ERA Bodies

1.Introduction

This Regulation applies to all ERA Bodies, namely Working Groups and Committees, and defines their unified framework of operation within the Association. ERA Bodies contribute to ERA’ scientific, educational and strategic mission by advancing nephrology research, promoting collaboration among experts, supporting professional development and driving initiatives of relevance for the kidney community. 

NOTE. This document does not apply to the ERA Registry, to the ERA Journal Editorial Boards and to the ERA Curatorium (ERAC) that have separate and specific regulations. 

1.1 Purpose and Creation 

Working Groups focus primarily on scientific and educational development within specific areas of nephrology, fostering research collaboration, communication among specialists and the production of scientific and clinical resources. There should be a maximum number of ERA WGs which is decided by the Council (at the moment this number is 10).  

Committees address transversal, governance or advisory themes deemed strategically important for ERA, including ethics, sustainability, gender equity, kidney health awareness, emergency preparedness and other cross-cutting priorities. 

All ERA Bodies are established exclusively by decision of the ERA Council. For any new ERA Body, a specific open call will be launched with a specific application for recruiting candidates for the new Board. The Council is in charge of selecting and nominating Board members among the eligible candidates. 

ERA Bodies do not have a predetermined end date but must present an Annual Report each year to the Council for evaluation, discussion and, if applicable, approval. The Council may decide at any time to restructure or discontinue an ERA Body based on strategic or organisational considerations (including inactivity of the ERA Body based on the minimum output) and the evolving needs of the nephrology community. 

 

2. General Rules for ERA Bodies

2.1 Governance Structure 

Each ERA Body is governed by a Board, responsible for defining priorities, carrying out activities, ensuring compliance with ERA regulations, and representing the Body within the Association.
Boards operate collectively, and decisions are normally taken by a simple majority vote unless otherwise specified in the Body’s own specific rules. In the event of a tie, the Chair holds the casting vote. 

The Board is composed of up to 10 Board Members including the 1 Chair and 1 Vice-Chair (except for the Young Nephrologists’ Platform (YNP) that does not have a Vice-Chair position). 

Every ERA Body cannot have less than 7 Board Members (including Chair and Vice-Chair). If this happens the Council will evaluate the closure of the ERA body due to lack of interest. 

Unless explicitly stated otherwise, all ERA Bodies follow the same structural principles regarding leadership roles, terms, eligibility, and Board composition. 

 

2.2 Eligibility and Membership Requirements 

All Board Members must be ERA Full Members and must demonstrate adequate expertise or interest in the topic of the Body.  

An individual may serve on the Board of only one ERA Body (either a Working Group or a Committee) at the same time. Industry employees or industry representatives cannot serve as Board Members. 

ERA promotes inclusiveness and equity. To this end, due consideration must be given to gender balance, with a target of at least 25% women whenever possible, as well as to representation of young nephrologists and a balanced geographical representation.  Specifically, regarding this last point, nominated Board members must reside in different countries. Any exception to this rule must receive formal approval from the ERA Council. 

At least one Board member should be a YNP member.If no YNP member is elected, the YNP Board shall nominate a YNP member to participate as an observer. YNP observers may attend all Working Group meetings with speaking rights but without voting rights. 

All Board members must be elected via an open call. 

ERA Board terms start and end at the ERA Ordinary General Assembly, held during the ERA Annual Congress. 

ERA Bodies may have additional eligibility requirements. These are detailed in their respective sections and supersede the general rules when applicable. 

 

2.3 Roles of the Chair, Vice-Chair and Chair-Elect/Past-Chair 

The Chair leads the Body, coordinates activities, ensures compliance with regulations, and represents the Body within ERA governance structures. 

The Chair is proposed by the ERA Body Board among their Board members and appointed by the Council. He/she serves for 3 years and represents the ERA body within the Council. The Chair cannot be re-elected. 

The Vice-Chair supports the Chair, substitutes him/her when necessary, and carries out the same responsibilities during such periods. 

The Chair will propose the name of the Vice-Chair, who should be a Board member, and is elected by the Board, to be finally appointed by the Council. 

An exception is the YNP Committee, which does not have a Vice-Chair. 

To ensure continuity, during the final year of the Chair’s mandate a Chair-Elect is nominated by the Board among its members and appointed by the Council. Upon completion of the Chair’s term, the Chair-Elect becomes Chair, and the outgoing Chair remains for one year as Past-Chair with voice but no vote. In the case of the YNP Chair, the time served as Chair-Elect is added to the one served as Board member and the age limit of 40 years does not apply. 

 

2.4 Terms of Office and Renewal 

The standard term for Board Members is three years, renewable once, for a maximum of six consecutive years. Individuals who serve as Chair or Vice-Chair may serve a total of maximum nine consecutive years on the Board, including their leadership term.  

The Chair and Vice-Chair each serve a single, non-renewable three-year mandate.
A Chair, after completing their mandate, cannot be elected or re-elected as Vice-Chair in any subsequent mandate. 

After completing the maximum permitted consecutive service, a minimum break of three years is required before re-applying for a Board position. 

In no case can any Board Member remain in the Board for more than 9 consecutive years. 

An exception applies to the YNP Committee: once a Board member has completed their three-year term, they may only re-apply for a Board position after a minimum break of three years. No YNP Board Member may serve more than seven consecutive years (thus including the eventual term as YNP Chair). A Board Member who does not actively participate in the ERA Body’s activities may be asked to resign from the Board; this requires a majority vote of the Board to become effective. 

 

2.5 Elections and Appointments 

Unless specific rules apply, elections follow an open call procedure. Calls for candidacies are published on the ERA website, and additional communications may be sent to ERA Members. 

Applications must be submitted using ERA templates, available on the ERA webpage only when the call is open and must include all the documentation required for eligibility verification. 

Candidate eligibility is pre-screened by the ERA Headquarters and, when relevant, by the Body’s Board. 

Voting is conducted either by the Board or, in the case of Working Groups, by the Working Group’s Ordinary Members. 

All elected or nominated individuals must be formally approved by the ERA Council, whose decision is final, before they can start their term. The ERA Secretary General is responsible for informing the relevant parties about the approval or non approval of candidates as decided by the Council. 

 

2.6 Duties and time commitment of Board members 

Board members are expected to: 

1. Attend at least 75% of Board meetings and devote sufficient time to prepare for meetings to allow for full and appropriate participation in the Board’s decision-making. 
2. Comply with all ERA policies avoiding at all costs to bring ERA into disrepute. 
3. Declare any potential Disclosure of Interest (DoI) with their role as a Board member and avoid seeking or accepting any gifts, rewards, benefits of any kind because of their role. 
4. Fulfil the responsibilities of any task that they accept. 
5. Devote sufficient time and effort to any task allocated to them to allow for timely execution of said task. 
6. Observe the confidentiality of Board matters and not disclose such information to any person unless required by law to do so. 
7. Uphold the good name and reputation of ERA. 
8. Not seek any personal interests and act exclusively in the best interest of ERA. 
9. Treat the other Board members, ERA employees & ERA members and any third party with respect. 

 

2.7 Voluntary Resignation 

Normally if an ERA Body member resigns from his/her position before the end of his/her term, he/she is expected to fulfil his/her duties until a replacement for the same position is nominated/elected. 

The resigning Board Member will be substituted following the election procedure outlined in point 2.5. 

 

2.8 ERA Committee Members and Financial Compensation 

All the work done by ERA Body members, is done on a voluntary basis and thus no honorarium is given by ERA. 

This same rule is also valid for ERA members who are speakers, in events organised by other societies, on behalf of ERA. 

Exceptions to this rule must be authorized by the ERA President and when it concerns him/her by the Secretary General or by the Council. 

 

2.8 Transitional Rules for Newly Created Bodies 

When a new ERA Body is established, transitional arrangements ensure staggered rotation of the first Board. One third of the originally appointed Board Members concludes their service after the first three-year term, one third after the fourth year and the remaining third after the fifth year. This rule does not apply to the Chair or Vice-Chair. 

The decision on who should leave the Board should preferably be done by the Board members who wish to leave, however, in case there are no Board members who wish to leave, the Board will vote on who will have to leave the Board upon a proposal with a list of names prepared by the Chair and Vice-Chair. 

 

2.9 Ordinary Members (Applicable to Working Groups Only) 

Working Groups include a broader membership category called Ordinary Members of the Working Group, who must be ERA Members with a proven interest in the WG’s area of interest. 

Only active Ordinary Members are entitled to participate in the election of Board Members through online voting system, as defined in point 2.5. 

 

2.10 Meetings and Reporting 

Boards must meet regularly to coordinate their activities and outputs. Meetings may be held virtually or, when required, in person. 

Each ERA Body may hold one annual face-to-face Board meeting at the ERA Headquarters in Parma, subject to budget availability and ERA’s reimbursement rules. 

Any ERA Council member, if not already board member, can participate in any other ERA Body board meeting upon request, with voice but not vote. This will normally be done in a virtual manner since no travel/accommodation funds are available for this purpose.  

A specific request of this must be submitted, in writing, to the Chair of the ERA committee. Each Body must submit at least one annual report to the ERA Council. The report includes activity updates, administrative matters, financial reporting (costs/budget), outcomes achieved, and future plans. The ERA Council may request additional reports based on the Body’s function. 

Reports must include: 

• A list of completed outputs 

• Works in progress  

• Proposed future outputs 

• Financial balance of the current /past year and budget for the current/future year 

• Any planned publications or initiatives requiring approval 

• Outcomes of previously approved activities 

 

Table 1: ERA Bodies specific reports schedule 

ERA Body	When	Who presents
All Working Groups	Fall Face-to-Face Council Meeting (October)	Renal Science Chair
Sustainable Nephrology Committee	Virtual Council Meeting in January	Chair
WERA Committee	Virtual Council Meeting in March	Chair
ETHICS Committee	Virtual Council Meeting in April	Chair
Kidney Relief in Disasters Committee	Virtual Council Meeting in May	Chair
YNP	Virtual Council Meeting in September	Chair
Strong Kidneys Committee	Virtual Council Meeting in October	Chair

 

2.11 Financial Support 

2.11.1 Funding from ERA 

ERA provides each ERA Body with administrative, secretarial and technical support through the ERA Headquarters. The Council assigns an annual budget, part of which must be used to support the annual face-to-face meeting at the ERA Headquarters in Parma (obligatory requirement). 

The remaining budget may be used for activities approved by the Body’s Board and formally validated by the Council. Eligible expenses may include: 

• Open Access fees for publications in non-ERA journals within permitted limits: not more than 1 per year, only in prestigious general medical journals (like New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, Journal of the American Medical Association, etc.). 

• Professional medical writing support. 

• Educational activities such as CME courses (joint with other ERA Bodies and/or with other societies and supported by an external Professional Congress Organization (PCO), if needed). 

• Awareness campaigns or strategic initiatives. 

• And other justified costs relevant to the Body’s mission. 

Unused funds from ERA’s annual budget cannot be carried over to the following year. 

2.11.2 Funding from External Sources 

ERA Bodies may seek unrestricted grants or external support for activities not covered by the ERA budget. All externally acquired funds must be transferred to ERA, which earmarks them for the Body’s use. External funding must be used only for activities approved by the Council. Unused funds from external funding can be carried over, provided they are used for projects or initiatives by the end of December of the subsequent year. 

 

2.12 Travel and Reimbursement 

Travel and accommodation for face-to-face Board meetings are covered according to ERA’s reimbursement rules according to a specific regulation.

Specific regulations of individual Bodies may also apply when approved by the Council. 

 

2.13 Conflict of Commitment 

All ERA Committee members should refrain from accepting similar positions in other societies with aims like ERA to avoid any potential conflict of interest while in office. If by any chance this however happens, the Council will decide (by secret vote), case by case, if the person can keep the positions or if she/he must choose one or the other.  

 

2.14 Disclosure of Interest (DoI) 

All Board Members must maintain an up-to-date Disclosure of Interest (DoI) in their MyERA profile. Any issues arising from false statements will be handled directly by the ERA Council. If a committee or board member fails to submit their DoI, this will be clearly shown in the relevant section of the ERA website. The ERA Council may remove the member from their role in the committee/board with a simple majority vote. 

When a Board Member has a direct conflict of interest on an agenda item, they must abstain from both the discussion and the vote. 

They may remain in the meeting only to answer specific factual questions addressed to them by, or through, the Chair. After doing so, they must leave the room for the remainder of that discussion and vote. They may return and continue participating only once the discussion and vote have been completed and the decision formally recorded in the meeting minutes. 

The Chair (or Vice-Chair) is responsible for enforcing this rule. 

 

2.15 Use of ERA Identity 

Any publication, campaign, article or initiative produced by an ERA Body must clearly state that it is an official ERA Body initiative. 

Wording provided in the Scientific Documents Policy must be followed. All materials must be approved by the Council prior to publication or dissemination. 

 

2.16 Confidentiality 

At the start of their mandate, all Board Members must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).  

Confidential information accessed through their role, such as meeting discussions, internal assessments, evaluations, drafts and correspondence, remains confidential indefinitely. 

 

2.17 Diplomas 

At the conclusion of their mandate, Board Members receive an official ERA diploma acknowledging their service. The format and issuance follow the rules established in the Administrative ERA Rules. 

 

2.18 Council Oversight 

All ERA Bodies operate under the authority of the ERA and thus the ERA Council. The Council may request additional information, impose corrections, appoint or remove members, or dissolve a Body at its discretion when necessary to protect ERA’s mission, governance standards and strategic priorities.  

When an ERA Body is under Council evaluation, its Chair should be invited to attend the relevant Council meeting. This will normally take place virtually, as no travel or accommodation funds are available for this purpose. 

The ERA Council is also responsible for any eventual exceptions to these rules provided that a transparent and objective reasoning is given. 

 

3. Working Groups

ERA Working Groups (WGs) are permanent scientific networks that promote research, education, collaboration and knowledge exchange within specific areas of nephrology. Each WG supports the development of scientific output, educational initiatives and joint activities that advance the field and contribute to ERA’s mission. 

 There should be a maximum number of ERA WGs which is decided by the Council (at the moment this number is 10). 

 

3.1 List of ERA Working Groups and Their Scope 

3.1.1 CKD-MBD (Chronic Kidney Disease – Mineral and Bone Disorders) 

Focuses on improving the understanding, diagnosis and management of mineral and bone disorders in patients with CKD and advancing research in pathophysiology and treatment approaches. 

3.1.2 DESCaRTES (Developing Education Science and Care for Renal Transplantation in European States)  

Promotes excellence in kidney transplantation through research, education and best practice sharing, with a strong focus on improving outcomes for transplant recipients. 

3.1.3 Diabesity (Diabetes and Obesity) 

Addresses the intersection of diabetes, obesity and kidney disease, advancing research and educational efforts aimed at prevention, early detection and treatment. 

3.1.4 ERAKI (European Acute Kidney Injury) 

Supports research and education in acute kidney injury and kidney pathology, fostering collaborations to improve diagnosis, prevention and management. 

3.1.5 ERN (European Renal Nutrition) 

Promotes research and clinical best practices in nutritional management of kidney disease, supporting education on nutritional assessment and dietary interventions in nephrology. 

3.1.6 EuDial (European Dialysis) 

Advances the science, clinical management and quality of care in dialysis, promoting research, guidelines and innovation in dialysis therapies. 

3.1.7 EuReCa-M (European Renal and Cardiovascular Medicine) 

Focuses on the interplay between kidney and cardiovascular diseases, supporting research and education to improve prevention, diagnosis and management of cardiorenal syndromes. 

3.1.8 G&K (Genes & Kidney) 

Promotes research in genetics and hereditary kidney diseases, enabling knowledge exchange on genetic screening, molecular mechanisms and precision medicine approaches. 

3.1.9 IWG (Immunonephrology) 

Advances the understanding and management of immune-mediated kidney diseases by fostering scientific collaboration and supporting clinical and translational research. 

3.1.10 ONCO-ERA (Onconephrology) 

Addresses kidney complications related to cancer and anticancer therapies, advancing research and education in Onconephrology and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration. 

 

4. Committees

ERA Committees are permanent governance, advisory or strategic bodies that address cross-cutting themes of importance to the Association. They support ERA’s mission by providing expert guidance, shaping strategic initiatives, contributing to policy development, ensuring ethical compliance, and driving programmes that promote awareness, equity, sustainability and community engagement across the nephrology field. 

4.1 List of ERA Committees and Their Scope 

4.1.1 ETHICS 

Discusses ethical issues and dilemmas across various areas of nephrology, advises the ERA Council on ethical matters, reviews ethical issues arising in ERA Bodies and promotes the highest standards of integrity across all ERA activities. 

No member may be a current Council member, and they may not become one while serving on the Committee. Members must also have been an active ERA member for at least five consecutive years (to be considered at the time of candidacy). 

4.1.2 Young Nephrologists’ Platform (YNP) 

Supports and connects nephrologists aged 40 and under, promotes their professional development, encourages active participation in ERA activities, and contributes to scientific and educational programmes across the Association. 

All ERA young Members automatically are YNP Members. YNP Members will remain as such until the end of the year in which he/she has reached 40 years of age. 

Due to the age limitation, candidates must be 37 years old or younger at the time of their candidacy submission. This limitation is not applicable to the positions of Chair/Chair-Elect.  

Board Member candidates must be the 1st author of at least one of three accepted abstracts at international congresses (at least one must be an ERA Congress) in the last five years. 

Additional duties and commitment for the YNP Chair: 

The YNP Chair is an ex-officio member of:  

1. ERA Education Meeting Committees  
2. Congress Scientific Committee 

4.1.3 Strong Kidneys 

Raises public and professional awareness on kidney health, produces multilingual educational materials, and collaborates with National Societies to promote prevention, early detection and advocacy initiatives across Europe. 

4.1.4 Sustainable Nephrology 

Promotes environmental sustainability in nephrology by producing scientific manuscripts, developing educational tools, evaluating the ecological impact of kidney care and supporting ERA’s efforts toward carbon neutrality. 

4.1.5 Kidney Relief in Disasters 

Supports healthcare professionals and kidney patients affected by natural or man-made disasters, develops preparedness plans, organises workshops and CME activities, and produces guidance materials for emergency contexts. 

4.1.6 Women of ERA (WERA) 

Promotes gender equity in nephrology, encourages women’s leadership and scientific participation, organises awareness campaigns, networking and mentoring activities, and contributes to educational initiatives including dedicated sessions at the ERA Congress. 

 

5. Outputs

5.1 General Principles 

ERA Bodies produce scientific, educational and strategic outputs that support the Association’s mission. 

All outputs must be consistent with ERA’s objectives, comply with these Regulations and the ERA Constitution and the ERA Scientific Documents Policy, and uphold scientific integrity and ethical standards. 

Outputs may include scientific publications, awareness campaigns, reports, statements, educational materials, workshops, surveys, policy-oriented activities and any other initiative aligned with the Body’s mandate. 

 

5.2 Minimum output 

ERA Bodies are expected to contribute to the reputation of the ERA and deliver state-of-the-art science and education for the benefit of the scientific community and are therefore asked to meet minimum requirements in terms of output: 

• Deliver high-quality digital education content – one per year (also jointly with another ERA Body) 

• Produce Reviews/Meta-analyses, Endorsements/Commentaries, Original Research other type of scientific articles to be submitted preferably to NDT & CKJ – at least one every 3 years (not mandatory for the YNP Committee) 

• Submit one research or fellowship project every 3 years (not applicable for Committees) 

• Produce consensus or controversy statements/opinion reports to be submitted preferably to NDT & CKJ – at least one every 3 years (not applicable for Committees) 

• Produce a Commentary on KDIGO Guidelines, if applicable, or “Disease Definition” articles at least every 2 years is recommended in addition to the minimum output requirements (not applicable for Committees) 

 

5.3 Publications 

ERA Bodies may produce scientific articles, statements, reports or other scholarly documents. Publications should primarily target ERA’s official journals (NDT and CKJ). 

Every scientific output must adhere to authorship and ethical standards and must respect ERA’s Declaration of Interest policy and following the instruction reported in the ERA Scientific Documents Policy.

 

5.4 Scientific and educational activities 

5.4.1 CME courses 

ERA Bodies may organise CME courses during the pre-congress CME sessions only.  

The Educational activities will be evaluated by taking into consideration the following aspects: 

• The scientific programme, the relevance of the topic and educational value 

• Faculty composition: at least 25% of the speakers must be women (also applicable to all material for the ERA e-learning platform); it is highly advisable to include young speakers in the programme, furthermore, regarding nephrological topics, it is recommended to invite speakers who are ERA members. Finally, also geographical distribution is evaluated 

ERA Bodies may present their work at other national or international meetings but must always identify themselves as an ERA Body for visibility. To join an official ERA session at a non-ERA event, they must request approval from the ERA Council through the President before submitting a proposal. ERA does not cover any type of faculty expenses for third-party events. 

5.4.2 Surveys and questionnaires

The ERA Bodies can propose a surveys or questionnaire aiming to collect relevant scientific data for original scientific articles or statement. A specific operational procedure is available summarising parameters, application form and submission procedures.

5.4.3 Events/projects originating from core ERA initiatives 

ERA Bodies may develop events or projects eligible for the ERA Affiliated Endorsement, provided they fully comply with the ERA Endorsement Rules. ERA offers limited central support, official templates and defined visibility channels, while all scientific, logistical, contractual and financial responsibilities rest entirely with the locally appointed PCO under the supervision of the Organising/Scientific Committee. 

 

5.5 Collaboration and Support 

Outputs may be produced with the support of the ERA Headquarters, and in collaboration with other ERA Bodies, National Societies, or external partners.  

Joint outputs done in collaboration with external partners must follow the same approval process as outlined in in the ERA Scientific Documents Policy and include the appropriate branding for all participating organisations. 

The ERA Headquarters provides technical and logistical support for the preparation and dissemination of the outputs, within the limits of available resources that must be taken from the budget of the ERA Body. 

5.6 Data, Materials and Intellectual Property 

All materials, data, figures, designs and content produced under an ERA Body are the intellectual property of ERA, unless explicitly agreed otherwise by the Council. 

Members involved in producing outputs must ensure that: 

• all data are accurate and ethically obtained 

• external materials (figures, icons, datasets, etc.) comply with copyright rules 

• confidential information is not disclosed 

 

Last Update: February 2026