claims regarding observations of paranormal phenomena, and to make the results of its investigations know to the broad public. Continuing the series of European skeptical congresses, it will organise an annual congress. It will publish an annual summarising review on the state of paranormal and pseudo-scientific activities and their critical investigation in Europe. Various other activities, such as the establishment of a contact group on homeopathy, are in preparation.

Click here for the minutes of the last ECSO meeting in Heidelberg (July 1998)

Each organisation appoints one representative to the Council. Officers are Cornelis de Jager (NL), Chairman; Amardeo Sarma (D), Secretary, and Tim Trachet (B), Treasurer, Jan Willem Nienhuys (NL).

The secretarial address is: Kirchgasse 4, D-64380, Rossdorf, Germany. E-Mail: info@ecso.org

© 30 December 1998 by Amardeo Sarma