The EAVP understands itself as a forum for palaeontologists in a traditionally multilingual and multicultural area. We understand Europe in a geographical and cultural meaning, and not only as a political entity.

The main objectives of the EAVP are to:
- launch and support international projects in the field of vertebrate palaeontology with an European contribution
- encourage and assist students to take part to such projects to create an improved source of future vertebrate palaeontologists
- set up or organise funds from European foundations and other sponsors
- maintain a plurality of methods
- encourage contacts and collaboration between European vertebrate palaeontologists by supporting each year the organisation of the Workshop of the EAVP in a different European country, in a historical continuity of the European Workshop on Vertebrate Palaeontology.

We already succeeded in creating a fund, to finance each year two students wishing to attend our workshop.

A bit of history 

Un peu d'histoire

When an idea is in the air, some minds have the merit to make it become a project. The idea of an European Association of Vertebrate Palaeontologists thus has no single paternity (or maternity).

An early impetus came in 1996, when Ella Hoch organised the first European Workshop on Vertebrate Palaeontology in Copenhagen (Denmark). The concept was successful, and the workshop immediately became a yearly event, the second one taking place in Quillan/Espéraza (France). Since then, the annual workshop has been held in the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Italy, Romania and Switzerland.

Informal discussions between the participants of the 6th EWVP outside the cafés of Florence showed that there was indeed a need and a wish for a European Association of Vertebrate Palaeontologists. One of the staunchest supporters of this idea, Dan Grigorescu, then organised the 7th workshop at Sibiu (Romania) in 2002, which was marked by the attendance of many vertebrate palaeontologists from central and eastern Europe, thus giving it a truly European dimension. For this occasion, provisional statutes were prepared by a strongly committed Karlsruhe-Basel group, and submitted to the participants. Following further work by this group to formalise the statutes*, they were adopted during the founder meeting, held on the occasion of the 8th EWVP (1st Workshop of the EAVP) in Basel in July 2003, and a first board was elected.

Lorsqu'une idée est dans l'air, le mérite revient à certains esprits d'en faire un projet.Il n'y a ainsi pas de paternité (ou matenité) unique à l'idée d'une Association Européenne de Paléontologues des vertébrés.

Une première impulsion a eu lieu lorsque, en 1996, Ella Hoch a organisé le premier European Workshop of Vertebrate Palaeontology à Copenhage (Danemark). Le concept fut couronné de succès et le congrès est devenu annuel, le second étant organisé à Quilla/Espéraza (France). Depuis, ce congrès s'est tenu aux Pays-Bas, en Espagne, Allemagne, Italie, Suisse, Roumanie et Suisse.

Des discussions informelles entre les participants du 6è EWVP aux terrasses des cafés de Florence ont révélé qu'il y avait en effet un besoin et un désir d'une Association Européennes des Paléontologues des Vertébrés. L'un des partisans les plus fervents de cette idée, Dan Grigorescu, a ensuite organisé le 7ème congrès à Sibiu (Roumanie) en 2002, marqué par a présence de nombreux paléontologues des vertébrés d'Europe centrale et de l'Est, lui conférant ainsi réelle dimension Européenne. A cette occasion, des statuts provisoires ont été rédigés par un noyau dur Karlsruhe-Bâle puis soumis aux participants. Après un nouveau travail de ce groupe pour les formaliser, ces statuts* ont été adoptés au cours du congrès fondateur, qui s'est tenu lors du 8ème EWVP, (1er Workshop of the EAVP) à Bâle en juillet 2003, et un premier bureau a été élu.

Statutes

Statuts

The EAVP is based in Germany, and as such, its official statutes* are written in German. An english translation* - having no legal value - is also available.

L'EAVP est basée en Allemagne, ses statuts officiels* sont donc rédigés en Allemand. Une traduction anglaise* - sans valeur juridique - est aussi proposée.