ERA-EDTA has been organising very successful meetings with the representatives of the National Societies of Nephrology (two representatives for each Society are invited to attend), however since 2013, these meetings have become a half day event with much more interaction and new ideas for possible collaborations. In 2018, this half day event was again organised immediately before the start of the annual ERA-EDTA Congress.
The meetings are always very lively and ERA-EDTA has now added many new features that aim at keeping the National Societies up-to date with all the ERA-EDTA initiatives, but also putting the various National Societies in contact with each other having ample opportunity to network. 

National Societies have visibility on the ERA-EDTA web-site and are also welcome to actively take part in the annual ERA-EDTA Congress by participating, or taking advantage of events and opportunities exclusively designed for them. For example, during the 2018 Congress a free registration was offered to all National Societies and all were offered the possibility of sending materials related to their specific events/initiatives to be placed in the “Future Events & Education” booth in the exhibition area (ERA-EDTA took care of covering the local handling fees for these mailings). 
ERA-EDTA also offers National Societies the opportunity to grant the best abstract/poster presenter at their Annual Congress with three years of free ERA-EDTA membership (including free access to NDT Online), plus one free ERA-EDTA Congress Registration.

In 2018 the following twelve abstract/poster presenters won the ERA-EDTA National Grant:

1. AUSTRIA – AUSTRIAN SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY
   Moschovaki Filippidou Foteini
   GLP-1 agonism improves nephrotoxic serum nephritis by inhibiting T cell Proliferation
   
   
2. GERMANY – GERMAN SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY
   Julian Marschner
   Endogenes Pentraxin 3 inhibiert Nephrokalzinose und schützt vor Hyperoxalurie-bedingter chronischer Niereninsuffizienz
   
   
3. GREECE – HELLENIC SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY
   Ioanna Tsoumpou
   Successful treatment of hepatitis C virus infection with direct acting antivirals in renal transplant recipients
   
   
4. HUNGARY – HUNGARIAN SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY
   Adrienn Barczi
   MRI validation of surface distance measurement for pulse wave velocity in children
   
   
5. ITALY – ITALIAN SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY
   Paolo Greco
   Sustained low-efficiency dialysis for metformin-associated lactic acidosis in patients with acute kidney injury
   
   
6. KAZAKHSTAN – SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGISTS, DIALYSIS AND TRANSPLANT PHYSICIANS OF KAZAKHSTAN
   Ekaterina Parshina
   A retrospective analysis of the long-term clinical consequences of the surgical treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients on dialysis
   
   
7. LITHUANIA – LITHUANIAN NEPHROLOGY, DIALYSIS AND TRANSPLANTATION ASSOCIATION
   Irmante Stramaityte
   The significance of normalized protein catabolic rate in clinical practice
   
   
8. POLAND – POLISH SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY
   Agata Winiarska
   Efficacy of Treatment of Glomuronephritis
   
   
9. SLOVAKIA – SLOVAK SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY
   Karol Granak
   Kidney transplantation and „the gender mismatch“ a 10-year one-centre analysis
   
   
10. SPAIN – SOCIEDAD ESPANOLA DE NEFROLOGIA
    Carla Cristina Burballa Tarrega
    Discordancia en la detección de anticuerpos anti-HLA donante-específicos (ADS) postanteraspl renal (TR) con tests de antígeno aislado de dos casas comerciales
    
    
11. TURKEY – TURKISH SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY
    Cihan Heybeli
    Analysis of Renal Tubular P-Glycoprotein Expression Patients
    with Primary Amyloidosis
    
    
12. UK – SCOTTISH RENAL ASSOCIATION
    Maximilian Ralston
    Factors influencing hypophosphataemia after kidney transplantation