Dear Colleagues and friends,

The congress in Sevilla is still in all the memories, with one of the best scientific programme in the history of the ECVIM-CA Congress, exceptional weather, good food, good wine, a great welcome reception and a tremendous congress evening. You were 748 to attend our meeting in the southest part of Europe, despite it was not an easy destination to reach. The executive congress committee will never thank you enough for your participation and support throughout the years.

Our goal is to have a better congress next year, which won't be easy as the weather in Maastricht will surely be less sunny and warm. In fact, there is a statistically significant difference between the temperature in Maastricht and that in Sevilla in September...So we will have to work on the scientific and social programme to improve the congress.

The scientific programme is not totally finalized yet. You will find the preliminary programme on this website in a few days. You will discover that there will be an extended programme on infectious diseases of the respiratory tract as the ISCAID is once again joining our congress. Other general topics will be feline liver disease, pancreatitis, adrenal masses in dogs, genetics in cardiology, ureteral calculi, advanced imaging techniques in small animal cardiology etc,... There will be 2 master classes organised for residents, one on statistics and one on acid/base status. Both classes will be mastered by Dr Peter Constable who is an extraordinary teacher in these somewhat difficult topics. He will also make us the pleasure to give a master class on statistics for ECVIM-CA diplomates.

ESVC and ESVNU will organize a precongress day while ESVE will have its traditional biennial post-congress day. Infinity will once again organize a precongress workshop on respiratory and urinary stenting.

The social programme will start with a welcome reception in the very nice city Hall of Maastricht, located in the centre of the city, nearby many good restaurants and shops. The congress evening will take place this year at the congress centre at the MECC café. You will not have the impression to be at the centre of congress as it is in a real café but it has the advantage to allow everybody to reach the place by foot of public transportation and we don't need to organize buses to reach a place outside the city. We hope that you will like it.

Don't forget that Maastricht is nearby Belgium, which explain why people in this city are so open and warm...and also why the food is so tasty.

Please come join us in Maastricht in September 2012 and you will see that it is true.

Dominique Peeters, Chairman of the ECVIM-CA Congress