Dear Colleague,

On 31 December 2003, after 33 years, the European Geophysical Society (EGS) has stopped all of its operations. European Geosciences Union (EGU) has taken over the responsibility for promoting the geo-, space and planetary sciences in Europe and throughout the world.

The EGU will continue to organize and to run General Assemblies, Topical Conferences and Special Courses for young scientists and publish and run the journals and book series in the same professional way, as the EGS has done it. Moreover, the Council of the EGU has adopted and adjusted accordingly the various schemes of the EGS for the overall administration, membership, support, awards & medals etc. as well as its button-up structure.

We hope that you agree on the move to combine all geosciences in one Union, that you will promote the new venture in the same way as you have promoted the EGS and that you will become a member of the European Geosciences Union.

In case you have any questions, suggestions, complaints or claims with regard to the EGS/EGU, please send us an email to [email protected].

Thank you for your understanding and support!

European Geophysical Society

EGS Flag Bearers

When in 1989 the number of attendees at the General Assembly of the European Geophysical Society for the first time crossed the magic number of 1.000, six flags were produced representing the Society (2) and the Sections on Solid Earth (1), Hydrosphere (1), Atmosphere (1) and Planetary and Space Sciences (1). These flags were set for the first time in Copenhagen, 1990, and thereafter they have welcomed the participants at each General Assembly until 2003. After the memorable 2003 EGS-AGU-EUG Joint Assembly these flags were pulled down for ever, and they were presented to those officers of the EGS who have supported the Society in the most exceptional way: the so - called EGS Flag Bearers:

Stephan Mueller (posthumously)	Founding Father of the EGS (1971), Organizer of the first General Assembly (1974), Section President (1977-1978), President (1978-1980), Editor-in-Chief of Annales Geophysicae (1983-1986), Honorary Member (1984), EGS Service Award (1988)
Geoffrey Brown	EGS Editor (1977-1982), General Secretary (1983-1988), EGS Service Award (1988), Treasurer (1988-1996)
Karsten Storetvedt	Treasurer (1982-1988), EGS Service Award (1988)
Raymond Hide	President (1982-1984), Honorary Member (1988) Richardson Medal (1999)
André Berger	Section President (1984-1988), EGS Service Award (1988) Honorary Member (1989), Milankovic Medal (1994) President (2000-2002)
Sir Ian Axford	Founding Father of the permanent EGS Office (1988), President (1990-1992), Honorary Member (1996)